UMASS/AMHERST 312066 0333 2738 3 ii*(il ,(10 i'^tV.s 1 nil- »y?;;'cvi.;;;:i LIBRARY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE No.__3;ei6_1.6 DATE.b.:^.4riD s o u R c E ^ vrf^ ^ -t- ^ iK>vrV X «-" 49th Year No. 1 January, 1909 vi€i«sachtas^c^'?c Year opy January, 1909. PUBLISHKD MONTHLY BY GEORGE W.YORK S COMPANY 11a W. Jackson Blvd., Ghicago, 111. IMPORTANT NOTICE. THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE of this Journal is 75 cents a year, in the United States of America, (except Chicago, where it is $1.00), and Mexico; in Canada 85 cents; and in all other countries m the PDstal Union, 25 cents a year extra for post- age. Sample copy free. THE WRAPPER-LABEL DATE indicates the end of the month to which your subscription is paid. For instance, " decO'.i "on your label shows that it is paid to the end of December, WOJ. SUBSCRIPTION RECEIPTS.-We do not send a receipt for money sent us to pay subscription, but change the date on your wrapper-label, which .hows that the money has been received and credited. American l^ee Journal 3 Standard Papers at a Bargain! Farm Journal (2 yrs.\ Garden Maga- zine-Tarming, and American "Bee Jour- nal—Cill 3 Monthlies for Only $1.30, What the Papers Are: fldvertising Rate, per flgate Line, 15c. 14 lines make one inch. Nothine less than 4 lines accepted. DiSCODNTS: 3 times 14c a line 9 times lie a line 5 .. 12c" " 12 " (lyr.) 10c a line Reading Notices, 25 cents, count line. Goes to press the 6th of each month. National Bee Keepers' Association Objects of the Association. l8t.-To promote the interests of its members. 2a.-To protect and defend its members in their lawful rights. 3d.-To enforce laws against the adulteration of ''°''°^' Annual Membership Dues, *i.oo. General Mana^r and^Treasurer-^^ Platteville. Wis. ^- If more convenient. Dues may be sent to the publishers of the American Bee Journal. "Songs of Beedom" This is a pamphlet, 6x9 inches, con- taining 10 songs (words and music) written specially for bee-keepers, by Hon. Eugene Secor, Dr. C. C. Miller, and others. They are arranged for either argan or piano. The list includes the following : " Bee - Keepers' Reunion Song;" "The Bee-Keeper's Lullaby; "The Hum of the Bees in the Apple- Bloom;" "The Humming of the Bees;" "Buckwheat Cakes and Honey;" "Dot Happy Bee-Man;" "Bee-Keepers' Con- vention Song;" "The Busy, Buzzing Bees:" "Spring-Time Joys;" and Con- vention Song." The pamphlet is mailed for 25 cents, or sent with the American Bee Journal one year— both for only 90 cents. Send all orders to the Ameri- can Bee Journal, 118 W. Jackson, Chi- cago, 111^ Western Bee-Keepers JSow^'on how to Bave money. Send for our new caU- log of the best Bee-ware made. THB COIORIDO HOIET-PRODUCERS'. 18)!'J,i Deiier. C«l>. The Garden Magazine-Farming is a constant inspiration for those who enjoy flowers and vegetables and trees and lawns, and a very present help in time of need. The Garden Magazine has superb illustra- tions and practical and helpful plantins; tables. It can help you. The leading series for the coming year is " Old World Effects with New World Material." showing how England grows our own flowers better than we do, and what we should do for ourselves. Another big feature is a planting table for trees, new and unique, and one of the series of tables run each year. "The cheapest garden series of planting instructions gives different plans for small yards at very mod- erate cost." Two double numbers at 25 cents each are included with every yearly subscription. The Farm Journal has over a half- million subscribers-3,000.000 readers. It is practical, honest, progressive, cheerful, clean. It is for the farmer, stoclsman, trucker, fruit grower, dairyman, poultry- man, the women folks, the boys and girls. It is boiled down — cream, not skim-milk— full of gumption and sunshine. It is for the good folks in our farm and village homes. It is for human beings, not fat hogs. Fat hogs are all right, but they do not come first. The American Bee Journal— well, you have a copy right here, so it speaks for itself . The above 3 papers for only $1.50 is surely a bargain. #And the Farm Journa. will be sent for 2 years— the others 1 year each— to either new or renewal subscribers George W. York £r Co., 118 W. Jackson, CHICAGO, ILL. ■' // Goods are Wanted Quick Send to Touder. " established 1889 Bee-Supplies. Root's Goods in Indiana. standard Hives with latest improvements. Danzenbaker Hives Honey-Boxes, Comb Foundation and everything that is used in the bee-yard. Large illustrated catalog inailed free. Finest White Clover Extracted Honey for sale in any quantity desired. WALTER S. POUDER, 513-515 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. Dittmer's Comb Foundation Is the Best. Not because we say so, but because the Bees prefer H to other makes. Dittmer's Process is Diitmer's It has built its Reputation and established its Merits, on its own Foundation and its own Name. We make a Specialty of Working Wax into Founda- tion for Cash. Write for free catalog and prices on full Line of Supplies. GUS DITTMER CO.. Augusta, Wis. TWO MONEYMAKERS S' CARFF'S SMALL FRUITS ami bees are an ideal comhination for bee-keepers I or farmers. Order early ami plant a eenerou.suuan- i? titvi.fth, ..He fruits. The bees poIleMize them, niak- * " inir them produce iQ luxuricius abundance, and at the .saine time increase amount ami value of huney. * _ Small Fruit Plant Free. I want to prove how wi41-r..oted, strong and vlK'urous my plants are, I will f send free one line plant (my selection) U you will write "foriny new' V.m free eataioff. Some "' m\. ^-'iLS"'"" make over$300anacre\vithmyplants Bookon Trans ^ i.j intiniT and Aftereu ture" free with all orders. I sell a laree variety o£nS?sery stock, grown on an 800-aere tarm. Aak torOataiug L. W. N. SCABFF, Mew_Carli8le;_Ohl^ anuary American l^ee Journal LISTEN! \Vc wisli to announce tliat we have purcliased the A. 1. Rout Co.'s supply Ijusiness for Western Pennsylvania from i\Ir. John N.Protliers, of Dubois, Fa., and are ready to fill orders promptly with a full line of supplies. ROOT'S GOODS Always give satisfaction. Four percent discount in January and three per- cent discount in February on cash orders from catalog prices. Geo. H. Rea has turned his entire bee- business over to us. Can supply you with the very best Italian Bees and Queens. Or- ders booked now for spring delivery about May 1st: Every Queen purely mated, Queens, each $1.00; Dozen $11.00 Mr. Nucleus and Queen 2.00 3-fr. 3.50 4-fr. 5.00 Very strong Colony 10.00 Medium Colony 8.00 Good Hybrid Colony 5.00 Bees in 8 or 10 frame hives. Good queen in each. We can supply you with anything: in the BEE-LINE REA BEE and HONEY CO., Reynoldsville, Pa. Mention Bee Journal frfaen Trrltlng. Tiibcioiii GIANT BEGONIAS i-iiutL'd lkt,'oiiiiis ;uf thfhaiul 25o iinnt'st of all flowtriny: tuberous-rooted plants. Xotliintr surpas^ses the biilhaiicy and riclmess of tilt ii' [lowers. Colors; Wliit-'. Crimson, Rose . sc;iilft. Yellow, Orange, Salmon. 8 cents each. The .1 hove collection -f 7 va- rieties mailed for 2oc. li>0 for §t.00 hv express. PREMIUM Ft»r each additonalcc-Iiec- f I imn ordered (bcside^your own) you may select one Double Begonia or one i4li xinia as a premium. Double Begonia: While, Critnson. Rose, Scarlet, Yellow, Orange. Salmon. I5e each. Gloxinia: Red with While Border, Blue with White l.onlei. Crimson, White, 15c eacli. Club with your friends and sfcure thislihei-al premium. ^jfrs*.:. BINGHAMTON SEEB CO.. 101 Court St.. Binghamton. N. Y. Hfentlon Bee Journal when writlnB. LEWIS BEEWARE A Full Stock at Factory Prices Our excellent location and facilities en- able us to give SOUTHERN BEE-KEEPERS prompt service and best prices. Write for our Big Catalog of Bee-Supplies, Seeds and Poultry Foods. Otto Schwill & Co., Seedsmen Established 1869 Box 73, Memphis, Tennessee lAt Mention Bee Journal when wrltins;* ^3 — leading varieties of pure bred ^Jchlckene, Ducks. Geese. Turkeys; alBoHolsteln cattle. Prize wiunlng stock. Oldest and largest poultry farm in the northwest. Stock, eggs and Incubators at low prices. Send 4 cents for catalog. Larktn&Hersberg. Box-.*! Mankato.Mlnn. Uentlom Bee Journal Trben ■vrritSmg, Poultry Secrets Disclosed POULTRY SECRETS. ,,J;:r^ -[: X tryman knows important facts he never tells. They are peculiar secret methods and records of discov- eries he has made in his wr»rk with chickens. Some of these he does not retrard of sufficient importance to tell, and others he guards with extreme care. They are the foundation of his success and a valuable asset of his busi- ness. We Will Tell You These Secrets There is no man in the United States who has more friends among poultrymen than Michael K. Boyer. A veteran chicken breeder himself, he knows the business from A to Z, and through his great acquaintance and friendship among poultrymen he has learned many of their most jealously-treasured secrets. This scattered ma- terial he has collected in book form, and we are offering itto the poultry raisersof America in order thatthey may share in the knowledge which these successful men have acquired by long years of study and bitter experience. Every secret printed in this book has been obtained in an honorable way, either by permission of the owner or through the experience of Mr Boyer himself. I. K. Fetch's Mating Secret One of the best known figures in the poul- try world is I. K. Felch. Certainly success has crowned his efforts as a breeder of blooded stock. Manv vears aj^o 11 r. Felch published his breeding chart, but later, realizins: its value, he withdrew it and kept the information for himself. He has now eriven Mr. Hover permission to use this in- formation, and it is included in this book. Is this rock properly held? "Poultry J^ecrets" Ulls you how to carry fowls, ant/ .srorfs of secrets J'ttr more i mportanl u/ui hitherto unrevealed. Secret of Fertile F^^s Boyer's secret of securing fertile eeefs by alternating- males we believe is worth glOO to any bis:r producer of settintr eg-j^s. It is some- thin^f new, and the diairrammatic illustration furnished by .Mr. Boyer makes the matter so plain that the novice can easily understand it. The Secret of Feed at 13 Cents a Bushel An enterprisingr poultrvman has been ad- vertising: this secret for S5 00 and pledgring- those who buy it not to disclose it to any one else; it has. however, long: been known to a few poultrymen. .Mr Bover among them, and the niethod has been fully explained in "Poultry Secrets." Of course we cannot go to the length of saying that all the information in the book is new to every one. It is said there is nothing new under the sun, and the Egyptians were hatching eggs by artificial heat centuries ago; but we do say that to the great majority of Poultrymen these secrets will be abso- lutely new. We Will Pay $10 For Any Secret Not in the Book Provided it is practical and valuable. The only condition we make is that Mr. Boyer. whose standing and reputation for fair dealing are known to every large poultryman, must be the sole ludge whether it is Practical and Valuable." If it is something good and new, a check for Ten Dollars will be sent at once. Poultry Department of Farm Journal Farm JorRXAL for thirty years has conducted a poultry department known the country over for the ability of its editors and the value of its contents. It is the standard farm and S^^^P^^P^'" °^ ^"*^ country with three million readers. It is clean, bright, intensely practical- boiled-down; cream, not skim-milk. Its contributors know what they are talking about, and can quit when they have said it. Besides its unusually strong poultry sec- tion, which of itself makes the paper valuable to everv chicken owner, its other departments are ably conducted and widely quoted. It is for the gardener fruit man. stockman, trucker, farmer, villager, suburbanite, the 1* 8"* » women folks, the boys and girls. It is worth far more than the price asked tor it and Poultry Secrets" together. Its more than half million sub- scribers pay hve and ten years ahead— a remarkable tribute. We are Willing to Name Here Some of the Secrets Burnham's secret of maiing (owts. Felch's method ot breeding from an original pair, producing thousands of chicks and three distinct strains. Mendel's Chart of Heredity. Secret of strong ierlility by alternating males. Secret of knowing what to feed and liow to feed it. The secret of having green food in winter. Secret of sprouting oats and barley for poultry feeding. Secret recipes for chick feed : practically the same as is now sold on the market at a high rate. Secret of f.itling poultry economically so as to make the must profit out of the crop. Secret of having healthy fowls without the use of drugs. Secret of telling the laying hens of the flock. Secret of detecting age in stock. Secret of knowing how to judge dressed poultry. The only safe way of preserving eggs. A secret of dressing fowls so as to do the work quickly and w ith little tntuMe The fancier's secret of preparing fowls for exhi- bition. An exposure of the methods employed by some fanciers to kill the fertility of the eggs. The secret of celery-feeding to flavor the carcass in imitation of the canvas-back duck. Scaly-leg treatment — a remedy that really cures. The winter egg crop and how to get it. How to create the ideal roasting fowls. Fatting turkeys for market. Hunter's Secret of Suo ess. There are Scores of Others MKCCJ1> f ARM A) MANAt Our Offer Wo will send a copy of "Poultry Secrets '".-ind Faum .Tot'RNAL icir 5 yeais, both for only $1.00 And to every one who takes advantage ni this advertisement before Pehruary 1st. we will send also a coi>y of the Lincoln Farm Alnianar, Hlled with Lincrdn stones and valuable information for everybody for 190a. WILMER ATKINSON CO.. 912 Race St., Philadelphia, Pa. FARM SEEDS Choicest varieties of Seed Oats, Wheat. Spring Rye. Spelt.!. Barley. Cane. Seed Com, Unarf llfiex Rape. Potatoes and all kinds of field, grass and garden seeds. I^rge illustrated catalogue of great valueto farmers free* it vou mention this paper. IOWA SEED CO., DES MOIMES, lA. 32616 January, 1909. Amorican IS^e Journal SPECIAL CLUBBING and PREMIUM OFFERS In Connection With The AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL Sample copies free to help you interest your friends and get subscriptions. If you will send us names of your neighbors or friends we will mail them sample copies free. After they have received their copies, with a little tall;, you can get some to sub- scribe and so either set your own subscription free or receive some of the useful premiums below. They're worth getting. We give you a year's subscription free for sending us two new subscriptions at 75 cents each. BEE-KEEPERS' NOVELTY POCKET'KNIFE Tourname and acUlressput i.n one side fl" the handle as shown in cut, aning Device is a line thing for use in catching and clipping Queens' wings. Four and one-halC inches high. It is used by many bee-keepers. Full printed directions s-nt with each one. . Price alone, post- X^^^^^ paid, 25 cent.s. "With a ^ '^ year's subscription, 90 cents. Given free for sending- one new subscription at 75 cents. IDEAL HIVE-TOOL A special tool invent ed by a Minnesota bee-keeper, adaDt- ed for prying up supers and for general work around the api- ary. Made of malleable iron, SVi inches lon^. The middle part isl 1-16 inches wide and 7-32 thick. The smaller end is I's inches long, '-i inch wide, and 7-32 thick, end- ing like a screw- driver. The larger end is wedge-shaped having a sharp, semi- circular edge, mak- ing it almostperfeet for prying up cov- ers, supers, etc.. as it does not mar the wood. Dr. Miller, who has used it since 1903 says, Jan. 7, 1907; " I think as much of the tool as ever." Price alone, post- paid, 40 cents. With a year's subscrip- tion,$1.00. Given free for 2 new subscrip- tions at 75c each. PREMIUM QUEENS Tljese are untested, stan- dard-bred Italian Queens, reports of which have been highly satisfactory. They are active breeders, and produce good work- Sent only after May Ist. Orders booked any time for queens. Safe de- livery guaranteed. Price, 75 cents each, 6 for $4.00, or 12 for $7.50. One queen with a year's sub- s c r i p tion , $1.20. Queen free for 3 new 75c subscriptions. HUMOROUS BEE POST-CARDS ^ '^ ' ' And CMCtR this lonely hurt? For I WOULD huo you all the tihEj And we would rjFvEft rart A "Teddy Bear" on good terms with everybody, including the bees swarming out of the old-fashioned "skep." Size 3!4.v5i4, printed in four colors. Blank space 1^."j3 inches for writing. Prices -3 postpaid, 10 cents; 10 for 25 cents. Ten with a year's subscription, 90 cents. Six g^iven free for one new 75c subscription. BOOKS FOR BEE-KEEPERS Forty Years Among the Bees, by Dr. C. C. Miller.— 334 pages. b'>unr the 3 copies given free lor 2 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Anierikanische Bienenzurht, by Hans Buschl)auer, is a bee-keepers' handbook of 13H pages, which is just what our German friends will want. It is fully illustrated and neatly bound in cloth. Price alone, $l.Oii. With" a Year's subscription. $1.50. Given free for '3 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. THE EMERSON BINDER A stiff boanl outside like a book-cover with cloth ba.k. Will hold easily :i volumes (36 numbers) of the Ameriean Hei- Journal. Makes reference eas-y, preserves <'opies from loss, uust and mutilation. Priee postpaid, 75 cents. With a year 's suhscrijition, $1.25. Given free for 3 new subscriptions at 75 cents each^ WOOD BINDER Holds 3 volumes. Has wood back but no covers. Price, posti)aid, 20 cents. With a vear's sub'^crintion so cents. Given free for one new subscription at 75 cents. BEE-HIVE CLOCK A few of these handsom<' "bronze-metal" clocks left. BaseUi'2 inches wide by 934 inches high. Design is a straw skep with clock fai-e in middle. Keens excellent time, durable and reliable. Weight. boxed, 4 pounds. You pay express charge.s. Price $l.r.o. With a year's subscription, $1^.00. tiiven free for 6 new subscriptions a,t 75 cents each. SEND ALL ORDEILS TO THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, 118 W. Jackson. Chicago, III. (Entered as second-class matter July 30, 1907, at tbe Post-Offlee at Chicago, III., under Act of March 3, 1879.) Published Monthly at 75 cents a Year, by George \V. York & Co., 118 West Jackson Ronlevard. GBURGB W. YORK. Editor CHICAGO, ILL., JANUARY, 1909 VoL XLIX— No 1 brial ^otes and Commenfs V4l,''*S' ^•*~> -*-- J Bce-Cultui'f and the Government In the forthcoming report of the Sec- retarj' of Agriculture for 1908, at Wash- ington, D. C, we find the following paragrapli relating to bee-culture : "The work on bee-culture has been enlarged, and its operations have been unusually pro- ductive. The work on bee-diseases has been continued through the year, and it has been showit that the annual loss from these dis- eases, conservatively estimated at $2,000,000, may be considerably reduced by the application of better methods of manipulation. Testing of different races of bees has been carried on near Washington, and a study of the pro- duction and care of extracted honey, a study of the present status of bee-keeping, experi- ments on mating queens in confinement, and other work looking tow-ard the bettering of apiculture has been under way." No doubt bee-keepers will be inter- ested to learn the details of the work that has been conducted by the Depart- ment of Agriculture through the Di- vision of Entomology, along the line of bee-diseases, testing different races of bees, etc. Some of this work has been described in special bulletins, which we have announced from time to time. Dr. E. F. Phillips and his assistants certainly have ample opportunity for doing some good work in the interest of bee-keeping. They have already evidenced their fit- ness for the positions they occupy. But much remains to be done yet. Ij' abeille et la ruche That's the name of the French trans- lation of Dadant's Langstroth, that clas- sic on the Hive and Honey-bee, of which a new edition has appeared. The popu- larity of the work among French-speak- ing bee-keepers is -shown by the fact that this makes 7000 copies of the French translation. (The third edition of the Russian translation is soon to appear.) Bringing this latest revision fully up to date has made an increase of 120 pages over the previous edition. Not every one will fully understand just how it is that a work entirely American in character should be so kindly received among bee-keepers of another nation- ality, because not every one understands the standing of the Dadants in their na- tive country — France. The elder Dadant was known in this country as a bee- keeper of highest standing, but he was still better known in France. Good writ- er that he was in English, he was still more at home in his native tongue, and wrote more for French than for Ameri- can journals, .\gainst bitter odds he waged a heavy battle in favor of the movable-comb hive, coming off trium- phant. C. P. Dadant, the son, inherits the good that was in his father. .\ fluent French writer, he is at home in the best French bee-papers, as was his father, witli the advantage of having spent near- ly all his life in this country, thvis being a tliorough Frenchman and an up-to- date -American bee-keeper rolled in one. The beautiful manner in which the book is gotten up does not tend to lessen its popularit)'. Among bee-keepers of this country may be found here and there a student of the French language. Such an one might do worse than to in- vest $1.50 in this excellent work in order to use it as a French reader. Propolis from Wax Under this heading, J! A. Huff says in Gleanings in Bee Culture : A few years ago I had a cake of bright- yellow wax lying out in the yard under some shade-trees. One day I noticed some bees on this wax. I watched them a while, and found that they were gnawing on the wax and put- ting it in their pollen-baskets. As nearly as i could tell there were only six of them. I looked over the hives in the yard and found that those bees were daubing up a crack bc- tweett the cover and hive-body on a certain hive; and, as nearly as I could tell, those few bees were the only ones working on this cake of wax. I watched them perhaps half an hour, and saw that, during their manipulation of the wax, it got darker, and almost resembled, according to my eye, the propolis on the hive in other places, iiome time after that, having occasion to open this hive, I noticed that the wax those bees deposited was the genuine stuff called propolis, in color, stickiness, and smell; and ever since that time my belief has been that propolis is manufactured by the bees out of wax mixed with some substance to change it chemically. That the bees never gather any substance to use as propolis I will not claim. The probability is that if Mr. Ruff would melt the propolis in question he'd find it separate into two parts, one wa.x and the other propolis. No doubt many have noticed bees nibbling pieces from e-xposed wax and packing it on their legs, which they no doubt use for plugging up cracks in place of propolis: but that by any possible means they can change wax into propolis is extremely doubtful. Although used in place of propolis it is still wax, albeit mi.xed with propolis. The "color, stickiness, and smell'' of propolis is so pronounced that under ordinary observation one might not dis- criminate between a mixture of wax and propolis, half-and-half, and a pure sample of propolis. The important point in the case is that no small amount of wax may be thrown away under the impression that it is propolis. When section honey is scraped for market, a certain amount of propolis is accumulated. Whether it will pay to get the wa.x out of this may be a question. -\s an experiment, 2)4 pounds of such scrapings were put in a drip- ping-pan with a little water, and heated. More or less of small chips and other impurities were present, and there was obtained 2'/2 ounces of very dirty wax. Not very good pay, that ; but with scrap- ings of better quality and larger amount the case might be different. Measures to Prevent Swarming O. L. Hershiser says in the Canadian Bee Journal : With me the control of swarming in the production of extracted honey is successfully accomplished by enlarging the brooa-cnamber from time to time as needed, by adding what I have found by experience will be not just enough, but an abundance, of room for the queen, and at the opening of the honey har- January, 1909. American Hee Journal vest, an abundance of room for the storage of the honey. At the near approach of the swarming season, too much room is just enough. But with very prolific queens, and especially when a visit to the out-apiary haa been delayed by rainy weather or for other reasons when the weather conditions are con- ducive to swarming, it occasionally happens that a few colonies will become overcrowded, and hence the loss of an occasional swarm. IJut inasmuch as the lost swarms represent a smaller sum than would be required to keep an attendant in charge, or to compensate for the upsetting of plans in order to reach the out-apiary on exact time, the lost swarms with me do not represent an actual loss of profits. After some discussion of prevention of swarming with colonies run for comb honey, which he says is quite a different proposition, he says : There is one plan of swarm control that lias heretofore been the subject of discussion in more or less of a desultory fashion, but which seems to me to merit exhaustive ex- periment by every apiarist who is now mak- ing a specialty of bee-keeping, and especially the comb-honey producer, and here I refer to the plan of having a queen of the current season's rearing introduced into every colony that is likely to swarm, just prior to the swarming season. It seems to me that this plan is the most fruitful of possibilities of any that has been discussed, and that con- certed experiments by many apiarists with this means to arrive at the desired end cannot but result in much good to the craft. While all this is true, it may be well to warn the beginner not to be too san- guine. There is no doubt that in general terms there is less danger of swarming with young than with old queens. W. Z. Hutchinson made a practise of requeen- ing at the beginning of the season each year, replacing each queen with a young queen obtained from the South. With him this succeeded in preventing swarm- ing. Not with all others. Gravenhorst said there would be no swarming with a queen reared in the hive during the current year. While this may be entirely reliable in some sections — possibly every season in some localities — at least a few failures have been reported. Wintering Several Queens in One Hive F. Wilhelm reports in the Prak. Weg- weiser that he has learned the secret of having several queens live over winter peaceably without caging in the same colony. In 1903 he succeeded with 3 queens in one colony. A year later he tried 6 queens in one colony, 5 of which lived. In the winter of 1905-6 he tried 10 in one colony, 7 of which came through alive and lively. This winter he is trying 20 queens in one colony with little fear of failure. He does not divulge the secret of success, and one may be excused for being a little skepti- cal until further particulars are given. Milk Peddlers Selling Honey Joseph Tinsley says, in the Irish Bee Journal : I have devoted much time to this particular branch of the industry, and peddling honey can be done in a very simple and easy way by procuring the assistance of a milk seller. Some time ago I persuaded a bee-keeper, who was also a milk seller, to try this method, and in a very little time he had sold over 500 glass jars of honey at 25 cents per jar, and is still buying more to keep up with his customers. In this country every town of any con- siderable size has at least one milkman who daily supplies the people with milk. In any of these places where satisfac- tory arrangements with the grocers do not exist, it might be well worth while to consider whether the purveyor of milk might not be induced to take a proper interest in getting the people sup- plied, not only with milk, but with "milk and honev." Ages of Queens As having some bearing upon the rela- tive value of queens at different ages, the following Stray Straw, in Gleanings, is of interest: Summer of 1908 I had 18 colonies that gave 200 sections or more each. Of these, 3 with 1905 queens averaged 217 sections each, 3 with 1906 queens averaged 233 sections each. 12 with 1907 queens averaged 223 sections each. I am inclined to believe that, with a good strain of bees, a queen's second year will in general be her best. My 4 queens that stood at the head of the list were as follows: A 1906 queen with 276 sections; A 1907 queen with 266 sections; A 1907 queen with 252 sections; A 1905 queen with 244 sections; The 1906 queen had at one time an egg in one queen-ceil, and at another time a grub in one queen-cell. I don't know whether a swarm would have issued if these had not been destroyed. Both 1907 queens would have swarmed if they had been let alone. Strange to say, the 1905 queen showed the least in- clination to swarm of the lot. Just once an egg was found in one queen-cell. Stopping Leaks in Hives When hives are to be hauled it is gen- erally desirable that all leaks should be stopped, so no bee can get out, and it is especially desirable to have something with which one can quickly stop any leak discovered on the road. Cotton rags are good, but R. F. Holtermann, in Glean- ings, says he has never found anything equal to cotton-batting. "In a moment it can be broken into any size ; it can be made to fit any opening ; it sticks well where put, and it is so loose in texture that the bees prefer to leave it alone." Shaking Bees Moved Short Distances It is well known that bees thoroughly shaken become so frightened that they have all the fight taken out of them. It seems, too, that shaking takes the mem- ory of location out of them. If bees are moved a short distance at a time when they are flying daily, the greater part of the older bees will fly back to the old location if no precaution is taken. Geo. W. Williams relates in The Bee-Keep- ers' Review that he moved 4 colonies 50 feet, shook the bees out in front of their respective hives, making a half-hour job, and scarcely a bee returned to the old location, although 2 hives were there to receive them. Uniting Colonies of Bees It is more or less common practice, when uniting two colonies, to make one of them queenless some little time be- fore uniting. It remained for John Silver to discover that a still safer way is to make both colonies queenless, as he reports in the Irish Bee Journal. To this he adds; I also find that swarms or driven bees can be added to an established colony at any time of the day; without fighting, if both queens have previously been taken away, and the bees have had sufficient time to discover their loss — sometimes half an hour or an hour is quite sufficient. Of course the queen is added after- ward. Comb Honey Twelve Years Old In Gleanings, is a picture of honey in a case that certainly presents a very fine appearance on the printed page, and un- derneath runs the legend, "This honey is 12 years old ; there is no change in it, and, so far as appearances show, it is not candied." At the late Chicago convention a sec- tion was shown said to be 12 years old, and on picking open a cell there was no sign of candying". But there was a de- cided change in the outward appearance, the cappings having that sort of mildew- ed look one sometimes sees on sealed combs that have been in the hive over winter. This, however, might not show in an engraving. 0)i5cellaneou5 flews -Items Volume 49 Now Begun Yes, this is the 49th volume of the American Bee Journal. Next year (1910) will be its Jubilee Volume — 50th year ! But we want to make this 49th volume better than any preceding one. And we think we can do it. We believe we have made a pretty good start in this January number. We want to invite all our readers to help us make this a great year for the old American Bee Journal. We want more subscribers. We want more good pictures of apiaries, and of new and im- proved apiarian implements, etc. We want to publish your short cuts to more successful honey-production. In fact, we want your fullest co-operation and help during all of 1909, so that together we can produce a bee-paper worthy the name and long record of the American Bee Journal. Shall we not with each succeeding month's number just make it over-run with the most valuable and helpful read- ing for every one who desires to have January, American l^ee Journal the largest success with bees? In order to accomplish this, however, we must have the hearty support of all our pres- ent subscribers; and, then, as fast as we shall add other thousands of readers to our list, we shall lie al)le to carry into the result may be different. Here is the result of melting up some very old combs, as given in Gleanings in Bee Culture : There were 225 combs, Langstroth size, and the total amount of wax secured was 69 IH)unds, which is a little over 3 pounds to Apiary of B. F, Miller, Memphis, Tenn. effect plans for an enlarged and a better bee-paper in every way. But first let us have the prompt re- newal of every present subscription, and, if possible, a new one with each. Then, after that, the other desirable things will be more certain of realization. Try it, all of you, and see if we are not right in our statements about this matter. Death of John M. Rey On Aug. 9, 1908. John M. Rey, of Saginaw, Mich., died of gastric ulcers of the stomach. He had been a bee-keeper for 36 years, and a long-time reader of the American Bee Journal. He was born in Wirtemberg, Germany, Oct. 13, 1852. His widow, 5 daughters, and one son survive him. Apiary of B. F. Miller .A.s a friend came to my place with a camera, I had him take some pictures, and am sending some of them. I got the bee-fever 3 years ago from a swarm alighting in the shop lot, and can't say that it has abated any yet, al- though I have found more work and expense about it than I had any idea of ; but I like it, and believe my hardest time is over, both as to labor and ex- pense, and I gather experience. I ap- preciate more and more the text-books and the "Old Reliable," for their writers "have been there" and generally know whereof they write. I also appreciate J. J. Wilder's book, "Southern Bee- Keeping." It is a good book for begin- ners, especially in the South. I increased from 3 to 9 colonies this season, and extracted 200 pounds of honey. I have 6 Dadant and 3 8-frame Simplicity hives that I will run for comb honey. B. F. Miller. Memphis, Tenn., Sept. 29. ♦^ Melting up Old Combs The results of melting up old combs is a matter of interest. Under some cir- cumstances, without proper appliances at hand, enough wax will be obtained to pay for the work, and it may be better to use the old combs for lighting fires. Under the most favorable circumstances each 10 combs. The total time of rendering was 9 hours. The combs were melted in two washboilers, and run through the press twice, yielding 63 pounds of wax the first time, and 6 the second. At 30 cents per pound, 69 pounds of wax will bring $20.70. From this we must deduct the cost of the labor, $i.So, leaving $18.90. Medium brood foundation, to fill 225 Lang- stroth frames, at 51 cents per lb., amounts to about $16.32, so that we get our full sheets of foundation for nothing, and have considera- ble left. The work could usually be done when the labor would not be worth 20 cents an hour. But even if this is not possible, there is nothing lost. sideview of the house looking west. No. 5 is a front view. The drought this year has been the worst I ever knew — no rain of any con- sequence since last May. The cisterns and wells throughout this section are nearly all dry. Almost every one is hauling water — hauling it from wherc- ever they can possibly find it. The Ohio River is lower than I ever knew it be- fore, and I've lived on the banks of the dear old stream for about 30 years. In early spring the rains were excessive, so much so that the farmers almost des- paired of getting their crops planted. But when the rains ceased, they seemed to have quit for good. I got a fairly good crop of honey, however, from white clover, which, of course, comes in June with us here in Ohio, and so did not suffer much from the drought till near the close of the clover season. The fall flow from wild aster was light, but the bees stored enough to carry them over till spring. I think the American Bee Journal is getting better all the time. I congratu- late you on your good work. W. W. McNeal. .•\melia, Ohio, Oct. 14. [We decided to use only one of the 5 pictures — No. 3. All were fairly good pictures.] Apiary of W. W. McNeal Editor York ; — I am sending some small photos of my apiary, with a view to getting a line on the proper density. I will number them for convenience. No. I is a corner in the apiary as it Delayed Fertilization It is generally believed that if a queen is not fertilized within 2 or 3 weeks she will prove of little value. W. Guenther, a German veteran of excellent repute, says in Prak. Wegweiser, that while this may be true of queens reared early, queens reared later in the season whose fertilization is delayed on account of unfavorable weather prove to be excel- lent queens. He has had a number of Api.\ry of W. \V. .McNe.\l. was at my old home, Wheelersburg, Ohio. No. 2 is also a corner in the apiary, but at the new home on Pleasant Hill, Clermont Co., Ohio. No. 3 is a similiar view, and as I said before, is intended to get a better idea as to the correct shade or density. No. 4 is a such experiences when fertilization \vas delayed 5 or 6 weeks, and in 1886 a num- ber of queens were not fertilized for 2 months, yet proved good. Queens fer- tilized as late as October' were generally good, while those fertilized in spring were likely to be poor. January, 1909. Canadian Honey Standard At the convention of the Ontario Bee- keepers' Association, the following reso- lution was passed, as indicating the view of the Association concerning the stand- ard of "pure, genuine honey:" ''Recognizing the importance of legal defi- nition in the case of honey, this Association respectfully recommends the adoption of the following resolution as embodying the present state of our knowledge regarding Canadian honey: "Honey is entirely the product of the work of the bees (Apis mellifica), operating upon the nectar of flowers and other saccharine exudations of plants, and contains not more than 25 'percent of water, or more than 8 percent of sucrose (cane sugar), nor less than 60 percent of invert sugar. It does not give a blue color with iodine (absence of starch syrup), nor a red color with aniline acetate (absence of artificial invert sugar), nor a dark color with Leey's reagent Ummoniacal silver), nor a marked precipitate of dextrin on adding large excess of alcohol (absence of glucose syrup)." American l^ee Journal Antiquity of Bee-Keeping In a book review, the British Bee Journal says, "Bee-keeping is undoubt- edly the oldest craft under the sun." That's a pleasant thing for bee-keepers to believe, and our British contemporary is hereby requested to give proof upon which such a statement is made. For it is just possible that fruit-growers might attempt to put in a prior claim. Likely, however, no one will dispute this fur- ther claim to antiquity: "We also learn that so far back as the Bronze _Age it is certain that wax was used in casting ornaments and weapons. That bee-keeping must have been carried on thou- saiids of years before the Great Pyramid was built is evidenced by the bee having been chosen to represent a king in the Egyptian hieroglyphic symbols.*' Blind Bees Best (?) Mr. Ernest L, Schuman, of New York State, sends the following clipping : H. R. Latimer, professor of mathematics in the Maryland School for the Blind, at Balti- more, thinks he has made a discovery. He says: "A breed of blind bees that make the best honey on earth has been discovered. Hav- ing through generations lost their sight, they have so keenly developed the sense of smell and taste that they are able unerringly to pick out the sweetest flowers." We wonder by what rule of mathe- matics Prof. Latimer figures that out. It must be a sort of "blind process." So a blind bee is better than one with several thousand eyes ! Well ! well ! ! Wintering and Springing Bees over Pits Oliver Foster, in order to have his bees wintered above ground, and at the same time have the heat of a small cel- lar, describes his plan in the Bee-Keep- ers' Review. It appears that lo colonies were wintered over each pit, a covering of chaff being over the hives. He says : I constructed dry wells, or pits, for two apiaries of over too colonies each. They were about lo feet deep, 3 feet in diameter at the bottom, and 5x7 feet square at the top. A curb of % lumber filled in the top, 20 inches deep. The hives were supported on a skeleton platform. They were arranged along the sides against the curbing, a space being left between the rows in which the operator could stand on a board while manipu- lating. Hives were so arranged that two colo- nies could fly from each end, and three from each side of the pit, through openings formed in the top of the hives, and correspondini; ones in the curbing. To cover the pits, two light trays filled with chaff were placed over each pit — two over each pit, instead of one. for convenience in handling. Together they projected an inch or two over the curbing ail around. Next Year's Prices of Honey Bee-keepers are a hopeful lot. Not- withstanding the good crops throughout a large part of the clover regions, net results are not entirely satisfactory on account of the low prices ruling; but there is always the future. Editor Hut- chinson says : "Prognostications are something in which I seldom indulge, but I am going to prophesy that, next year, honey will be honey. The old stock will all be cleaned up, and the drouth has injured the clover to such an extent that not much of a crop can be expected the coming year. The man who has nice, white extracted honey can afford to keep it over, if he can't get all that it is worth now." section nearly filled, but not a cell yet sealed. No,_ it isn't so pretty a sight to see the 24 sections all sealed with their snow-white cap- pings — not for me; for the sight I have de- scribed pictures a strong flow, a strong col- ony, and work of the most uniform character. Well, I get that sort of work sometimes — ■ not so often as I like — when I give a fresh super under a strong colony in a strong flow. When I've given a super on top I never had such a state of affairs — never. The center sections were always well in advance of the outer ones, if, indeed, the outer ones were attacked by the bees at all. So, other things being equal, that matter of even starting all over the super is enough to settle me in favor of putting the empty super under, so long as I have any reasonable hope that the season will continue until the super is fin- ished. Massachusetts Bee-Meeting At the meeting of the Massachusetts Society of Bee-Keepers, held in the Ford Building, at Worcester, Mass.. Satur- day evening, December 5, Prof. James P. Porter, of Clark University, and President of the Worcester Society, spoke on "The Relation of the Bee to the Flower." Place For Additional Supers In producing section-honey, whether the right place for adding empty supers is above or below the partly filled super is a matter upon which there is a dif- ference of opinion. Dr. C. C. Miller gives in Gleanings a reason for putting the empty super under, that will be new to some. If the experience of others agrees with his, it is an important argu- ment. He says : There's one item in this matter of putting empty supers above or below that I don't re- member ever to have seen mentioned in print; yet it has a very important bearing. You know you like to have the bees commence work in a super all over at once, the work just as well advanced in the four corners of the super as in the center. To me the pret- tiest sight in a super I ever saw is a set of sections exactly alike in advancement, every Hoodoo Ribbons in Australia The Australian Bee Bulletin has the following item, page 96 : Horses on the Clarence are ridden and driven with bows of red ribbon tied round their throats as a preventive against an at- tack of bot-flies. Just what interest that item may have for bee-keepers does not appear on the surface, unless it be that the right shade of color found, bows of ribbon tied round the throats of bee-keepers would prevent the attacks of bees. But don't they have rather queer bot-flies on the other side of the world? On this side they trouble horses' legs, not their throats. -^ "A Year's Work in an Out-Apiary" This is the title of a 60-page, paper- bound book, 6.X9 inches in size, written by G. M. Doolittle, of New York State, who is so well known to our readers. It tells how an average of 114^^ pounds of comb honey per colony was secured in a poor season. Mr. Doolittle's over 35- years' experience in producing comb honey gives the weight of authority to what he says on the subject of bees and bee-keeping. The book is sent postpaid for 50 cents : or with the .American Bee Journal one year — both for $1.10. Send all orders to the American Bee Journal, 118 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, 111. io< DR. C. C. MILLER Perhaps the most widely known and read bee-keeper in all the world, is Dr. C. C. Miller, of ]\Iarengo, 111. Although he will be 78 years old June 10, 1909, he still writes with the vigor and clearness of a man of half his age. We count it among our richest bles- sings that we catne to know Dr. Miller so intimately, so many years ago. He has ever been like a father to us, and still counts it among his kindly duties to keep us in the right path apiculturally as well as in several other ways. For .ill of which wi.' .lie truly grateful to him. His remarkable record in honej'-pro- duction during 1908 is well known. It is the more wonderful on accoimt of his years, for his crop of comb honey was between 18.000 and 19,000 poutids, and it was all fine, marketable honey. Editor Ernest R. Root, in the .August number of his great apiarian publication. Gleanings in Bee Culture, not only gave a full-page pcrtrait of Dr. Miller, but also a graphic pen-picture from which we take the following paragraphs : Dr. C. C. Miller reads both the American jaiuKii'v, i')0(j. American Hee Journal anti luiropean cxclianKcs, and his articles and coninu'nts on b#lh sides of the Atlantic have brought liini into prominence throughout all hecdoni. His vvritinps arc further enhanced by a ri|»e experience of many years, for he is now in his 78tll year, havin'p been for 40 years a bee-keeper, and a Rood one, especially in the production of comb honey: and, if I mistake not, his crojts arc sold before they are olT the hive. This speaks volumes, not only for his method of management but for his careful, honest gradinc, which is all done by the members of liis family. The buyers know in advance just exactly what Dr. Miller's honey is going to be, and they are usually willing to pay above the market price because they know beyond any question that there will be no after-(|uibble over the grading, quantity, or quality. There is no reason why many others can not sell their crop in the same way. Too often we pay tribute after our friends are gone, and just as often regret that we did not bestow some meed of praise wdiile they were with us, especially if they are of the kind that can't be spoiled. For that reason I felt inclined to present the "smiling pic- ture" which his family and all of us know is so natural — not because we see a smile, but because we know there is something within that makes a "smile that won't come off." What a happy world this would be if we all had that smile! Dr. C. C. Miller has long since ceased to think of the dollars. All he seems to care for is enough to f)rovide for himself and fam- ily. For many years his sole thought has seemed to be, "How can I help to make the world Iiappier and better?" He is an active worker in the church and Sunday-school; but of late he has been admonished by hts pyhsi- cian to let some of those outside things go. He is beginning to husband his energies; but, as any one can see who follows his writings, he makes a constant effort to bring the name of his Master before the world. We lliought it would be nice to open tlie new volume (the 49th) of the .\nierican Bee Journal, with Dr. Miller's latest portrait. We know that quite a good many of our readers are already familiar with it, Inil there are always a number of new readers who enter the ranks early in e;teh year, and they, as well as the old friends, will be K^id to look into the face of one whose contri- butions to bee-literature have been so extensive in the past, and which probalily will continue so long as Dr. Miller is able to write. His book, "Forty Years Among the Bees" is a faithful portrayal of Dr. Mil- ler's own successful methods of honey- production. In a way it is a monument, built by himself, ;ind one that will en- dure! It should be read by every bee- keeper who desires to have the largest success with bees. Dr. Miller has had charge of the "Question-Bo.x" in the American Bee Journal for many years. There is noth- ing of the kind in any other apiarian publication that compares with it. .\nd the Doctor takes a great pleasure in answering the questions, as he feels that in so doing he is really Iielping some one. His whole life has been, and is, an ex- pression of the word "helpfulness." By his very smiling he is helping to make the world a little brighter, and a little more cheery to some one else. We only wish that all our readers knew Dr. Miller as well as we do. It is always inspiring to know the leaders among the men and women of the world. And Dr. Miller is a prince among its bee-keepers. We are glad to acknowl- edge our indebtedness to hiin, and thus to add our word of appreciation of his life and work. Conducted by EMMA M. WILSON, Marengo, 111. ISeet-Sugar for Winter Bee - Feed. I am very much interested in the ques- tion whether bcct-sugar is injurious to bees as a winter food, and in what way. Mr. T.W. Cowan, the editor of the British Bee Jour- nal, tells me that many of the winter losses, may be attributed to feeding with beet-sugar. as such losses do not occur when pure cane- sugar is used. I_ should be very glad to know your ex- perience about this, and whether this opinion is held in the United States. Can you tell me of any articles on the subject? (Miss) Alice BAitm. St. Tames, West Malvern, Dec. 3. The question as to the relative value of beet and cane sugars as food for bees is one upon which it is very difficult to get light. For years the British Bee Journal has stoutly insisted that only cane should be used to feed bees for winter, and that there was danger from beet sugar, but on this side the big pond there has been very little said about it, and probably no serious investigations in the direction of trying to settle the question. So it is impossible to cite you to articles that would help. Occasion- ally some bee-keeper, roused by what has been said in England, has raised the question here, and if he has had any sort of an answer at all it has been to the effect that chemists assure us that chemically the two are the same. But that answer is not altogether satisfac- tory, seeing that coal and diamonds are so nearly alike chemically without ever bringing the market prices of the two on a par. Tons of granulated sugar have been used in this country as winter food for bees, and perhaps every bee-keeper agrees that sugar syrup is as wholesome as honey for that purpose, while some insist it is more wholesome — certainly more wholesome than some honey. Xow if tons of sugar have been used, and it has never been discovered that it was bad for bees in winter, it would seem there is safety in beet-sugar, // beet- sugar has formed any considerable pro- portion of the sugar used. That, how- ever, is perhaps a matter tiiat no one can exactly find out. It is doubtful that any bee-keeper ever knew whether the ^jraniilated sugar he fed was made from lieets or cane. Perhaps experts in the sugar business can not tell one from the other. Certainly a bee-keeper can not be expected to tell the difference. A Chicago daily, in an article based (in U. S. government reports, says that in the year 1907 more than a third of the sugar produced in this country was from beets, while beets now supply one- half of the grand total produced in the world at large. So it is reasonable to suppose that, so long as there is no way by which bee-keepers may know the source of the sugar he feeds, there is likely to be fed a pound or more of beet-sugar for every 2 pounds of cane. In that case, if beet-sugar is so very bad for bees, there hardly ought to be such a general impression that sugar is good for bees in winter. Probably the average bee-keeper in this country never trouliles his head to think whether sugar is made from beets, cane, or what not. At the same time, the word of so good an authority as Mr. T. W. Cowan has weight, and if one could know for cer- tain as to the kind of sugar offered, she would do well to use cane. As to hoiv beet-sugar is supposed to injure bees by those who consider it in- jurious, it is probable that it is supposed to cause diarrhea. Honey for Making Hands Wliite. Rul) the hands well with vinegar and corn meal to clean them well after do- ing tile morning and dinner work, then wipe and rub in a few drops of honey and water mixed, not enough to be sticky; keep it up and be rewarded with white hands. — Mrs. W. M. Knoer, in Practical Farmer. Vsing Honey for Canning Fruit. So far I have used honey for canning fruit only in a small way. but have watched the results carefully, and am fully convinced that it can be used in place of sugar for any kind of fruit with much better results than if the sugar were used. When using honey I have never had a can spoil, and have always found the fruit far better and richer than that put up otherwise. We have been eating some peaches this winter that were put up 3 years ago, and in that time we have moved once. In every instance the "gude mon" has handed up his dish for a second helping, which is always a sign that it "hit the spot." I would, therefore, advise those wishing to try the honey to do so by all means. Formerly, when I canned strawberries I took 2 quarts of good, firm berries, just from the vines, stemmed them late in the day, rinsed them quickly in cold water, and drained in a colander until I could prepare another can. I put them in a stone crock and covered them with a cup of granulated sugar and set them in a cool place until morning. I then put them on the stove, boiled them well, and canned them. With this amount there is enough to fill a quart !Mason jar, and a little over for a taste. When using the honey in place of sugar the same method is followed except that only January, 1909. American ^ee Journal half a cup of honey is used, which is poured over the berries so that it goes down through and all around them. We are carefid to use good fruit, as one over-ripe berry may spoil the whole lot. Cherries, raspberries, and blackberries may be canned, using about half the amount of honey that would ordinarily be used of sugar. The larger fruits, such as peaches, pears, quinces, etc., are also improved by the honey. Fruit must be handled right in order to be good and we must be free from other duties while canning it. A very safe rule is, to follow whatever plan has been found successful, substituting half the amount of honey for the sugar. I am sure no one will be disappointed. For cooking purposes, making pickles, etc., honey is just fine. We never buy molasses, corn-syrup or glucose — "ugh!" You should see some of my ginger- bread which Mr. McGlade says is the "cake that takes." Here is the recipe — try it for yourself : Two eggs, cup granulated sugar, cup ari'i a half of honey, cup of sour milk or butter- milk; cup of butter or lard; teaspoonful of cinnamon and a teaspoonful of ginger. Beat all together and add two teaspoonfuls of soda dissolved in a little hot water; flour to make a thin batter (about 5 cups). Bake slowly. We use honey in making pumpkin pies — a generous teaspoonful to the pie. Furthermore, we use honey on the table every day, and our little boy never tires of it. He helps himself with a spoon whenever he likes, at mealtime or be- tween meals, and has not had a cold nor seen a sick day this winter, although he runs and plays out in the fresh air in all kinds of weather. Of course, honey can not be given entire credit for this, but it helps, and is cheaper than doctors' bills. Some have asked whether fruit can be put up cold by simply filling the can with the fruit, covering it with honey, and sealing. 1 have never tried it, be- cause I don't believe the fruit would keep or be good; but if any one wishes to be convinced, let him try it, for it would cost only about 75 cents — Mrs. Frank McGlade, in Gleanings in Bee Culture. She was "Stung." Mr. C. G. Chevalier, a subscriber in Maryland, sends the following clipping : "What did the Boston girl say when Suth- erland refused the leap year proposal she made him?" "She sighed and remarked that she was an unskilled apiarist." "What did she mean by that?" "She meant that she was stung." — Cleve- land Leader. German Honey-Cakes. Honigkuchen (Honey Cake) — One pound of honey, two pounds of flour, one-half pound of sugar, three whole eggs, two ounces of butter, one tea- spoonful of ground cinnamon, one teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, one teaspoonful of potash, one-half tea- spoonful of ground ginger, one-third teaspoonful of ground mace, two ounces of chopped candied peel, a little grated lemon peel. Warm the honey sufficient- ly for the butter to melt in it. Dissolve the potash in a tablespoonful of very strong coffee, and then sift the flour into a bowl, make a hollow in the mid- dle, pour into it the beaten up eggs, the lukewarm honey and the remaining in- gredients. ]\lix well and knead to a firm paste. Roll out vety thin, cut in various shapes with a cutter, place on a buttered tin and bake a light brown. The cakes may also be brushed over with white of egg and sprinkled with chopped almonds. Honigkuchen (Honey Cake) — One pound of honey, one-half pound of sugar, one-half gill of rose water, one- half ounce of potash, one and one-half pounds of flour, three eggs, one-half pound of chopped hazel nut kernels, five ground cloves, one-half ounce of ground cinnamon, one-half tablespoonful of grated lemon peel, sixteen grated bitter almonds. Mix the flour, 'Chopped hazel nuts, cinnamon, cloves, lemon peel and almonds. Boil up the honey with the sugar, and when cool pour into the flour and spices, with the potash dissolved in one-half gill of rose water and beaten up with the eggs. Mix well and knead with the hands. Immediately the paste begins to stiffen roll it out about one- half inch thick and bake in a moderate oven in a buttered shallow pan. Cut up when cool and ornament with a thin sugar icing. Before baking the cake sliced almonds and strips of candied peel may be arranged in it. — Chicago Record-Herald. tonvenfion Proceedinds' Bee-Keeping in Hawaii One thousand tons of honey is what the busy bees of Hawaii have, to show for their year's work, or would have it to show if the greater part of it had not already been exported to confectionery manufacturers on the mainland. Two million pounds of sweetness, not to men- tion the tons of wax that have been secured, make a banner honey crop for the Islands, and it was with a note of satisfaction in his voice that President Judd of the Hawaiian Bee-Keepers' As- sociation announced the figures at the annual meeting of the organization yes- terday. The importance of the honey and wax crop to Hawaii has now grown to a point where the bee-men are commencing to talk about combining for the proper marketing of their product, and this is one of the things that was broached at the annual meeting yesterday (Dec. 9, 1908) it being suggested that a Honey Factors' Association, on the lines of the Sugar Factors,' should be formed. The idea will probably be carried out. Yesterday's gathering was the second annual meeting of the bee-men, there being present in the rooms of the Mer- chants' Association A. F. Judd (in the chair), D. L. Van Dine, L. L. McCand- less, F. T. P. Waterhouse, C. Montague Cooke, Robert Andrews, J. O. Young, J. M. Tucker, Brother James, and Mr. Fullaway. President's Address. Following the reading of a year's minutes. President Judd made a verbal report of the year's work, stating that several things had been accomplished. The question of the introduction of bee- plants from California had been gone into and a number of plants imported, although it was too soon to look for re- sults. It had been the policy adopted to import no plant not of a dual use. It had been found, too, that there were plenty of local plants for bee-pasture, and if none have to be brought in it will save Hawaiian honey from having the strong distinctive flavor of other tropical honey. The question of tariflf revision had been taken up in connection with the Chamber of Commerce and a plea for the maintenance of the present tariff protection urged. There was a quarter of a million dollars now invested in the honey-business, and the profits art small. The National Association was asking for a tariff of 27 cents a gallon on honey and 10 cents a pound on bees- wax, and this request was being sup- ported. So far as known there is no foul brood among Hawaiian bees, and steps had been taken to quarantine imported queen-bees to keep out any specimens of diseased royalty, which would spread the infection. For the coming year, Mr. Judd suggested that the Association take up the question of interesting the local buyers to patronize the industry of the home bees, the object of which would be to put Hawaiian honey on Hawaiian tables in place of what is now imported, and to further protect the local bees from imported bees. Import- ed honey sometimes comes from dis- tricts where bee-diseases exist, and if the home bees should get access to this lioney it might result in the introduc- tion of disease in the Hawaiian hives. Treasurer J. O. Young presented a report of the finances, which was adopt- ed. New Officers. Tlie following officers to serve for the coming year were elected : C. M. Cooke, Jr., president ; E. C. Smith, vice- president; D. T. Fullaway, secretary, and J. O. Young, treasurer. Protection Required. A portion of 'the letter addressed to the Chamber of Commerce, setting January, 1909. (American Bee Jonrnal fcirtli tlic need of protecting the Iioney indnslry. read yesterday, was: "The honey industry is one that ap- peals to the man of small means. The product is not perishahle and can be stored until sufficient quantity is ob- tained to enable the producer to take advantage of the lower rates of freight lliat prevail for large shipments. It is an industry that can be carried on in- dependently on a large scale, where the territtiry will permit, or one that can be taken up as a side-issue in conjunc- tion with other pursuits, where the tet- ritory is limited. Not more than 60 percent of the territory of these islands, capable of offering pasturage for bees, is now occupied by apiaries. This in- dustry is being gradually developed and extended, but, as is the case with all minor industries has met with many diflictdties and much experimental work has been necessary to determine the best methods of apiculture for the semi-tropical conditions met with in these islands. The Hawaiian Bee- Keepers' Association feels that it is of paramount importance that no reduc- tion in the honey tariff be made. The industry is one along the line that Con- gress has repeatedly urged those in au- thority in Hawaii to undertake, and every encouragement should be offered to those engaged in apiculture in Ha- waii, to bring the industry to a perma- nent and profitable basis. Any reduc- tion in the honey tariff would ruin the bee-keeping industry in Hawaii." — Pa- cific Commercial Advertiser. Conducted by J. L. BV'EI't, Mount Juy. (Jnt. Foul Brood -How to Cure ( U'cad at the Ontario Convention) BY WM. MCEVOV. During the past season I inspected 63 apiaries, and several of these I inspect- ed the second time. I found dead brood in every apiary, and in many apiaries I found a great deal of dead brood in every colony. I was astonished at the mistakes that were made and the re- ports that were sent to the papers. When will bee-keepers learn to tell the different kinds of dead brood in every stage and form from each other? I did not find much of the real ser- pent (foul brood), but I found large quantities of. starved brood. This class of dead brood was found in very many localities in the Provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, and also in very many parts of the United States. With so many apiaries in this condi- tion, and the alarmists holding up "death's head and the cross-bones," it frightened the bee-keepers, and caused many to worry a great deal over their bees, and then many samples of dead brood were mailed to me. I answered all these letters of inquiry very prompt- ly and saved the most of the bee-keep- ers from any further worry. There never was a time wlien things needed clearing up so much as now, but before going into this I will give some of my experiments and discoveries. In 1875, when foul brood broke out in my apiary, I did not know what to do to get rid of the disease. I wrote to the best bee-keepers for advice, and all ad- vised me to burn every hive of bees that I found the disease in. I did not want to destroy any colony if I could by any means save it, so I went in to do my best to cure if possible. Everything I did at first ended in failure. I then took all the combs out . of several brood-chambers and filled them with white combs that never had brood in, thinking that this might re- sult in cure. AH these would have end- ed in failure if I had not made one very iinportant discovery, and that was the testing of the honey and finding it to be diseased. One colony that I had taken all the combs out of, and had given it a full set of dry white combs, became a little restless, and, thinking that something might have happened to the queen, I carefully spread the combs without disturbing the bees very much, so as to find the queen sooner. I found her all right, and I also found that the bees in the short space of time had stored a little honey in these white combs. I extracted what little honey I could get and fed it to a sound colony, and gave it foul brood at once. Tliis test proved to me beyond every shadow of doubt that the disease was in the honey as well as in the old combs. After that I went in for getting all the honey taken away from the bees after they were given the white cotnbs, and along these lines I cured every case by the use of two sets of combs and the frequent use of the extractor. This was too much work, but it was the best plan that I had found then. It was plain to be seen that all the honey in foul brood colonies was not diseased, because if it were no brood would ever Iiatch that it was fed to. I found honey stored in a cell which had a thin crust of foul brood left in it. I took a wire, ran it from front to rear across the comb and right over the dis- eased cell. I then ran a wire up and down the comb, and also over the same diseased cell. The wires being crossed over the diseased cell gave me a good mark on it. I then took a pin, and with the head of it lifted the honey out of the bad cell and dropped a little of it on the brood in the cells along the lower wire, and soon after the brood in all these cells died of foul brood. I then took a clean pin and lifted honey out of several clean cells and fed brood under the upright wire, and failed to start the disease in any of these cells. This test proved to me that the honey to become diseased must be first stored in cells where foul brood matter had dried down. When the bees began stor- ing pretty fast I took the combs out of a number of diseased colonies and shook the bees back into the same hives, and then put in empty frames and left the bees to build their own combs. The bees soon made a little comb and then stored part of the honey they took with them from the diseased combs, and after that foul brood broke out again in the colonies that had been the worst with the disease. I took away the little combs made during the first four days and left the bees to build more combs. This made a sure cure in every case. I saved the brood that I took from the diseased colonies and tiered it up on the weakest, and when the most of it was hatched I treated these colonies. When the honey season was drawing to a close I found a few cells of foul brood in several colonies that were full of good brood. I worried a good deal over this, because I saw that it was go- ing to be prettv late to get curing done by comb-building in the fall when the brood was all hatched, even if I could get suitable weather to feed sugar syrup while the bees were building comb. And on the other hand I also saw that if I destroyed all this brood, that I would have nothing left but the old bees to go into the fall and winter with, and that the most of these bees would "peter out" with old age before spring. I saw that I had to have all this brood hatched so as to get plenty of young bees to go into winter quarters with. I also saw that I had to get all these colonies cured be- fore winter. Now how was this to be successfully done and have all colonies brought into spring in grand condition? After some more study, I thought of another plan, and that was to feed the sound colonies abundance of sugar syr- up, and by so do'ng get the bees to fill and seal every cell in the outside combs right down to the bottom — a thing they did do. When this was done I took these outside combs out which were full of all-capped stores, and saved them until an evening in October when the brood was all hatched out of the combs in the diseased colonies. I then took the combs out of the diseased colonies, shook the bees off them and put in the sound combs of all-capped stores, and, these not having any place in them for the bees to store the diseased honey which they took out of the old combs, the bees had to consume it. This made perfect cures in every case, and the colo- nies that were given the all-capped stores came into spring the best of any in my apiary. These methods of treatment bv which January, 1909. American l^ae Journal 1 cured all of my colonies in 1875 were all of my own working out. I never got any instructions from any one. My methods of curing diseased apiaries, which I have so often written up, are too well known to need repeating. Big crops of honey have followed my curing in all parts of the Province. I will here mention two of these. In 1888, I myself cured 40 colonies for Mr. James Marshall, of Binbrook, that had foul brood, and in 1889 he took 8,000 pounds of extracted honey and in- creased to 62 colonics. In 1898, I cured an apiary for Mr. J. B. Hall, of Woodstock, and in that same summer he took an average of 140 sec- tions of comb honey per colony, and left his bees abundance of honey to winter on. Before, and for several years after, I was appointed inspector, foul brood colonies were shipped in the most whole- sale way into 37 counties in our Prov- ince, and from these the disease spread to nearly all the apiaries in the localities it was shipped into. The people had to be taught how to cure, and I was in duty bound to give the bee-keepers every possible cliance to do so — and did. To Mr. Gemmill belongs the credit for sav- ing the whole bee-industry of Ontario, because, if he had not taken hold and got his Foul Brood Act passed when he did, the disease would have destroyed nearly every apiary in the 37 counties which I found it in. The springs and foreparts of the sum- mers of 1889, 1895, 1907 and 1908 have been followed by a lot of dead brood being found in many localities in On- tario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, and also in very many parts of the United States. This class of dead brood is the result of the seasons, kind of bees, and neglect of man. I was pleased to hear Mr. House, of New York, come out so strong in our convention in favor of the "yellow bees." I judge that Mr. Wright, who is one of the inspectors for New York, is also an advocate of Italians for keeping brood-chambers clean and free from dead brood. I never found any race of bees that was as good as pure Italians to feed their brood. The following let- ter which I received shows the good work that Mr. Wright is doing in the black brood district in New York State. I intended to go fully into the classes of dead brood found in so many places, but it would lake too nuich space here. I must leave it till another time. Woodburn, N. Y. .'Ni.TAMONT. N. v., Oct. 31, 1908 VVm. McEvoy, Woodburn. Ont. — Mv Dear Mr. McEvoy: — Yours of Oct. 26 was (Inly received. In reply I will say that the case of "Euro- pean Foul Brood" (formerly "black- brood") which I mentioned to you as having been suc- cessfully treated was this: The parly had an apiary of 44 colonies badly affected. The bees were hybrids (a mixture of Italian and black races). They were sliaken twice, the latter part of Tune or first of July. The last time on full sheets of foundation, and all Italianized soon afterward. (I forgot to mention lliat they were dotibled down to 22 colonies at the time of shaking.) The season proved very poor in that locality, so that the shaken colo- nies stored but little surplus, but filled up nicely for winter. This was in T907. I.ast spring the aforementioned colonies (22) came out in good condition, have been increased to 44 colonies, and gave 2,500 pounds of comb honey, which is the largest yield I have heard of this year in York State. No disease has been discovered in tliis apiary this season. I also had another case this season treated iTi the same way. about June 1st. Apiary con- tained 70 colonies: about half were diseased, but owner concluded to make a clean sweep, and treated them all, reducing nmnber of colo- nies to 50. These have given fairly good re- sults in surplus, and no recurrence of the dis- ease. The honey-yield in that section was light this season. I am sorry that there is any friction be- tween the Canadian brethern, but I find that an inspector will sometimes incur the dislike — if not the hatred — of a certain bee-keeper, es- pecially where it becomes necessary to resort to extreme measures. Nevertheless, duty, with us, must stand before friendship. I am very glad to have met you and so many other Canadians at Detroit, and hope to meet you all again. Very truly yours, W. D. WulcilT. loutfierii ,i^l Conducted by LOUIS H. SCHOLL, New Braunfels. Tex. Some Big Southern Bee-Keepers. Mr. Louis H. Scholl: — That 40.000-pound crop beats me some. I might have had as great a honey-harvest had I devote^ my en- tire time to it, but I placed nearly one car of bee-supplies, reared and sold nearly 400 queens, packed and shipped about 60 colonies of bees, and made about 300 colonies increase. I have taken off about 20,000 pounds of chunk and extracted honey, and have about 3,000 pounds more to take off. I have done all the work except extracting. My bees are in 16 apiaries about 3 miles apart, and from 50 to 100 colonies in aai apiary. Some few bee-keepers in the South may have realized a large amount of profit from their bees, but I materially doubt whether any one has done more work than I have. All my apiaries are arranged within 15 miles of my home, except 2, which are on the railroad, 25 and 30 miles away. Four apiaries are 15 miles away, and it takes 4 trips to get around, and during the rush I was to the extreme apiary by sun-up, ready for work. From this apiary I made my round back iiome, and it was about 9 o'clock when I arrived. I find that I can handle a few more colonies each year by learning shorter cuts, and that the greater number of colonies operated, the greater the profit. I have visited all the leading bee-keepers for 200 miles around, this season, who have not visited me, and we have had a good time giving the little honey-bee much consideration. Our bee-keepers are not enterprising enough; too willing to sit down with a few bees. Then they have not been considerate enough in locating. Only a few bee-keepers are branching out or establishing an extensive bee-business- Only a few are following it as a sole occupation- But as a side-issue it is making progress in almost all sections. I think Texas is adding to her list of "big" bee-keepers continually. I wish we had a few over here to wake us up, for we are surely sleeping over our rights. Crisp Co., Ga. J. J. Wildi-r. All the big bee-keepers are not in Texas, for you've done well, too, "for a Georgian." Since making the 40,000- pound report, we had a good late sum- mer and fall flow, which increased our own crop to over 50,000 pounds. Be- sides, over 10,000 pounds of extracted honey was bought to pack with a great part of the above honey, which was mostly comb honey, and then sold again as bulk comb honey. I might say, how- ever, that about 6000 pounds of the above crop could not be taken off, as I was engaged two months with exhibit work, as superintendent of the apiarian department of our large fairs, and it was too late and cool to extract. As we must arrange for an output of at least 75,000 pounds of honey to supply our demand this year, the honey now on the hives will be turned into several hundred colonies of increase. Our aim is not how much we can do, but how much profit we can make while doing it. We had the help of several inexperienced young men several times during the season, amounting all in all to about 3 or 4 months. But we also find, as you do, that a person can handle a few more colonies each year by learn- ing short cuts. Therefore, Mr. Hutch- inson well says that "more bees" will mix better with bees than anything else. This is a valuable point. That visiting of those bee-keepers is another valuable point. Such letters as these, giving one's experience generally, have a stimulating effect, hence are valuable. Holy Land and Cyprian Bees — Three-Band Italians Best. Are the Holy Land and Cyprian bees the best all-purpose bees for the average bee-keeper? This could be answered with one little word, "No." The Holy Land and Cyprian races of bees, from their ir- ritability, in my opinion, can never be- come favorites with the bee-keeping world. Never can they be classed as all-purpose bees. After 2 years' ex- perience handling a yard of Cyprians and their crosses, they were discarded. Their stinging punishment was simply unbearable. However, these were fine honey-gatherers, strong breeders, and extra prolific. Five years later, on the recommenda- tion of a friend, I procured from a breeder in the United States, a half- dozen queens of the Holy Land race, fearing lest those, too, like their cousins, the Cyprians, might be too obstreperous for comfortable manipulation. The bees were tested very carefully for the first season, and, finding that they lacked much of the vicious temper of the Cyp- rians, and seeing much of merit in these bees, by careful handling were very satisfactory, both in temper and results. In later years a fresh iinportation came from Jerusalem. From this im- ported mother, without thorough testing, a l?-rge number of young queens were Jaiuiary, 1909. Amcerican l^ee Journal ri.-arr- tinually, and if it happens to be a bee- keeper, especially one who cellar-winters, yonr advice, "look out for starvation" is timely. With ample stores then you feel that that style of wintering should prove reasonably successful, do you? That is, a temperature of from 50 to 60, sometimes 70, with probably an average of 55 most of the time, the roonj darkened, and at times the windows and door opened for fresh air. 5. What day and month was it when you took your bees out last spring (1908)? Also, what was the date when you placed them in the cellar this winter? Wisconsin. Answers. — i. Yes, that was the entire loss, and the principal reason for the difference between that winter and the few preceding winters was th difference in stores, as the previous loss had bten mainly from starva- tion. The cellar being kept open so much of the time probably had some bearing also. 2. Just as you put it. I'm afraid some will get the impression that my cellar is warmer than it really is. While 70° may have been reached, that's a thing that happens only once in a great while, and indeed 60° is not very common, while 50° or lower is perhaps the rule. Sometimes, indeed, the temperature goes below 45^, as when I've left the cellar door open at night and before morning there is a sharp fall in the outside temperature. I have an impression that the cellar will average cool- er than the first few winters with furnace in cellar, owing to the cellar being kept more open. Wait a minute and I'll tell you j ust how it is this nth day of December in the afternoon. * * * It's 29° outdoors and 49' in cellar, with one of the outside cellar-doors perhaps a third way open. The bees are about ' as quiet as you are likely to find them with 160 colonies in one room. Now to your question. There's a big dif- ference in the amount of stores needed by different colonies. While 20 pounds may be plenty for most colonies, occasionally one uses 30, and as it is impossible to know in ad- vance which colony will be the big eater, the only safe way is to give all the amount needed by the exceptional consumers. If I knew each colony had 30 pounds of honey, I shouldn't lie awake worrying for fear of starvation. But I wouldn't like to limit them to 30, and some of mine have 40 or mofe. Not that it's all used in wintering, but it is better for them to have enough to carry them up to the har- vest. Moreover, I have a notion that they winter a little better on full combs, even if they don't need so much honey. I don't think the warmer temperature in the cellar starts brood-rearing. Do you know that bees start at rearing brood outdoors earlier than they do in cellar? 3. Conditions were much the same, only the winter of 1907- 1 90S was unusually mild, and cellar-door more or less open nearly all the time. Winter loss was 7 out of 1 58, and I don't know how many of the 7 were queen- less. Yes, lots to eat and lots to breathe is the great desideratum. 4. As before intimated, your figures are rather high, and at any time when the ther- mometer stood as high as 50^-* I should hardly want the cellar closed. An occasional run up to 60° or even 70'^ would not trouble me. With abundance of stores, air all the time pure, and darkness enough to keep the bees from leaving the hive, there ought to be no trouble with the thermometer ranging from 45° to $s° and an occasional excursion into the higher regions. 5. Bees were taken out of cellar March 23 and March 26, 1908. Put in cellar Nov, J7, 1908. Bountiful Honey Season. The past season has been uncommonly boun- tiful in this locality. As a rule, we have to depend mainly upon the white clover for our surplus honey. Almost every year gives us a little late honey from buckwheat and fall flowers, but the yield is generally so scant, that very little surplus honey is secured from January, 1909. 23 American Urn Journal ':^'= 1^"^^ those sources. This year, however, tKc pro- Kram was somewhat changed, the result being greatly in our favor. . , , , , . After tlie white clover had yielded a lair crop, the prospect was not very encouraging for a week or two, hut as soon as tin- buck- wheat began to bloom, honey again m.ide its appearance, and continued to do so with more or less liberality all through the rest of the season, until the frost cut vegetation late 111 October. , , , , . i An unusual amount of buckwheat and amber honey was the result. We also had, as a consequence of the prosperous season, i|uite a number of buckwheat swarms, which hardlv ever happens in this locality. G. C. Grkinicr. La Salle, N. Y., Dec. 26. Bees Did Best Last Season. My bees did better last season than any season yet. All honey (jatbercd was from white clover, and sold for a good price. 1 have VI colonies of bees, and run them all for comb "honey. There is no sale for extracted honev here. It is a drug on the market. Emmett Raisbeck. Benton, Wis., Dec. 25. Bees Did Fairly Well. Bees did fairly well this season in this lo- calitv. Mine averaged 50 pounds per colony, all from white clover. I had 5 colonies, spring count, and increased to 11. And now they are wintering well in the cellar. I take good care of my bees. I like the American Bee Journal and will never be without it as long as I keep bees. I think it is the best bee-paper in print. Henry F. Fischer, Jr. Granton, Wis., Dec. 21. Quoting the Honey Market. I notice a letter in the November number regarding the San Francisco comb honey market being quoted too high in the bee-papers. I don't know what the situation really is, but I believe it is quoted too high. I was selling some comb honey in Elko (this State) about the first of the month, and spoke of the San Francisco price being 17 cents, and was surprised when a grocer showed me a circular of prices from a commission firm of Sacramento and Reno, giving a price of 13 cents for fancy comb honey to the trade. Still, as Gleanings says in the December 1st issue, this doesn't show the San Francisco prices too high, but Sacramento is only 90 miles from San Francisco, and it doesn't seem possible that such a difference in prices could exist for any length of time. J. E- Patton. Halleck. Nev., Dec. 19- Getting On in the Bee-Business. I started in the bee-business last spring with 2 colonies of bees in"8-frame hives of the improved Langstroth style, and I bought 5 2-story 10-frame hives last spring. One colony swarmed early in May, and absconded, but the next swarm that came out I caught and put into a lo-frame hive. This was the last Sunday in May. I paid a neighbor $2.00 to put 2 swarms into 2 of the lo-frame hives. Then on the last Sunday in June a swarm came and settled in a hive I had in a tree. I then transferred a colony from an old house to a 10-frame hive. This made 5 colonies in 10-frame hives and 2 in 8-frame hives. The swarm I caught the last of June stored 55 pounds of comb honey. I got only 113 pounds all together, but I have 7 colonies packed in winter quarters, in good condition. I like to work with bees even if I do get stung a few times. I bought a bee-book last spring, and took the American Bee Journal all the year. Dale C. Cole. Marshalltown, Iowa, Dec. 29- A Big Honey- Yield— Other Matters. Whewl 1144 pounds of extracted honey from one colony and its increase. Say, Mr. Vangundy, I wish you would give us your methods of management. If you sell it at 10 cents a pound you get $114.40 worth of honey from one colony. But, don't let that go too far, or you will have a bees'-nest (of bee-keepers) in your hair. Mr. O. D. French makes all his supers into observation chambers, page 374. Well, it may do for you, Mr. French, but I think we big bugs will be contented with lifting up one end of the super and looking up between the sections. We want to remove the central sections as soon as filled, and could not very well do so without first tipping up one end of the super and looking frum under. For Mr. J. U. Bogart, 1 would suggest that he purchase a Swiss wax-extractor and cut off the cone in the center near the bottom, and solder a circular piece of tin over the opening left. Then solder in a honey-gate in place of the outlet spout, and there you have a device (capping-melter) to take care of the cappings. t l i- In conclusion, I wish to say that I believe the best way to get the newspapers to stop publishing falsehoods about bees, honey, and temperance, is to help the editors to obtain and furnish truthful reading matter for their papers. I,et us remember the words of the Apostle Paul, when he said, "Be not over- come of evil, but overcome evil with good." Hampshire, 111. Chas. M. Hix. Almost Warm as Summer. It is almost as warm lure as summertime with the bees flying about, and they would be at work if there were anything to work on. That is a bad sign for bees here. They have done that way before and we look for trouble in the spring. We all can do a little to help in the bee- keeping world, but I am having a poor chance now. My mother, who is 87, is down never to get well. Then I will be left all alone. She has told me she can not stay with me any longer to help me and that makes me feel very bad. R- B. Perry. Greenfield, Tenn., Dec. 30- A Bad Year for Bees. This has been a bad year for bees with us. I havg lost 20 colonies out of 60, and I am afraid we will have another bad year. It has been dry and warm all winter. In fact, we have not had any winter as yet. At this writing the thermometer stands at 3 o'clock, p. m., 63 degrees, in the coolest part of the house, and we have had scarcely any rain for 3 months. S. B. SinglEtary. Cairo, Ga., Dec. 22. Miller Tent-Escape and Youn? Bees. Some one has been observing very care- lesslv,or else my bees are different from others, for all this last season I noticed that when, being crowded, I took a super to the house and cleaned it, by letting the bees fly away, that there were a large number of young bees which would not leave the supers, and when forced off would hang around the door of the kitchen all day and over night. Had they not been young they undoubtedly %vould have gone back to the parent hive. I can see no reason why young, and very young bees, should not go into the supers, and I know I have seen them there. In a device like the Miller tent-escape, if set up in the yard, the young bees, in flying about, no doubt would go to and into the nearest hive, but if taken to the honey-house or kitchen they will hang there. I am just getting a good start in the bee- business, the past season being my third year, when I started with 8 colonies, mostly Cau- casians. I got 7 swarms from my 8 and captured enough to make 31, and then 10 more which I had not hives for and left them in boxes. I took off over 1,200 pounds of honey, comb and extracted, and it was a very poor season, I am told by my neighbors. (Dr.) a. F. Bonney. Buck Grove. Iowa, Dec. 16. An Uncapping Outfit. I have just read J. R. Bogart's letter on pages 373 and 374, and as help is asked for in answering him, I will give a description of my uncapping outfit, with the hope that it may help Mr. B., and other small producers of extracted honey. Take 2 galvanized-iron wash-tubs of such size that one will just slip down in the other about an inch. Cut out the bottom of the upper or larger tub, leaving about an inch of the bottom part attached to the sides, and to this solder a piece of wire cloth, so as to make a strainer of the upper tub. Run a piece of board 1x2 inches through the handles to form a rest for the comb when uncapping, then push this tub down into the other so as 10 make a snug fit, and you arc ready to go to uncapping, and the honey will drain out into the lower tub. If the lower tub begins to get full of honey, set the upper tub con- taining the cappings over the extractor a moment while you empty the lower tub into the extractor. Have a can made of galvanized iron of such size that it will hold about 6 gallons. Put in an ordinary molasses faucet near the bottom of this, stretch a cheese-cloth over the lop of it, and set it under the gate of the extractor, and when full of honey, you can fill a 5-galIon can or quart jars from the faucet. Simple, isn't it? You can have this uncapping can out in the yard as long as you please. The bees will clean up the cappings in the upper can, but can not get to the lioney in the tub below. I can imagine some of our large producers smiling at such primitive methods, but _ for the man who wants something cheap, light, and eflicient, I know of nothing better. After one tub of cappings drain over night, they may be put into a sack and laid away for future rendering into wax, while the bee- keeper begins a new day's work with an empty uncapping can, thus handling a crop of a good many thousand pounds. Alice, "Tex., Dec. 19. H. D. Mlbby. An Uncapping Vat. On page 373, Mr. J. R. Bogart, wants some advice as to an uncapping vat, can, etc., for a small apiary. Now I use 2 vats made out of 2x12, about 30 or 32 inches square, made to sit over each other tight, but not fastened together. The top one has a perforated gal- vanized-iron bottom, and the lower one has a tight galvanized-iron bottom nailed on flat, but double nailed, also a honey-gate; the whole to sit on legs about 10 inches h'g"- Put a cover on the top vat, also a band of 1x4 inch stuff around the middle to lap down half-way (or 2 inches) onto the lower vat. (Tut 2 grooves on opposite sides of the top vat, and put in 2 sticks Hx^i inches, parallel, and about 8 inches apart. You can uncap in this, and let the cappings remain in the top vat any length of time, if you don't have too many. Only a few days are required to dram them perfectly dry, when they can be re- moved or melted. Cover all wood and gal- vanized iron in each vat with a good coat of paraffine wax. Leslie J. Schneider. Greely, Iowa, Dec. 21. Something on Queen-Rearing. I see that Mr. Grant Anderson wants to have some one hang up his ignorance for us queen-breeders to shoot at. So I will hang up a few facts. . Can Mr. Anderson take a dozen white leg- horn pullets and put a black rooster with them and breed pure white leghorn chickens.' If so, then he can take black drones and breed pure Italian queens from his mongrel crow- black Italians. Mr. Anderson, is it not so that the egg that would bring forth a black worker, if changed to a queen, that queen will be black? an egg that will give a one- band worker, the queen will have one band also? You can not breed a 3-band queen from such queens as yourself and Mr. Doolittle de- scribe on page 259 and 266 (1907)- Just the description of your queens is all the truths you have in those letters. You read on page 862 (1906) and see what the writer says. What is considered a pure Italian? That writer does not say if I am right or wrong. Yourself and Mr. Doolittle came out with a big statement. It is plain that either of you understand the laws of pure breeding. Do you think you can take a mongrel sire and a mongrel female and breed pure stock? This is what you get from Italy. In the September, 1908, number, you say that you have had complaints that your queens do not give satisfaction. You tell those peo- ple that complain, that the queen was killed, and that the bees reared a young queen from her eggs. 'You are wrong. It can not be so. Mr B sends S3 to Mr. A for one of bis breed- ing queens. The queen arrives. Mr. B opens the hive and captures the old queen. As soon as those bees find their queen missing they start queen-cells. Mr. B has been instructed to liberate the new queen in 48 hours. I will admit that the new queen is received all right and that her worker progeny will take its first flight not sooner than 28 days. As you claim the old queen was killed, she never layed an egg in the brood-comb; therefore, the workers could not rear a young queen. Jamiary, igog. American Hee Joarnal j You see, ^Ir. A, that the bees had 48 hours the start with queen-cells before the new queen was at liberty to lay. Then she had to travel over the combs and get acquainted with the bees and see if there were any rival to con- tend with. This would take iH days. Then, after the first egg is laid, it takes 3 davs to hatch. So they had 614 days the start with old queen-cells before they could get a larva to start a cell from the new queen's larvs. If the bees should start cells from the new queen's larvae when the cells were 9 days old, the young queen in the old queen-cells would be hatching, so you see you are wrong. On September 3, 1902, I freed 3 queens in hive No. 3. This colony never cast a swarm until Tune 10, 1907. Those 3 queens lived until the middle of May, 1904. Two of those queens, their workers, and drones, were yellow to the tip of abdomen. The third queen's drones were as yellow to the tip. but her workers had 3 yellow bands and yellow to the tip on the underside of the abdomen. Those 3 queens were superseded in May, 1904, and each young queen's drones w^ere yellow\ And every queen I have had from this breeder is just as well marked. There is not a better race of bees in America. They fulfill every claim this breeder claims for them. Those 3 queens lived from May. 1904 to May, 1908, and were stronger in bees than any other colony in my yard; and as for the 2 queens that cast prime swarms, the mother colony always filled its sections ^^'^; Subscriber. iSew York State. Report for 1908. I had 40 colonies of bees in the spring. I got over 500 pounds of comb honey, and an increase of 10 colonies, making 50 colonies. I just placed them in the cellar for the winter. TA f ,... -^"^"^ Cline. Darlington, Wis., Dec. 9. A Honey-Strainer. I herewith send a description of a honey- strainer that I made for my son, Morley several years ago. It was made for straining honey into barrels just as it came from the extractor. It consists of a tin can about 16 inches in diameter, and 8 or 9 inches high, with an outlet about 2 inches in diameter, and aoout 2 inches long, placed in the center of the bottom. In this can is placed a wire cage or basket, made of strong wirecloth, which is about 15 inches in diameter, and one inch lower than the can. The meshes may be two or three to the inch. This basket is set in the tin can on blocks, legs, or any convenient thing to keep it about J-^-inch from the bottom of the can. Now spread a piece of cheese-cloth over it all, and you have a strainer second to none. So I think. But "i^y ^^^y I never saw any other honev-strain- cr? There is no necessity for the basket to be as high as the can, for the cloth goes over all, and if the honey should get above the basket no harm will result. Aylmer, Ont. S. T. Pettit. Experience with a T-Super. In the November issue I noticed something about the T-super. Now. I would like to tell my experience with the T-super. I have kept bees successfully for several years, and one of my first supers was a T-super. Its most ob- jectionable points were that the top and bottom of the sections were exposed, and the bees *""•< advantage of this, and when I took the filled sections off the hives they were all bee- stained. Thus a lot of labor in the way of scraping and cleaning was necessary to put the sections in shape for market, but the writ- ^r in the American Bee Journal explains that Miss Wilson scrapes and sandpapers the sec- tions while in the super. Now, what do you think of such a lot of labor and loss of time, and the sandpaper dust, which is not wholesome, all over the comb honey? However, to say that this super has so many advantages, and the rapidity with which the sections can be handled, and with ease; and also boasting that it has no equal on the market— the T-super has not only equals, but many supers are far superior. I have given the T-super a test, and it proved to be it regular time-waster and an out-of-date super which produces the most unclean sections of any super I ever had in my bee-yard. All I can say about the T-super is that it is a super for a bee-keeper who does not care to be up-to-date, and who has a lot of time to waste in a most unnecessary way, but this is tar too siow for me. I will never allow such a time-killer as the T-super on any of my hives again, as I would consider it a great waste of time and labor, which is too valuable a thing to waste in the present cen- tury. Therefore we want a super that can be quickly filled and emptied, and at the same time keep the sections clean and square, so that they can be placed on the market in a most appetizing wav, and with the least pos- sible labor. A. Reader. Guelph, Ont. A Good Honey-Year. This (1908) has been a good honey-year in this section. I started in the spring with 7 colonies, and increased to 13. From colonies I, 2, and 4, I procured 100 pounds of comb and 300 pounds of extracted honev. Mv en- tire crop was 530 pounds of comb and ex- tracted. There was no fall flow as usual, which, of course, made my crop smaller than I had expected. But I can not complain, as I think I have done very well for a beginner. Thos. H. White. Connersville, Ind., Nov. 30. Peculiar Season. The honey crop here was short. I got 40 pounds of comb honey to the colony, from 14 colonies, spring count, and increased to 26 colonies, by nucleus method; no natural swarms. The honey harvest here was pe- culiar this season. There was nothing that could be called a honey-flow. Bees commenced gathering a little surplus about June 15, and continued till September 15. During this time there was scarcely a week that the strong colonies did not put up a few pounds of sur- plus. It required careful handling to obtain maximum results. I soon "caught on" that the best way to handle this slow harvest was to keep room enough in the supers, without too much; with plenty of encouragement in the way of "go-backs." The work was nearly all done in single supers. The result was there was not much extra fancy, but most of it goes all right on the local, market. There was no more honey harvested in this locality than will supply the local trade till Christmas. Cainsville, Mo., Nov. 30. J. French. Selling Honey at Home. The season of 1908 has passed. It was not a prosperous season so far as bee-keeping is concerned, as the whole surplus from 26 colo- nies amounting to only 900 pounds — less than half a crop. But all sold like hot-cakes, at 10 cents a pound — all extracted. In fact. I could not get it off the hives before my cus- tomers stood ready to grab it. I sell all my honey to private customers. I put it up in V2-gailon jars (Mason fruit-jars) and 60-pound cans nicely labeled, and it takes about i U tons to fill that trade. The labels on all packages and boxes have given me more trade than I am able to supply. The price ( 1 o cents a pound) is for the bare honey, right here in the apiary. The cost of jars and cans, is added, and the freight paid by the recipient. The bees are now suoplied with at least 30 pounds per colony for winter, and winter- cases put on. I have in all 30 colonies in good order. Last winter we did not have one whole week that bees could not fly. The thermome- ter did not get lower than 29 degrees, and that only in the early morning, and no snow at all, but rain, of course. The American Bee Tournal is keeping up its reputation as the "Old Reliable." I do like the old friends that T never saw — Dr. C. C. Miller. G. M. Doolittle. Professor Cook, and Miss Emma Wilson, and all the others who write for the American Bee Journal. They all seem as if I knew them as old friends. O. K. Rice. Wahkiakum Co., Wash.. Nov. 25. Women as Bee-Keepers. I read with mucli interest articles appearing in Miss Wilson's department of the Journal, and especially so with those appearing in the November issue. Comments by Miss Wilson on Prof. Cook's reference in Gleanings, to poultry-keeping in connection with bee-keej)- ing, is timely, and should interest bee-keeping women generally. It has been my observation that women, because of the greater care and attention they give to details in whatever they have in hand, are especially adapted to the occupation of bee-keeping, poultry-raising, cul- tivation of flowers and small fruits. I have given instruction to many, who, at first, seemed timid, and who hesitated to ap- proach a hive of bees, but soon got entirely over their fear; and the gentleness, dexterity and care with which the frames of bees were handled, was surprising to me. I really think that intelligent women, who may be situated favorably for a combination of bee-keeping with any. or all, of the occupations above mentioned, with a little help for the heavier work, ought to make a success of the business. The statement by Miss Wheeler, of her per- severance under difficulties — those stings she uncomplaining bore — my! where is there a man who would have done that ? It shows the right kind of spirit to make a bee-keeper, or to do anything else, where nerve and en- durance are requisite to success. The same thing is exemplified in the state- ment by Mr. Dayton respecting the work done by Mrs. Dayton — the taking off tons of honey, and the management of the bees — showing that gentleness and care are essential qualities in the proper management of bees. That abundant success may attend the bee- keeping-sisters, and that more may be en- couraged to engage in this most fascinatiuo; pursuit, is my wish. Wm. ;M. Whitney. Evanston. 111. Encouraging Neighbors to Keep Bees. I am one of the beginners (and may be a quitter soon) in the bee-business. Some things I read in the American Bee Journal do not seem altogether reasonable to me. Why bee- keepers should encourage their neighbors to keep bees, for example. I would prefer that nobody had bees closer to me than 2 miles, instead of close around me as they are. Why? I could then rear pure-bred bees, and sell more honey. As to whether it pays to make one's own hives, depends upon circumstances, I think. If one has any skill with tools, and any spare time, he should make very good wages making his own hives. Empty bodies, bottoms and covers cost $1.00. The materials for the same cost not over 40 cents. I can make 5 hives a day. thus earning $3 a day. These will have gained corners and be nailed in two directions in each corner, thus making a hive that will stand the climate of the Middle West. I think one can better afford to buy all the inside furniture, however. I should say to any one contemplating bee- keeping, to get a book on the subject first, and read the advertissmehts in the bee-papers too. It will save him money. Missouri Jim. Lemonville, Mo., Nov. 28. [ We don't know any one who encourages his neighbors to keep bees. Of course, if they have bees, or are bound to have them, why not try to get them to read the American Bee Journal regularly ? It surely is better to have well-inforraed bee-keeping neighbors than ignorant ones. — Editor.] Horsemint and Mesquite in Texas. We are having some good rains which are bringing up the horsemint in good s-hap-:- Horsemint is one of the main honey-plants in this part of Texas. It stayed in bloom here last spring several weeks, and all strong c no- nies stored about 100 pounds of bulk honey from it. We get a crop of horsemint honey only about every 2 or 3 years. This county is not favored with as many plants and honey-producing trees as some ntlitrr counties. ^Mesqviite yields more honev Iierc than all other plants put together, as a general thing, but it failed here this year. Uccs are in good shape here now'. Th°y are still woik- ing strong on broom-weed. N^ tinst here yet at this date. It is a fine plac^ to rear bees. If they run short of feed in the fall, we can feed them any kind of sugar for win- ter stores. They are never shut up in the hive over 3 days at a time, on account of cold weather. The fall of 1907 I fed my bees 400 pounds of light brown sugar, and they came out last spring in good shape. I started in last spring with 34 nuclei, and JTicreased to 100 colonies by dividing and rear- ing queen-cells by the Doolittle plan. When the cells were 9 days old, I would take the new colony and set it back behind the old colony, and lift out the frame that had the queen on it and set it in the new hive with another frame of hatching brood and a frame of foundation between, and other foundation as fast as they would use it. In 24 hours I gave the queenless part the queen - cell. When both colonies became strong I made an entrance in the back of the hive that I gave the queen-cell, and picked the other hive up American Hee Journal and carried it to the other side of the bee- yard, and that threw all the force of both colonics together, as the bees I carried oS would K'> and get a load of honey and cciny hack to the old stand and go in at the back entrance. All the colonics I worked in this way stored about loo pounds of honey each, and the increase will be good for next year. There is a plant getting started in this country, called the spid-.r-plant. From the way it is recommended, and from the way the bees work on it, it must be a wonderful honey- plant. Castor beans make a fine shade for bee:*. They grow 8 or lo feet high. They shed tlieir leaves in the fall, so that the bees get ad- vantage of the sun through the fall and wintei*. Plant a hill on each side of the hive. Taft, Tex., Dec. 4. S. Campbki,!.. A Busy Pastor's Report. I began last spring with 2 strong colonies. One of them sent out 4 swarms and the other 2; all of which I liived, and they gave 150 pounds of as fine honey as I have ever tasted. So I now have 8 colonies, all in good condi- tion, to go into winter t|uarters. Another season I hope to keep down the afters warms, but this year I let them swarm all they would, as I wanted the extra colonies. (Rev.) H. R. Upton. Rapid City, S. D., Nov. 16. [ Sucli a report from a beginner, a busy pastor, is enough to make some of the veter- ans turn green with envy. A yield of 75 pounds per colony with 300 percent increase! Next year it would make a crop of 600 pounds, ending the season with 32 colonies; and the year after 2400 pounds and 128 colonies. Then increase would not be necessary, and no telling what the crop might be. But our good friend need not be disappointed to find this is only on paper. So good a season may not come again for years. Be- sides, 2 colonies in a given locality will do vastly better than 100. But so good a be- ginning is much to be thankful for. ^Editor.] Some Ignorant Farmer Bee-Keepers. The fall of 1907 I had 12 colonies of bees. I lost one during the winter and one swarmed out in early spring. That left me with 10. 1 increased to 27 colonies, and got 1365 sec- tions of honey, mostly white clover, but did not get as good a price as last year. This was a good year for bees, but the farmer bee- keepers are the men that are breaking down the prices of honey, coming into town with their honey just as taken from the hive, go- ing into the saloons and giving a section of honey for a glass of beer, and you can not get one of them to take a bee-paper. If you say anything to them, they will say, "I know enough. I have it in my head." So that is the way it goes. In September, when I was requeening some colonies, I gave a queen to a colony of bees, and they accepted her all right, and the last of November they had a flight and then super- seded her. Can any one tell me why they did that? I had 2 queens in the same hive in July. A colony swarmed and in September I found 2 as nice laying queens in the old hive as any one wishes. I must say a word for the American Bee Journal. I think it is worth $1.00 a year. I would be willing to pay that just for the instruction that Dr. Miller gives in his "Ques- tion-Box." J. C. Cunningham. Streator, 111., Dec. 17. Good Year for Honey. All things considered, this (1908) has been a good year for honey. Early in the season it was too cold. Then it came off dry, but when about 2 weeks of the white clover sea- son was gone, the honey season opened up fine. White clover covered hill and dale with a complete snow-white covering, and the bees just tumbled over one another to get into their hives. In fact, some of them would fly in through the %-inch opening, and stored as fine a quality of honey as I ever saw, and they capped it as white as white paper. At one time I had 1 200 sections on 1 6 colonies. I always put plenty of sections on so that they can get their 2, 3, and even 4 section supers on one hive. And as fast as they are full, remove them, putting back the partly filled ones, filling the super with new ones, putting the partly filled ones in the middle of the super. This instruction woidd seem use- less probably to a majority of bcc-kcepers, but when we see bee-keepers in the midst of a good honey -flow with only one super on, and it full all but the corner sections, and probably no sections nearer than the supply store, why, they need instruction. Another reasini why we get no more honey is that probably 2-3 of the bee-keepers depend uiion asking their neighbors how and when to put on sections, and will be much surprised when they see your sections are on, and say, "Why, I haven't bouglit any yet!" Every bee-keeper with one colony, <»uglit to have a good — no, they're all good that I ever saw — ■ beepaper, and read it through. lie would then he informed as to when and how. 1 am acc[uainted with 25 bee-keepers that I could visit in one day, and none of them, that I know of, takes a bee-paper. Then when you see their honey in the stores, for sale, you are sure they don't, else they don't follow their instructions. I will give one instance of one of these bee-keepers: Mr. A living in a little town, had some bees (about 8 colonies). They would com- mence swarming about the usual time. He would put the swarms into small store-boxes and they soon filled them, tlien swarmed again. He probably cut a small hole in the top of the box and put on another box on top, and so on till fall. At this time he had a lot of little boxes full of comb and honey, but not enough to last till spring, leaving them outdoors, so, when spring came, comb and empty boxes were all he had. Menlo, Iowa. O. P. Miller. sec if she doesn't give uij that corner for an- other. I^t her out, and it you have a good eye and a "rubberneck," you may see her line for home. Then find the tree if you can. I think if I read the American Bee Journal till spring I will find out that there is still something to learn about bees. L. W. r.RNSON. (irand Junction, Colo., Dec. 10. Hunting Bee-Trees. In the November number experiences with bees are called for. Now that means me. I am not a bee-man. The past year is the first I ever kept bees, as I always gave them away. But experiences. For 25 years I have been interested in bees, and often intermingled too, but it was always fun. I have always en- joyed hunting bee-trees a great deal, but enjoy finding them best, then getting the bees into a modern hive 8-frame Langstroth size, made by hand) then giving them to some one who, 1 thought, would not abuse them. I learned my best lessons trying to make a hive, frames and all, just like a factory-made one. Some of my first ones were so crooked that they couldn't lie still when I would place them on the ground. And the poor bees made the comb straight, but crossed 2 or more of the frames. Now about hunting bees. I can tell you where you will find more wild bees to the square mile than any other country on earth. I am convinced, or as Dr. Miller would say, "I rather think." it is in Oklahoma, in Chero- kee County, where the Ozark mountains ex- tend west to Grand River,, and seem unable to cross. There are lots of black-j ack, oak timber, hickory, walnut, pecan — in fact, all the woods that grow any place else, and some that don't, like persimmon, white sumac, gum, and pawpaw. So, of course, you find the negro and the opossum just as often as you find a bee-tree. So it often happens that you find a bee-tree in a 'coon tree. (A negro will own the tree.) So now, "what you gwan to do. Dem dar 'coons what am rested in dat tree might all dun be on yo back fo yo gits dot tree haf down. Better chop lite, white- man." But if the Indian owns it, go ahead just like it was your own, and no trouble thought of. But to get to the point. How do you find the bees and tree? "To do this would take a book," Dr. Miller would say. Now I am not complaining of Dr. Miller making short answers. How plain and just he does answer our ofttimes foolish questions! But after that bee again. There she goes over on those newly bloomed plum-trees. Take your box in the left hand, go up carefully, don't jar the bushes or she's gone. Now, reach out and carefully take her by a wing and throw her in your box. What kind of a box? A cigar-box with a glass cover on top. Slide the glass shut quick, and then see if your bee is in. Yes? and has she found the drop of honey on the bottom? If so, just set the box on a stump, log, or the ground, and wait till she is full and ready to start to her home. "I hardly the glass and run to the side, end, or corner, towards the tr^e, or her home. "I hardly think so," you say. To prove this, don't go to Oklahoma, don't go out 6 or 8 miles in the timber; just take the box at home, go to the watering-place, catch a bee, and try it out. After she runs to a certain corner see how far across the box she will come before she turns back. Now turn the box square around, and The Pretty Hummer. What is more gentle than a wind in summer? What is more soothing than the pretty hum- mer That stays one moment in an open flower. And buzzes cheerily from bower to bower? — Keats. S. Minn, and W. Wis. Convention. The Southern Minnesota and Western Wis- consin Bee-Keepers' Association will hold their annual convention Feb. 23 and 24, 1909. in the courthouse at Winona, Minn. All inter- ested are cordially invited. O. S. Holland, Sec. Nebraska State Convention, The annual meeting of the Nebraska State Bee-Keepers' Association will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, January 20, in Room 109, Agricultural Hall, State Farm Campus, Lin- coln, Neb. An especially good program has been prepared this year, and all bee-keepers should take advantage of this opportunity of exchanging ideas, and receiving practical help for the coming year. Lillian E. Trester, Sec. Western Honey - Producers to Meet. The third annual convention of the Western Honey-Producers' Association will be held January 20 and 21, 1 909, in the Library Building at Sioux City, Iowa. It is composed of bee-keepers of Iowa, Minnesota, South Da- kota, Nebraska, Utah, and California. They are assisting each other in a way that is worth while, by their systematic advertising, and marketing of honey. Endeavors will be made to make this one of the most helpful conventions that the As- sociation has held, and a sweeping invita- tion is sent to all that are interested in pro- gressive bee-culture to be present, and to be prepared to give something of interest. To those who are interested in honey as a food a cordial invitation is extended to be present and see the thought and energy the bee-keep- ers are putting into their art to produce the best honev possible. Mr. N. E. France, General Manager of the National Bee-Keepers' Association has prom- ised to be present. One of the prominent features of this meeting will be an effort to secure legislation that will assist in checking the spread of bee-diseases in South Dakota and Iowa. The question-box will be another prominent feature, and now is the time to begin to think about the things that you want to know more about, and to hand them into the question- I^ox. , , , Remember the date, January 20 and 21. 1909- . , , Come, and ask your neighbors to come. Thomas Chantry. Pres. E. G. Brown, Sec. Bee-Supplies in Tennessee. Otto Schwill & Co., 18 S. Front St., Mem- phis. Tenn., have recently put in a full line of the popular Lewis bee-ware. This con- cern are also extensive dealers in seeds of various kinds. Send to them for their free catalog. Their advertisement will be found on another page of this number of the Ameri- can Bee Journal, which kindly mention when writing to them. Helps for the Poultry Industry. Incubators have come into common us;;?, and some few makes have established their right to the confidence of the public. Prominent m this class stand the "Excelsior" and "Wooden Hen," the former having been one of the earliest of the artificial hatching machines put on the market. Both types are built upon practical lines, and have won the approval of thousands of poultrymen everywhere. Tliey are made in sizes varying fro.-n v-; to 600 eggs, thus adapt- January, 1909. American ^ee Journal ing themselves to poultrv plants great and small. In "Excelsior" and "Wooden Hen" Incuba- tors the principles of heat, moisture and ven- tilation, so vital to the development of healthy chicks, have been perfectly worked out. Regu- lation of the heat, which may be supplied by kerosene, gas or electricity, is practically auto- matic, reducing to almost nothing the atten- tion required to keep the machine going. "Excelsior" and "Wooden Hen" Incuba- tors and Brooders are illustrated and described in attractive catalogues and literature issued by the manufacturer, Geo. H. Stahl, Box C i, Quincy, III., who will gladly mail same to any address upon request. Unwise Economy. Oftentimes farmers save a mite by buying nursery stock of some traveling agent or ir- responsible mail-order dealer; but there is a big risk in doing that. Fruiting time may bring great disappointment. It is better to order nursery stock of a well established nur- seryman. W. N. Scarff, New Castle, Ohio, has been before the fruitgrowers of the coun- try for years and has established a reputa- tion. "Scarff Bearing Strains" of blackberries and small fruits earn $300 or more per acre. If you write for Mr. Scarff's catalog and ask him, he will enclose a well-rooted, vigor- ous, small-fruit plant free. Please mention the American Bee Journal also when writing. A Generous Offer. The special attention of our readers is called to the very liberal offer on another page in this issue, of the Hawkins Publishing Co., who publish that excellent poultry paper, *' Poultry Husbandry." Arrangements have been made with the publishers of three other excellent papers for the farm whereby the four papers may be had for one year together with "Chick Culture," a very valuable book on poultry-raising by Dr. A. A. Brigham, all for one dollar. Read the advertisement clear through, for the offer will certainly interest you. And when sending your order, please mention the American Bee Journal. We are in the market for Extracted Honey in any quantity. Write us what you have to offer and mail sample. Michigan White Clover Honey Co., 31-33 Griswold St., Detroit. Micb. ]lAtf ^lentlon Bee Journal whea wrltlair. Lai\gstroth on the Honey- Bee Revised by Dadant — Latest Edition This is one of the standard books on bee-culture, and ought to be in the library of every bee-keeper. It is bound substantially in cloth and contains nearly 600 pages, being revised by that large, practical bee-keeper, so well-known to all the readers of the American Bee Journal— Mr. C. P. Dadant. Each sub- ject is clearly and thoroughly explained, so that by following the instructions of this book one cannot fail to be wonder- fully helped on the way to success with bees. The book we mail for $1.20, or club it with the American Bee Journal for one year— both for $1.70 or, we will mail it as a premium for sending us FIVE NEW subscribers to the Bee Jour- nal for one year, with $3.75. This is a splendid chance to get a grand bee-book for a very little money or work. Address, GEORGE W. YORK .STOCK, Box 410 I Box 410 St. Jubepii, Mo. 1 St. Josepu, Mo. Mention Bee Journal when vrrltlnc- Lewis Bee-Ware Excells All Best Goods on the market for the money. Prompt shipment. Satisfac- tion always. Send for Catalog — it's free for the asking. lAtf The C. M. SCOTT CO., 1009 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, ind. Mention Bee Jonrnal when vrrltlnsr. BEE-KEEPERS Write us now for our Catalog ana get low prices on good, honest, BEE-KEEPERS' SUPPLIES Our specialty is making Sections. All other eoods up-to-date. AUQ. LOTZ & SON, Cadott, Wis. lOA34t Please mention the Bee Journal. BEE-SUPPLIES Wholesale and Retail Ask us for prices on the goods you will need for this season. Discount for early or- ders. Send us your subscription for Glean- ings-one year and a Bee-Veil for $1.15. post- paid. Send for catalog. M. H. HUNT & SON. 0pp. Lake Shore Oepol. Lansing. Mich. Uentton Bee Jonrnal vrhen Trrltlnc DID YOU Ever stop to think what a good investment a few good queens would be? 1 send out no inferiorqueens. All my queens are selected. as I kill all that are no good. If you want one or 100. write me. llAtf S. F. TREGO, Swedona, 111. Mention Bee Jonrnal when vrrltins. Bee-Supplies for Season of 1909 Complete stock on hand, as our plant has been running steadily so as to take care of the demand for Bee-Supplies the early part of the coming sea- son. We are practically overstocked at this time and advise those in need of Bee-Supplies to order now (shipments may be delayed until you want the goods') before the contemplated advance in prices all along the line. Lumber is dearer and labor has never been so high, but we agree to protect our pa- trons at present prices upon receipt of their orders at this time. It will cost you only one cent for a postal card to get our delivered prices on l>ovetalled Hives, Sections, Section'}iold«rH, Separators, Hrood-frames, Fouiuliition, Sm€»kers, Kxtractors, Shippinif.rusrs, etr. It may mean a sav- ing tu you of many dollars. It is the natural advantage we have over others that enables us to make you the Best Price. There are no better goods than ours, and we GUARANTEE SATISFACTION or REFUND your iMONEY. Being manufacturers we buy lumber to advantage, have lowest freight- rates, and sell on manufacturer's profit basis. Let us quote you prices. Prompt shipment guaranteed. IMINMESOTA BEE-SUPPLY COMPANY^ 152 Nicollet Island, Minneapolis, lYIinn. HAND-MADE SMOKERS Extracts from Catalogs — 1907: Chas. Dadant & Son, Hamilton, 111. — This is the Smoker recommend above all others. u. a. Lewis Co., Watertown, Wis. — We have sold these Smok- ers for a good many years and never received a single complaint. A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. — The cone fits inside of the cup so that the liquid creosote runs down inside of the smoker. All Bingham Smokers are stamped on the tin, " Patented 1878, 1893, and 1903," and have all the new improvements. Smoke Engine — largest smoker made $1.50 — 4 inch etoye Doctor— cheapest made to use 1.10 — 3^ " Conqueror — right tor most apiaries 1.00 — 3 " Large — lasts longer than any other 90 — 2)^ " Little Wonder — as its name implies 65—2 " The above prices deliver Smoker at your post-office free. We send circular if requested. Original Bingham & Hettaerington Uncapptng-Knife, T. F. BINGMM, Farwell, MiG!l Patented, May BEST ON EARTH. January Cash Discount Three Percent on LEWIS BEEWARE except on tinware and honey-packages. Send for catalog. ARND HONEY & BEE-SUPPLY CO. (Not Inc.)! H. M. Arnd, Proprietor, Successors to York Honey & Bee-Supply Co., 191-193 E. Superior St., Chicago, 111. Long Distance Telephone. North 1559 FREE. Grandest Poultry Picture Ever Ottered Size 8 1-4x15; panel shape ; suitable for framing ; on heavy litho-coated paper ; i 7 beautiful colors and tints, superbly blended ; a handsome ornament for any home ; one that vk'ill surely please you. To introduce our splendid Poultry Digest, which teaches beginners how to make poultry pay and helps all to make poultry pay better with less work, we mail this grand work of art, prepaid, to any one sending 25 cents for one year trial subscription to THE POULTRY DIGEST, 352 Rose St.. New York. N. Y. January, igog. American Hm Journal I WANT YOU to get my new, handsome win-H ^B^V ^^M' iVo^.'^^ Fashion Book, ^^^^E HUNDREDS OF LATEST STYLES with illustrated lessona on CuttiDer and Dress- making', FREE, and I will st> yuu all the pat- terns you want for live t-ts. each. They are the same patterns you nave ahvavs i>aid liie & 15c for at the stores, made by the same people, and correct in every detail. I publish the FARMER'S CALL, a weekly paper for every memiit-r of the family. An especiaMv interestintrfea tureeach weVk are the chil- dren's lettiTs; and the Woman's Department is unusually strung" and in- structive. Among the special features for women folks is its fashii-ins in which Ishnw j the 5c patterns. Let f me help you to save money. MY SPECIAL OFFER Send me ■.'.'•e and I will s.-n'i vou , the Farmer's Call every week for one year (about lUOO pairea) and will send my big Fashion Book to you I ree. I also a^rree to sell you any pat- tern you want thereafter for 5C. I can sell them for 5 cts. because I buy them by the thousjtnd and don't make any pro tit. I don't ivantany i>rofit. I want your subscription to the FARMER'S CALL, Vou will save manv times the cost of my offer in a vear. WRITE TO-DAY. You can use this coupon— cut it out now and mail to me with 25c— Ic and 2c stamps taken, but a quarter almost always goes safe : John M. StAHl— Enclosed 2?c for Farmer's Call for one year, your book of p.itterns, pustpaid, and privilege oj buy- ing patterns at 5c eacli. Name •••■ State IS Very Special Offer Send me 50c and I will send you the Parmer's Call for one year, the Illinois Farmer fk prepaid, with privilege of buying patterns at 5c each. Use above coupon, but enclose 50c and write I. F. in the corner. Cut out the coupon right now, fill out, and send to JOHN M. STAHL, J. P. Sta., Chicago, III. (Prop. Farmer's Call for past 'J5 years.) IF YOU WANT THE BEE-BOOK That covers the whole Apicultural Field more completely than any other pub- lished, send $1.20 to Prof. A. J. Cook, Claremont, Cal., — FOR HIS— "BEE-KEEPER'S GUIDE" Liberal DiscountB to the Trade. Mention Bee Joarnal vrben -wriy *ns* THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY Has the latest report of all the best work in practical entomology. Articles upon apii. ul- ture by national authorities appear in it. If you wish the best entomological journal fot the practical man.subscribe for it. $2 a year. E. DWIGHT SANDERSON, Busilirss Mgr., DURHAM, N. H. n A n il F O ' Foot-Power DAnlltO Machinery Read what J. L Parent, of Charl- ton, N. Y., says: "We cut with one of your Combined Machines, last winter. 50 chaff hives with 7-in. cap, llXi honey-racks, 600 brood-frames. 2,f)00 honey-boxes, and a great deal of other work. This winter we have dnuhlft theamonnt of bee-hives,etc., to make, and we expecttodo itwith this Saw. It will do all you say it will." Catalog and price-list free. Address, W. F. ft JOHN BARNES, 995 Ruby Bt., Rockford, 111. Joiirnni %« tiea wrQtins. 99 "Forty Years Amon^ the Bees Bj^ Dr. C. C. Miller One of the Best -Known Honey - Producers in all the World THIS book of over 340 pages tells just how Dr. Miller manages his apiaries to produce the most honey, which, in turn, brings the most money. Dr. Miller has been "at it" some 45 years, and so is competent to tell others the best way to be success- ful with bees. In 1903 his crop of comb honey was over 18,000 pounds, and he is not located in the best honey- producing part of the United States, either Northwest- ern Illinois. The book is bound in substantia' cloth, gold-lettered, and is sen* dosc- paid for only $i %'■ or with the American Bee Journal one year for $1.50. (Or send us 4 new subscriptions to the Bee Journal- with $3.00 -and we will mail you the book free as a premium.) Every bee-keeper ought to have both the book and the Bee Journal, if not already possessors o£ them. As Dr. Miller gets a royalty on his book-so many cents on each copy sold— every bee-keeper who buys it is thus helping a little to repay him for his effort to lead others to success through his writings on bee-culture. As we have a good stock of these books on hand, we can till all orders by return mail. This is the time of year to read up on bee- keeping. Better send us your order at once for Dr. Miller's book, and study it carefully so as to make the mostof the bee-season. Address, GEORGE W. YORK (& C0.."«^k'i^iiS??5.^^ Tennessee- Bred Queens All from extra-select mothers, Davis' Best, and the best money can buy 3-band and Golden Italians bred 3« mil --,s apart, Carniolans S. Caucasians 7 miles away ^^ THREE-BAND AND GOLDEN ITALIANS November 1st to July 1st July l3t to Nov. 1st BREEDERS 1 6 12 1 6 12 Straight 5-band $10.00 Untested $1.00 $5.00 $9.00 $ .75 $4.00 $7.50 Select Golden 4.00 Select Untested 1.25 6.50 12.00 1.00 5.00 9.00 Select 3-band 4.00 Tested 1.75 9.00 17.00 1.50 8.00 15.00 Select Tested 2.50 13.50 25.00 2.00 10.00 18.00 Select Caucasian 5.00 Untested Caucasian, $1.25 each: 6 for $7.00: 12 for $12.00. Nnclei. without queens: 1-frame, $2.50; 2-frame $3.50; 3-frame $4.50. 1 Full Colony. 8-frame $9.00. , ^^^ .,. u • , Select the queen wanted and add to the above prices. =N 0 T E= I have transferred to my son, Benj. G. Davis, my straight 5-band and Oolden depart- ment Sn^in order to receive the promptest attention, all correspondence for these sfionld h« ?,.'n? (lirept to him He practically grew up n my queen yards, rears queens by my methods! hlf had Xrge of this department lor years, and understands his business. No bee-disease. JOHN M. DAVIS, Spring Hill, TENNESSEE, U. S. A. 1 Mention Bee Journal when wrltl/*s. Mention Uee Journal when wriUa*. Jnimary, 1909. American Vae Journal Now Ready The 97th edition of our catalog is now ready. If you have not received a copy and are ready to place an order for any supplies write for a copy. Our mailing list has over 400,000 names, -^i time is requireil to get the entire edi- tion mailed. We e> ■ a this so any one may understand why a catalog may m,. reach him early. The A B C of Bee Culture When we announced the completion of the new edition late in 1907 there was a good deal of satisfaction to notice 'he big buncb of orders on hand, although we did regret the unavoidaL delay in getting the books to some customers who had w..ited patiently for months. Over two thousand copies of this edition have already been sent out. We be- lieve all urgent orders have been filled. We felt that the change of price to $1.50 postpaid might cause a little slackening in the demand. Not so, however, for in all our experience the orders never came faster. We have also of the English edition a half leather at $2.00 and full leather at $2.50, postpaid. German Edition, ABC der Bienenzucht in paper cov- ers, $2.00. Cloth-bound at $2.50, postpaid, to any country. French Edition, A B C de L'Apiculture, cloth-bound, at $2.00, postpaid, to any country. Gleanings in Bee Culture If you haven't seen a late copy of Gleanings you can't tell from any brief description how really magnificent it is. There are many valuable departments, and our subscribers just at this season of the year are telling how much they appreciate the paper. Each issue is very fully illustrated. The covers are done by the finest engravers in Chicago, and our writers are the best in the land. Besides dozens of writers of prominence whose names we can't even mention for lack of space, we have such men as Dr. E. F. Phillips, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture; Dr. Edward F. Bigelow, Associate Editor St. Nicholas; F. Dundas Todd, former Editor Photo-Bea- con; Allen Latham, Connecticut, etc. A trial of six months (i2 numbers) costs 2Sc. If in addition to your own subscription you secure others for six months keep loc on each one for your trouble. A liberal cash commission to those whc do canvassing for us. Gasoline Engines and Power Honey Extractors For large ap'aries, or where the honey comes with a rush and labor is scarce, you should investigate our power machines. A circular of these will be sent on request. THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, MEDINA, OHIO Bee-Supplies Distributor of Lewis and Root Bee-Sup- plies. We are novp prepared to furnish promptly a full line of Supplies and Berry Boxes. Choice new stock just from factory. Beeswax wanted. Send for Catalog. W. 3. McCARTY, Emmettsbur^, Iowa Mention Bee Journal when wrttlnc- BEE-SUPPLIES. 40-page catalog free. Brimful of the latest make of hives, etc. Our supplies will please you in every way. Prices are right. We can make prompt shipments as we carry a full line of A. I. Root Co.'s supplies in stock. Don't fail to write OS if you are in need of supplies. 8Atf JOHN NEBELi. SON SOPPLT CO., High Hill. Montg. Co., Mo. Mention Bee Journal when wrltlnK. Souvenir Bee Postal Cards We have gotten up 4 Souvenir Postal Cards of interest to bee-keepers. No. i is a Teddy Bear card, with a stanza of rhyme, a straw bee-hive, a jar and sec- tion of honey, etc. It is quite senti- mental. No. 2 has the words and mu- sic of the song, "The Bee- Keeper's Lul- laby;" No. 3, the words and music of "Buckwheat Cakes and Honey ;" and No. 4, the words and music of "The Hum- ming of the Bees." We send these cards, postpaid, as follows : 4 cards for 10 cents, 10 cards for 20 cents ; or 10 cards with the American Bee Journal one year for 80 cents. Send all orders to the of- fice of the American Bee Journal, 118 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, 111. ff MARSHFIELD BEE-GOODS FRIEND BEE-KEEPER— We are prepared to fill your orders for Sections. A large stock on hand. Also a Full Line of Bee-Supplies. We make prompt shipments. MARSHFIELD MFG. CO., Marshfield, Wis. lOWA-J. W. Bittenbender. Knoxville. Gregory & Son. Ottumwa. KANSAS-S. C. Walker & Son, Smith Center. MICHIUAN-Lengst & Koenig, 127 South 13th St.,Sasrinaw. E. S. S. D. Buell. Union City. NEBRASKA— Collier Bee-Supply Co., Fairbury. CANADA- N. H. Smith. Tilbury. Ont. ARIZONA— H. W. Ryder, Phoenix. MINNESOTA-Northwestern Bee-Sup- ply Co., Harmony. ILLINOIS-D. L. Durham, Kankakee. OHIO— F. M. Hollowell Harrison. TEXAS-White Mfsr. Co., Blossom. WISCONSIN— S. W. Hines Mercantile Co., Cumberland. J. Gobeli, Glenwood. BIG DISCOUNT On all Bee-Supplies until May 1. Send for 1909 prices. I can save you big money. llAtf W. I>. SOPER, Jackson, Mich. Slention Ilee Joarnal when vnrltlns* 3000 Lbs. Clover and Bassvrood Honey— nice, well-ripened —in 5-gal., round, bail-han- dle cans. $5.50 per can here. Sample free. Mathilde Candler, Cassville, Wis. loAet mention Be« Joornal when rrrtttntt' American Vee Journal January, 1909. How To Raise Them? That's the question Nearly every person c?.r\ liatcli chicks with hens or an incubatnr, hu t very few can raise the chioks. Very few know how to get them through thechlcli period to the dollar brlnstner time. Very few know how to make money by raising^ poultry. But tliere is big: money in poultry ana we can tell you how to get your share. U CHICK CULTURE ff Dr. A. A. Bri^ham, tlie acknowledged jioultry authority, has written a wonderful book, entitled. "Chick Culture.'' It covers everything from t'le egg to the mature fowl. It tells among other things how to hatch cliicks successfully; liow to quickly develop them ; what to feed them and liow to feed ; how to construct serviceable, inexpensive houses and furnish them at little cost. It is plainly written, easily understood. It is full of practical poultry knowledire from cover to cover. Invaluable to any one who will follow its practical teachings. A full size book which thoroughly covers the subject of chick culture from beginning to eud. BIG SPECIAL OFFER $1.75 and "Chick Culture" For $1.00 POULTRY HUSBANDRY is a leading poultry monthly magazine,' edited by men well known to the profession, and oontribnted to by leading ex- perts. It is always well-printed and profusely illustrated. A year's subscription is 50 cents. FARM PRESS >s published monthly, 160,000 copies and edited for the farmers all over Amerira. Every farmer, big or little, shoula read Farm Press. Its many departments make it interesting to every one on the farm. One year, 25c. GREEN'S FRUIT GROWER, a high grade monthly magazine for the fruit growing farmer and his family. Ownecl and edited by Charles A. Green, one of the greatest Horticulturists of the day. One year, 50c. VICK'S MAGAZINE, for over 30 years has been recognized as one of the leading family jounials. It goes to over 100,000 homes every month. Every issue is a speeial number and its several departments are always of interest to every member of the arm family. It especially appeals to the women and young folks. One year, 60e. "chick CULTURE", the great ponltry book, needs to be seen to be fully appreciated by the ymultrymau who needs help and advice with his chickens. It covers poultry' raising from A to Z. Its information is clearly toM and logically arranged so a.s to be easily found. "Chick Culture" is worth a gold dollar to every poultry raiser, even if he has only a very small flock. Dr. Brighain. All for Only ^$1.00 Order Today SPECIAL NOTICE An arrangement has been made which admits of the above liberal offer being made the readers of this publication. It means that you will receive for the low price of $1.0(1. out of the very best i.>oul- try papers in the country, a high grade farm paper, a horticultural, and a home magazine, all for one full year, and a copy of Dr. Bngham's book "Chick Culture." This is one of the most liberal oflers ever made. Take advantage of it now. Send remittance of $1.00 in auy convenient way to Hawkins Publishing Company, Dept. o. Waterville, N. Y, ." S. The above special offer is open to our old subscribers to Poi'i.tky HusBANniiY as well as new ones. Send tis your order at once and we'll advance your subscription one year. R[E l\, pr.aij ihat our '•Uliz- znrd Belt Kvergreens I) t;r'jw in all parts oE the country we offer to send 6 fine Spruces *4 to ^ tall, free to property oivners. Wholesale value and mailing expense over 30 cents. To help, send 5 cents or lot .IS you please. A postal will bring the es and our catalog containing many colored photo plates of our choice Blizzard Helt Fruits. Ornamentals, etc. We want to gel acquainted with you and it will pay you to get io touch with our Hardy Bliz- zard Uett trees. 39 years" experience in growing hardy trees here in what was once ccitled the Great American Desert. '\\'rite today. THE GARDNER M'RSERY CO, Box 45* Osaife, Iowa Mention Bee Joarnal wben TTTltlngr. ^3 Acres $100 5^/7 .J^JX' $5 Down: $5 Monthly Specially Adapted for Fruit liiir sul•c(•ss^.■^ Minv beiiit' ninde in this locality in iHi-^iii^' IjfiiiL^. f.'iily vt^'t'tables. poultry iind pigeons. Advaiiuit,'! .-i ol Ititiki soii. iniid, .heallhlul fliniaie, u-i'-d ^^JUl■l. pure air, eavly crops. jjj^p ATLANTIC CITY and other southern New Jtrsey resorts, 3 main- line railroads and 2 manufacturing towns ^^loae by. Excellent shippine taeilities,. Title insured. Whitf people only. Writt- lor booklet. DANIEL FRAZIER CO., 750 Bailey Bidg., Philadelphia, Pa. We will Buy and Sell HONEY ^« of the difEerent grades and kinds. ^m If you have any to dispose of, or if S8 you intend to buy, correspond ^^ with us. ^S We are always in the market I Beeswax KM at highest market prices. J Hiidreth & Segelken ^S 265 & 267 Qreenwlch Street (^ NEW YORK, N. Y. &^!Ki»^!}^!^i^^!^^ HONEY ' For Sale.— Amber Buckwheat and No. 2 White Comb, at $'.'.5'i per case of 24 sections; unfinished -sections auil candied comb, $2 per case; less than 6 ca'-e.s, 'S>c on shipment extra. Amber extracted, fine tiuality. sc per Ih.; two 60-pound cans to case. QUIKIN'S famous Queens and Bees tor sale in season. QUIRIN-THE-QUEEN-BREEDER, Believue, Ohio Uentfon Bee Journal vrhen Tvrltlns. ,L^ LAWN FENCE Many desljjns. Cheap as wood. 32 patre Catalogue free. Special Prices to Churches and Cemeteries. Coiled Spring Fence Co. Box 31» Winchester Ind. Mention Bee Joomal when VTZttlns* Honey as a Health-Food This is a 16-page honey-pamphlet in- tended to help increase the demand for honey. The first part of it contains a short article on "Honey as Food," writ- ten by Dr. C. C. Miller. It tells where to keep honey, how to liquefy it, etc. The last part is devoted to "Honey-Cook- ing Recipes" and "Remedies Using Hon- ey." It should be widely circulated by those selling honey. The more the peo- ple are educated on the value and uses of honey, the more honey they will buy. Prices, prepaid — Sample copy for a 2-cent stamp; 50 copies for 90 cents; 100 copies for $1.50; 250 copies for $3.00; 500 for $5.00; or 1000 for $9.00. Your business card printed free at the bottom of front page on all orders for 100 or more copies. Send all orders to the office of the American Bee Jour- nal. January, 1909. American Hee Journal For Over Twenty-Five Years our make of goods have been acknowledged to be in the lead as regards Workmanship and Material. Our Air-Spaced Hive is a most excellent winter hive, and convenient for summer man- agement as the single-walled. Same inside dimensions as reg- ular Dovetailed Hives; all in- side material interchangeable with Dovetailed Hives. We manufacture a full line of Bee-Keepers* Supplies. Fall and winter discounts: — Sept., 7 per ct.; Oct., 6 perct.; Nov., 5 per ct.; Dec, 4 perct.; Jan., 3 per ct.; Feb., 2 per ct.; Mar., 1 per ct. Catalog free. W. T. FALCONER MFG., CO. Jamestown, N. Y. Mention Be« Joamal when 'vrrltlns* Chicago. Dec. 28.— December has been a fairly good month, so far as the consump- tion of honey has been concerned, when we compare it with other years, and we are hoprng that the next 3 months will see more than a normal demand, as the quality has never been excelled of the last crop, and the prices are low compared with other com- modities. Sales made during the month have been at former quotations, with fancy comb at 14c, and the No. 1 to A J^o. 1 at 12 1-2 to 13c : other grades from 1 to 3c lower, with extracted, white, ranging from 7 to 8c. the amber grades from 6 to 7c. with beeswax in good demand at 30c. R. A. Burnett & Co. Denver, Dec. 24.— We quote our market as follows : No. 1 white, per case of 24 sec- tions, $3.25: No. 1 light amber. $3.00: No. 2, $2.75. White extracted, S^ii to 9c : light am- ber, 7 1-2 to 8c : strained. G'ic. Our market is overstocked with both comb and extracted honey ; demand is ligbt. and %ve do not ex- pect to see any improvement until after the middle of January. We pay 24c for average yellow beeswax, delivered here. The Colo. Honey Producers' Ass'n. New York. Dec. 28.— While the .demand for comb honey has not been up to that of former years, still it is fair and we think there bemg no overstock anywhere, so far as the Eastern markets are concerned, that we will have a fairly good demand during the next 3 months. This applies only to fancy No. 1 white. Off grades have been neglected right along, and of this we have a large stock still on hand, with buyers hard to find. We do not think that there will be any necessity for lowering the price on fancy and No. 1 white stock, but. as far as off grades are concerned, they will have to be sold for what they will bring, and we cannot encourage shipments of these grades. We quote fancy white 14 to 15c; No. 1. 13c, off grades 10 to 12c, and dark 10 to lie. The demand for extracted is fair with sufficient supply of all grades. We quote Headquarters for Bee-Supplies Don't Forget! If you want EARLY ORDER DISCOUNTS, send us a list of your needs, and we will be pleased to quote you our lowest prices. WRITE NOW ! We are equipped to liive all orders, no matter how small, careful and prompt attention. C. H.W.WEBER ^=' Office ind Salesrooms, 2146-48 Central Ave. Warehouses. Freeman and Central Aves. California white sage 8 1-2 to 9c : light am- ber, 8 to 81-2c: amber, 7 to 7 l-2c : white clover, 8 to 8 l-2c : buckwheat. 61-2 to 7c; Southern in barrels and half-barrels 60 to 75c per gallon, according to quality. Bees- wax quiet at 28 to 30c HiLDRETH & SeGELKEN. Los Angeles, Dec. 26.— Water-white ex- tracted. 8c; white, 7 1-2c; light amber, 7c ; amber. Sc. Fancy white comb, 16c; No. 1 white, 15c; fancy light amber. 14c ; No. 1 light amber. 12 l-2c. H. J. Mercer. Cincinnati, Dec. 28.— The market on comb honey is very quiet. There are some sales being made at 14c for No. 1 white comb honey, but the demand is not brisk. White clover extracted honey is selling at 8c in cans ; sage at 9c ; amber honey in bar- rels at 6c. Beeswax is selling slowly at 32c. C. H. W. Weber. Kansas City. Dec. 28.— The honey situa- tion in this market is as follows: Receipts are heavy, sufficient to supply the demand for some time, as the demand is limited both on comb and extracted. We quote comb honey in 24-section, no-drip cases— ex- tra fancy at $3.00 per case : No. 1 from $2.75 to $2.90 per case ; No. 2 at $2.50 per case. Ex- tracted in 60-pound cans, white, 8c; amber, 7 l-2c. Beeswax, No. 1 28c. C. C. Clemons Prod. Co. Zanesville, Ohio. Dec. 28.— At this the holiday season there is practically no de- mand for honey, money being spent in other channels. For No. 1 to fancy white clover comb the jobbing trade offers 13 to 14c de- livered: and for best clover extracted 8c. No demand for oft" grades. The wholesale market is practically unchanged, though dealers would make some concessions to effect sales. Good, clean beeswax brings on arrival 29c cash, or 30c in exchange for mer- chandise. Edmund W. Peirce. Indianapolis, Dec. 26.— The demand for best grade of honey is holding up remark- ably well, although a feature of dullness is naturally expected at this season of the year. Producers are offering fancy white comb at 12i4c : No. 1 white comb at 12c. White clover extracted in 5-gaIlon cans at 7c. There is no established price on amber grades, and almost no demand. Very little honey is now being offered by producers, and I look for a cleaned up market long be- fore the arrival of any new crop. It is evi- dent that bee-keepers need have no fear of an over-production of honey. Beeswax is steady at 28c cash, or 30c in exchange for merchandise. Walter S. Pouder. Toledo. Dec. 24.— Fancy white clover honey brings in a retail way 15 to 15Yt : No. 1. 1 iVz to 15c ; with very little demand for lower grades. Extracted white clover in barrels will bring 7 to 7 l-2c ; in cans from He to Ic higher: light amber. 6 to 6 l-2c in cans or barrels. As usual during the holiday season the demand for comb honey or extracted has been very light this month, and while we look for a limited demand after the first of the year, as past experience has proven, we do not look for as big a demand as there has been the past two or three months. Bees- wax is coming in more plentifully, and is bringing on the market in a small way 30 to 32c. These are our selling prices, and not what we pay. The Griggs Bros. & Nichols Co. A New Honey-Spoon. Over in England they have invented a new honey-spoon — or at least a device in its handle that will prevent it from get- ting down into the jar of honey on the dining table, thus avoiding sticky fingers and spoilt table-cloths. It is a very in- genious contrivance, and should have a large sale among honey-consumers, es- pecially bee-keepers. It is well plated on high-class nickel. We have secured some of these very unique spoons, and will mail them at 90 cents each. Or. we will send a spoon and the American Bee Journal one year — both for $1.50. It would mak; a fine gift. HONEY *!!° BEESWAX When consigning, buying, or selling, consult R. A. BURNETT & CO. 199 South Water St. Chicago, III Mention Bee Journal when vrritins. January, Ipog. American l^ee Journal Before buying your Comb Foundation or disposing of your Beeswax be sure to get our prices on Wax and Foundation, or get our prices on Working Wax info Foundation. We are also in a position to quote you prices on Hives, Sections and all Other Supplies. We give Liberal Discounts during the months of November, December, January and February. Remember that Dadant's Foundation is the very best that money can buy. We always guarantee satisfaction in every way. Lan^stroth on the Honey-Bee (new edition), by mail, $1.20. Send for our prices on Extracted White Clover and Amber Fall honey. DADANT ®. SONS, Hamilton, Illiivois JJ 4 NORWOOD STRAWBERRIES FILL A QUART m^i CAPONS brinE the largest profits — lUO per cent more thiin other poul- try. CaponizinK is easy and 600n learned. Progressive poultrynien use PILLING ?H^rs^iH Postpaid $2.50 per set with free instruc- tions. The convenient, durable, ready- 1 for-use kind. Best material. Wealsomake 1 pnuUry Marker 25c. GapeWormErtracforS'iC ' \ French KUliiifj Knife 50c. Cnpnn Book Frte. G. P. Pillln« & Son, Arch St.. Philade'phia. Pa. CCMnr Stt^ongest rClluC Mado ^ Ma.le of High Carbon Double Strength ( i.iU'ti A\ ire. Heavily Galvanized t<> (irt-vt-nt rust. lla\ ■■ no agents. S'H at factory ptices on 30 days' free trial. We pav allfreight. -'■'' li'-l^rlits ..f farm aud pMiiitry triii-i-. Catalog Free. COILED SPRING FENCE CO. Ilox N'J Winchester. Indiana. Hatch Chickens by ■ifahl "Wood- sn Hen" ami * Excelsior" Incubators a«snrp bi^; hatr-hfs- Well-built. r'-liahlf. pra<-liy>, largest straw- J^ berry in the World, and 75 other best new and old varie- ties. Also the Ida- ho Red. Royal Pur- ple Plum Farmer and other desira- ble varieties. Raspberries, Blackberries Other Fruit, Plants, etc. 25 years experi- ence. Highe: Award s at World's Fair, We invite correspond- ence. Cat- alogue free. L. J. Farmer Box 940 Pulaski, N. Y. This is Actual Size 75 Other Varieties n£ j\ ArOTOMMTAN ^.^^^ i 1 a Our complete Electric Railway Course by mail will make you a compelt-nt Mulor- man or Conductor in sliort time at small cost. Hundreds of positions open at giincl salaries. Instruction endorsed by Eh r- h-ic Railway ni.Tnricers. Write today lor free c-itaiojr— si.uc a;:eaiirj u'c-ii:!it. The Wenthe Railway Cor. School, Oept. E-R-393. Freeport. III. ^ All the best novelties and st.inlcs and I-low- ^ Bb ■■ ^ er Seeds at 2 cents per parket and upxi.in!^. W D k E Mailed to you, if you luentiun this P^'rer, § §( ^ t lOWASEEDCO,, Des Moines, iowa 49th Year No. 2 February, 1909 75c. a Year lOc. a Copy Ag:ricolttjr?)l MasaAglCoUege apil4 ■■ Library Amherst. MaBi '^^-k'. Apiary of J. F. Diemer & Son, Liberty, Mo.— (See page 39. j Apiary of G. A. Barbish, La Crescent, Minn. — (See page 39.) February, 1909. American ^ee Journal PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY GEORGE W.YORK S COMPANY 116 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, 111. IMPORTANT NOTICE. THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE of this Journal is 75 cents a year, in the United States of America, (except Chicago, where it is $1.00), and Mexico; In Canada 85 cents; and in all other countries in the Postal Union, 25 cents a year extra for post- age. Sample copy free. THE WRAPPER-LABEL DATE indicates the end of the month to which your subscription is paid. For instance, " decOO " on your label shows that it is paid to the end of December, 1909. SUBSCRIPTION RECEIPTS.-We do not send a receipt for money sent us to pay subscription, but change the date on your wrapper-label, which ■bows that the money has been received and credited. fldvertising Rate, per ftgate Line, 15c. 14 lines make one inch. Nothine less than 4 lines accepted. Discounts: 3 times 14c a line 9 times lie a line 6 " 12c'* " 12 " (lyr.) lOcaline Beading Notices, 25 cents, count line. Goes to press the 6th of each month. National Bee Keepers' Association Objects of the Association. let.— To promote the interests of its members. 2d.— To protect and defend its members in their awful riKhts. 8d.— To enforce laws against the adulteration of honey. Annual Membership Dues, $1.00. General Manager and Treasurer— N. K. France, Platteville. Wis. |y If more convenient. Dues may be sent to the publishers of the American Bee Journal. "Songs of Beedom" This is a pamphlet, 6x9 inches, con- taining 10 songs (words and music) written specially for bee-keepers, by Hon. Eugene Secor, Dr. C. C. Miller, aad others. They are arranged for either srgan or piano. The list includes the following : " Bee - Keepers' Reunion Song;" "The Bee-Keeper's Lullaby;" "The Hum of the Bees in the Apple- Bloom;" "The Humming of the Bees;" "Buckwheat Cakes and Honey;" "Dot Happy Bee-Man;" "Bee-Keepers' Con- vention Song;" "The Busy, Buzzing Bees:" "Spring-Time Joys;" and "Con- vention Song." The pamphlet is mailed for 25 cents, or sent with the American Bee Journal one year — both for only 90 cents. Send all orders to the Ameri- can Bee Journal, 118 W. Jackson, Chi- cago, 111. Western Bee- Keepers ^^ow^ou how to save moaey. Send for our new cata- log of the best Bee-ware made. TI8 C«10R1D0 BOIgT-rBODCCEB^' 188'I, innt. M: Farmer tiTe Strawberry A complete, practical treatise on Btrawben-ies iind otiur tsinall Fniits. Written by L J. Far. iiier who has spent 2j jeais ^^ among plants and berries. '''^ Pi'ice 25c.. but "worth its wei^rht in g-old"' (not i catalog-.) Your money back if not satisfied. We are Introducers of Norwood Strawberry, tour berries filled a quart (see illustration). Also Roval Purple, Idaho an'i Plum Farm- er Raspberries, etc. Our catalog: des cribes hundreds of varieties of Fruit, Plants, Asparagus, Roses, etc. Actual Size Sent Free Send 10c for 6 plants"Champi<;iii" Strawberry for trial. They will be sent free if you mention this paper awi send 25c., for •'Farmer on the Straw- berry.'* Address L. J. Farmer v Box 940 Pulaski, N. Y. NORWOODS Fill A QUART " // Goods are Wanted Quick Send to Pouder. " ESTABLISHED 1889 Bee-Supplies. Root's Goods in Indiana. standard Hives with latest improvements, Danzenbaker Hives. Honey-Boxes, Comb Foundation and everything that is used in the bee-yard. Large illustrated catalog mailed free. Finest White Clover Extracted Honey for sale in any quantity desired. WALTER S. POUDER, 859 Massachusetts Ave,, Indianapolis, Ind. Dittmer's Comb Foundation Is the Best. Not becatise we say so, but because the Bees prefer it to other makes. Dittmer's Process is Dittmer's It has built its Reputation and established its Merits, on its own Foundation and its own Name. We make a Specialty of Working Wax into Founda- tion for Cash. Write for free catalog and prices on full Line of Supplies. GUS DITTMER CO.. Augusta. Wis. «kTWO MONEYMAKERS SCARFF'S SMALL FRUITS and bees are an ideal combination for bee-keepers or farmers. Order early and plant a eenerous quan- , tity of these fruita. The bees poUenize tnem, mak- jf inj^ them produce in luxurious abundance, and at the t^ame time increase amount and value of honey. % , Small Fruit Plant Free. I want to prove now wr'll-r1»VJ" Or Farm Journal 2 years and "Poultry Secrets" for 50 cts. WILMER ATKINSON CO., 834 Race St., Philadelphia. Pa. FARM SEEDS Choicest varieties of Seeti Oats, Wh.at. Spr]:-.^' Kv--. Speltz. Barley. Cane. Seed Corn, levari i;=-\ R r-'. Potatoes and all kinds of field, grass and garden seeis. Large illustrated catalogueof great value to fanners tree* if you mention this paper. IOWA SEED CO., DES MOIMES, I A. February, tgog. Amarican Hee Journal SPECIAL CLUBBING m PREMIUM OFFERS In Connection With Tiie AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL Sample copies free to help you interest your friends and get subscriptions. If you will send us names of your neighbors or friends we will mail them sample copies free. After they have received their copies, with a little talk, you can get some to sub- scribe and so either eet your own subscription free or receive same of the useful premiums below. They're worth getting. We give you a year's subscription free for sending us two new subscriptions at 75 cents each. BEE-KEEPERS' NOVELTY POCKET-KNIFE Tout name and address put on i>Qe side of the handle as shown in cut, anri on the other side pictures of a queen-bee, a worker, and a drone. The handle is celluloid and transparent, through which is seen your name. If you lose this knile it can be re- turned to you, or serves to identify you it y lu happen to be injured tatal- ly, or are uncon- seioua. Cut is exact size. Be sure to write exact name and address. Knife delivered in two weeks. Price of knife alone, postpaid, $1.*J5, With year's aubscrip- t i o n , $1.75. Freefor 4 new 7oc sub- ecriptions. BEE-KEEPERS' GOLD-NIB FOUNTAIN PEN A really good pen. As far as true use- fulness g-Q e a is etjuiil to any any of the higher- priced, much -adver- tised pens. If you pay more It's name you're charged for. The G'lld Nit* ia guar- anti't^d 14 Karat gold, Iridium point- ed. The holder ia hard rubber, hand- somely finished. The cover tits snugly, and can't slip off because it slightly wedges over the barrel at either end This pen is non- leakable It is very easily cleaned, the pen-pi»int and feecket. Comes in box with directions and tiller. Each pen guaranteed. Here shown two- thirds actual size. Price alone, postpaid, $1.25. With a year's subscription, $1.75. Given free for i new subscriptions at 75 cents each. mONETTE QUEEN-CLIPPING DEVICE The Monette Queen- Ctipping Device is a tine thing for use in catching and clipping Queens' wings. Four and one-hair inches high. It is used by many bee-keepers. Pull printed directions sent with each one. Price alone, post- paid, 25 cents. With a year's subscription, 90 cents. Given free for sending ^ one new subscription at 75 cents. Size. IDEAL HIVE-TOOL A special tool invent ed by a Minnesota bee-keeper. adapt- ed for prying up supers and for general wor li around the api- ary, Made of malleable iron, SYt inches long. Th . middle part is 1 1-16 inches wide and 7-32 thick. The smaller end is 1% inches long, y, inch wide, and 7-32 thick, end- ing like a screw- driver. The larger end is wedge-shaped having a sharp, semi- circular edge, mak- ing it almostperfect for prying up cov- ers, supers, etc., as it does not mar the wood. Dr. Miller, who has used it since 1903 says, Jan. 7, 1907: " I think as much of the tool as ever." Price alone, post- paid, 40 cents. With a year's subscrip- tion.Jl.OO. Given free for 2 new subscrip- tions at 75c each. PREMIUM QUEENS Tliese are untested, stan- dard-bred Italian Queens, reports of which have been highly satisfactory. Theyare active breeders, and produce good work- ers. Sent on]y after May Ist, Orders booked any time for queens. Safe de- livery guaranteed. Price, 75 cents each, 6 for $4.00, or 12 for $7.50. One queen with a year's sjb- scription, $1.20. Queen free for 3 new 75c subscriptions. HUMOROUS BEE POST-CARDS Cn^?^w^O*'>^T rou BEE nv HOKEY. And CHEtR THIS LONELY HE/,nT? ;,- BEAR LOSE rou For I WOULD wx> too all the tihe j And Wt WOULD NfVEft PARI A " Teddy Bear " on good terms with everybody, including the bees swarming out of the old-fashioned "skep." Size 3J4x5!4, printed in four colors. Blank space i^xS inches for writing. Prices— 3 postpaid, 10 cents: 10 for 25 cents. Ten with a year's subscription, 90 cents. Six given free for one new 75c subscription. BOOKS FOR BEE-KEEPERS Forty Years Among the Bees, by Dr. O, C. Miller.— 334 pages, bound in handsome cloth, with gold letters and design, illustrated with 112 beautiful half-tone pictures, taken by Dr. Miller. It is a good, new story of successful bee-keeping by one ot the masters, and shows in minutest detail lust how I>r. Miller does things with bees. Price alune, $1.0(i. With a year's subscription, $1.50. Given free for 3 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Advanced Bee-Cultnre, bv W. Z. Hutch- inson.—The author is a practical anf honey- bees. 400 en^ravinRs. Boun I in cloth, price alone, $1.50. With a year's subscription, J2.00. Given free for 6 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Scientific Queen-Rearing, as Practically Applie»l,by G. M. Doolittle.— Hscription, $1.25. Given free for 2 new subscriptions at 7o cents each. Bee-Keeper's Guide, or Manual of the Apiary, by Prof. A. J. Cook.— This book is in- structive, helpfal, interestir;.;, 'thoroughly practical and scientific. It aI.--.o contains anat- omy and physiology cf bees. 5-14 pages, 295 illustrations. Bound in cloth. Price alone, $1.20. With a year's subscription, $1.70. Given free for 4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. liangstroth on the Honey-Bee, revised by Daaant.— This classic has been entirely rewritten. Fully illustrated. No apiarian library is complete without this standard work by "The Father of American Bee-Cul- ture.'* 520 pages, bound in cloth. Price alone, $1.20. With a year's subscription, $1.70. Given free for 4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. '*The Honey -Money Stories."— A 64- page booklet containing many short, bright stories intersiiersed with facts and interest- ing items about honey. The manufactured comb-honey misrepresentation is contradict- ed in two itern^, tach «)ecupying a full page. Has 33 tine illustrations of apiaries or apiarian scenes. It also cantains 3 bee-songs. This booklet should be placed in the hands of everybody notfamiliar with the food-value of hone'v. for its main object is to interest peo- ple i.\ honey as a daily table article. Price 25 cents. Wicn a year's subscription, 90 cents. Given free for one new subscription at 75c. Three copies fscri['tion so cents, liiven free for one new subscription at 75 cents. BEE-HIVE CLOCK A few oT :^.iese handsome *' bronze-metal " clocks left. Ba.-^elOij inches wide by 9^4 inches high. Design is a straw skep with clock face in middle. Keeps excellent time, durable and reliable. Weight. boxed, 4 pounds. Vou pay express charges. Price $1.50. With a year's subscription, $2.00. Given free for 6 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. SEND ALL ORDERS TO THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 118 W. Jaciison, Chicago, III. (Entered as aeeond-elaas matter July 30, 1907, at the Post-Offlce at Chicago, III., under Act of March 3, 1879.) Published Monthly at 75 cents a Year, by George W. York & Co., It8 West Jackson Boulevard. GBORGE W. YORK, Editor CHICAGO, ILL,, FEBRUARY, 1909 VoL XLIX— No, 2 !dii€orial ^ofes and Comments -**r "W^ •.•^«8g»'»."S«'«7 T'!i'.>"''f^Ot?!-i.fshi.iu.j.uuti.i..i -J,.' r Uncle Sam's Sweet Tooth It takes a million dollars a day to satisfy it with sugar, to say nothing about honey. That's according to the latest Government report, which is for the year 1907. A honey-leaflet that has had a considerable circulation says that the average annual consumption of sugar for every man, woman, and child in the United States is about 60 pounds. That was true when the leaflet was written ; but the consumption has greatly in- creased, and for 1907 it was 82.6 pounds ! At that rate the average individual eats half his own weight of sugar in a year. Of the more than 7,000,000,000 pounds consumed, 21.3 percent Was of home pro- duction, 17.7 percent from our insular possessions, and 61 percent from foreign countries. Of the home product, 64 per- cent was from beets and 36 percent from cane. From all this the bee-keeper may at least glean the crumb of comfort that Uncle Sam's taste for sweet is not dying out. Does Age Deteriorate Honey? Mr. Frank Rauchfuss showed some comb honey at the bee-convention, which was three years old. It had candied and liquefied several times, and the comb was but slightly cracked. The honey was liquid, but it had lost all of its original honey-fiavor, and was thick like taffy. Mr. Rauchfuss said that it could no longer be considered as honey. All the water, apparently, had left the honey, and nothing but a sticky syrup was left. — Wesley Foster, in Gleanings. Editor Root adds this footnote : Honey would evaporate more in a Colorado climate than in the East, generally. The pre- sumption is that a 12-year-oId Colorado honey would be very different from an Eastern 12- year-old honey. Evidently the question of the keeping of comb honey is one upon which we need more light. It is a matter of im- portance to know whether, at a time when prices are very low one can keep comb honey over for a higher price. If so, under what conditions? Does kind of honey, climate, or something else make a difiference? Comb honey 12 years old has been reported. Can any one tell us the quality of the honey itself? It is generally agreed that honey is improved by leaving it a long time with the bees. If leaving it with the bees a few weeks improves it, would it not be better, or at least as good, if it were left with them two or three times as long, or five times as long, provided conditions remain the same ? If so, can we not imitate the conditions under which honey is kept by the bees sufR- ciently well to keep it over at least till the next season? These questions can not be answered so well by reasoning as by actual ex- periences. There are very likely a num- ber who have Kept comb honey over, say to June of the next year. Will they kindly report the result, especially as to the quality of the honey, whether favor- able or unfavorable? Should Bees be Allowed to Build Comb? Mr. Aikin's word carries weight, and this is an important matter. It is, how- ever, against the general belief, and the word of even so good authority as Mr. Aikin will not pass current without scru- tiny in such a case. If it is true, then is it not a mistake, when running for extracted honey, to furnish entirely drawn combs, giving the bees no oppor- tunity to build? Mr. Aikin explains that when bees are not allowed to build comb the great quantities of wax that they secrete are used in other ways. He say, in Glean- ings: "When scraping sections I save the scrap- ings, which appear to be almost entirely pro- polis; but when melted they yield considerable wax. Then I have many times seen nice white wax used to fill cracks about comb- honey supers; and when there are full sets of combs already built to hold every drop of honey to be stored, I have found workers loaded with wax-scales, cracks stopped with wax, burr-combs put here and there without stint, and, when not needed, bits of wax built against the quilts over the top-bars, some- times amounting to a quarter or even half a pound — all this apparently is done just to get rid of the surplus wax by using it where pro- polis would ordinarily be used. But that "quarter or even half a pound" seems a small quantity compared with the several pounds that must be produced by a colony that has all its comb to build. This is not by way of saying that Mr. Aikin is wrong, only that in a matter of so much importance, he must do quite a bit of "showing" to convince those who hold the general view. Our friends who produce both chunk and extracted honey in the same apiary might help to solve this problem. To one colony, or to a number of them, let drawn combs be furnished, so that no comb need be built ; to an equal number let no comb whatever be given ; at the end of the season melt the chunk honey and compare the wax secured from each. AMiite Clover Prospects In white-clover regions there is always interest on the part of the bee-keepers as to what white clover will do in the season next to come. That interest seems more than usual tliis year, and the different views expressed show that we have not the most exact knowledge on the subject so as to tell in advance just what we may expect. There are differ- ent views as to the effect on future har- vests, of drouth in summer, drouth in fall, winter freezing in wet or dry soil, and in the Bee-Keepers' Review, is a discussion as to the age of white-clover plants, by Harry Lathrop. Editor Hutchinson endorses the view that Mr. Lathrop thus sums up : "White-clover plants one year old may bloom, but are of no value for a honey crop. White American ISee Journal clover plants two years old furnish the crop. White clover plants over two years old are not in evidence in the production of a crop of honey. It takes a good spell of wet weather to germinate a seed crop — a few showers will not do it." From this and what precedes, it ap- pears that Mr. Lathrop considers white clover a biennial, and perhaps sometimes an annual, for he says : "My conclusions are that white clover is not an annual ; neither is it strictly biennial." Very likely this is a common view. We are familiar with the fact that red clover must be reseeded every 2 years, and as there is little sowing of white clover, and we are thus not familiar with its habit of growth, we at once take it for granted that white clover is like red, a biennial. Examine a red-clover plant. A leaf- stem may start close to the ground, or it may start high up on the stalk. The whole plant is connected with only the one root, and the whole affair, root and branch, dies outright in 2 years or less from the time the seed started. Now look at a white-clover plant. Every leaf starts from close to the ground, never high up on a stalk like the red clover. A still more striking difference is that the white clover does something that the red never does. It sends out a stolon, or runner, just like a strawberry plant, which takes root at the end, thus forming a new plant, which in its turn may again send forth run- ners, and so on indefinitely. It would be interesting to know how many — rather, how few — who are familiar with strawberry-runners have ever thought of such a thing as a white-clover runner. It will thus be seen that a single white- clover plant in the middle of a lo-acre field, given years enough, might cover the whole field if it never matured a seed. Any bee-keeper who takes the trouble to observe the growth of white- clover the coming spring, will easily be convinced that the botany is right in classing white clover, not as an annual nor a biennial, but as a perennial. That still leaves it a matter of interest to know what about the value of single plants of white clover of different ages. Who will tell us whether a plant, say 5 years old, is likely to be' worth anything to bees? We know something in that respect as to strawberries. If we want to set out a strawberry-bed, we do not select old plants to transplant. If we start the bed in the fall, we use plants that have started from runners only a few days or weeks previous. And in general, an old strawberry-bed is con- sidered of little value. Yet if the run-, ners are kept cut off, a plant will con- tinue fruitful after it has become old, forming a large stool, yielding abund- ance of berries. That makes it, if we are to reason from analogy, that an old plant of white clover may or may not be a good nectar-yielder according to circumstances, with the chances in favor of the younger plants. that bee-keepers as a rule will do better by having the top of the hive sealed, and covered with warm packing. We have worked both schemes at our yard here at Medina; and while some years the absorbing cushions gave the better results, yet year in and year out the sealed cover comes out ahead." — E. R- Root, in Gleanings. Is there not a little confusion about that "absorbent" business? Some use cushions with the idea that the air will slowly pass up through them, carrying with it all moisture. In that case there is no absorbing, and the cushions are hardly "absorbents." If there be no pas- sage of air through the cushions, the moisture merely passing up into the cushions and condensing there, then the cushions are surely absorbents. Per- haps generally there is a compromise, part of the moisture passing out and part of it condensing in the cushions. In any case, when the cushions be- come charged with moisture, there is advantage in drying them out when a favorable spell of weather comes. The great harm with sealed covers comes about in this way : The cover is a single thickness of board, very cold, upon which the moisture from the bees condenses and falls in drops upon the bees. If cold enough, the moisture con- denses as frost upon the under side of the cover, constantly accumulating until the weather becomes warm enough for it to melt, and then there is a small deluge. Something of this kind "may occur even in a cellar, and it is easy to see that cold water falling upon the clus- ter is not conducive to good wintering. But there will not be the same conden- sation, if, as Mr. Root says, the sealed cover be "covered with warm packing." The point is that in the colder portions where bees are wintered outdoors, there should be cushions or packing of some kind, whether there be sealed covers or not. Whether that packing should be under or over the cover is not a point here considered. Possibly that ubiquit- ous factor — locality — ^may have some- thing to say in the case. In this connection it may be proper to say that in case of sealed covers there is not the same need of packing or cush- ions, if, instead of a single board, the cover be one of two layers of board, an air-space between. This, at least to some extent, takes the place of cushions, keeping the under part of the cover warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Sealed Covers vs. Absorbent Cushions We recommend sealed covers to the average bee-keeper because such persons will secure better results than with absorbing cushions. While Mr. Dadant raay be able to do better without the sealed covers, it is our opinion Priority Rights in Imperial Valley In the United States a man has a legal right to plant an apiary wherever he has a legal right to plant a potato patch. While some think that a jnan has a inoral right to do the same wherever he has the legal right, a considerable num- ber of bee-keepers think that no one has a moral right to establish an apiary in a field already occupied. Of this latter class there are not wanting those who believe that there should be legislation sufficient to secure by law what may be considered moral rights. Without waiting for any legislation, the bee-keepers of Imperial Valley, in California, have determined, according to a report from J. W. George, in Glean- ings, to punish any one who, in their judgment, unjustly encroaches on the territory of established bee-keepers. Imperial Valley, be it said in passing, is one of the richest spots on the face of the earth for bee-pasturage. As a pre- liminary step, an organization of bee- keepers has sent out a circular which reads in part as follows : 1. The average yield per colony of extracted honey for 1908 has been about 100 pounds, or about half as much as the two preceding years. 2. During the fall and winter of 1907, 5,000 colonies of bees were shipped into Imperial Valley, and now with those previously located comprise about 30 apiaries ranging in size from 50 to 300 colonies, and located all the way from one to 3 miles apart. 3. The second statement goes a long way toward explaining the first; for, while the shortage has been in part accounted for in various ways, the difference in the amount of honey obtained from different valley apiaries is easily traceable to the number of colonics kept in their respective neighborhoods. 4. The distance apart which apiaries may be run with profit in an alfalfa country de- pends altogether upon the amount of alfalfa grown in proximity to the apiaries, and the size of the apiaries. In Imperial Valley 2 to 3 miles is considered close enough. Then at the October meeting of the Imperial Valley Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion the following resolution was adop- ted: Rcsoh'cd, That the adjustment committee be instructed to accept all bees offered to them, and to use said bees in any manner, and as long as they are deemed necessary for the pur- pose of discouraging any person from placing or maintaining an apiary at any place where, in their judgment, said apiary might be detri- mental to the interest of any bee-man, who, by right of prior location, had the best right to said location. "After the adoption of the above reso- lution," says Mr. George, "on roll-call every member present except 2 offered 10 percent of his bees for the purpose of carrying out the resolution," and Mr. George grimly adds ; "It looks very much as if any one corning into the Val- ley and undertaking to override the cus- tom here would get just what he de- serves." Put in plain language, the idea is that if any one improperly encroaches upon territory already fully occupied, he will be smoked out by having so many colo- nies set down beside him that his bees will harvest nothing, even if takes a tenth of all the thousands of colonies in Imperial Valley. The outcome of this move will be watched with interest. Editor Sick and Journal Late Owing to two attacks of tonsilitis and one of "la grippe," the editor of the American Bee Journal has been laid up at hoine so that he was unable to get out this number earlier. It was his longest illness in nearly 20 years. He has been singularly fortunate in this re- gard, as the Bee Journal, even when it was published weekly, was never late on account of the illness of this editor. He hopes it may not occur again very soon ; and also indulges the further hope that the readers may be patient and forbear- ing, for this issue, which is 50 per cent larger than usual, was really gotten out under difficulties and circumstances that are always most trying when the edi- tor, upon whom falls the chief work, is scarcely able to be about on account of a sickness that is very weakening, and for a time continuously so. February, 1909. 39 Aimv'icm Hee Journal k )>=s^gi^/2-inch of rain early in March. . May brought us injuring frost, hail, and, in all, fully 7!^ inches of rain. June was rather cold, and we had 10^ inches rain. July acted a little more decently, w^as more normal, and brought but 5 inches rain. August was rather cool and wet again, and in this month we had 8^ inches rain. September gave us 5'^-inch rain, and October 3 inches, and on October lO to II we had the first light frost. The result of the season's work with the bees was as follows : From 30 colonies run for extracted honey, 830 pounds ; from 4 colonies run for comb honey, 20 sections— a total of 850 pounds. I had to feed 130 pounds of honey and 120 pounds of cane sugar, so as to give my bees from 30 to 40 pounds winter stores, per colony, for this winter. October 17, I winter-packed my bees in the open shed. I had 6 swarms of my own bees, and 6 stray swarms from somewhere, which entered the decoy hives on top of my go-foot-long bee-shed. The last of these stray swarms came on October 15. It was a large swarm, February, 1909. American liee Journal strung out in a long string, and it took al! of 15 minutes until the tail-end had arrived at the decoy hive. This swarm proved to be vifithout a queen. My bees had good flights on 7 days in honey, and 320 pounds in one-pound sec- tions, so I have reason to be well sat- isfied. The other photograph shows a swarm of bees that I found in the limbs of a Apiary of Jacob Wagner, E. Aman.\, Iowa. November and 8 days in December. On December 6 and 7 we had zero weather. On December 29 I renewed the winter- packing over the bees in 25 hives. That is to say, I gave them new, heavy quilts, and had the chaff packing out in the sun, although there was but very little dampness to be noticed. I have now my exact number of colonies wintering that I had when spring opened ; i, e., 30 colo- nies to be run for extracted, and 4 colo- nies for comb honey, in the coming sea- son of 1909. Grand Island, Nebr. sour-apple" tree, 8 to 10 feet above the ground. They were hybrids and very gentle, and did not bother me in the least while climbing to my seat where the limbs formed a fork just about 4 feet from the cluster, with my face as close as 2 feet to them, and my hand still closer. Through failure to find a better place, and for some other reason, they selected this rather odd place for their permanent home. They had built 6 combs, 10 inches wide, and 14 to 16 were very thick with leaves, thus form- ing a covering or natural roof, that must have looked inviting to them. Well, I thought it an uncommon sight, anyway, so I decided right there to have it pho- tographed, hoping it might find a corner in the American Bee Journal in the in- terest of its readers. East Amana, Iowa, Nov. 3. "Thick Extracting Combs" BV E. D. TOWNSEND. On page 181 of the American Bee Journal for June, 1908, under the above heading, is an extract from the British Bee Journal, referring to the spacing of extracting combs iJ4 inches from center to center, Mr. Richard M. Lamb say- ing "he bought 100 wide frames, and for a few seasons compared the work done in them with that done in the ordinary frame with the i5^-inch spac- ing, and found the former sadly disap- pointing." While there is usually a wrong as well as a right way of doing things, I cannot see from the quotation above referred to, where Mr. Lamb made his failure. It will be noticed that I'/i-inch spacing from center to center of his extracting combs is a success, lJ4-inch spacing a failure as to quantity and quality of honey produced — only a fourth of an inch difference in spacing, between success and failure. It is admitable that lyi inches, from center to center, is nature's width of spacing; that is, if a swarm is hived in a box, without any guide in the shape of a starter, their worker-comb will be built about i^/i inches from center to center, and this width spacing will hold A Successful Iowa Apiary BY JACOB WAGNER. I am sending you two photographs that were taken for me some time ago. One shows my apiary where I have been keeping my bees over 25 years. When I first started I kept them inside the building you see in the picture in the rear, but now have them outside, and use one part of the building to store away hives and other utensils when not needed. The other part I use to extract honey and do other work in connection. The larger building to the right is my shop, where 3 to 4 men are working on benches doing cabinet and carpenter work. I have found it more practical to keep bees outdoors than inside. I have them under an arbor of grapevines, which I consider an ideal place for them. You can notice the sidewalk and street just outside the fence. This is one of the most used thoroughfares at the place, and in all these years, nobobdy has ever been bothered by my Italians, which fact surely shows that they are a rather good-natured crowd. Some seasons I have 50 to 60 colonies on the place, but this season had only 15 colonies, spring count, which increased to 26 and pro- duced over 3000 pounds of extracted Mr. Wagner and His Sour-Apple Tree Swarm. inches long, which contained some brood and a little honey at the time I discov- ered them, which was in the latter part of September. I suppose when they started to work the limbs and twigs good in the surplus receptacle when no starters are provided. Since i^-inch spacing of the brood- frames has been so universally adopted, some may have gotten it into their J'\'l)niaiy, 1909. American Hee Journal heads tliat that is nature's width of spacing, and that if^-inch spacing is _5^-inch wider than nature's way. This is a niistal-:',rm^ 'Beedotiv3 jBoiled DownJ SoiiK' \ a Het ies of Bet s. In a well studied article in the Bee- Keeper's Review, Ralph Benton, speak- ing of Cyprians, says : "In temper they arc very excitable and, when once aroused, their temper is of longer duration than other bees. In opening the hives, care should be taken not to j ar them or let the light in too suddenly. The writer prefers to handle them without smoke, as they resent its application, characteristically stand- ing and sizzling until it clears away, when they vent their rage and sting viciously. On the other hand, with care, Cyprians can be handled with perfect immunity without veil or other protection. They are a most vigorous and prolific variety, good honey-gatherers, and defend their hives well. They shake easily from the combs, although they remain quiet under manipulation. They are good winterers, and appear to be most resistant to the attacks of disease. They have the longest tongues of any bees, and so visit a wider range of flowers. They will find honey when other bees give up, and their power of flight is markedly better than some other varieties. They cap their honey watery, due to the filling of the cells so full, and they do not gather much propolis. They start innumerable queen-cells, and so, in point of number, are desirable for the queen- breeder, though their cells are not as large as those of Carniolans — the largest cell builders." After speaking of the gentleness of the Caucasians, he says : "They- are good honey-gatherers, defend their hives well, winter well, build up rapidly, and we 'have reason to believe are fairly disease- resistant. They cap their honey only fairly white, and gather propolis at certain seasons, namely in the fall, thus not making this an undesirable tendency for comb honey produc- tion. The propolis when gathered is bunched about the entrance and lower part of the hive in an interesting and peculiar manner. These bees, together with the Cyprians, have an aver- age swarming tendency on account of their prolificness and are better kept in large hives." As to Carniolans : "They may be handled with but little or no smoke under ordinary circumstances, and re- spond well to its use. They are the most excellent winterers and build up the fastest of any bees, rearing brood under the most ad- verse conditions. They are the least incimed to rob of any bees, and are most excellent searchers for honey. They have splendid pow- ers of flight, but are governed by atmospheric changes in a most noticeable degree. At all times it may be said that they show their ex- act emotional, or other states, and so are a bee well adapted for general use, since the apiarist can depend upon them and may know their condition in an instant. They are very prolific and do not permit ot crowding. They cap their honey white, and gather the least propolis of any bees." With regard to crosses, he thinks the two most promising are those resulting from the mating of queens of pure Cyprian blood to drones of Carniolan blood, and the like queens mated to Caucasian drones. It is found, in gen- eral, that the queen transmits the pro- lificness, honey-gathering, and like quali- ties, while the drone transmits the tem- per, and he says : "In the case of the majority of the Cyprio-Carniolan or Cyprio-Caucasian queens the desirable qiuiliuc^ ij[ the two varieties obtain in the progeny." But, as Editor Hutch- inson says with regard to these crosses, "the difficulty is to retain them — as the years go by there are all sorts of mi.x- ups." Size of Brood-Chamber and Swarming It may be that those who are just be- ginning bee-keeping may learn, before the close of their careers, just what steps to take to prevent all swarming, but it certainly is not yet a solved prob- lem. Some things, to be sure, are pretty generally agreed on, but even as to some of these, questionings sometimes arise. It is pretty generally agreed that a very small brood-chamber favors swarm- ing, and that a large one goes a long way toward prevention, and the very small amount of swarming the Dadants have had with their large brood-cham- bers strongly argues in that direction. Yet if size of brood-chamber alone would settle the matter, we ought eas- ily to settle upon a size beyond which there would be absolutely no swarming. That size has never been found : bees have been known to swa^'.oi when they had unlimited room in the brood-cham- ber, as in an attic. The fact is, probably, that the size of the brood-nest, or the room occupied by the queen, is the important thing, and this does not always coincide with the size of the brood-chamber. While it is impossible to have a very large brood- nest in a very small brood-chamber, it is possible to have a limited brood-nest in a very large brood-chamber. This matter is discussed in the Irish Bee Journal, by that level-headed Scotchman. D. M. Macdonald. He ar- gues that a frame may be too deep as well as too shallow, the bees occupying too much of the deep frame with honey. So he favors a medium depth, and thinks the "standard" is about as near the right thing as we are likely to strike. The "standard" frame adopted by the British Beekeepers' Association is l/x 85^. and doubtless that is the frame to which he refers. He says: "Last year my only swarm was from a large hive, and I read lately of a case where all the large hives swarmed, placed alongside those with frames the equivalent in depth of our standard size. In another case known to me, as many swarms are obtained from deep as from standard frames, and as a rule they swarm before there is any apparent necessity. "A fellow teacher, fond of experiment, sup- plies me with the following in regard to deep frames as a deterrent. He made hives with frames 17 inches by 13 inches deep, thinking that thus he would check or eliminate the swarming impulse. Every one of these swarmed, though the brood-chamber was not taken full February, 1909. American l^ee Journal possession of. Colonies which he never would expect to swarm in the smaller hives, swarmed in these large ones, so he naturally concludes that frames can be too large for security." Uniting Colonies. I have accidentally discovered that, if both queens are taken away 3 hours or more previously, both colonies are tem- porarily demoralized, and have no fight in them, and, after a good smoking, you can unite by alternating the frames, without scent or flour, and without the loss of a single bee through fighting. After uniting, insert the queen in a cage — a cage which does not require disturb- ing the hive to liberate her. This is a simple plan, and will work well every time, and at any time of the day. — John Silver, in Irish Bee Journal. Honor Among Bee-Keepers. Oliver Foster says this in the Bee- Keepers' Review : "In teaching and training the boys for the bee-men of the future, the code of honor, accepted by all worthy apiarists, should not be overlooked, viz., that he who first plants an apiary within a given bee-range, has a moral right to that range as a bee-pasture, while he utilizes its honey-resources. I am per- suaded, from costly experience, that, from the standpoint of self-interest alone to all con cerned, this rule should be observed." Commenting on this, Editor Hutchin- son says : "The Golden Rule of bee-keeping mentioned in this issue by Oliver Foster, is one to be heeded by all bee-keepers. It may be a long time before a man can legally control the bee-pasture of a region without also owning the land, but, while waiting for that time, we can all obey this rule — never to encroach upon occupied territory. A bee-range belongs to the man who first occupies it, so long as he continues to occupy it. The man who will crowd in upon the territory of another should be looked upon as little better than a thief." Queens Fertilized in tipper Stories. At the time "Scientific Queen-Rearing" was published I thought it was no trick at all to get queens fertilized from upper stories with laying queens in the hives below, as I succeeded to my perfect satis- faction during the basswood flow of 1888 ; but 20 years of trial since then has prov- en that I have to record 19 failures to one of success, taking the score of years together. The many private letters I re- ceive also shpw that I am not alone in these failures. — G. M. Doolittle in Glean- ings. __^ How to Know an Old Qneen. I can recognize John Smith at a glance; but to tell you just how I recog- nize him so that from my description alone you can recognize him at a glance, is probably beyond me. In the same way it is easy to recognize an old queen, but not so easy to tell how. And yet it's a fair question, so I'll make a stagger at an answer. An old queen is darker and more shiny in appearance, due to loss of plumage, probably. She does not move over the comb with the vigor of a young- er queen, but more slowly and feebly. In many cases she seems to lose her footing, and acts as if about to fall off the cotiib. Now, that doesn't seem to tell much, but I'm not sure I can do any better. I'll be glad, Mr. Editor, if you or any one else will improve upon it. It is only fair to say that even the few signs I have given are not infallible. A queen that has been balled may look black and shiny while still young. A- gain, I have seen a queen which looked not very old, and yet my record told me she was three or four years old. [You have given the general charac- teristics that go to show an old queen ; but there is a certain indescribable gen- eral appearance which is at once recog- nized by the veteran queen-breeder, and which to him is almost infallible. — Ed.] — Gleanings in Bee Culture. Apiculture in Spain. The editor of Gaceta Apicola de Es- pana, in the September issue, laments the condition of bee culture in Spain in very pessimistic terms. He says that, on many occasions, he has referred to the superior position of bee-keeping in Cuba, where the conditions are no better than in Spain. But he says the style of bee- keeping in Cuba is North American, not Spanish, thanks to the easy coinmunica- tion with that country. (The Spanish usually term our country Norte Amer- ique.) In Cuba the predominating flow- er is the campanilla, which produces a very light rich honey, much sought after by foreign merchants who e.xport it to Europe. He claims the honey of romero (rosemary), which is common in Spain, would compete with the campanilla if given an opportunity ; but the amount of honey produced by the movable-comb system in Spain is relatively very small; whereas in Cuba movable combs are the whole show. This accounts for Cuban superiority, both as to quality and quan- tity. The editor is correct. Spain ought to be a great honey country. It has the right kind of flora, and excellent cli- mate, and proximity to great honey mar- kets. In fact, there is a great opportu- nity right now for the Spaniards to show what they can do if they will only follow the lead of the Cubans and im- port American bee-supplies by the car- load. Will they rise to the opportunity and grasp it? They can very speedily overtake and surpass all European or West Indian rivals. — Gleanings in Bee Culture. The Price of Bee-Papers. Editor Hutchinson, of the Bee-Keep- ers' Review, in his October number, had this to say on the above subject, among some other things that we will not take space to copy : "The Review has frequently commented upon the price of bee-journals, more, perhaps, than has been abolutely necessary, but nothing has done more in this country to foster, encour- age and build up bee-keeping than have bee- journals. They are deserving of success; not only this, but it is decidedly to the advan- tage of the bee-keepers to have them succeed; and no journal can become a permanent suc- cess when published at too low a price. There has come an era of low-priced literature, and many class journals, forgetting that they ap- pealed to a limited number of readers, im- mediately lowered their subscription price, hop- ing thereby to roll up enormous lists, only to be grievously disappointed. I doubt if there is a bee-journal that would greatly increase its list by reducing its price to 10 cents a year. Bee-keepers are not so greatly inter- ested in their price, if it is within the bounds of reason, as they are in the character of the journals, in the information and helpfulness that they bring. "Some fifteen months ago Mr, York was publishing a weekly at $1.00 a year; now he is publishing a monthly at 75 cents. One more boost. Brother York, and you will have the price where it seems to me it ought to be. You certainly are to be congratulated upon the moves you have made. As you say,_ bee- keepers are not cheap folks. ^ They are willing to pay a fair price for their journals. A paltry 25 or 50 cents more each year is scarcely noticed by each subscriber, but, in the aggre- gate, it means all the difference between suc- cess and failure for the publisher. Brother York says that no bee-journal has been suc- cessful at so low a price as 50 cents a year. He might have gone further and said no one has been successful at less than $1.00 a year. In the publication of a journal there are a whole lot of fixed expenses that remain about the same, regardless of the price of the jour- nal, the frequency of its issue, or the size of its subscription list, and, with the limited circulations that fall to the lot of bee-jour- nals, there does not enough money come in to meet these expenses and leave a profit, unless the price is about $1.00 a year. If Brother York should eventually raise his price to $1.00, all of the bee-journals on this continent would be published at the same price." Of course, it may become necessary for us to raise the price of the American Bee Journal to $1.00 a year. If we find that it cannot be kept up to its present standard at 75 cents a year, the only thing left for us to do will be to raise it to $1.00, as Mr. Hutchinson suggests. However, if we can have a sufficiently large number of subscribers, and also advertising patronage, we expect to be able to keep the price at 75 cents. As Mr. H. says, there are certain fixed e.xpenses that remain the same regard- less of what the subscription price may be, such as office rent, cost of engrav- ings, type-setting, etc. These could not be reduced even if a paper were only 5 cents a year in subscription price. We always want to give our readers good value for their money, and are sat- isfied that we have done so, and are now doing so. We are now giving 3S4 large pages of reading matter for only 75 cents. That is quite a book. Of course, if there were a half-million who would take the .'American Bee Journal regularly it would be different, but, as Mr. H. re- marks, there are only about so many who will subscribe for a bee paper anyway, and their number is not large enough to allow a publisher to issue a bee-paper at as low a price as is possible to put out a publication of a general character. But what we would like to see our readers do now, is not only to renew their own subscriptions as fast as they expire, but also send at least one new subscription at the same time. This would soon double our list of readers, which would go far toward insuring the permanency of the present 75-cent sub- scription price. Objections to Single-Tier Cases. It is a matter of some consequence for a bee-keeper to decide as to the kind of shipping-cases he shall use. Cases con- taining 12 sections each have the argu- ment in their favor that a consumer will often purchase a case when he would not think of buying a case containing 24 sections. On the other hand, it is argu- ed that consumers seldom buy comb honey by the case, and when a jobber or wholesale dealer sells to the grocer it is no more trouble for him to sell the lar- ger case than the smaller. Then, too, it costs the producer considerably more for 2 small cases than for a large one. Of course 12-section cases are always February, lycxj. 1 ^'^ft^^^C American Bee Journal j^^'^ %^^^S. \i 63 single-ticr, but when 24-seclion cases arc under consideration there is a choice be- tween single-tier and double-tier. Ac- cording to the catalogs double-tier cases are little used, but it seems that at least Colorado bee-keepefs do not hold sin- gle-tiers in highest favor. The case is thus strongly put by Wesley Foster, in Gleanings ; Comb honey is not wanted by the dealers in single-tier shipping-cases. Several cars of comb honey could be sold in the next week if the honey were nut up in double-tier glass-front cases, and tliere are several cars of comb honey in Colorado packed in single-tier cases, some without glass, and also lacking drip- sticks, and it would have paid the producers to study the market requirements more, and paid less attention to the few cents saved on a case. Two objections are as follows: First, in handling a carload of honey in single-tier cases one will feel twice as tired as after handling the same amount in the double-tier. One can not get the hand-hold as close to the edge as with the double tier, and there is less room for the fingers. Second, if a case is picked up by the corn- ers it will often twist enough in carrying to break or crack some of the honey. This is almost sure to occur if one carries in two cases at a time and does not grip them just right. Third, the top of the sections is flush with the top of the sides of most of the single- tier cases, making breakage almost sure. In shipping, expressmen and freight-handlers drop the end of one case in the middle of another case on the pile; and if they do this at all roughly the breaking of comb is certain. Cases are stepped on often, and a single-tier case simply will not stand this usage, while a double-tier case with half the surface is safe, provided there is an eighth-inch space between the cover and the top of the section. Fourth, from the grocer's standpoint, the glass in a case is for showing the goods; and the more goods that are shown, the better the impression, and the more honey sold. Furthermore, it is a guarantee that at least a fourth of the honey is all right if a double- tier case is used. Fifth, a single-tier case takes up twice as much room on the counter, showcase, shelf, or floor; and since one can not put any- thing on top of it and still get honey out of it, the saving of half the floor space by the use of the double-tier places it far in the lead. The objection brought against the double- tier is that broken honey will leak on to the section below. Leaky and broken honey should not be cased for shipment any way, and ex- perience shows that this objection is not worth considering. A uniform case, the double-tire glass front, has been adopted by Colorado bee-keepers. Let all use it, and grade strictly according to the rules. Airship Built on Bee-Model. Mr. F. W. Schroeder's new airship is designed as nearly as possible on the model of the bee. He can rise almost perpendicularly into the air and travel at great speed. When the Schroeder airship comes to be given away with a pound of foundation, the occupation of vagrant swarms will be gone, for we shall be able to overtake them and hive them on the wing. We recommend the idea to our most progressive suppliers of bee-keeping appliances, and to all whose sensitive emotions are antago- nistic to the operation of clipping queens' wings. — The Irish Bee Journal. A half-inch copper tube reaches from the bottom of the inner pan through both pans, and projects eight inches. In use, this double pan, with inner space filled with soft water, is set directly on an ordinarj^ cheap gasoline- burner. A comb-rest is provided by means of a piece of pine board run through the handles of the pans. A small nail driven through from below makes a point to hold the frame while uncapping. The stove is kept burning continuously while extracting; and if it does not quite keep up with the work it can be left burning during the noon hour or after the day's work is finished. I can sec no danger from leaving it, but be sure that the pail under the spout is large enough to hold the contents of the pan. It works finely, and I see no need of any thing better. The wax and honey run- out into a pail, but there is a certain amount of slumgum that will accumu- late in the pan. This is kept from running out by means of a piece of tin notched on the under side, set about j4 in. back of the spout. After the pan has cooled, this slum- gum can be peeled out in the form of a cake, to be run through the Hatch-Geramill press if the bee-keeper is so fortunate as to possess one of those desirable machines. Any machine devised to use any more heat than I have indicated, or any plan to run the honey over a larger heated space, will injure it. The honey must run out freely as soon as melted, and one should use the minimum of heat. We now have no cappings on hand to bother at the close of each day's extracting. Fall Preparation of Bees. In order to have an extra force of young bees for winter, and at the same time an extra supply of stores, Alex. Dickson, in the Canadian Bee Journal, thus advises to proceed in the fall: Remove the outside combs, which are full of honey, and replace with empties put in the center. Your young queen is thus given a chance to do her best before the closing of the laying season, and you will find when the time for fall feeding comes that your colonies are flowing over with young bees. A colony should have at least 25 pounds of honey to winter on, so be sure to feed up all colonies having less. The combs you have taken out to give the queen a chance to lay you will put away till feeding time, and then you can give them back as winter stores. Extracting Outfit for Out-Apiaries. The question whether it is better to have a separate outfit for extracting at each apiary, or to have a single outfit to be hauled from one apiary to another, depends upon circumstances, according to R. T. Rhees. He says in the Bee- Keepers' Review: "It is cheaper to fit up a small house with a stationary extracting outfit, than fit up one equally good in the shape of an extracting wagon, hence, if a bee-keeper has only two or three yards, or where more than that number are so isolated that they can not be reached in a continuous route, I would advise a small house at each yard, hauling about only such light apparatus as can not well be kept at each yard. ^ "It is cheaper to fit up one good extract- ing outfit on a low- wheeled farm truck, than it is to fit up one equally good, or even a part of one, at each of many yards. Besides, it is quite a saving of time to have everything in place ready to commence work when you driv.e into the yard, which is not the case where the local honey-house is used for ex- tracting. Therefore, I would use an extract- ing wagon where a number of yards are so located that they can be reached in a rota- tion by making short drives from one to the other." Capping-Melter. A home-made machine by which the cappings may be melted as fast as cut is thus given by Harry Lathrop, in Gleanings in Bee Culture: I had the tinner fix a melting-pan by tak- ing a large stamped tin dishpan, placing one a size smaller in it and connecting them to- gether with braces, leaving an inch space be- tween them on botom and sides for water. Hot Bee-Prank in New York State. The following interesting "bee-story" was sent to us by S. Davenport, of In- dian fields, N. Y., it having appeared in a local newspaper : From time immemorial mysterious happen- ings occur on Hallowe'en night and are as- cribed to various agencies, from the fairy elf of imaginative origin to the mischievous imps led on by his Satanic majesty. Some of the doings may be safely attributed to the harmless fairies and others indeed to the evil one himself. Of the latter category of deeds provocative of human wrath, many arc con- ceived in the brains of wild and reckless youth, whose minds arc bent on having a little fun and a good time. And they gen- erally get it during the nocturnal darkness of Oct. 31st. This year's anniversary has presented no exception to the general rule and many in- stances of Hallowe'en pranks have been no- ticeable, from the lifting of the front gate and the displacement of signs and other mov- able objects from their wonted locations, to the elevation of grindstone and wheelbarrow to the roof of the blacksmith's shop, the overturning of old vehicles adorning his prem- ises, the removal of wheels to distant parts and casting them down the Hannacroix bank, and later still, on election night, to the re- moval of hives of bees from the apiary on Snider Hill and carrying the same, five in number, some 200 yards up the road and de- positing them over a stone wall in a bed of dead leaves, where they would not be readily seen. This work was attempted on Hallowe'en night, but the owner being disturbed in hi# slumbers, the perpetrators fled in fright lest they be detected, but on election night they accomplished their purpose and made off with their booty. What strenuous effort and sacri- fice of sleep and comfort it required to secure a little mischievous fun, to say nothing of the many lance thrusts they received from the innocent honey-bee. There was evidence that they had a hot time of it as they went on with their nefarious work, ruthlessly dis- turbing the homes of the innocent honey-bee and causing thousands of them to die. They went to bed that morning nursing swollen heads and smarting fingers, the just reward of their deviltry. To accomplish their job they improvised a hive-carrier out of some rails, but as they got along under the Greening apple-tree their carrier broke and let their bees fall to the ground. Thousands of them swarmed the air, and ugh! ugh! hi! hi! ugh! ugh! resound- ed on every side, driving them from their task. Here the director of the party met with a sad mishap. Whirling about in a rage as the little stingers beset him on all sides, he accidentally tore off one of his "cloven hoofs'* and in the agony of his torture he was glad to escape and leave his "hoof" behind. Now the trail of his meddlesome presence can eas- ily be traced by reason of his stump foot- prints. With the bees subsiding under the chilling effect of the night air, the boys returned to work and succeeded in reaching their desti- nation and then depositing the hives over the stone wall. Here another mishap occurred. One hive was divisible, consisting of two stories. In placing it over the wall the hive came apart and the brood-chamber landed down among the leaves bottom side up and with all the brood-frames displaced. This great disturbance of the bees again aroused their anger and they swarmed up about the heads of the miscreants peppering them with hot shot in righteous vengeance for the out- rage on the sanctity of their home. Thus a lot of fun was enjoyed, but they paid dear for their whistle. The sequence of this exploit was not as en- joyable to the victim as to the perpetrators, not- withstanding their merited punishment. After discovering by the merest accident where the hives had been deposited, he had a job of it to return them to their old locations and to get them rearranged in their normal situations. It was like the tug of war to lug the hives back single-handed and unaided, and then to clean the brood-nest of each of the dead leaves imbedded therein and to readjust them. There was no fun in it. but with proper care there were no stings. Perseverance and perspiration did the work, and finally it was accomplished. It took just 4 hours to restore and readjust the hives of bees to their old location. These hives of bees i»c« nnly ilartrrs, and I »aw whole frainet in his hives that were built out solid with drone- comb, except J inches where the starter was. He had 6 colonies, and got no surjilus. They swarmed as soon as they got a half-Kallon of bets in a hive, and I don't want any of his stock, but would like to rear most of my own (lucrns. Two of those 1 reared were larKer, and belter layers than the one I boURllt. NEBRASKA. y\NS\VKiis.--I.iicalion or no location, you have a riuht to bran of your success, especial- ly if all 5 colonies are stroni for winter. 1. One-fourth inch is the belter space. But shrinkage may bring ii down to ',i. With 1^ Ion much bur-comb is built in. 2. In some way a bee-space ^must be pro- vided between any 2 stories. There may be a space at the lower part of each story, or a half-space at both the bottom and top of each story, but the usual way is to have a space at the top. The hive must furnish a bec- spaci- at the top, and each super the same. Wilhnut such space at the top of Ihe super you'll have trouble galore with glue. 1. You can easily make the length of the super .ill right for T-tins by tacking a block or board in one end, or a thinner board in each end. leaving the inside length of the super 17H inches. You wouldn't like sheet- iron T-tins to fill up the space. 4. Some of my T-tins are H and some yi inch high. Either does. No place is sawed in the separator, which rests directly on the T-tins. It would be bad to have the separa- tor come down lower. 5 That's not so very far off from the truth. Some of the best Italian queens are quite dark, although their workers are yellow. 6. The probability is that your neighbor's drones will be obliging enough to meet most of your (juccns. Can't you get him to change to Italian blood? Eight and Ten Frame Hives. I would like to know wlu-n to use an 8 and a 10 frame hive, and what is the advan- tage of each? Wisconsin. Answer- — Perhaps no one thinks of using anything less than a 10-frame hive for ex- tracted honey, and some even want something larger. "I'he' question as to the choice of the two relates only to comb-honey. If you are going to give only ordinary care to your bees, a 10-frame hive is the safe thing. More room for winter stores, hence less danger of starv- ing in winter, and more particularly of starv- ing in spring. But some who give fullest attention to their bees prefer an 8-framc hive, partly because they want something smaller, and partlv because they want something larger than a 10-frame hive. Early in Ihe season, when bres are building up, a queen may need more than 10 frames, and then a second storv can be given to the smaller hive, mak- ing 16 frames. 'Then when the harvest comes, one story can be taken away, and only 8 frames left for the queen, the rest of the room being in supers. Rearing Queens — Italianizing. I commenced July i, by purchasing a colony of Italians; a few days later a small after- swarms of hybrids: then I caught a runaway black swarm: and by dividing and buying queens, I now have 5 good colonics — 3 pure- bred and 2 hybrids. I fed 4 of them some in September, and they are all now well stocked for winter. The fifth was started .Tuly 15, with 2 frames of brood and honey, and about a gallon and a half of bees. With no feeding it filled the 6 other frames, having full foundation start- ers, and stored 16 sections in the super. These were not fed because they seemed to be work- ing strong. This is the colony that I am anx- ious about. I never knowingly saw the leather-colored Italians, but think this is that kind. I would like to requeen from this colony, but there are so many black bees about me that I fear I shall not get many pure-bred queens. 1. What percent of pure-breds could be counted on if I place my bees a mile from other bees? 2. How would it do to get some queen- breeder to take my queen and pay me in her progeny? 3. How many untested queens from her eggs should I have for the queen? It was so dry after I started this colony, and so little honey-flow, that I think she is a great queen. 4. I have a hybrid colony that did not work well. Should I put in another quecfi early in the spring, or wail until after the lumcy flow? Which will probably p.iy belt? MiftSorai. .\NSWIts. — I. Poatibly 35 percent, possibly a (•erccnt. J. That would almost certainly give you more pure matings. 3. 'That's altogether as you can arrange with the breeder. He might set a very high or a very low value on your queen, which wiiuld make a wide difference. .1. Likely it will pay best not to make Ihe change till the flow is well along. How Many Colonies for a Certain Field? From reading the bcc-papers and text-books on bce-cuiturc, 1 know it is no easy matter to say how many colonics of bees a location will support, but I would like to have you give your opinion o. the following. Could I keep 75 colonics or more, on a range that furnished an abundance of early pollen from willow, hazel-brush, elms, and other sources, followed by fruit-bloom and dandelions; about 40 acres of alsike clover, grown for seed; white clover, which springs up abundantly along roadsides and in all pas- ture lands; and lastly, if all the basswood scattered through the timber here were col- lected into one lot, a conservative estimate would put it at from 140 to 160 acres of a fair stand of timber ? We also have enough fall forage to keep bees busy, and some sea- sons to gather some surplus. All land is oc- cupied, the farms averaging about 100 acres here, and all have a fair-sized upland pasture with the grazing area being increased yearly. Judging from the above, how do our loca- tions compare in white clover? I understand you depend upon this source alone for your surplus. Minnesota. Answer. — If there are no other bees within 2 or 3 miles of you, it ought to be a safe guess to say you could keep ioo_ colonies or more. Hard to say how your white clover compares with mine. You have white clover in all pastures, but how much of the land is occupied with pasture? Here dairying is the chief interest of all the farmers with scarcely an exception. "Elgin" butter, you probably know, looms large in the market, and more Elgin butter is made here than at Elgin. But even if I have more clover than you, Td be glad to swap the extra amount for your basswood, and pay you something to boot. and I thouffht I would make my Increue that way, until T read wh- -■■' ■• •*— f '-*-ri- can Bee Journal. y:>, l»-d to aik you how 1 ^ imt, and in your antwci f* *f i% to put all brood into an over an excluder, leaving the 'i ■ th<^n a week or 10 day» later vt thr u; n a new stand, giving it a <^|uern ' ^ly cell." In what way doet th; ; r -m Mr. Alexander'i way' And diai »ay, page 85, fourth aniwrr, "No, not for me, and probably not for one in a thoutand in Ihe North?' If my been winter well thtt winter, I believe I will try one colony Mr. Alexander's way. 2. In the November number, page 344, you say, "drum out a swarm, hive it in a new hive, and set it on the old stand, chanfing No. I to another old colony. No. 2." 1 find this is practically the same way as given in "Langstrolh on the Honey-Bee," page 24a, by Dadant & Son. Would this mcthmj give as good (juccns as those of any other method? Of course I would use the brood from my best queen. Mainc Answers.— I. Evidently things bare become mixed, and I'm the culprit to blame for the mixing. Let me try to straighten it out. Mr. Alexander gave as a plan to increase the crop to divide each colony before the harvest. That I do not consider a good way to increase the crop "for me nor for one in a thousand in the North," although the plan he gives for making increase is good. If you want to try that plan of increase of bees, you will find it works all right; but if vou expect it greatly to increase your crop of boney, as recommended by Mr. Alexander, you will probably be greatly disappointed. As I think I stated, Mr. Alexander depends mainly upon buckwheat, and he can double his colonies and have 2 full colonies from each to work on buckwheat, so the plan is all right for him or for bee - keepers in the South who have late harvests; tor me, and almost cer- tainly for you, it's another story. But the plan of increase is all right. 2. The plan mentioned should give queens of best quality if worked when there is a good yield of honey, for the cells are started and the queens reared in a full colony. Disagreeable Hive-Odor. I have just read an article on page 306, "A Buckwheat Story." During the latter part of this season I had very much the same experience as the "farmer bee-keeper." We have no buckwheat in this country, and no disease of any kind that I know of. My bees are all in very good condition. We no- ticed a strong, disagreeable odor coming from our bcc-hives, especially in the after- noon and evening. My wife kept insisting that something was wrong. "Foul brood, more than likely." I examined hive after hive and opened cells in all, but conditions were always the same. The hives and combs were all clean, brood in a healthy condition, and plenty of it. I finally gave up my search for the cause, believing that it was due to the odor of the honey, which was quite dark, although to hold a comb close to the nostrils nothing disagreeable could be detected. It puzzled me " a right smart." I have 3-banded Ital- ians. Can you give any light upon the cause. Louisiana. Answers. — Your "believe" in the case is about right. There are times when certain kinds of honey givr out a very disagreeable odor that pervades the air of the apiary, al- though, as you say, you cannot locate it easilv. Fortunately it does no harm, and doesn't last long. A worse affliction is the carrion plant, with which I've had some trouble — a sort of fungus or toadstool that smells like a dead animal, and is not very easy to find. Caucasian Bees — Requeening. I see on page 338 an article on Caucasian bees, by J. J. Wilder, of Georgia. He sayi that they winter well. That might well be there, but not in this latiude. 1. Do Caucasians winter well in the North? 2. Do they resist the moth as well as the Italians? 3. Are they inclined to fasten their combs together? 4. Which would you advise, requeening with Italians or Caucasians? I have now 8 colonies of common black bees. I wish to requeen at least some in the spring. My average this year was 24 sec- tions, although I had one colony which stored 60. This was my second season. I started with 3 colonies and have lost 3. I have a friend who purchased a 3-frame nucleus last spring, and it built up on foundation and stored some surplus. So I am inclined to- ward Italians. I like the bees very welL I am 17 years old. Perhaps I can make something of a bee-keeper of myself. New York. Answer. — I'll not attempt to answer your questions categorically, chiefly because I don't know enough. I have had no personal experi- ence with Caucasians, and only know about them from the reports of others. These re- ports are so contradictory, and some of them so unsatisfactory that I don't care to intro- duce any of the blood until there seems to be something more firmly established as to their general character. If I had black bees as you have, I should get pure Italian blood, breeding always from the best, and trying to keep the stock pure. I didn't do that my- self, but that's what I would do if I had it to do over again. Making Increase of Colonies. 1. I asked some questions last spring, page 152. I told then how Mr. Doolittle both- ered me. Now, I don't know as you know it, but you have bothered me, too. This is what "bothers me: I read what Mr. Alexander said in Gleanings in Bee Culture, page 423, Repressing Swarming — Alternating Hives. 1. How can I repress swarming to the best advantage in producing comb honey ? 2. Would it pay for me to change queens in the spring to get out the swarming blood? 3. If the queen of a colony has swarming blood, will all swarms going out from that colony be of the same nature? 4. i am an amateur at the bee-bnsiness, February, igogi. American ^ee Journal having started about the middle of last sum- mer with one colony of Italian bees, in a lo-frame alternating hive. I bought them just after they had swarmed, and they stored enough honey for their use this winter. About 1 1 o'clock on September 25, they swarmed again with a medium-sized swarm. I went over to our bee-supply dealer to get a hive and he had nothing left but a Massie hive, and said if I wanted to change it for an alternating hive in the spring, I could. Which would you advise me to choose for my hive? 5. I fed my late swarm of bees about 20 pounds of granulated sugar in as much water, with a Miller feeder. They gathered what little honey they could. Will that be suffi- cient to keep them in good trim this win- ter? T, X I have been taking the American Bee Jour- nal and enjoy it immensely. I would not do without it, as it brings up so many good points of interest to bee-keepers. Iowa. Answers. — 1. I don*t know. I've been trying for some 40 years to find out what is the best way for me, and am still trying without having the question fully settled. Even if I knew the answer for myself, I might not know the answer for you. In "Forty Years Among the Bees" I've tried to give my whole method of procedure, but it would take pages of that to tell the story, and then, as I said, it might not hit your case. 2. Might be. W. Z. Hutchinson practised introducing each year young queens obtained from the South, and the plan was a success in preventing swarming. But the plan did not succeed with mt, although when the young queen was reared in the colony itself that colony could pretty surely be counted on not to swarm. Still, I had exceptions. On reading your question the second time, and especially reading the question following, I thinlc you want to know whether by intro- ducing new blood you may get bees less in- clined to swarm. Yes, it is possible that your bees are unusually bad about swarming, and that you might get in new blood with less inclination that way. 3. The royal daughters of a queen are by no means sure to be just like their mother, but if the mother is badly given to swarm- ing you may count on a general disposition that way among her daughters. 4. The great majority seem to prefer a lo-frame dovetailed hive, although some who can give very close attention to their bees prefer an 8-frame dovetailed hive. 5. Yes, but keep a sharp lookout next spring after brood-rearing begins, for then is the time when stores are used so rai)idly that they may run out before you know it. Transferring Bees from Boxes. I have 2 colonies of bees caught in the woods last summer. They are at present in 2 cracker-boxes, wintering on the honey they stored up during the summer. I should like to get them into a frame-hive in the spring as early as possible. When is the best time, and what is the best way? Connecticut. Answer. — You would only lose by trying to make the change too early. Generally no one thinks of transferring from a box-hive to a frame-hive before the time of fruit-bloom. Latterly the plan preferred is to allow the bees to swarm, hiving the swarm in a proper hive, setting the hive on the old stand, and then 21 days after the issue of the swarm to break up the old hive, adding the bees in it to the swarm. By that time all the brood will be hatched out except perhaps a little drone-brood, and the old combs can be melt- ed up. Comb Honey Without Separators — Folding Sections — Wiring Foundation. 1. In producing comb honey, can the supers be used without the fences or partitions, or separators, between the rows of sections?^ 2. How should I manage the sections? Must they be wet before bending, or bent dry? I see a hand-machine advertised for bending them. Would you advise the use of one, or bend by hand? 3. Please expain how foundation is wired for brood-frames. Do you fill the entire frame? I enclose drawing to explain the way I saw some put in. It was fastened to the top-bar with wax. There was about fi of an inch left on each side and at the bottom, with the corners cut off. Kentucky. Answers. — i. If you are producing a few sections that you do not expect to ship, you may get along without separators of any kind. If they are to be packed in a shipping-case, separators are almost indispensable. 2. Sometimes sections can be put together all right without wetting; generally too many of them will break unless the joints are wet. If you have many sections to fold, you will find it better to have some kind of a section- press. 3. Quite commonly foundation is fastened in by' 3 horizonal wires, although some pre- fer 5 vertical wooden splints. It costs less for foundation in the first place if the corners of the sheet be cut away in the way you sketch, but it is an extravagant way in the long run. The bees are sure to fill in the vacant spaces with altogether too much drone- comb, and you can hardly afford to keep so many drones. I never feel I can afford to keep so many drones. I never feel I can afford to have less foundation than to fill the entire frame. Wind and Nectar-Secretion — Sowing Buckwheat — German Bee-Paper, 1. I have read in a farm paper that flowers do not yield nectar when there is a south or east wind. Is that true? 2. I have 6 colonies of bees, and intend to sow an acre of buckwheat for them so they can dig into it after clover bloom. What time should I sow it, and into what soil? 3. Is there a German bee-paper published either here or in foreign countries? Minnesota. Answers. — i. I don't think it is, although the direction of the wind may have some in- fluence. 2. About the first of July is a good time. i>uckwheat is not very particular, hut will do better on fairly good soil. 3. No German bee-paper is published in this country, but a number across the water, among them Schweizerische Bienenzeitung, Praktischer Wegweiser, Leipweiser Bienenzei- tung, Bienen-Vater, Deutsche Imker aus Boeh- Noises Over a Bee-Cellar. I. If bees are put into a cellar under the kitchen, would the noises incident to the kitchen-work — running a washer, bringing in wood, constant walking, etc. — be a detriment to the bees, provided the hives were not jarred by any of these various operations? Or would a cellar under a parlor be better, where it would be quiet most of the time, with an occasional day or evening when there would be considerable noise above the bees, but no jarring of the hives? Or would the position beneath the living room where there is a piano be better than either of the others? Michigan. Answer. — I can not speak with entire posi- tiveness; but I have never noted any bad re- sults from noises overhead (although I never had anything very bad in that line), and never heard of it from others; so I don't believe you need take into account the matter of noise, but put your bees in the place that gives you the best temperature and ventilation, providing there is any difference. Transferring Bees — T-Super. 1. I have bees in a box. I wish to put thean in hives to drive out a swarm next spring. Then in 21 days I want to take the box for another swarm. How far will I have to take the first from the old stand ? My plan is to smoke and then drive them by knocking on the box. 2. What is the difference between the T- super I read about and others? I bought some bees in Root hives. The supers have 24 sections with fences between them. The su- pers of that size will fit any hive which I make myself. They are the size of the ones I see advertised. Please give price and where to buy the T-super, and any information you can. 1 have never produced comb honey. Kentucky. Answers. — i. The distance is not important, although it makes a difference whether a hive stands alone or is surrounded by others. If other colonies are near, 6 feet is far enough to move it; if it stands alone, a rod is better. 2. The chief difference between the T-super and other supers is that in the T-super the sections are supported by supports of tin hav- ing a horizontal lower part on the center of which stands an upright part, making it in the form of an inverted T. These T-tins are loose, and make a very strong support which at the same time takes up almost no room. You will find the T-tins advertised in supply catalogs at a little more than a cent apiece (it takes 3 for a super), but strange to say the supers themselves do not appear. You can, however, have them made to order, and they ought to be the cheapest of all supers^ being so simple. In the reply to "Pennsyl- vania," on page 19, you will find instructions for making it yourself. Likely Laying Workers. Today I was surprised to find drones flying from one of the hives. The day being pleas- ant, I made an investigation, and discovered plenty of bees and stores, and an average number of drones of good size and color, as in mating season. There were a number of eggs in cells, principally in drone-cells, sometimes 2 eggs in a cell. No young brood. I did not find the queen, but there is a capped queen-cell of fair size which will open in about 7 days. The queen was from the season of igo8, and is of dark Italian stock. This is a case of supersedure. Did you ever learn of a like experience at this season of the year? Louisiana. Answer. — Your statement that eggs are "principally in drone-cells, sometimes 2 eggs in a cell," makes it pretty certain that you have a case of laying workers, unfortunately nothing very unusual. If my guess is cor- rect, you will find that the queen-cell will never hatch, and if you open it you will find a drone in it. There is a possibility of a drone-laying queen, but more likely laying workers. Choice of Locusts. In your locality, wtiicii would be your choice of the locusts as a honey-plant — black locust of honey locust. Subscriber. Answer. — I don't know which is best. Who does? Introducing a Virgin Queen. I dropped a virgin queen on a frame of brood in a queenless colony July i, and looked 4 days later and found the queen present. In 10 days I looked again and found one frame with eggs. Thinking all O. K., I did not look for 21 days. I then found the same frame -filled with brood with only a few cells containing pap applied to one side of the egg. In a few days I looked again and found eggs as before, with pap at the side of the eggs, but no eggs hatched. I left the brood sev- eral days more, but no eggs ever hatched. Even though this queen might have been a drone-layer why did not the eggs hatch? The eggs were large, developed eggs, not worker- eggs, as she laid in a mating-box after being placed there. Michigan. Answer. — I had one case at least, and other cases of the same kind have been reported, in which the queen laid, but no eggs hatched. I don't know why. The unusual thing in your case is that the queen at first laid eggs that hatched (for you found brood present 35 days after giving the queen), and later no eggs hatched although fed by the workers. I never heard of such a case before, and can give no explanation. Beginner's Questions, 1. Where one is running for honey, is it best not to let the bees swarm? 2. What is the best way to keep bees from swarming, where one is too timid to cut out queen-cells? 3. After a queen is mated to the drone, does she remain in the hive all summer, or does she come out for a flight? If so, how often? 4. If I have a hive full of crooked combs, and do not wish to cut them so as to get at the queen to catch her in order to introduce a new queen, how would it do to set a queen- trap for her? 5. Are queens always shipped in introducing cages? That is, where a person buys the queens from a practical bee-man? 6. If you were going to start over again with bees, laying all prejudice aside, what kind would you prefer? 7. In buying a full colony of bees from a practical bee-man, docs he send a made-up colony, viz., a few bees, brood, and some honey from several colonies, or a colony that has been working together for some time? 8. I am thinking of getting a start of pure Italian bees, but I have a neighbor who has February, 1909. American Hee Journal the common black bees. He lives half a mile from me. Do you think they would mix that far with my Italians? Missouri. Answers. — i. Yes, if you can. 2. I don't know of any way for him to prevent all swarms, but I'll tell you how he can generally prevent all after-swarms. When the prime swarm issues, hive it and set it on the old stand, with the old hive close up to it. A weelT later move the old hive to a new place distant from the old stand 6 feet or more. That's all; the bees will do the rest, and you will generally have no second swarm. 3. After leaving the hive for her wedding flight she is not expected to leave it again all her life, unless she goes out with a swarm. 4. I don't see very clearly what you're try- ing to get at. I suspect from the previous question that you have an idea that the queen comes out now and then, which she doesn't do. The only time you would trap her would be when she takes her wedding flight, or when she swarms. Yoii would hardly find it satisfactory. 3. Yes. 6. Not so sure about the prejudice part, but I know I'd start with Italians. 7. He would probably send one that had been in existence for some time as a full colony; although I don't know why the other might not be just as good. 8. Yes. you can bank on it. Transferring from Frame Hive. I have a colony of bees in a home-made hive. The hive is not quite as large as an 8-frame hive. How would you transfer them into an 8-frame hive? When is the best time to transfer? Iowa. Answer. — Wait till the colony swarms, hive the swarm in a proper hive, setting the swarm and the old hive close together, and 21 days later cut up the old hive, add the bees to the swarm, and melt up the old combs. Or, if you want to have another colony, at the end of the 21 days transfer from the old hive into a new hive, according to instructions for trans- ferring in your bee-book. Another way is not to wait for swarming, but to trans'fcr from the old hive in fruit-bloom. Clipping the Queen. In clipping a queen, what wings should be cut off. and how much should be cut off? How should I hold her to clip her wings? Last Spring I bought a colony of bees on May 13. Tb'ey swarmed, and then on the nth day they swarmed again. I had bad luck. They both got away from me. The first 3 or 4 days before the first swarm they stored 2 or 3 pounds of honey, and then came out and left. Marvland. Answer. — It doesn't matter much how you do, so the queen can't fly. A queen has 4 wings, a big one and a little one on each side. If you cut off one of the big wings, that's enough to stop her flying, but when you get a mere glimpse of such a queen as she runs, it is not so easy to tell whether or not she is clipped as when both wings on one side are taken off. I'll tell you how I clip a queen. I hold her between thumb and finger of the left hand, not by the abdomen or soft part, but by the thorax, the hard part that is between the head and tlic abdo- men, with her head looking toward my left» and then with a pair of gentlemen's pocket scissors I cut away as much as I conveniently can (generally more than half) of the two wings on one side. Getting Increase of Colonies. 1. 1 am just starting in with bees. I bought 2 colonies of Italians with the honey, so i think it would be best for me to try to get as many swarms as I can. How can I do it? They have 2 supers to the colony, one on top of the brood-chamber and one under, and they are loaded with honey. I was thinking of taking off the supers and cutting them down to the brood-chamber so I would get more swarms. Will it work all right? I think it will not be wise for me to shake or brush swarms until I know more about bees. 2. I think it will be best for mc to get queen-cages for the hive. When should I >ut there on, or can I just put them on and [eavc them all the time? I know how to handle bees in swarming time, for I have had one colony of black bees for 4 years, but can't )zet any swarms, and when they do swarm I can't keep them. I will hive them. and the next day they leave me. So what is wrong? I will have the frame-hive now. Kansas. Answers. — i. You will probably get as many swarms as you want, or at least as many as it is profitable to have, if you let the bees swarm naturally, not moving the old hive, and putting each swarm on a new stand. The bees will be more certain to swarm if you remove one or both supers, as a large amount of room tends to limit swarming. 2. I'm not just certain what you mean by having queen-cages, but suspect you mean to have queen-traps to put on the entrances of your hives so the queens can not abscond with the swarm. That is hardly necessary, and in some cases might not work satisfac- torily. It's a pretty safe guess to say that your trouble from having all your swarms leave comes from too much heat and lack of air. When you first hive a swarm, let the hive be raised from the bottom so as to allow plenty of air, and also let the cover be partly open. It will do no harm if an opening of 2 or 3 inches is left at the top for the first week. If the hive can not be set in a cool, shady place, shade it in some way. A big board held down by a stone on top will do. Also, a perhaps better shade is made by an armful of long grass on top and held down by 2 or 3 sticks ot firewood. Some prevent swarms from absconding by giving each swarm a frame of brood. T-Tins in Supers. I am informed that_you use nothing but the T-tin in your comb-honey supers. It looks to me that they should be the best all around, but they say that the weight of honey will make the tins give or bend. What is your experience? The bees glue the wood- holders very tight in this locality. The wood separa- tors are also troublesome. Mississippi. Answer. — Whoever they are that "say that the weight of honey will make the tins give or bend," it must be that they have never seen a T-tin, or else they are poor judges of the strength of ordinary tin. On the con- trary, it would take a much greater weight to bend a "I'-tin than to bend any wooden support in use in supers. Remember that there are two thicknesses of tin standing '/i- inch upright. I have had 3.000 T-tins in use for many years, and have never known one to be bent the slightest by the weight of honey. It would probably be all the same if the honey were 5 times as heavy. Southern or Northern Queens. 1. Do you consider it advisable to send South for a breeding-queen to rear queens for my own use in an apiary of 50 to 60 colo- nies, or would you consider Northern-bred queens superior? My objecf in sending South would be to get a breeder cheaper. 2. Would you advise having her mailed, or sent in a nucleus, in order to have her ar- rive safely ? 3. Would I be safe in depending upoii a Northern queen-breeder to furnish a breeding- queen by May i to 15, or_ in time to rear queens from her for early increase the same season? or would I have to wait for them to rear young queens to take the place of breeders as sent out? Pennsylvania. Answers.— I. Other things being equal, I don't see why it should make any difference whether a queen is reared North or South. 2. 1 should have the queen mailed in a shipping-cage. "The other way is too expen- sive. 3. Yes, you would be safe if he agrees to send one as early as that. For you prob- ably intend to get a tested queen as a 'breeder, and he could send you one reared the year previous. If vou mean to buy an untested quetn, I wouldn't want one reared in the North as early as May 15. K Solar Wax-Extractor — Uniting Weak Colonies in Spring. 1. I think it would be an impossibility for me to get along without the American Bee Journal. I think it fills the bill in every respect, although there are some things a per- son would like to know that I have not noticed in the Bee Journal. One of them is how to make a solar wax-extractor without much expense. Does the solar wax-extractor take out all the wax, especially out of old combs? 2. How would it do to unite weak or light colonies of bees in the spring, immediately upon taking them out of the cellar, and let them mix while taking their cleansing flight, and let the queens settle their part of the question; then after a few days drive the bees below, and put below what honey is in the upper hive? Iowa. Answer. — i. Any kind of a box, and of any size, covered with glass, so placed that the rays of the sun shall shine directly into it, will become hot enough on the inside to melt wax. A single pane of glass will do if large enough, or a common window-sash may be used. To hold the pieces of comb to be melted, you may have a plain sheet of tin, slanting i to 3 inches (according to the size of the box) from rear to front, so that the melted wax will run down into a vessel that you will place under to catch the wajt. Or, you may use a sheet of wire-cloth, so the wax will run through. This will work very nicely with cappings and bur-combs, but a good deal of wax will be left in old brood- combs. Especially will this be so if one brood-comb lies "over another. 2. That will work all right, only it is bet- ter to do such uniting in the fall, for two weak colonies will winter better united than separate. Even when you have united in the fall, there may turn out some weak colonies that should be united in the spring, and then your plan will work. Rearing Queens — Selling Bottled Honey. 1. By taking the queen away from a strong colony of bees in the midst of a good honey- flow, and allowing the bees to build queen- cells, would you get as thrifty, long-lived, pro- lific queens as from cells built under the swarming impulse, or artificial means? 2. What do you think of the plan of bot- tling honey and making it an expensive lux- ury so that the consumer can just taste of it occasionally? Would there not be more of the spirit of "loving our neighbors as ourselves" to cut out the middle system of bottling, and sell it to him at a figure so that he can make it ail article of every day diet? In the long run, would there not be more dollars and cents for the bee-keeper? New Mexico. .^NSWF.I!S. — I. Yes, especially if you give to vour queenless colony a frame partly filled with freshly-built comb containing eggs and young brood. At least that is my private opin- ion, based upon a good deal of experience with the different kinds of cell-rcarhig, only I have not' had much experience with natu- ral-swarming cells. Vet some, perhaps many, hold different views. 2. The way to do is to sell honey in as large and inexpensive containers as possible, so as to make as little expense as possible for each pound sold. That ought to give the con- sumer the most honey for his money, and the producer the most money for his honey. Un- fortunately, however, we are often controlled by conditions and circumstances. A large part of the consuming public are in the habit of buying in small quantities. A Chicago re- tail grocer who s'liould keep honey only in 20 to 60 pound packages would probably sell very little honey, whereas plenty of custo- mers will buy a pound at a time, even if they must pay for a bottle of no value to them. Wiiat better can he do than to keep the small packages? Experience of a Beginner. 1. 1 purchased a colony of bees in the spring of 1907. This colony cast 2 swarms the first season, and from this colony and the first of the new ones, I took off one super each of comb honey, and the other about 2-3 of a super. The old colony weighed, with brood- chamber only, 76 pounds. The 2 new colonies weighed, respectively, 55 pounds and 37 pounds. I wintered them in my coal-house. 1 know practically nothing about handling bees or examining Iheni, so in the spring I put them on the stands again and awaited results, r.ast spring the old colony again cast 2 swarms which I secured. In the fall when I took off the supers to put them into winter quarters, I got from the first new swarm about 25 pounds of comb honey. But when 1 took off the super from the second new swarm 1 found there had been nothing doing. I then examined the hive-body, and found it deserted, with an amount of comb left be- hind which would indicate about one week's work. What was the cause? The hive was a new one. 2. When I came to put in the 3 old colo- nies, 1 found only about 10 pounds of comb lioney in the 3 suiicrs combined. Why thir February, 1909. American Vee Journal dearth of honey? There was at least 2-3 of the sections that showed no comb construc- tion. What was the reason? The old hive, which tlie year before had weighed 76 pounds, now weighed but 64 pounds. Of the other tw-o, one weigTied about the same, and the other about 10 pounds heavier. I would like to know my mistakes, and the remedy. South Dakota. Answers.— I. I can only guess, and the first pess that comes when a swarm deserts after having made a start at building is that there was too great heat. The remedy is to shade the hive and give plenty of ventilation by a large entrance, or some other way. 2. I am not sure whether I understand cor- rectly, but as I understand it, you left the supers on till time to go into winter quarters and then found less honey in them than there had been previously. There was nothing un- usua in that. If supers are left on after the harvest closes, in a little while the bees will begin to carry the honey down into the brood-chamber. Next time take the supers off when the harvest is over. There are various reasons for difference of weight in different colonies, and of the same colony in different years. Keeping Honey— Extracted vs. Comb Honey. 1. Can honey from this year be kept till next year without spoiling? 2. I have a notion to run my apiary for extracted honey. Is there more profit than running for comb honey? 3- What book can I buy that explains the work about extracted honey? Ili,inois Answer.— I. Yes, there is no trouble "in keeping extracted honey over, and even comb honey may be kept in a dry and warm place. 2. Some find it more profitable to run for one kind of honey and some for the other. It depends upon kind of honey, markets, etc and a good deal depends upon the bee-keeper' 3- Root's A B C and X Y Z," Dadant's Ivangstroth, Cook's "Manual," or almost any of the other books on bee-keeping ought to help you out. Probably Mostly Italian — Giving Queen vs. Superseding. 1. What kind of bees are the enclosed > 2. Do bees that requeen themselves do as well as bees that are given a new queen? and what becomes of colonies that are not inter- fered with m the least, except to put on su- pers, take off the surplus honey, etc.? Is that a good plan, or is it necessary to re- queen to obtain best results? A Beginner. Answers. — i. It is not easy from seeing a few bees to tell what they are. The first cross between black and Italian blood will show workers all the way from those having 3 yellow bands to those having none, so if you should show a few of these with 3 bands to the best judge in the world, he couldn't say whether they were pure Italians or hy- brids. Besides, when bees are sent flat in a letter and mashed in the mails, it is still harder to tell. I should guess that the bees you send are mostly Italian blood. ■ ^u ^^r ^^^^ ^^^ '^^ **'^ ^'S^* ^'"'^' '* 'S all right for them to requeen themselves. I'd give money if my bees would never swarm and leave me to do nothing but to attend to the supers. I'd be glad to leave the requeening to themselves. one else. Generally, it is not a hard ques- tion to answer, the orthodox answer being to commence with 2 or 3 colonies. With that number you can't lose very much, no matter how many foolish things you do with them, and you have a lot of practice with 2 colo- nies. Generally, too, there is only a little time that can be taken from other pursuits, and these latter cap not be intruded on too much. Your case is different. Most of your time will be at the disposal of the bees, and some of it would not be fully occupied with only 2 or 3 colonies. Also, you have been doing some advance study that fits you for un- dertaking more than the average beginner. I've an idea, too, that a retired preacher is safer than the average to trust with bees. So I'd venture the guess that you'd be quite safe with 25 colonies, and even though you might make some bad work with a larger number, might gain enough additional experience with 50 to pay for all the mischief you'd do with them. 2. That depends. If you start with 10 colonies, get 3 new hives for each colony. You will possibly have 2 swarms from each colony, and you will want to transfer frooi the old hive. If you don't need them all, they will be good"" for another year. This with the idea that you will care more for increase than for honey. If you start with 25 or more, get 2 new hives for each colony, counting on doubling your number and get- ting a fair crop of honey. '^ 3. If you had left out that Miller frame, I'd have said from any supply dealer. I'm not sure that any one makes the Miller frame but the G. B. Lewis Co. 5. You've made out a pretty good list, and you'll want a veil, and — but say; I tell you what to do: write for a catalog to each- one of the supply-dealers that advertise in this journal. You'll tell then better than I can tell you what you best have, as also the cost, and you'll be interested in looking thera over. Effect of Tarred Paper on Bees — Foul Brood. 1. Is tarred paper injurious to bees and honey? 2. What is foul brood, and what are some of the methods of curing it? Perhaps these questions seem silly, but I am only a boy 14 years of age, and know hardly anything about bees, and have only 2 colonies, so need the coaching of an ex- perienced apiarist. Massachusetts. Answers. — i. Not in general. If honey were kept for a time directly in contact with paper strongly impregnated with tar, it would probably hurt the flavor, but wrapping tarred paper about a hive would not produce any such result. 2. Your question is one of exceeding im- portance, and if you are wise you will not rest satisfied until you are well informed as to foul brood, for at any time it may come to pass that foul brood, or something that you fear is foul brood, may appear among your bees, and you should be ready for it. But there is not room in this department to tell you all about it, and you will find much upon the subject in back numbers of this journal, as well as in most of the books devoted to bee-keeping. Starting in the Bee-Business. 1. How many colonies could I safely man- age the first year? The limit. 2. The first year I shall have to buy my colonies, and they may be had in all sorts of hives, getting them somewhere in this com- munity. But the new swarms, etc., I desire to start in the best hives. How many hives ought I to have on hand, to have each one fully equipped for a good season? 3. Where can I get one hive fullv set up as a sample, from bottom-board, hive-body. Mil- ler frames, super, etc.? When can I put in my order, and for the balance I shall need in the flat ready to set up, according to sample ? 4. What other supplies shall I need, as smoker, tools, sections, foundations, etc.? 5. About what will be the total cost? I want to go into the business for pleas- ure and profit, too. Iowa. .\nswers.— I. You've asked too hard a ques- tion, and I wish I could refer it *o some Changing Bees on Home-Made Frames to Hoffman. I have 5 colonies of bees in standard 8- frame hives. Three of them have home-made frames of common lath, and the combs are bulged, and very uneven. Which would be the best way to change them in the spring without setting them back too much? I would like to give them proper frames. Would I have lo break up the colonies in order to change them to Hoffman frames? I am win- tering them in the cellar, and have 4 thick- nesses of burlap over them. They seemed to be doing well until now, but with the way the frames are I can not do anything with them, without tearing the combs to pieces. They were that way when I bought them last spring. I had 2 swarms last summer, but no surplus. They seem to have plenty of stores to carry them through. Minnesota. Answer. — What is to be done depends upon w'hat shape the combs are in. It may be that they are somewhat bulged and uneven, and yet so that by a little cutting they can be straightened out all right. In that case, as the combs are probably of the right size, they can be cut out and put into the right kind of frames without setting back the bees at all. Do the work at the time of fruit- bloom, when bees are busy at work, and will rapidly mend the cut places. If the combs are built crooked in the frames, so that you can not get them into good frames, then wait till the bees swarm, and 21 days later you can cut out the combs and melt them up. Transferring Bees. I have 2 colonies of bees in S-frame hives. The bees have built the hives so full of bur and brace combs that they can scarcely get into the supers, and they have all these bur and brace combs full of honey, so that it is almost one solid chunk of honey. 1. Is there any way in which these bees can be taken or driven out and transferred to a hive with straight fiUed-out combs, though empty, and then feed them? How can I get them out? Should I wait till they swarm? 2. What caused them to build this way ? They had empty supers on at the time, al- though they didn't have any empty comb for baits, j nst 3-cornered starters. I have 1 5 colonies, but only these 2 have built this way. Iowa. Answers. — i. It is not entirely clear what the trouble is. If it's only brace and bur combs, then the only thing to do is to pry up the super and scrape off the bur-combs. But when you speak in one place of transferring' to a hive with straight iiUed-out combs, that looks as if the combs were built crooked. If the combs are built crooked, then you are to straighten them, cutting apart where necessary, and forcing each comb into its own frame and fastening it there with strings till the bees build it there. If the combs are too crooked for that, then you must transfer. Wait till the bees swarm, and 21 days later cut out old combs and melt them up, adding bees to the swarm. 2. If it is merely a case of bur-combs, there is probably too much room between hive and super — -^-inch is about right. Of course, the bees will build in bur-combs again so long as they have too much room, no mat- ter how often you may scrape them out. If too much room is not the trouble, I don't know what it is. Stories About Bees. In a recent article in one of the leading magazines, a writer of some prominence makes the following statements concerning the orange-growing region of Florida : "Every tree (orange) is alive with honey- gatherers; but they get drunk with delight, and it is said that they do not make as much honey from orange blossoms as from some common weeds. * * » i know of nothing like it in the North, except when the lindens are in blossom, and then you get it, for the bees ivill zvork in the lindens all night." (Italics are mine.) In the same article two other statements are made that seem strange to me: "Seventy-five great pines, 50 feet to the first limbs, surround my house. In midwinter, when these are in bloom, whole swarms of bees are up there at work, and pine honey is not so bad after all. It has a taste of figs." "I have a neighbor who has devoted himself to bee-keeping, and does as well here in winter as he does in Ohio in the summer — that makes a whole year of it." From these statements it would seem that bees are accustomed to work in linden trees all night, that they store honey from pine trees, and that bees in Southern Florida gather honey in the winter to such an extent as to make it practTcable and profitable for an Ohio bee- keeper to own and operate apiaries in both States — working the Northern apiary in the summer and the Southern in winter. I am not an old hand at the business, hav- ing kept bees but 5 years; so I expect to learn new things about bees. However, I have read 4 or 5 bee-books, including "Langstroth," "A B C," and "Forty Years Among the Bees,** and I also take and read the 3 bee-papers pub- lisheu in this country, and in them all I have seen no mention of pine honey, or of bees working at night. About bees storing honey in Florida in winter I know nothing, having never been there; but I wonder what the Ohio bee-keeper did with those Florida bees in the summer. Will you kindly inform me how much of truth there is in these statements? Peoria. Answer. — The writer is not so far off as you probably think. It is just a little uncertain what he means when he says that bees working on orange February, 1909. American Hee Journal blossoms "get drunk with tlie delight." That may be a figurative statement, meaning merely that the bees become very much excited at their work. It may also mean that the bees appear stupid as if intoxicated. I have never heard of anything of that kind with regard to oranges, and if it is at all common it is strange that no one has ever mentioned it before. Yet I have seen the same thing when bees were working on Echinops spherocephalus, called also Chapman's honey-plant. Often sev- eral bees would be seen on one of the globular heads of flowers, looking very much as if they had become stupefied by what they had been gathering, just sitting in a dumpish condition, scarcely moving when touched by the finger. I don't know about bees working on lindens all night. I think it has been reported that on very bright moonlight nights bees kept at work on the lindens, but I don't know how much honey has been gathered in that way. I never heard of pine honey in this coun- try, but in Europe, near the ^reat pine for- ests, pine honey is quite an item. I have seen bees at york busily on my evergreens gathering pollen, but could not say whether they got any honey. In the South flowers bloom and bees gather at the time bees are in winter quarters at the North, and I have an indistinct recol- lection of bees being moved back and forth, but not lately, so I doubt if it is a very paying performance. Wintering on Diseased Honey. I am a young bee-keeper, 17 years of age, and own 2 strong lo-frame colonies, and one weak colony. I am wintering them out of doors. June 16, I got a weak colony of gray bees, but they somehow succumbed to foul brood or bee-moths. I was not, at the time, in a position to look after them in the proper manner and they became weaker day by day until they could not resist the thieving bees of the stronger colonies, which robbed them of all their surplus honey. A few days after, upon inspection, I was surprised to find my weak colony deserted. I forgot to say that I had looked several times for their queen, but was unsuccessful in finding her royal high- ness. I think she died. Today my surviving colonies* floors arc sat- urated with honey, but they seem to be win- tering well. Do you think they will winter all right with that diseased honey stored in their brood-chamber, for I think it was dis- eased. What ought I to do? Illinois. ANSWERS.^It may be that it is only the moisture from the bees that is running on the floor of the hive. In that case there is nothing to do unless to give the bees a little larger entrance. But if there is any foul brood in the case, the rajatter is very serious, whether anything is running out of the hive or not. There is nothing to be done at this time of year with the bees, but there is some- thing to be done with the bee-keeper, and that is to get him thoroughly informed about foul brood, so he can tell whether his bees have it, and what to do if they have. If you have the back numbers of the American Bee Journal, you will find much about foul brood. Also in the bee-books. Then if it turns out that your bees have the disease you will be able to act intelligently, and if not you will have some information that may be of great value to you at another time. have been flying every day for 4 days. The thei-mometer is above 60 degrees. 2. Do bees get anything to eat or build up on this kind of weather and time of year, or do they require more stores than they would with a regular cold winter, or in the cellar? I have a large cellar, and could put them in, but did not think it necessary this far South. Kentucky. Answers. — i. Merely wetting the sugar without thoroughly dissolving it is not good. The bees will use out the liquid part, car- rying out the granules, thus causing waste of sugar and extra work for the bees. To be sure, in England they sometimes feed dry sugar, but their climate is not so dry. Be- sides, the sugar is over the bees, and the moisture from the bees arises and settles on the sugar. 2. I don't know. There may be some- thing in bloom in pretty cold weather, but certainly very little even so far south as southern Kentucky for bees to work on in January. They probably use all the more "stores for flying so much. Yet bees would probably not do so well in the cellar so far south. Best Hive for Extracted — Winter Protection, Etc. 1. Which is the best hive for extracted honey and artificial swarming? If a lo-frame is better than an S-franie, would not a 12- frame be better than a lo-frame, to prevent natural swarming and to receive the greatest amount of surplus ? 2. If a hive is protected from 3 sides by nailing heavy galvanized tin to i^ so as to be waterproof, and allow about 3 inches of straw to be packed between the body of the hive and the tin, would it protect a colony of bees over winter, and induce early brood-rearing in the spring, in Kansas? 3. How many colonies of bees can be kept on 40 acres of alfalfa without overstocking it? ICansas. Answers. — i. A lo-frame hive is better than an 8-frame, and most of those who produce extracted honey use lo-frame hives. Yet some think a lo-frame hive is too small. Instead, however, of using 12 Langstroth frames, these generally use frames of larger size. The Da- danls, who are in the lead as successful pro- ducers of extracted honey, and who have an astonishingly small number of swarms, use the Quinby size of frame, i8j4xiij4. The hive takes 1 1 of these frames but by the use of division-boards the number is generally reduced to g or 10. 2. That ought to provide good protection. I don't know whether it would induce earlier brood*-rearing. 3. I think I've seen it estimated by some one in the alfalfa regions that 2 or 3 acres might be counted on for a colony of bees. But in some places alfalfa yields more than in others, and it is very evident that the treatment of the alfalfa must make a great difference. If 40 acres are allowed to stand for seed, allowing the bees the fullest benefit, or if the alfalfa is allowed to be well on in bloom before each cutting, it might not be such a wild guess to say that there might be several colonies for each acre. If it should be cut each time just as it begins to bloom, 10 colonies might be too many for 40 acres. So there you arc. Feeding Sugar for Winter Stores — Open Winter. I am near the Kentucky and Tennessee line. I have g colonies of bees in hives i8j4 by I4i4 by 1 i^i deep, inside measure. I started last spring, made my own hives, and bought and transferred bees from log-gums. I did not get this work done until after fruit- bloom, on account of ordering my supplies late, and then having them lose 30 days in freight transportation. I used full sheets of foundation. I bought Italian queens and re- queened nearly all of them, although most of them were Italian stock. I got very little sur- plus. I think it was because I was not ready for the harvest. Some of them went into winter quarters with plenty of stores, I think, and some had very litUc. I. On November 25, I made a mixture of granulated sugar and water, just enough water to wet the sugar. I then took out •ome frames of comb from 3 hives, and poured this into the comb. Is this a good way to feed? We have had a very cold winter. Bees have been flying every week or ten days, and tant thing in all bee-culture, if you consider one of any more importance than the rest? Missouri. Answers. — i. As a general rule a queen is never mated after she is 10 days old — per- haps not after she is a wek old. But there are exceptions, and how far those exceptions extend I don't know. Some say that a queen born in the fall may not be fertilized till the next spring. If your queen did not lay till 2 months old, she may have been fertilized only 3 days before she began to lay, and she may have been fertilized sooner, but likely she was at least a month old when fertilized. 2. I don't know, but I suspect that in gen- eral a bee dies with an empty sac. It would otherwise be a waste, and Dame Nature is a pretty economical old lady. 3. For that or any other climate a hive having a dead-air space. It is warmer in win- ter and cooler in summer. 4. Hard to say. Perhaps, convenience and all things considered, the paper wrapping. 5. A thorough knowledge of everything con- nected with the business. Perhaps you want to know which is more important, the bees, pasturage, hive, or some other thing. Hard to say. Bees are no good without pasturage, and pasturage is no good without bees. You can't very well get along witliout a hive. But if you insist that I must pick out some one thing to which the bee-keeper must give the greatest attention, I think I would say the queen. For whatever the queen is, that de- cides what the bees are. By breeding for the best ail the time, a man is more likely to get ahead than by giving liis attention to some- thing else, such as hives or pasturage. Late Mating of Queen — Hive - Covers — Winter Protection Most Impor- tant Thing. 1. Do you agree that a queen is never mated a fter she is 2 or 3 weeks old ? Last March I had a colony of bees supersede its queen, and this colony contained just a small patch of drone-brood which did not hatch till the queen was about 10 days old, and there was no other drone-brood in the yard. The queen commenced to lay when she was about 2 months old, and now she is the mother of one of the strongest colonics. I give this simply for what it is worth. I examined this colony once every 2 days, til! the queen started to lay, and so these figures are accurate. 2. Do bees, when they die a natural death, without being molested, have their honey- sacs filled with honey? If I am correct, they always do unless they are starved. 3. What kind of a hive-cover do you pre- fer for a climate like. Central Missouri? 4. What do you consider the best^ protection for bees in single- walled hives, wintered on the summer stands? Which do you like best, wooden cases, or paper wr.npping, or do you prefer something else to cither? 5. What do you consider the most impor- Transferring from Store-Box. I have a chance to buy a colony of bees which are in an ordinary store-box. Can they be transferred to a good bee-hive, and if so, how is it done? Illinois. Answer. — Formerly it was thought the cor- rect thing to transfer during fruit-bloom. Nowadays you wait till the colony swarms, hiving the swarm in a movable-frame hive, then 21 days later cut up the old hive, adding the bees to the swarm and melting up the old combs. If the store-box that contains the colony is very large, the bees may be slow about swarming. In that case it is well to reduce its capacity to a cubic foot or less. You may do this by cutting away the lower part of the box, even cutting away unoccupied combs. Of course, you will do this early in the season, before the bees begin to fill up. Possibly the box is not very deep, but long. tn that case you may fill something, as hay, into the unoccupied end. If you prefer, how- ever, to transfer during fruit-bloom, you will find instructions for transferring in your bee- book. Do Nurse-Bees Affect Queen— Un- finished Sections. 1. Is the nature, quality, color, etc., of queens affected by the bees that rear them from the egg? That is, if I give a cross colony eggs from a queen whose workers are gentle, to rear a queen, will the workers of the queen reared be gentle if she is fer- tilized by a drone from a gentle colony? 2. What causes one side of a section of honey to have a portion about one inch from the bottom not finished and the other side per- fect? With the same foundation on other colonies, every box was filled full, and fapped. I don't mean the outside sections. New York. Answers. — i. It is held by some that the character of a queen is materially aflfected by the nature of the nurse-bees that rear her. It is certain that a young queen poorly fed will not be so gooa as one that has a boun- tiful supply of best food. That is perhaps the chief reason why the attempt to rear queens very early in the season is generally a failure. But take two royal larvae, one fed by nurse-bees of the most vicious temper, the other by the gentlest of all bees, each being alike lavishly fed, and it is hard to under- stand that there should be any great difference in temper of the young queens, if both had the same mother. 2. I'm not certain I fully understand the case. As nearly as I can make out, the sec tions an through the super are only partly filled toward the bottom at the outside of each section. That would be the case in a poor season, or at the close of any season when the bees did not get enough to fill and finish all the sections. In a case of this kind it is always the outer side of the section that lags American IBee Journal February, 1909. the most, perhaps because warmer toward the center. Possibly there may be some other reason for the outside of the section being behind the inside, but the fact of the differ- ence I've often noticed. But other colonies, you say, in the same yard, plumped out their sections all right. Well, the answer is still the same; there wasn't enough honey to fill out the sections. Not that there was not enough honey in the fields, but because the bees were too few in number to bring it in, or else too lazy to do so. 'That's the best I can do at a guess. Plan for Control of Swarming. I have practised the plan advocated by Mr. Chapman, in lifting frames of brood over the zinc excluder just prior to the honey-flow. After the 2 upper supers have been extracted the large force of workers will fill 3 comb- honey supers at once. As I like to produce comb honey, I thought to use the Dudley system of tubing, but after the manner rec- ommended by a writer in the Review, which consists in placing the hive containing the brood alongside the hive in which the queen is, with a tube connecting both. As you claim that some heat is lost by the Dudley system, how would it do to tack wire-cloth on the bottom of the hive containing brood and place it immediately on top of the sec- tion super or supers ; then attach a Dudley tube connecting said hive-body with the en- trance of the lower hive containing the queen? Michigan. ^ Answer. — The plan may likely work all right. Like many other things in bee-keep- ing, you never can feel sure until you sub- mit it to the bees themselves. Hive-Entrances — Bait Sections — Foundation — Supers. 1. How large ought the entrance to be for bees to do best? 2. What do you mean about baiting to get the bees to work? Do you put in sections partly filled with honey? 3. What kind of foundation is the best to use? I use what is called "light brood'* in the catalog. Is that all right? 4. Do you fill all the frames with comb foundation when you hive a swarm? I have the 8-frame hive. 5. How do vou manage about putting on the supers and taking them off, and when? 6. Do you fill all the supers with comb foundation? West Virginia. Answers. — i. It may vary all the way from 2 to 24 square inches, according to time of year and circumstances. At this moment my bees have 24; but they are in the cellar, and if out would not have any such large entrance. As soon as they are put on their summer_ stands they will have only one square inch for an entrance. Then when hot weather comes they will again have the big entrance. 2. Sections that are only partly filled are emptied out by the bees in the fall, and the next year one or more of these are put into the first super to start the bees. Such sec- tions are called bait-sections, or baits. 3. Light brood, supported by wires or splints, is all right. 4. Yes, for if you leave any part of a frame without foundation the bees will build drone- comb there. Some, however, give only part of the frames when a swarm is hived, as only worker-comb is built at first, and afterward give tlie rest of the frames with comb or foundation. S- That's too big a question to be answered here. You will find it fully answered in your bee-book, and after studying that, if there is anything you do not understand, your ques- tions upon any point will be cheerfully an- swered here. This department can not take the place of a bee-book; but comes in only as a supplement. 6. Personally I fill each section with founda- tion. Some use starters, filling only half or fourth of the section. Colony Stored No Honey — Best Bees for Comb Honey — Nucleus Plan of Introducing. I. What is the matter with one of my colo- nies of bees? I hived it a year before last, so it has had 2 seasons. All last season it would not work in the super, nor store any honey, while the rest were working fine. It acted weak in the fall I thought it would die, as some of ray other weak ones did, but it kept well all through the winter, and it is one of my best colonies right now, and it did not swarm last season when all the rest were swarming. The winters are very warm here. It is not necessary to do any- thing toward wintering. I looked at it to- day and the bees are carrying in pollen — quite a lot of it. I think it was working more than any other of the 5 near it. What do you think is the matter, and what could I do for it? 2. What bees do you think are best for comb honey ? I have heard that the gray Carniolan and Banat bees are better than the Italian. Do you think so? 3. Is the nucleus plan of introducing, as stated in the "A B C of Bee Culture," of 1905, a good one ? Do you put the queen in right away with the frames? The winters are very mild here. The al- monds will be in bloom about February 15, so that the bees get an early start. Willow is almost in bloom now. Bees are working on the buds now, but it is not a very heavy honey-producer. California. Answers — i. Hard to guess without know- ing more about the case. It is possible that the colony bad a very poor queen and have superseded her, and now have a much better queen, so they are doing better. Too much drone-comb in the hive may be one trouble. 2. All things considered, you will proba- bly do as well with Italians. 3. Yes, the queen may be put in when the nucleus is first formed — caged, of course — and there is less hostility to her because there are mostly younger bees in a nucleus. A Bunch of Interesting Questions. 1. What would be the result if I were to put say three supers containing extracting- frames and sections over a good swarm of bees about June first, particularly if they were a swarm put back on the old stand in an empty hive? Would they store as much honey as though I put the supers on one at a time? 2. I am using a super 5^ inches deep. What would be the result if I were to use two of these fitted as brood-chambers? Would it do as well as a hive 10 inches deep with con- tinuous frames? 3. What methods, if any, besides the knife have been used since the invention of the ex- tractor to get rid of the cappings of the combs? 4. Make a guess as to the thickness of cap- ping of combs containing honey. 5. I am compelled to move my bees in the spring. If I leave a weak swarm in the yard will returning bees go to it? 6. In the coming season I am going to use some bottom-boards open at both ends and with spaces varying from J^ to 2 inches under the frames. Has this ever been tried, and do you not think it possible that a small space open at both ends would keep a hive as cool as a deeper one closed at one end? 7. Is a "chaff" hive entirely practical? If not, what are the objections to it? I have no cave and do not like to contemplate the work incident to packing 50 or more hives with paper or other material. 8. Would it not do just as well to raise the super from the hive, and from each other when there are several on, as to "slide them back a little," for ventilation, besides being much easier ? Pried apart and a wedge, or match, shoved in, would not let so much rain in, in case of a sudden storm as though they were slipped over. 9. Some years ago, before I got bees, some one proposed to put the bees into a hive with a large number of sections instead of frames. What was the man's name, and what was his plan, if not too long to detail? Otherwise, where can I find an account of it? 10. The coming season I wish to produce more extracted honey than comb, in sections. May I put both sections and extracting-frames into one super, using fences between frames and section-holders? I should use two frames to one of the section-holders. Iowa. Answers. — i. The chief objection to putting on too many supers at a time is that it makes too much room for the bees to keep warm. But the time bees swarm the weather is so warm that it would make little difference un- less there were cold spells. Even then, the difference would not be so very much. 2. It would be all right except that it would leave a deep space under bottom-bars for the bees to build down in. You could put some- thing in the bottom-board that would reduce that space to an inch or so. 3. Turn to page 306 of the American Bee Journal for October, 1908, and you will find description and illustrations of the Bayless uncapping machine. 4. Possibly 1-64 of an inch; but that may be a wild guess. 5. That depends on the distance. If a mile or more, no bees are likely to return. If only a short distance many will return, and unite with any colony left there. If you don't want them to return, you might try the plan of Geo. W. Williams, "the shaker." As soon as you put a colony on its new stand, take out the frames and shake all the bees on the ground in front of the hive and then let them run in. 6. Yes, practically the same thing has been tried often. The opening at the back end will do as well as, or better than, having a deeper space. Only it isn't quite so convenient at the time of year when you want to keep things warm, 7. Chaff hives have been successfully used to quite a large extent, although perhaps not so much as formerly. One objection is their weight and unwieldiness ; ' another that when the sun shines on a hive in winter it takes too long for the heat to penetrate the thick walls. 8. In the long run it would be much harder. You would have bur-combs galore, and a dauby mess scraping off the honey built in the deeper space. 9. I don't remember hearing of any one using sections instead of frames. Possibly you refer to Jasper Hazen, if I have the name right, who claimed great things by having a big hive with sections on all sides of the brood-nest. By going back years enough you will find all about it in the American Bee Journal. But if you have any idea of using it, I advise you not to waste time hunting it up. 10. Yes, E. D. Townsend, an excellent au- thority, uses both sections and extracting- frames in the same manner. But it would not work just the best kind along with your plan of giving the bees a big lot of super-room at a time. The bees would show a preference for the extracting-combs. A Beginner's Questions. . 1. If I were to stimulate brood-rearing in the spring as much as possible, and j ust before the honey-flow lift the old hive off the stand and place a shallow brood-chamber with honey- board and sections on in place, then shake the bees and the queen off from 8 to 9 frames, and set the old hive on top with a Porter bee- escape under it, would that practically do the swarming for the season? 2. There is foul brood close to me. Wouldn't it be better for me to work for honey than for increase ? 3. Could a man keep a queen over winter by putting her in a large cage with plenty of candy in it, and about 200 or 300 attendants, then lay the cage on the frames of a strong colony? 4. Is a solar wax-extractor best for the small bee-keeper? 5. I have 2 colonies of bees, one strong and one weak. The weak one is over the strong with screen wire between. I thought they could get the heat from the lower hive. Was that all right? 6. I am going to unite them in the spring according to the Alexander plan, given on page 432 of "A B C of Bee Culture," and divide them just before the honey-flow. If I left them together longer, would the bees be likely to kill one of the queens? 7. How would it do to give a colony lots of drone-comb and feed them after the honey- flow, so as to produce lots of drones from a good queen, and then rear queens from good stock? Wouldn't the young queens have a good chance to mate pure? 8. Would it be a good idea to try to have Cyprian queens mated to Italian drones? They claim that the Cyprians are more prolific and have longer tongues, but are worse to swarm. The cross just mentioned would have the pro- lific queen and the workers would be half Italians. How would they act in regard to swarming? I rather think that cross would be good if they did not swarm too much. 9. In regard to foul brood, instead of de- stroying all the combs, destroy just the part that has bee-bread and dead larvae in thera. Then extract the honey and wash out the combs or starve the bees until they eat all of it. Then allow them to fly out. Would that be a good way. Indiana. Answers. — i. Very likely; but it would be more sure if you should operate just after the beginning of the honey-flow instead of be- fore; also if you should use something larger than a shallow brood-chamber. February, 1909. American Hee Journal 2. Most likely. 3. I don't know. Sounds well, but may not pan out so well. Not very hard to try. 4. Likely. It doesn't get out so much wax, but is less expensive. 5. All right for a while; but if the bees in the upper hive try to get out and find they are fastened in, there may be trouble. 6. If you mean you're going to let the upper bees be over wire-cloth with no chance to get out. you may find both queen and bees dead. The Alexander plan has them over an excluder; but that can not be continued too long. 7. May work all right; but you'll find it not an easy job to get the bees to rear drones out of season, even with heavy feeding. Like- wise not easy to rear young queens then. Likewise not easy to get them mated then. 8. Some speak well of such a cross; but it's likely to be a cross cross, although perhaps no worse than pure stock for swarming. 9. Ought to work, if you're sure to get rid of all cells having germs or spores, and of all honey that has been in such cells. ^Tteporf$&nd Rearing Young Bees in Winter. I put into winter quarters 54 colonies. I cleaned out the dead bees this morning, and all colonies seem to be doing well. I .have one colony in my room where I keep the tem- perature from 60 to 70 degrees. I am trying an experiment which I have never heard of from any books. It is to see if I can rear young bees in January and February. I have a Miller feeder on the hive, and on one side I have water and on the other side honey and syrup — half granulated sugar and half water, and some honey in the combs. They are car- rying the honey and syrup away. I think they are storing in the combs below. Tames W. Bell. Bedford, Ky.. Jan. 18. Unfavorable Season for Honey. Bees were no good here this year. I have 48 colonies, and got only about 400 pounds of extracted honey. I haven't put them into the cellar yet. It is too warm. They are out every few days. Today was like summer. The last "two years the bees that wintered on the summer stands have come out the best in the spring. We had nearly 5 weeks of rain in the last of May and' the first of June. It drowned out the white clover on the bot- tom land, so it did no good. There is no money in bees here except now and then a year. Abram Palmateer. Creston, Neb., Jan. 4. Kerosine Oil for Robber-Bees. I read 3 bee-papers, and see many cures for robbing. But I have failed to see my simple cure: Take a small quantity of kerosene in an old can and 2 or 3 turkey or goose quills. Ui" the quills in the kerosene, and swab the entrance to the hive, or any place \\ here rob- bers bother. If bees are very thick at the entrance, use a little smoke, as the coal oil is apt to kill. It works like magic. Duluth, Minn., Tan. 23. Wm. TabEr. Reduction of Tariff on Honey? While all kinds of talk is going on about the reduction of tariff, I have heard nothing said as yet either for or against reducing the tariff on honey, and I take three bee-papers. To the bee-keepers of the States who us- ually have a local market for their product the reduction of tariff would cut no figure to speak of, but to the honey-producers not only of the Insular Possessions, but to a large number of bcc-mcn within the confines of the United States, who depend upon a distant market, a protective tariff is an important item. I quote from a letter dated Dec. 31st, from a New York honey-buyer. " However, since Cuba and Mexico, as well as Hati and San Domingo, arc offering riuitc freely now, prices are lower, and the demand has dropped off." The following is from a manufacturing firm in New Tork to whom I shipped 13 tons of honey, they paying a price that netted me an insignificant 4S cents per gallon: "Furthermore, we desire to state for your information that we did not have such an exceedingly good bargain in this entire trans- action, because the honey can be bought in Havana at a much lower basis." While editors of bee-papers and bee-keepers, as a rule, are not politicians, still I see no reason why they should not ask for protec- tion. W. J. Young. Arecibo, Porto Rico, Jan. 18. [This subject was brought up at the De- troit National Convention, and a motion passed favoring it. ^Editor.] Iowa Foul-Brood Law — Why Not? It seems that Iowa ought to have a foul- brood law. The disease is getting quite a start in the State, so I am informed. I be- lieve that every State adjourning Iowa has a foul-brood law. Our representative from this county is a bee-keeper, and will do all that he can to pass the foul brood law. Why not the bee-keepers of Iowa meet and organize an Iowa State Bee-Keepers' Association, and then we will be in a position to get a law passed? I am willing to do all I can to get the law passed. T. L- Shawler. Silver City, Iowa, Dec. so- Large Flow of Honey. I have kept a few bees for the last 35 years, but have never known such a large flow of honey as the past season. I have 7 colonies of Italians that averaged me $15, be- sides what I gave away and kept for my own use. White and sweet clover and hart- weed all gave us a good flow. G. T. Willis. Hoopeston, 111., Jan. 4. Good Queens Essential. My crop of honey this year was a little light, averaging about 20 pounds per colony, although my best colony gave me 70 pounds. It was headed by a young Italian queen of my own rearing. I have learned by experi- ence that the most essential thing for a good crop of honey is a good, young, prolific queen, and to see that the bees do not run short of stores in early spring. H. L. Russell. Lone Oak, Tex., Dec. 28. Bright Prospects for 1909. The year 1009 is here, and we, as West Virginians, have the brightest prospects for a prosperous year we have ever had. The peo- ple are becomiitg more interested in handling bees than they ever were in this country. J. E. Waggoner. Orlando, W. Va., Jan. 5. Making Increase. I have but 5 colonics of bees, and I did pretty well with them last season, getting 100 pounds of honey. One of them stored over 34 pounds of nice honey, which is pretty good for this part of the country, as it is not very well adapted for bee-keeping. The main source of honey is alfalfa and smart- weed. I captured my first swarm in a decoy hive placed in an apple-tree, and increased to the number I have now. My way of making in- crease is as follows: I go to one of the strong colonies and take 3 frames of brood and what bees cling to it, and place them in a new hive and cage a queen if I have any extra ones. If not, I let them rear their own, and after that is done. I place the new hive on the old stand so as to get the field- force, and set the old hive about 3 feet to one side of them, and the work is done. What do you think of that way of making increase, in a small way? C. W. Barr. Florence, Kans., Dec. 31. Introducing Queens. In September. 1907, I had some small colo- nics which I wished to build up, and also had a strong colony with a mismated queen. 1 killed the mismated queen, and two days later I smoked the colony, removed 2 combs of sealed brood, intending to give them to the small colony, and as I brushed the bees off in front of their hive, the bees and queen came from the small colony, and went in with the bees which had been brushed off their combs, and there was no fighting. Next day I looked through the hive and found the young queen laying. So I left them alone, and in 190S that was the best colony I had. Would it not be a safe way to introduce a queen by removing the old queen, after one or 2 days brush the bees off of 2 frames in front of the hive after smoking them well, then turn a queen loose and let her run in with them, or shake the bees and queen from a small nucleus down with the in-going bees and send a few puffs of smoke in with them? I have never heard of any one trying the plan. I mentioned the plan to a man who has had some experience in introducing queens. He said he would not want to risk the plan with a queen that he had paid for, but it niiglit do to try one of his own rearing. I would like to have an opinion on this method of introducing. J. L. Young. Manliattan. Kans., Jan. 13. Good Year for Bees. We had a good year for bees this year, and I hope we will have another good year in 1909, as clover is alive yet, and the winter is fine. I wintered 61 colonies in the cellar, and they are all well supplied with honey and bees, which I believe is the best a begiunrr can do. My last year's crop was 2462 sec- tions, well filled, from 30 colonies, sprin:; count. I captured 4 stray swarms, and took 4 out of hollow trees. They are in frame- hives. Nick Jentgen. La Motte, Iowa, Jan. 18. Massachusetts Foul Brood Law. At the regular meeting of the Massachusetts Bee-Keepers* Association last Saturday after- noon. Prof. W. P. Brooks, director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, at Amherst, gave an address upon crops and honey, with a brief reference to wild flowers. He de- voted most of the time to clover, and said that there was nothin" that could be planted profitably for honey alone, but the nearest to it would be sweet clover. Clover was most valuable for milk — and incidentally for honey. Fertilizers, of course, were largely considered. At the close of his lecture he answered numer- ous questions on pertinent matters. The bee- keepers in this State are talking of a law to deal with foul brood, and it was voted to ask the Worcester Society to have a committee join with one from this Society and meet with Prof. Brooks for the purpose of fram- ing a suitable law to be submitted to tlie Legislature at the present session. Joseph B. Luvens. Maiden, Mass., Jan. 6. "Hives for Comb Honey." With all the interest of G. M. Doolittlc's article on, "Hives for Comb Honey," on page 16, the essential point is cloudy, at least not clear to me. Kindly read from the beginning of the last paragraph on the second column, "With the 10- frame hive of the Longstroth," etc., and then tell me in your next issue what he does with this original lo-frame hive after he has placed the one which he had put on it, on its place, and the supers on that. I can not make it out, and it surely must be full of brood. Does he put it on top of the supers, or start a new colony with it, or what? Then the sentence, "Then, on the opening of this bloom," beginning on line 7 from the bottom of column z, is not clear to me. What does he mean by the "that" where he says on line 4 from the bottom, "together with that?" Does he mean "that" honey or "that" hive? C. Eberlicin. [We referred the above to Mr. Doolittle, wlio answers thus: — Editor.] It is evident that Mr. E. could not have read carefully the last sentence in the article on page 16, or he would have noted tliat "The combs of beeless brood are given to weaker colonies." Or, perhaps, if he did. he failed to see that this sentence meant that the hive containing the now beeless brood, (the hive which was the original one on the stanfl during the spring) was placed over some weak colony, so that the bees from this weak colony would care for and perfect the brood in these combs. In working this plan I often have one, 2, 3, and in some cases 4 hives of such beeless brood on top of one oT these weaker colonies, and in no case have I met with a loss of any brood, as is explained in the book, "A Year's Work in an Out- Apiary." Regarding that "that" which puzzks Mr. E. : February, 1909. American Vae Journal Briefly, the colony wintered over in a lo- frame Langstroth hive has a queen^excluder placed on top of it as soon as it is pretty well filfed with brood and bees, and on top of this excluder is placed another lo-frarae hive filled with combs which are partly full of honey. Say the lo frames have lo to 15 pounds in them. If the bees gather more before the clover bloom, it is stored above, or added to that which was in the combs in the upper hive when given. At the open- ing of the clover bloom, both hives are lifted from the bottom-board, and the upper hive is taken from the queen-excluder and set on the now vacated bottom-board _ where the original hive has been up to this time. On top of this hive containing 10 frames of bees and more or less honey, the supers of sec- tions are now placed, and on top of these the cover to the hive. The bees are now shaken off the combs of brood and from the original hive in front of what was the upper hive, now on the bottom-board, into which they will run as fast as shaken, and, as the hive now on the bottom- uoard was a part of their old home, they are perfectly contented there, and go from it to the supers of sec- tions the same as they did from their old hive to the upper one of combs before this exchange; thus wasting no time, as is the case where supers are put on a hive which has previously been but one-story high. As the queen lays, the honey in these combs is taken out to make room for her eggs, which, together with that coming from the fields, makes a "BOOM" in the sections, and that with no desire to swarm, on account of the working of the plan which is given in all of the minutia in the book alluded to above, which Editor York will send for 50 cents. Or. if you have Gleanings for 1906, you will find the whole thing there as a ^serial, much the same as the book. G. M. DOOLITTLB. Uniting Colonies to Keep Them at Same Number of Hives. When the honey-flow stops, I move near my house say 10 colonies. Putting an empty box on the old stand, the next thing I do is to take all the full combs of honey out of the hives near the house and take them into the bee-room. I fill a hive with brood, and then set the hive at some other place. Here I find 3 or 4 combs of brood and honey in each hive. The empty boxes get the old bees, and the hives to keep get the young bees. I don't have trouble with moths. 1 haven't had for 25 years. Why? I always keep the colonies strong. _ I leave empty combs out all summer or in the bee-shed, and have no trouble with moths. Why? 1 lieep the combs separated by an inch or 2. A. ASPINWALL. Wahpeton, N. Dak. Some Interesting Experiences. Early last fall I wrote you that I had extracted 500 pounds of honey, and that I expected about 200 pounds more from my_ 18 colonies. This has exceeded my expectation, for I extracted 1,040 pounds. and,_ besides, got some fine comb honey. It is indeed a puzzle for the bee-keepers where the bees got the honey last fall, as it was the dryest fall we had here for years. All bee-keepers in this vicinity agree that the past season was one of the "best we have had for many years, and the honey of the finest quality, in spite of the cold and rainy spell we had durini^ the months of May and Tune. Swarming has also been excessive, some swarms coming out as late as the^ middle of August for some bee-keepers, and it was only tion during the swarming season to keep even ten during the swarming season to keep even the best of Italians from excessive swarming. As stated before, I increased my colonies to 18, and they went into winter quarters No- vember 26, in perfect condition. As I have kept a record of all queens and colonies 1 shall know exactly where I stand next spring. About June 5, I noliced a colony very weak in bees, and queenless, with no inclination whatever to build queen-cells. As I was anx- ious to save that colony I sent for a queen. I introduced that fine Italian queen accord- ing to directions, and waited for results. Just S days afterward I examined the colony, but found no queen, nor any eggs, nor any other sign that a queen might be present. Think- ing that perhaps at the hour I examined them the young queen was out enjoying a flight, I closed the hive and then towards evening I looked again, but still could not find her, so I concluded that the bees had got away with the queen. Then I went to my very best colony. whose queen I had removed 10 days before for the purpose of getting young queens to improve my stock — a practise I have had good success with the past years, but not so in this case. I took the largest and ripest cell, fast- ened it in a frame, closed the hive, and waited 5 days. A careful examination showed no queen, and what surprised me most, I could not find a trace of the cell I had in- troduced. Three times in succession I tried this method, always waited 5 or 6 days be- fore I looked, and always the same result. I was getting very much discouraged*, as the bees were getting small in numbers, and I had intended to unite them with another colony, when, one day, I looked over ray colo- nies and found a large, ripe queen-cell, whose queen was just about ready to come out. I laid the cell on top of a hive, and just as I had taken out a frame from that particular colony, out she came. I grabbed her quickly by the wings and in that happy-go-lucky fash- ion I put her on top of the frames, closed the hive, and waited 6 days. On opening the hive I saw right away that "something was doing." The bees were more contented, there were eggs, and general satisfaction all around. I looked for the queen, and sure enough, there she was, and depositing eggs as fast as she could, and it seemed as if she meant to say to me, "Yes, sir, old man,_ I am boss here now," and boss she was, in- deed. That colony built up, and increased so fast that by the first of September it became my second best colony. They gave me a surplus of 75 pounds of fine honey, and went into winter quarters in perfect condi- tion, a rousing colony. This goes to prove what a good queen can and will do in a remarkably short time, if given the chance, and conditions are right for a good flow of honey. Now the question naturally arose with me, whv did the bees not only not accept the rested queen nor the cells, but completely destroyed them, and then in the last hour accepted the queen I introduced in such a careless manner. I have been in the habit of clipping all my queens the past years, but not with good success. Out of the 8 colonies whose queens I clipped, only 3 swarmed with a clipped queen. The rest all superseded their queens, and swarmed naturally, though none of those queens were more than 3 years old. About Tune 10, I had just hived a fine large swarm with the Manum swarm-catcher when out came another very fine swarm. I went quickly and looked for the clipped queen, but could not find her, though the ground is kept clean for 4 or 5 feet all around the hives, and covered with sawdust. After flying around about 10 minutes they lit on the very same place where I had hived the other swarm. They staved about 5 minutes, then left all at once, but, to my surprise, did not go back to the parent colony, but came right down close to the ground, _ and then they divided and entered about s differ- ent hives, but to my surprise, there was no fighting. Now, where was the queen? About a week after, I went up to look at my bees. I noticed on a hive-stand a bunch of bees, and in the middle of the bunch I saw the clipped queen scarcely able to move. Then I knew that was the queen I had lost, and neither I nor the bees could find, so I think next spring I will cut out all super- fluous cells, and then try for one season, and let my bees swarm naturally. The American Bee Journal is a great help and aid to bee-keepers, and especially to be- G. A. Barbish. Minn., Jan. had a few colonies of bees in the orchard. The old gentleman was in the orchard so they talked to him for a few minutes. He told them they had better go over to the old house and see the boy. On their way over they saw the dog barking at something in a tree. He was going through the high jumps, trying to catch whatever it was, but they paid no attention, but went over to where the boy was. They had been there only a couple of minutes when one of the girls came rushing in, saying the bees were on the dog. Of course, they all rushed to the spot. The father threw a blanket over the dog, but the dog got from under the blanket and made for the men. He thought he would get rid of the bees by rubbing himself against their legs. The air seemed to be just full of angry bees. Well, the machine men thought they must make their escape somehow, for they had never been used to bees, so look- ing around they saw the door open at the house, so never waiting for an invitation, tliey just went pell-mell into the house, and hadn't much more than landed when Mr. T)og was between their feet. Looking for some place to escape, they saw a door oijen away at the other end of the house, leading to the front gate. Well, he said he didn't think Tom Longboat could have made the road as quickly as they did. Untying the horses they both jumped into the rig and drove away as fast as they could, but hadn t gone far when the dog went past them like a blue streak, making for the creek below the hill. When they got there, there was nothing but the dog's nose protruding out of the water. But they didn't go back to sell the mower. He said he would miss the sale of a hundred mowers rather than get mixed up with those bees again. F. A. Metcalfe. Fenelbn Falls, Ont., Jan. 18. ginners. La Crescent, G. A. 7- Hard Luck — A Bee-Story. I have bad 4 pretty hard years. We have had bad seasons. Clover and basswood failed us. I had some honey this year — mostly basswood. Two years ago I lost 70 colonies out of 90. My neighbor had 87 and lost all but 6. Now that is hard luck. Poor honey was the cause of the loss. I notice when our bees go into winter with aster and buck- wheat honey our losses are always heavy. My bees wintered very well on sugar stores last winter. I have most of them on sugar this winter. They seem all right, but the ones wintering on their own honey have the dysentery, and are very restless. I heard a story the other day which was a good one. It was told by a traveling man, who sells machinery — a local agent. head agent came, so they A Good Honey- Year. The past year was a good honey-year. I started with 14 colonies last spring, increased to 28, took off 2000 pounds extracted honey and 500 pounds of sections. My best colony produced 350 pounds of extracted honey, the average yield per colony being 200^ pounds. This is, I think, a fair yield. I introduce young queens every year, and these are reared from my best colony in the yard. Poor queens are a poor foundation, and they are no good at any price. I kill them at once. A good queen is the foundation of a colony — one that will lay eggs in the right time of the year, and eggs in the right time means bees in the right time, to be ready for the honey when it is in the field. When one has not the bees when the nectar is yielding, he will never be able to harvest the honey. Clayton Co., Iowa. B. F. Schmidt. A Spring Day in January— Early Swarm. Saturday, January 23, was an ideal spring day, the thermometer registering 60 degrees in the shade. My 30 colonies of bees are in the finest possible condition, and were making music last Saturday "to beat the band." I might almost say the orchestra, but if you like fine orchestral music as well as mvself, vou might take exception. 'I started in the spring of i9o8_ with 15 colonies and increased to 30 colonics. They produced 1306 finished sections, about 300 un- finished sections, and 40 frames well filled, that I am saving for spring strengthening, This is not a very good section for bees, but last year the clover was exceptionally fine and plentiful. The dry summer and autumn fixed the clover so that there can not be much of a crop the coming season, but there is some basswood, and generally quite a good deal of heartsease and goldenrod, so I look for a light honey crop even mthout the clover. Honey retails here at about 15 cents to 16 cents for No. I comb, and strictly fancy re- tailed in a small way the past season at 20 cents. In making hives I allow for inside measure 18 3-16 inches in length, 12^ or 12 3-16 inches in width, and g'A inches in depth. This gives correct space for Hoffman frames with staples driven in the depth of the gauge sent in each package of frames. I cut the end- pieces 8 11-16 inches deep, and the sides 954 inches. Then nail flush with the bottom of the hive, and that leaves a space 13-16 inches deep on top of the end-pieces. I then notch the side-pieces at the ends }4- One day the head agent came, started out among the farmers to do busi- * -•- --i' ;- - ../ ., . , •-* ness They stopped in at a farmer's, where inch back, and down flush with the tops of thev' thought they could sell a machine. The end-pieces, and nail in a strip ;.-inch by 13-16- farmer lived in a large stone house, and inch clear across. This makes a neat-looking February, 1909. American Vae -Jonrnal and strong hive. I use 8 frames and a fol- lower-board, but if I were starting in the bee-business again, I would make all my hives wide enough to hold 9 Hoffman frames and a thin follower-board. If I had to hire a car- penter to do my work at $1,50 or $2.00 per day, I would buy my hives outright; but as I greatly enjoy the work of making them my- self in the winter time, I follow the practise of making rather than buying my hives, supers, etc. If the lumber is dressed down to exactly ^-inch, and you cut all pieces true, and the side-pieces 19 15-16 inches long, everything goes together like cabinet work. Today a swarm of bees settled on a fence along the road, and were seen by all people passing at the time. The swarm evidently came from a hollow tree near. How is this for an early swarm in Northern Indiana? Cromwell, Ind., Jan. 23. E. H. Upson. Wisconsin State Convention. The annual convention of the Wisconsin State Bee-Keepers' Association will be held at Madison, Wis., Feb. 16 and 17, 1909, at the Court House, beginning at 10:30 Tuesday morning. It is the intention of the Association to have a banquet, or social gathering the evening of the last day of the session, and definite arrangement for this purpose will be made at the first morning's session. It is hoped and expected, that all members, so far as possible, will bring their ladies. This was the wish of the last convention, and many members at that time agreed to do so, if possible. The Executive Board wish to make this the best convention ever held by the Association, and for this purpose ask all members to take an active interest, even if you cannot attend. We want every member, and all bee-keep- ers to send us good questions, or come pre- pared with questions, as the question-box will be main feature of the convention. We also invite those who are interested in any particular subject or question, to write a short paper on the same, with the view of bringing out a thorough discussion. If those who can contribute either questions or papers, or both, will advise the Secretary, we will try to prepare a regular program, for distribution prior to the time of meeting, but remember, that the Question-Box and the Social Part will be the main features. N. E. France will give a talk on, "Im- provements to Date, to Make Work Easier and More Profitable." We invite every member to renew his mem- bership. We invite every bee-keeper to become a member. Annual Dues for the Wisconsin State and National are $1.00 for both, or you may be- come a member of the Wisconsin alone by sending 50 cents to the Secretary. Augusta, VVis. Gus Dittmer, Sec. The Iowa Seed Co. As usual, one of the first catalogs to reach us this season is that of the old reliable Iowa Seed Company, of Des Moines, Iowa. We see that it has been very much enlarged over previous years, now containing 1 32 pages, crowded with large and varied lists of the best seeds, plants, bulbs, garden tools, and nursery stock; the descriptions are well and concisely written, without exaggeration, and it is profusely illustrated. Nine leading varie- ties of corn introduced by the Iowa Seed Co., and several plant novelties, are shown in natu- ral colors on the two beautiful color-plate pictures, and the cover is handsomely litho- graphed in seven colors. An unusual feature in seed catalogs that will be appreciated by re- cipients of the book, is a section devoted to cut flowers and floral designs, and to cage- birds and gold-fish. The Iowa Seed Co. is favorably known to most of our readers. We would advise those of our readers who do not receive their catalog to send for a copy. Please mention the American Bee Journal when writing. Walter S. Poudcr's New Building. It is now 859 Massachusetts Ave., Indian- apolis. Ind., and in a brand-new building, that Mr, Walter S. Pouder can be found during business hours. The new store-room has every modern equipment to facilitate the handling of bec-kccpcrs* supplies, honey and beeswax, Thia is Mr, Pouder s 20th year in bis particu- lar line of business, and he has made an en- viable reputation for promptness, reliability, and everything else that ^oes toward making a deservedly successful business. 15 PACKETS CHOICE FLOWER and GARDEN SEEDS To introduce our hitrh-grade Seeds we will. mall the following 15 packets and our lars^e illustrated 1909 Catalogue, also a coupon good for 10 cents, all for one dime VEGETABLE SEED: Beet. Cabbage. Cucumber. Lettuce, Onion, Parsnip. Parsley, Radish, Tomato and Turnip. A good kiti.-hen garden. FLOW E It SEED! Bachelors Button, Phlox, harden Heliotrope. Petunia, Porget-me-not. All tested seed and true to name. Satisfaction guaranteed. Order today BL\(;UAAIXON S£E1> CO., 101 Court St., Blnffhamton, N. Y. 1(f Southern New Jersey Truck Farms. The raising of poultry, fruits and vegetables in southern New Jersey has passed the experi- mental stage, and is one of the thriving indus- tries of that wonderful section. The influence of the Gulf Stream and the proximity to the ocean make the seasons there very much earlier than they are less than a hundred miles further inland. Because of this the South Jersey farmer gets early crops, which bring the highest prices. This section is near the Atlantic Coast resorts, where the Easter season is becoming every year more and more extensive. In addition to this, the very desirable mar- kets of New York and Philadelphia are also within easy reach, thus opening up to the farmer and chicken-raiser in this locality prac- tically the best markets in the world. The Daniel Frazier Company, 750 Bailey Building, 1218 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa., has made a great success in selling small farms upon easy terms in this desirable and productive region. The Frazier Company has land within 17 miles of Atlantic City and not far distant from Ocean City, Wild wood, An- glesea, Avalon and Cape May. This land is all very desirable ground for truck-raising, the growing of small fruits and vegetables, and the raising of poultry. It is sold upon the very reasonable terras of $5 down and $5 monthly, the price of 5 acres of this well-located, well-drained, high and dry ground being $100. The Frazier Company will send a hand- somely illustrated booklet and detailed infor- mation regarding this country and its pros- pects, absolutely free, to anyone who requests it _ A Poultryman's Necessity. According to men who know — poultry keep- ers who are practical and successful — there is nothing of greater value in the feed room than a good, easy- working, always- ready bone cutter. Cut green bone, freshly cut of course, is as much part of the regular ration as corn. Con- sequently the necessity of the machine. Many may claim to be good, but there is quite a difference in construction and ease of operation and this is most apparent when one is familiar with the Crown Bone Cutter, made by Wilson Bros., Box 618, Easton, Pa. This handy machine works quickly and sim- ply, turning out the bone-shavings in just the shape for quick digestion by the fowls. One of their catalogs, sent on request, will explain the principle and give you valuable information on egg-laying. Write for it. New Catalog of Binghamton Seed Co. The Binghamton Seed Company's new cata- log cover for 1909 is printed in colors and shows a bouquet of beautiful roses in their natural tints. The catalog itself is very interesting. It I tells about some new and desirable varieties that are probably just what many flower lovers are looking for. But the old popular varieties that have been sold for years by this Company and have won a place with many persons as peerless seeds, are still offered and deserve to interest the new customers as well as the old. "Honest price — honest quality," is the motto of the concern and over 25 years of prosperous and increasing patronage proves that the motto has a real meaning with them. Any of our readers who intend purchasing any flower or vegetable seeds this spring, should write at once for this catalog. It will aid very materially in planning your seed ex- penditure, and will save you money. Address, the Binghamton Seed Co., loi Court St., Bing- hamton, N. y., mentioning this paper when writing. "The Circle" Plan. To show that beauty, and honor, and kind- ness, and joy have not vanished from off the face of the earth, nor out of the hearts of men ; to recognize and exploit the good in social, business and public life; to find in in- dividuals and in families the secrets of the life worth living, and then to tell these se- crets to other individuals and families; to search out and tell in simple, direct language the romance of self-sacrifice, of noble endeavor, of high achievement, of devotion to others — • not forgetting the humble and obscure while admiring the brilliant and famous; to spread the contagion of good until men and women and little children in every great city and every remote hamlet shall be caught in the epidemic; to come close to the hearts of these men and women and little children, and draw them, if we may, close to us in mutual sym- pathy and helpfulness; to encourage and join in their work and their play; to provide sto- ries, and music, and pictures, and fun ; to arouse enthusiasm ; to awaken ambition; to guide this enthusiasm and this ambition into practical, worthy, successful effort, to be a magazine that loves and is proud of the people both in city and in country, in mansion and in cottage, in high position and at the work- bench, and that shall win the love and pride of these people in return — this is THE CIR- CLE plan. "The Circle Magazine" is one of the finest monthly publications in this country. It is $1.50 a year. We j ust know you would be pleased with it. It really ought to be in every home in this land of ours. It is published at Madison Ave. and 26th St., New York, N. Y, Wl- club it with the American Bee Journal — both for one year for only $1.90. This surely is a bargain. gXXTXTXXXXXTXXXXZXXXXXXXZZXXTXZIX: Laivg'stroth on the Honey- Bee Revised by Dadant— Latest Edition This is one of the standard books on bee-culture, and ought to be in the library of every bee-keeper. It is bound substantially in cloth and contains nearly 600 pages, being revised by that large, practical bee-keeper, so well-known to all the readers of the American Bee Journal — Mr. C. P. Dadant. Each sub- ject is clearly and thoroughly explained, so that by following the instructions of this book one cannot fail to be wonder- fully helped on the way to success with bees. The book we mail for |1.20, or club it with the American Bee Journal for one year— both for $1.70 or, we will mail it as a premium for sending us FIVE NEW subscribers to the Bee Jour- nal for one year, with $3.75. This is a splendid chance to get a grand bee-book for a very little money or work. Address, GEORGE W. YORK ®. CO., 118 W. .lackson Blvd., CHICAGO, IIX. Choice White Wyandottes IS eifKs, Ifl.OO; .'iO eggs, $1., SO. INDIAN RUNNER DUCKS 11 eggs, $1.00; 22 eggs, JL.SO. J. F. Michael, Rt. 1, Winchester, Ind BEES FOR SALE in 2-sti)ry liives. for extracted Imney. Writs for prices. C. H. W. WEBER. Clnclnniid, Ohio. American l^ee Journal February, 1909. ST. JOSEPH. MISSOURI 3 BIG SPECIAL NUMBERS January, - Spraying February Gardening March, Small Fruits FREE The Fruit-Grower is the greatest and most helpful farm nia^jazine. Each of these Ept-cial issues contains about 70 (lages, handsomely ilhietrat.'d, cover in colors and weighs almost a pound. One issue is worth a dollar if you have a few trees, plants oragrardi-n butifyuust-nd lOi- stamps or coin, to help pviy Odst of mailing and slinw y m are interet-ted and not writing through curiosity, the three innnbcrs will be sent FREE. VV e cannot afford to send these 1 aperg unless you are interested. The paper is to pood we know you will be a regular reader after you see theFe isEU(s. Regular rate i- a dol'ar a year, but as s(n)n as you answer this "ad." we will send the first number by return nmil and tell you how you can get the paper at half price and also secure Absolutely FREE. Prepaid, a Tree and Vine of "Delicious" Apple and Banner Grape Thepetwo new fruits, besteverintrodured. Apple very finest quality in the world, sold as hitrh as gri a box. Hardy ev.rvwhere. Fill in coupon below AT ONCE. The Fruit-Grower, Box 502 , St. Joseph. Mo. I enclose 10 cents to pay cost of nmiling three FREE special numbers. After receiving them I will either saccept your Special Half Kate "New Fruits Offer" and ubscribe or notify you to stop the paper. Mention Bee Joomal when vrrltlBS> BEE-KEEPERS Write us now for our Catalog and get low prices on good, honest, RRR-KEEPERS' SUPPLIES Onr specialty is making Sections. All other (oodi up-to-date. AUG. LOTZ & SON, Cadott, Wis. 10A34t Please mention the Bee Joarnal. BEE-SUPPLIES Wholesale and Retail Ask us for prices on the goods you will need for this season. Discount for early or- ders. Send us your subscription for Glean- ings—one year and a Bee-Veil for $1.15, post- paid. Send for catalog. M. H. HUNT & SON, Opp. Lake Shore Depot, Lansing, Mich. Hentlon Bee Jonmal whea wrttlnc- DID YOU Ever stop to think what a good investment a few good queens would be? I send out no inferior queens. All my queens are selected, as I kill all that are no good. If you want one or 100. write me. llAtf S. F. TREGO, Swedona. 111. _ We are in the market for Extracted Honey in any quantity. Write us what you have to offer and mail sample. Michigan White Clover Honey Co., 31-33 GrIsKold .St., Detroit, Mich. llAtf mention Bee Jonrnnl when wrttlns. Having come to America witli tlic intention of Learning the Bee-Business I would Ije triad to correspond with bee-keepers established in California, such as are successful and are willing to hire aj'oung man who does not yet fully understand the English languaire. I want to practiceunder the direction of some large bee- keei>er, perfect myself in the language, and learn to manage a large al'iary. L. ROULET, 519 West Eighth St,,' LoslAngeles, Calif. Get Our Prices NOW! J. B. C.Phehs.Prcs. "'HIS means a big savint: to YOU of 62b.50 on buggy shown here — same ratio of saving on over 125 other style vehicles and harness — be- cause of our large factories, enormous purcliases of mate- rial and perfected organization, which means high quality with big saving in manufacture. Because we sell direct to you front factory. We're going to give our customers the advantage of this saving. You never before had an oppor- tunity like this to purchase a Buggy at such a low price. We make over 125 Styles of Split Hickory Vehicles and a full line of Harness—everything made to order— many options given as to finish and trimmings. Let us send you our Big Free Book — it tells the whole story'of "Split Hickory Vehicles"— and it's Free for your name and addi esson a postal. Address H.. C. Phelps. President The Ohio Carriage Mfg. Company "Makers of Split Ulckorj Vi lilil.s" Station 322 Columbus, Oliio Two Years' Guarantee R[[ To prove ihat our "Bliz- zard Belt Evergreens will prow in all parts of the couniry we ofier to send 6 fine Spnn.es ^ to ^ ft. tall, free to property owners. Wholesale value and mailing expense over 30ceiits, To help, send 5 cents or ■ ij jjtmr not as you please. A postal will bring the '■C^t*^ trees and our catalog containing many colored photo plates of our choice Blizzard Belt Fruits, Ornamentals, etc. We want to get acquainted with you and it will pay you to get in touch with our Hardy Bliz- zard Belt trees. 39 years" experience in growing hardy trees here in what was once cilled the Great American Desert. Write today. TBE GARDNER NURSERY CO.. Box 45. Osa^e. Iowa LAWN FENCE Many desltms. Ctieap as wood. 32 pat:e Catalogue free. Special Prices to Churches and Cemeteries. Coiled Spring Fence Co. Box aisWinchester Ind. Boo Supply Everything for Bees We manufacture the latfst ap- proved supplies and sell direct at factory prices. We're old- time bee people in abee country. We know your needs. Early order disconnts. Send for cat- alOR. Don't btiy till it comes. LEAHY MANUFACTURING CO. llTalmage SI., Hiu-L-in^ulh-, M». Houso ALSO, E. T. Flanagan & Sons. Box 4. Belleville, 111. Mention Bee Journal wheii vrrltliiK. McresSlOO $5Down;$5Monthlv FOR SALE AT A BARGAIN About 2000 T-tins for 4i-section T- supers for 10-frame hives ; over 2000 Fence Separators for no-beeway 4ix4i sections ; over 2000 -1^x4^ Section-Hold- ers ; and 250 moving screens for 8- frame dovetailed hives. Have been used. Address, 2A2t M. H. Mendleson^ VENTURA, GAL. in Southern New Jersey near Atlantic City. Soil es- pecially adipted lur fruit, t>erry, vegetable, sqiial-, and poultry-raising. Healthy, prosperous locality; 2 mainline railroads and large town nearby. Ex- cellent shipping (acilities to hest markets in country, Atlantic City, New York, Philadelphia. Early Spring jorces products into markets at iincy prii i-s. Delighttul climate; pure air and water. Tiile insurt-d. Bookkt free. Write t.jdaj - Daniel Frazier Co., 750 Bailey Bldg.. Philadelphia, Fa. Hentlon Bee Journal when vrrltlns. Crotvn Bone Cutter Best Made Loivest Pnce Mention Bee Jonmal vrhen wrItlBS* FEHIi vonr hi-ii'- cut u'recn l-m ami gL't nioreegga. With „ Crown Bone Cutter y"u can cut up all scrap lionci ^„jily and quicklj', and wiihout any "trouble, ontl have cut bimc fresh every day for your poultry . S'Mid at once for free cataloijuc. WILSON BROS., Box '.i , Eastor, Try the New Red Majestic Tomato ■ The greatest vegetable novelty of the season. The largest, most productive and finest tlavored of all. They are not coarse grained and poor like other large sorts hut are of ideal shape, smooth, solid, have very few seeds ."ind are UUSUr- 'i passed in quality. Many cus- tomers report fruits weighing 2 to S ' poundseach. Last year we sold the seed at 40 cents per packet of 100 seeds, but we will now send you atrial ^^\ packet for ten cents. We also offer $50.00 IN CASH ■ the largest toma- ycar t prizes tli to grown Our 1 irge illustrated catalog describ- j, fi mg the above and many other "i Ut > li lice novelties will be ^ 5Z3-^ ■"'"' free ifyoumen- ,^/^;^^ X t"Jmhis paper \ IOWA SEED I CO., DES MOINES IQWA February, 1909. } ^^^a^-c and I will send vou the Farmer's Call every week for bne year (about 1000 pa^-es) and will send mv big Fashion Book to you irt-e, I also agree to sell you any pat- tern you want thereafter tor 5c- I can sell them for 5 cts. because I buy them by the thousand and don't make any profit. I don't want anyj)roflt. I want your subscription to the FARMER^S CALL. You will save many times the cost of my offer in a vear. WRITE TO-DAY. YoQ can use this coupon— cut it oat now and mail to me with 25c— Ic and 2c stamps taken, but a quarter almost always goes safe: John M. Stahl— Knclosed 25c for Farmer's Call (or one year, your hook of patterns, postpaid, and privilege ol buy* i32 patlems at 5c cacli. Name ,,, Very Special Offer Send me 50c and 1 will send you the Farmer's Call for one year, the Illinois Farmer for two years, the Fasnion Book prepaid, with privilege of buyine patterns at 5c each. Use above coupon, out enclose 50c and write I. F. in the corner. Cut out the coupon right now, flU out, and send to JOHN M. STAHL, J. P. Sta., Chicago, III. (Prop. Farmer's Call for past :':, \ t-ara.j IF YOU WANT THE BEE-BOOK That covers the whole Apicultural Field more completely than any other pub- lished, send $1.2(1 to Prof. A. J. Cook, Claremont, Cal., American Hee Journal -FOR HIS- 'BEE-KEEPER'S GUIDE ff Liberal Dlgconntti to the Trade. Mention Bee Journal when wrlv'^nc THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY Has the latest report of all the best work in practical entomology. Articles upon apii. ul- tnre by national authorities appear in it. If you wish the best entomological journal foi the practical man, subscribe for it. $2 a year. E. DWIOHT SANDERSON, Bnglurss Met., DXTBHAM, N. H. n A nyrO' Foot-Power DAIIIlLO Machinery iicuA what J. I. Parent, of Charl- ton, N. Y.. Bays; "We cut with one of your Combined Machinen, Ia«t winter. 60 chaff hives with 7-ln. cap, 100 honey-racko. 600 brood-frainea, 2.'X)0honey-box«-8. and a ifreat deal of other work. Thlawtnt'-r wo haro dfiTible theamoant of bee hlTeR,etc., to niakp. andwe expect todo it with thlR Saw. It will do all yon say It will" c:atAlof( and prlce-llfrt free. Addmw, W. r. A JOHN BARNES, Md Rab7 fit., Rockford, 111. M«BtloD Bea Joaraal *Th«a vrrttlas. "Forty Years Amon^ the Bees 99 "By "Dr. C. C. Miller One of the Best -Known Honey - Producers in all the World THIS book of over 340 pages tells just how Dr. Miller manages his apiaries to produce the most honey, which, in turn, brings the most money. Dr. Miller has been "at it" some 45 years, and so is competent to tell others the best way to be success- ful with bees. In 1903 his crop of comb honey was over 18,000 pounds, and he is not located in the best honey- producing part of the United States, either Northwest- ern Illinois. The book is bound in substantip' cloth, gold-lettered, and is sen* n':^sc- paid for only S' T'. or with the American Bee Journal one year for $1.50. (Or send us 4 new subscriptions to the Bee Journal-with $3.00 -and we will mail you the book free as a premium.) Every bee-keeper ought to have both the book and the Bee Journal, if not already possessors of them. "■ As Dr. Miller gets a royalty on his book— so many cents on each copy sold— every bee-keeper who buys it is thus helping a little to repay him for his effort to lead others to success through his writings on bee-culture. As we have a good stock of these books on hand, we can fill all orders by return mail. This is the time of year to read up on bee- keeping. Better send us your order at once for Dr. Miller's book, and study it carefully so as to make the mostof the bee-season. Address, GEORGE W.YORK ^ C0.."«7ji',?S^o??i?"'' February Cash Discount Two Percent on LEWIS BEEWARE e.xcept on tinware and honey-packages. Send for catalog. ARND HONEY & BEK-8l)PPLY CO. (Not Inc.)' H. M. Arnd, Proprietor, Successors to York Honey & Bee-Supplv Oo., 191-193 E. Superior St., Chicago, 111. Long Distance Teleptione, North 1559 HAND-MADE SMOKERS BINGHAM 0 Extracts from Catalogs — 1907: CLEAN '^'lA Chas. Dadant <& Son, Hamilton, 111.— This is the Sniksr Dcr funi^rn i^A •• recommend above all others. Dtt oMUKbn B^H ° u. A. Lewis Co., Watertown, Wis.— We have sold these Smok- ers for a good many years and never received a single complaint. I ^ A.I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio.— The cone fits inside of the cup so that the liquid creosote runs down inside of the smoker. All Bingham Smokers are stamped on the tin, " Patented 1878, 1892, and 1903," and have all the new improvements. Smoke Engine — largest smoker made $1.50 — 4 inch stove Doctor— cheapest made to use 1.10 — 3)^ " Conqueror— right for most apiaries 1.00 — 3 " Large — lasta longer than any other 90 — V^ " Little Wonder — as its name implies 65—2 " The above prices deliver Smoker at jour post-office free. We send circular if requested. Original Bln^bam Si Hetheringtoa Uncapping-Kdife. T. F. BINGHflM. Farw6ll. MiGH Patented, May 20. 1K7!). BEST ON EARTH. American ^ec Journal j Now Ready The 97th edition of our catalog is now ready. If you have not received a copy and are ready to place an order for any supplies write for a copy. Our mailing list has over 400,000 names, --> time is required to get the entire edi- tion mailed. We e, • ■ .i this so any one may understand why a catalog may not reach him early. The A B C of Bee Culture When we announced the completion of the new edition late in 1907 there was a good deal of satisfaction to notice fhe big buncb of orders on hand, although we did regret the unavoidaL delay in getting the books to some customers who had waited patiently for months. Over two thousand copies of this edition have already been sent out. We be- lieve all urgent orders have been filled. We felt that the change of price to $1.50 postpaid might cause a little slackening in the demand. Not so, however, for in all our experience the orders never came faster. We have also of the English edition a half leathe; it $2.00 and full leather at $2.50, postpaid. German Edition, ABC der Bienenzucht in paper cov- ers, $2.00. Cloth-bound at $2.50, postpaid, to any country. French Edition, A B C de L' Apiculture, cloth-bound, at $2.00, postpaid, to any country. Gleanings in Bee Culture If you haven't seen a late copy of Gleanings you can't tell from any brief description how really magnificent it is. There are many valuable departments, and our subscribers just at this season of the year are telling how much they appreciate the paper. Each issue is very fully illustrated. The covers are done by the finest engravers in Chicago, and our writers are the best in the land. Besides dozens of writers of prominence whose names we can't even mention for lack of space, we have such men as Dr. E. F. Phillips, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture; Dr. Edward F. Bigelow, Associate Editor St. Nicholas ; F. Dundas Todd, former Editor Photo-Bea- con ; Allen Latham, Connecticut, etc. A trial of six months (12 numbers) costs 25c. If in addition to your own subscription you secure others for six months keep loc on each one for your trouble. A liberal cash commission to those who do canvassing for us. Gasoline Engines and Power Honey Extractors For large apiaries, or where the honey comes with a rush and labor is scarce, you should investigate our power machines. A circular of these will be sent on request. THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, MEDINA, OHIO J Bee-Supplies Distributor of Lewis and Root Bee-Sup- plies. We are now prepared to furnish promptly a full line of Supplies and Berry Boxes. Choice new stock just from factory Beeswax wanted. Send fur Catalog. W. 3. McCARTY, Emmettsbur^, Iowa Mention Bee Jonmal when irritlns. BEE-SUPPLIES. HE catalog free, of the latest ? of hives, etc. Our supplies will please you in every way. Prices are right. We can make prompt shipments as we carry a full line of A. I. oot Co. 'a supplies in stock. Don't fail to write us if you are In need of supplies. 8Atf JOHN NEBEL & SON SUPPLY CO.. High HIM. Montg. Co., MO' Mention Bee Jonmal when wrttlna;- Souvenir Bee Postal Cards We have gotten up 4 Souvenir Postal Cards of interest to bee-keepers. No. i is a Teddy Bear card, with a stanza of rhyme, a straw bee-hive, a jar and sec- tion of honey, etc. It is quite senti- mental. No. 2 has the words and mu- sic of the song, "The Bee-Keeper's Lul- laby;" No. 3, the words and music of "Buckwheat Cakes and Honey ;" and No. 4, the words and music of "The Hum- ming of the Bees." We send these cards, postpaid, as follows : 4 cards for 10 cents, 10 cards for 20 cents ; or 10 cards with the American Bee Journal one year for 80 cents. Send all orders to the of- fice of the American Bee Journal, 118 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, 111. MARSHFIELD BEE-GOODS FRIEND BEE-KEEPER— We are prepared to fill your orders for Sections. A large stock on hand. Also a Full Line of Bee-Supplies. We make prompt shipments. MARSHFIELD MFG. CO., Marshfield, Wis. lOWA-J. W. Bittenbender. Knoxville. Greeory & Son. Ottumwa. KANSAS-S. C. Walker & Son, Smith Center. MICHKiAN-LcnBst & Koenig, 127 South 13th St..Sa(rinaw. E. S. S. D. Buell. Union City. NEBRASKA— Collier Bee-Supply Co.. Fairbury. CANADA- N. H. Smith. Tilbury. Out. ARIZONA— H. W. Ryder, Phoenix. MINNESOTA-Northwestem Bee-Sup- ply Co., Harmony. ILLINOIS- D. L. Durham, Kankakee. OHIO— F. M. Hollowell Harrison. TEXAS-White Mfg. Co.. Blossom. WISCONSIN— S. \V. Hines Mercantile Co., Cumberland. J. Gobeli, Glenwood. BIG DISCOUNT On all Bee-Supplies until .May 1. Send for 1909 prices. I can save you big money. IlAtf W. I). SOFER, Jackson, Mich. UentloB nee Journal when irrltlBK' E^ £\f\f\ Lbs. Clover and Basswood mW II II I Honey— nice, well-ripened '-' ^-^ ^-^ ^-^ -in 5-gal., round, bail-han- dleTcans. $5.50 per can here. Sample free. Mathilde Candler, Cassville, Wis. loAet mention Bee Jonmal when wrIUnv. February, 1909. American Hee Journal "FALCON" Air-Spaced Hives are the best all-the- year hives for the bee- keeper who uses no bee- cellar. Can be packed with chaflf if desired. »» "Sections Foundation Of the highest quality, a trial order will convince. BEESWAX WANTED Highest price in cash or supplies. Write for Cata- log of full line of our Bee- Keepers' Supplies. Feb. discount, 3 percent. W. T. FALCONER MFG. CO., Jamestown, N. Y. ^oney anb ^ 23ee5tpax4^ Chicago, Jan. 21. - The movement in honey is not as active as we had hoped for, still there is more being sold than at this time last year. Perhaps one reason that may be cited is that all around this city the crops were very heavy and producers have brought it in to their friends, and left it at grocery stores to sell. No. 1 to fancy comb honey is 12 to 13c, with the other grades from 1 to 3c less : white extracted ranges from 7 1-2 to 8c ; amber. 6 1-2 to 7c : dark honeys 5 1-2 to 6c. Beeswa.x in good demand at 30c. R. A. Burnett & Co. Denver, Jan, 22.— We quote No. 1 white comb honey, per case of 24 sections, $3.15; No. 1 light amber, $3.00: No. 2, $2.75. White extracted honey, 8 1-3 to 9c: light amber, 7 1-2 to 8 1-3c: amber, "strained," 6 3-4 to 7 l-4c. We pay 24c per pound for clean yel- low beeswax delivered here. Our market is ove rstocked on honey, and the demand is light. The Colo. Honey Producers' Ass'n. Cincinnati, Feb. 6. - The market on comb honey is very quiet: there are some sales being made at 14c for No. 1 white honey, but the demand is not brisk. White clover extracted honey is selling at 8c in cans: sage at 9c: amber honey in barrels is selling at 6c. Beeswax is selling slowly at 32c. C. H. W. Weber. New York. Feb. 5.-There are no new features to report in comb honey. Market continues decidedly dull and very little moving. As we stated in our last report, for the time being we cannot encourage shipment of comb honey of any kind. De- mand fair for extracted, with sufficient sup- ply of all grades. We quote California white sage 9c: li^htamber, 7 1-2 to 8c: am- ber, 6 1-2 to 7c : white clover, 8 to 8 1.2c : West India and .Southern 60 to 75c per gallon ac- cording to the quality. Beeswax, quiet at from 28 to30c. Hii.dreth & Segelken. Zanesville, Ohio, Jan. 22.-For white comb honey grading from No. 1 to fancy, producers could now secure from the job- bing trade 13 to lie. However, very little honey is offered, and indications are that locks will be cleaned up before arrival of Headquarters for Bec-Supplics NOTICE:— Notlvithstanding the death of Mr. C. H. W. WESER. the business Ivill be carried on the same as here- tofore, and under the same name. Soliciting your future patronage, 1 am. Yours truly, CHAS. H. WESEK. c. H.W.WEBER "s:.r Office and Salesrooms. 2146-48 Central Ave. Warehouses. Freeman and Central Aves. the new crop, notwithstanding the fact that the demand is still abnormally light. There is scarcely any demand for extracted locally. No. 1 to fancy white comb goes to the retail grocery trade at 16c. Beeswax brings on arrival 29c cash, or 30c in exchange for merchandise. Edmund W. Peirce. Toledo. Jan. 21.— The market on comb honey is quiet as usual at this season of the year. We quote fancy and No. 1 at 15 1-2 to 16c in a retail way. We have no other grades to offei-. Extracted white clover in cans or barrels is worth 8 to 8 l-2c. Alfalfa honey. light amber. 7 l-2c to 8c. Beeswax 28c cash, or 30c in trade for first-class yellow wax : oflf grades 2c less. Griggs Bros. & Nichols Co. Kansas City, Mo., Feb. 8.-The market is well supplied with both comb and extracted, with some improvement in the demand, and the surplus stock in the hands of growers is practically all shipped. We look for a little firmer feeling. We quote sales as follows: No. 1 to fancy comb, 11 to I2c : No. 1 amber.lO to lie: white extracted, 7 1-2 to 8c; amber extracted, 7 to 7 l-2c : No. 1 beeswax. 25 to 28c. C C. Clemons Prod, Co. Indianapolis, Jan. 21.— There is a very favorable demand for best grades of both comb and extracted honey, and while job- bing houses are fairly well stocked, very little honey is being offered by producers. Ifnote some arrivals of fancy white comb at 12 l-2c ; No. 1 white at 12c. White clover ex- tracted in 5-gallon cans at 7c. Some amber honey is being offered, but the demand is so slight that prices are irregular. Beeswax is steady at 29c cash, or 31c in exchange for goods. Walter S. Pouder. HONEY *!!? BEESWAX When consigning, buying, or selling, consult R. A. BURNETT & CO. 199 South Water St, Mention Bee Jonrnal Chicago, III when TVTitlns. LAST chance; ■"fnupp Hoof 3 i^noda at a cliMcount. Wfiriv*' 2 percent (liscount (.nail nrderw rf^-flved in Feh. Our Htock of liec-ki'opers' Bappllea Ih complete. PIIXHKK & PALMEK, 1034 MifiHisfiippI St., St. PanI, Minn. Wrltp for Free Books of Instructlou. ^*^ We will Buy and Sell HONET of the different grades and kinds. If you have any to dispose of, or if yon intend to buy, correspond with U9. We are always in the market for Beeswax at highest market prices. Hildreth & Segelken 265 & 267 Qreenwlch Street NEW YORK, IN. V. HONEY for sale. 50 cases Amber. Buckwheat and No. 2 white. S2.50 per case, in 6-case lots at $225. or the 50 cases to one person at $2, 24- sect. to case : nice, thick, well-ripened am- ber at 7 l-2c. two 60-pound cans to case. QUIRIN'S famous strain of Bees and Uueens for sale in season. QUIRIN-THE-QUEEN BREEDER, Bellevue, Ohio Carloads of Bee-Keepers' Supplies Serirl liHt of KiiofLs wanterl, tor b^*8t price. I not only KU.Tr.'intct.* Cflicapo frel^lit-rato, Itut will equali/.o c)n frci^rlit, if .vou ilvo at a fllstance. Dis- tnncn i.«4 no harrior. Catalofi; rnndy. Scnri for it. Bees tor 8al« In moflorn lilve.s. H. 8. IXJBY, St. Anne, III. February, 1909. American liee Journal Before buying your Comb Foundation or disposing of your Beeswax be sure to get our prices on Wax and Foundation, or get our prices on Working Wax into Foundation. We are also in a position to quote you prices on Hives, Sections and all Other Supplies. We give Liberal Discounts during the months of November, December, January and February. Remember that Dadanl's Foundation is the very best that money can buy. We always guarantee satisfaction in every w^ay. Lan^stroth on the Honey-Bee (new edition), by mail, $1.20. Send for our prices on Extracted White Clover and Amber Fall honey. DADANT 4tmann. of Cook Co., III. March, 1909. American Bee Journal j publishp;d monthly by GEORGE W.YORK S COMPANY 116 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, III. IMPORTANT NOTICE. THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE of this Journal la 75 cents a year, in the United States of America, (except Chicago, where it is $1.00), and Mexico; Id Canada 85 cents; and in ail other countries in the Postal Union, 25 cents a year extra for post- age. Sample copy free. THE WRAPPER-LABEL DATE indicates the end of the month to which your subscription is paid. For instance, " dec09 " on your label shows that it is paid to the end of December, 1909. SUBSCRIPTION RECEIPTS.-Wedo not send A receipt for money sent us to pay subscription, bat change the date on your wrapper-label, which tbows that the money has been received and credited. ftdvertising Rale, per flgate Line, 1 5c. 14 lines make one inch. Nothing less than 4 lines accepted. Discounts: 3 times 14c a line 9 times lie a line 6 " 12c" '* 12 " (1 yr.) 10c a line Reading Notices, 25 cents, count line. Goes to press the 6th of each month. National Bee Keepers' Association Objects of the Association. I8t.— To promote the Interests of its members. 2d.— To protect and defend its members in their awful riKhts. 3d.— To enforce laws against the adulteration of honey. Annual Membership Dues, $1.00. General Manager and Treasurer— N. B. France, PlatlevlUe, Wis. ^" If more convenient. Dues may be sent to the publishers of the American Bee Journal. "Songs of Beedom" This is a pamphlet, 6x9 inches, con- taining ID songs (words and music) written specially for bee-keepers, by Hon. Eugene Secor, Dr. C. C. Miller, asd others. They are arranged for either organ or piano. The list includes the following: " Bee - Keepers' Reunion Song;" "The Bee-Keeper's Lullaby;" "The Hum of the Bees in the Apple- Bloom;" "The Humming of the Bees;" "Buckwheat Cakes and Honey;" "Dot Happy Bee-Man;" "Bee-Keepers' Con- vention Song;" "The Busy, Buzzing Bees :" "Spring-Time Joys ;" and "Con- vention Song." The pamphlet is mailed for 25 cents, or sent with the American Bee Journal one year — both for only 90 cent^. Send all orders to the Ameri- can Bee Journal, 118 W. Jackson, Qii- cago, 111. Booking Queen-Orders for 1909 $4.00 for 6 queens; $2.10 for 3; or 75c for liaiian Queen-Bee A Standard- Bred For a number of years we have been sending out to bee-keep- ers exceptionally fine Untested Italian Queens, purely mated, and all right in every respect. Here is what a few of ttiose wlio re- ceived our Queens have to say about them : What They Say of Our Queens GEORGE W. VoRK & Co. :— The two queens received of you some time ago are fine. 'J'hey are guud breeders, and the workers are showing up fine. 1 introduced them among black bees, and the beea are nearly yellow now, and are doing good work. A. W. SwAN. Nemaha, Co., Kan., July 15. 1905. George W. York & Co.:— After Importing queens for 15 years you have sent me the be&t. She beeps 9X bangstroth frames fully occupied to date, and, although 1 kept the hive well contracted, to force them to swarm, they have never huilt a queen-cell, and will put up lOu pounds of honey if the How lasts this week. CHA8. Mitchell. Ontario, Canada, July 22, 1905. George W. Yohk & Co.:— The queen I bought of you has proven a good one, and has given me some of my best colonies. N, P. Oglksby. Washington Co., Va., July 22, 1905. George W, York & Co.:— The queen I received of you a few days ago came through O.K., and 1 want to say that she is a beauty. I Immediately introduced uer into a colony which had been queenless for 2n days. She was accepted by them, and has gone to work nicely. I am highly pleased with her and your promptness in tilling ray order. My father, who is an old bee-keeper, pronounced her very floe. You will hear from me again when 1 am in need of something in the bee-line. E. B. McColu. Marion Co., 111., July 13. We usually begin mailing Queens in May, and continue there- after, on the plan of ''first come first served." The price of one of our Untested Queens alone is 75 cents, or with themonthli American Bee Journal one year— both for $1.20. Three Queens (without Journal) would be ¥3 10, or 6 for $4.00. Full instructions for introducing are sent with each Queen, being printed on the underside of the address-card on the mailing-cage. You cannot do better than to get one or more of our fine Standard-Bred Queens. Address. GEORGE W. YORK Hens Are Kept and an Average cf 250 Chickens THE PHILO SYSTEM IS ESPECIALLY VALUABLE TO THE FARMER AS WELL ADAPTED TO ALL CLIMATES The Philo System is Unlike all other Ways of Keeping Poultry and in many respects it is just the reverse, accomplishinir thingrs in poultry work that have always been cunsidered innposbibte and (ret- ting unheard of results thut are hard to believe without seeing. However, the facts remain the same and we can prove to you every word of the above statement. ,^ The New Syttem Covert All Branches of the Work Necessary For Success From selecting the breeder* to marketing the product. It tells how to get eggs that will hatch, how to hatch nearly every egg, and how to raise nearly all the chicks hatched. It gives complete plans In det'il how to make everything necessary to run the business and at less than half the cost required to handle the poultry business in nny other manner. There is nothing complicated about the work and any man. woman or child that can handle a saw and hammer can do the work. Two Pound Broilers In Eight Weeks. Are raised in a space of less than a square foot to the broiler without any If^ss and the broslers are of the very best quality, bringing, here, three cents per pound above the highest market price. 4^ Our Six-Months-Old Pullets Are Laying At The Rate Of ^ 24 Eggs Each Per Month, ^fV in a space of two square feet for each bird. No green 'ut bone or meat of any description is fed, and the food is inextensive as com- pared with food others are URing. Our new book. THE PHILO SYSTEM OF PROGRESSIVE POULTRY KEEPING, gives full particulars regarding these won- derful discoveries, with simple, eaf^y-to-understand directions that are right to the point, and 6fteen pa^es of illustrations showing all branches of the work from start to finish. It also tells how to make a brooder for twenty-five cents that will automatically keep all lice ofT the chickens or kill any that may be on them when In the brooders. Our New Brooder Saves Two Cents on Each Chicken No tamp is required. No danger of chilling, overheating or burning up the chickens aa with broofJers using lamps or any kind of fire. They also keep all lice off the chickens automatically, or kill any that may be on them when placed In the brooder. Our book gives full plans and the riffht to make and use them. One can be eaaity made In an hour at a cost of from 25 to 50 cents. A Few Testimonials Vallpy Falls N. Y. Sept. 5. 190: my imvilege to spend a we^k in EIniira dunng August, during I saw the practical working of the Philo System of Keeping Poultrv and was surprised at the result accomplished in a amall comer of a city yard. Seeing is believing they say, and if I had not seen, it would have been hard to believe that such results could have followed go small an outlay of apace, time ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ¥ ^ ¥ ARE THEY WORTH SAV1NG?4 AS THE CITY OR VILLAGE FANCIER AND IS ALL BREEDS AND ALL PEOPLE October £1. ItOH. ■* P S.--A year's obeerva'ion. and some experience of my own, confirm me in what I wrote Sept. 5, ICOT. The System has been tried bo long an(l by so many, that there can be no doubt as to its worth and adaptability. It is especially valuable to parties having but a smnll place for chickens; seven feet square is plenty for a flock of seven. I Address, E. R. PHILO, Publisher, 420 Third Street, Etaira, N. Y. | O •^ ".Jr "3^ *^ "i^ "iL* it* ilr *Si* 'A* "it *^ "jL" 'If it "it 'S^ *if "it *i!r 'if *3f "^ llf '^ "^ *llf "Jif it it iL* it 'if it it it it it it Don't Let the Chicks Die in the Shell One of oiir secrets of success is to »ave all the chickens that are *^* fully developed at hatching time, whether they can crack the shell or not It is a simple trick, and believed to be the feciet of the Ancient Egyptians and Chinese which enabled them to sell the chicks at 10 cenUadozen. It takes hut a minute .t» have « chick and no skill' required. Note Whftt Othert Say ^>f This ''Trick of the Trade" RlNCWfKin. Ont,. Can.. May fi, I(*OR. ' DlaR SiR;"Some time ago I got the Philo System and must say it is the best book I ever read on Poultry. I have tried th** "Trick of the Trade" and saved twenty-two chickens which otherwise would have died. Yours truly, Roy Mover Bethleheh, Pa., April 25. 1M8. Dear SlR;--Your book safely to hand, and have derived great benefit from it. especially "A Trick of the Trade." Respectfully yours, G. H. Stanifortm Potomac, III., May, 1I*0H, Dbar Sir:-! am using your System of Progressive Poultry Keepmg and consider it the best work on Poultry Raising I ever read. In my last hatch I saved twenty*three chickens by following the article. "A Trick of the Trade," Yours truly. Freo JANl^.oN _^ March, 1909. American Vae Journal SPECIAL CLUBBING and PREMIUM OFFERS In Connection With Tiie AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL Sample copies free to help you interest your friends and get subscriptions. If you will send us names of your neighbors or friends we will mail tbem sample copies free. After they have received their copies, with a little talk, you can get some to sub- scribe and so either get your own subscription free or receive some of the useful premiums below. They're worth getting. We give you a year's subscription free for sending us Iwo new subscriptions at 75 cents each. BEE-KEEPERS' NOVELTY POCKET-KNIFE Tonr name and address put agfs, bdund in cloth. Price alone, $l.-'ii. with a .vear's subscription, $1,70. Given free for 4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. ••The Honey-Money Stories."— A 64- page booklet containing many .short, bright stories interspersed with facts and interest- ing items about honey. The manufactured citmb-honey niisrepresentatiun is contradict- ed in two items, (^ach o<'cupying a full page. Has 33 line illustrations of apiaries or apiarian scenes. It also cantains 3 bee-.>*ong9. This booklet should be placed in the hands of everybody notfarailiar with the food-value of honey, for its main object is to interest peo- ple ia honey as a daily table article. Price 25 cents. With a year's subscription, 90 cents. Given free ior one new subscription at 75c. Three copies for 60 eentsr or the 3 with a year's subscription, $I.oo; .'P the 3 copies given free for 2 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Amerikanische Bienenzucht, by Hans Buschljauer, is a bee-keepers' handbook of 13H pages, which is just what our German friends will want. It is fullv illustrated and neatly bounounds. Vou pay express charges. Price $1.:>0. With a year's subscription, $2.00. etter than a poor one. There are strains of bees that will give double the profit that others will. ."Xnd so one might go on adding to the list. If a number of experienced bee-keepers were each asked to make out such a list, perhaps no two lists would be ex- actly alike. But one thing would most certainly be found in every list. It might be called by different names, "a bee- book," "a text-book," "a book of in- struction about bees," or what-not, but all would mean the same thing. Just think what it would mean to a beginner if he should have the advan- tage of asking all the questions he liked of some veteran in bee-keeping. A book of instruction in bee-keeping does more than this. It answers the ques- tions he would be likely to ask, and also many others that he would not think to ask; and yet these latter might be the most important for him to know. To make the best of one's bees, r,ne should have some knowledge of their management before actually undertak- ing the work, so the wise beginner will have a book of instruction before get- ting the bees. Unfortunatelv there are many who begin bee-keeping without any book as a guide. Quite a number of those who thus begin find out in some way that there are papers published that treat upon bee-keeping, and subscribe for one or more, whereas a bee-book would be the right thing if both book and paper can not be had. It is to the interest of the .\merican Bee Journal to get all the subscribers possible, but truth compels the statement that if a beginner has not money enough for both the book and the paper, the book should by all means have the preference. Although, of course, he ought to have both. Even with a single colony, some mis- iake may be made, either by doing the wrong thing or failing to do the right thing, which would have been avoided if a book had been previously studied, and that mistake may cost more than the price of a book. With more years and more colonies the price of the book will be paid many times over. Too much emphasis can hardly be placed upon the importance of a good bee-book to every beginner. Size of Bees Some time ago not a little was said as to getting bees of larger size, in the hope of getting larger crops of honey. -Some, however, were of the opinion that increased size does not necessarily mean increased crops. Prof. Graf (Prak. Wegweiser) says that, just as it hap- pens among men, that men under size often accomplish the most, so it is among bees. He has been breeding from the best, and it so happens that his best bees arc under the average in size. Drone-Comb in Supers As a matter of economy, some prac- tice giving shallow starters to swarms instead of full sheets of foundation. Then, to avoid rearing a big lot of drones, all drone-comb built in these brood- frames is used in extracting-su- pcrs. This is considered an advantage, as the larger cells certainly allow a little cleaner extracting with the same rate of speed. But as there is always a lack of drone-comb in the brood-chamber, viewed from the stand-point of the bees, they seem to think that this drone-comb should be reserved for the use of the queen ; so it hinders to some extent the storing of honey in extracting-combs. There is nothing like testimony from actual experience, and Wm. L. Cooper, in Gleanings, says : "I have had considerahle experience along, this line, and my conclusions are against drone- comh as a rule. I have several times under- estimated the amount of foundation needed, and had to start swarms on starters. Result, a lot of drone-combs which I placed above ex- cluders in extracting-supers. As a general thing, bees store in the worker-cells, leaving the drone-cells clean and jjolished, ready for the queen to lay in if she can get at them. If they are crowded they will store in them; and, indeed, they generally start to fill them about as soon as they start capping the work- er-cells. The only exception to this rule, I have noticed, is in the case of a freshly-hived swarm, which will store in drone-comb freely." Perhaps those are right who say: "It is nothing short of a piece of extrav- agance to have anything less than full sheets of foundation both in brood- frames and sections." Co-operation in Michigan Said co-operation is only in the bud vet, but it may bloom and bear fruit. E. B. Tyrrell, in the Bee-Keepers' Re- view, proposes that the Michigan Bee- Keepers' Association become a stock company, organized under the State laws. Stock is to be issued at $io a share, although each meinber is to have the marketing privileges if he pays only his annual fee of $i.oo. .\t Detroit is to be a central depot, with a manager; Directors to meet at the close of the harvest and agree upon the price for honey, to be sent out as advice. Each member is to have control of his own honey, even after it is sent to Detroit. Editor Hutchin.-ion seems to think co- operation might succeed as well in Michigan as in California and Colorado. Success to the Wolverines. The "J. G. D. Hive" The Rev, J. G. Digges is the editor of the Irish Bee Journal. He is also the author of "Tlie Irish Bee Guide," a book which has called forth the waro March, 1909. American ^ac Jfourn^j CSX commendations, and some of his friends think he should invent a hive to be named "The J. G. D. Hive." It has not yet materialized, but he has got so far as to give quite a full description of the hive that he has in liis head. Without giving the full description, the following excerpt, giving just one item, may serve to show how far ahead of all other hives is to be the "J- G. D." : *'An external gear, operating in the roof gable, would revolve the brood-nest at any speed required, and setting in motion a special uncapping apparatus within, would extract the honey without disturbance of the frames, and would cause all foraging bees to regurgitate immediately upon their return, the honey and and crude nectar discharging underneath into a ripening tank, kept up to a temperature of 66 degrees by a novel process of heat dis- persal from the agitated bees within. At a speed of 30 revolutions per second, artificial swarms would be thrown out in any season, at a moment's notice, by the centrifugal force developed. A slower motion, keeping the po- sition of the entry constantly changed, would render attacks by robber-bees impossible." But after detailing the great advant- ages of the hive. Editor Digges is not blind to the inconvenience that would arise from the introduction of the best hive in the world — the great loss from consigning to the scrap-heap the whole outfit already on hand of hives at pres- ent in use. Then he thinks of the pos- siliility that some one might be so fool- ishly blind to his own interest as not to adopt the "J. G. D. Hive." Of such a one he says : "His wife and family would repudiate him as an ass. His acquaintances would look askance at him on the roadside, and would say one to anotlier — 'Lo ! there is the idiot who hasn't a "J. G. D. Hive."' * * * And his bees would swarm, and cast, and hunger-swarm, and would hie them to other apiaries, where self-respecting bees would congregate in 'J. G. D. Hives.'" ... *l .At the thought of bringing such ca- lamity upon any human being, his ten- der heart is appalled, and so it is to be feared that the only place where the great "J. G. D. Hive" will ever be seen is on the pages of the Irish Bee Journal. Pointer to Those Buying Queens A question of importance that often comes up may be worded after this fashion : "Would j-ou advise me to buy a tested or an untested queen?" Tlie usual answer is: "A tested queen — she will cost you inore : but you arc more certain of having good stock, and you can afford to pay the extra price for that certainty." But there's another question that might be asked ; "Is it better to buy a tested queen, or to put the same amount of money into untested queens?" A concrete example of this nature occurs ill Gleanings. G. C. Greiner was to liave 30 untested daughters of a certain clioice queen, but the death of this queen intervened to prevent, and in place of the 30 untested queens for $30, he was offered 6 of her tested daugh- ters for the same money. Editor Root says : "But he replied by saying he would much prefer to pay $30, the amount he has appro- priated, for 30 untested queens from an extra- choice breeder than fur 6 extra-select queens from that same breeder at $5 each. His argu- ment was this: That out of the 30 untested he could himself select at least five or six uueenf, that would be the equal of our $5 queens; and, besides, have all the others, two dozen, ranging in valuation from $2 to $3. No, it did not pay him to buy high-priced queens; hut he thinks it is a good practice to lay in a good stock of choice untested queens from a fine breeder, and Mr. Greiner is right." Sliallow Chamber Below Brood John Silver makes use of this in a way that some may think worth con- sidering. He says, in the Irish Bee Journal : "In working for sectioiis in an out-apiary, I use a reversible bottom-board which will admit of a 3-inch shallow frame under the brood-chamber and below the level of the en- trance. These 3-inch shallow frames are placed on top at first, to catch the early gathered honey and to enable the brood-chamber to be tilled with brood right to tlie top-bar: the fir-^t section rnck is put between these and* the brood, and as soon as the sections are well started these shallow frames are placed below the brood. This plan will work well every time. (i) It makes a much larger brood- nest available early, and right up to the top-bar; (2) bees are certain to take at once to the sections; and (3) it gives them an overflow chamber at the right moment to pre- vent swarming." This is something after the manner of the "eke" that is a constituent part of the "W. B. C." hive, as described in the latest edition of the British Bee-Keep- ers' Guide, page 46. Mr. Cowan says this eke, "^ inches deep, when placed l>eIow the shallow-frame box, converts the latter, on an emergency, into a tem- porary brood-chamber. This 'eke' can be used below the body-box in winter, or inverted and used above in spring, for tucking in wraps and making all snug and comfortable." 0)i5cellaneou flews -Items Indiana Foul Brood Law Passes We have received the following brief but "rejoiceful" letter, dated March 5, from Mr. Ponder, of Indianapolis : Dear Mr. York: — Our foul brood measure is now a /fl7f. This is certainly good news for Indiana. Rejoicingly. Walter S. Pouder. We congratulate Indiana bee-keepers on their success. We hope the time may soon come when every State will have ;i much-needed foul brood law. tion. except tliat wc ihmk it shnuhi go west of the Mississippi River, as it has met in the East the last two years, and the year before that in San Antonio, Tex. No doubt the Executive Commit- tee will soon canvass the applications and suggestions as to place for the next meeting, and decide, so that all bee- keepers who would like to attend it may begin to make their arrangements for being there. The Next Meeting of the National We have received coinmunications from Mr. J. J. Measer, of Kansas, and E. E. Lawrence, of Missouri, suggest- ing that the next meeting of the Na- tional Bee-Keepers' Association be held in Kansas City. Sioux City, Iowa, has ;ilso been mentioned as a suitable place for the meeting. And there has been quite a call from the far West for the ne.xt meeting of the National, especially in the region of Salt Lake City. The ( irand .AriTiy of the Republic is to meet there August 9 to 14. The round-trip rate from Chicago at that time will be $37.40, with a 30-day limit, and stop overs at any points on the return trip. No doubt a proportionate rate will apply to various parts of the whole United States. Many will remember tliat some years ago the National followed the Grand Army, and always had a good attend- ance on account of the very low rate on all the railroads. The National has never met in Salt Lake City, and, in fact, has had only one meeting west of Denver, and that was in 1903, when it went to Los Angeles, Cal. Personally, as a member of the Executive Commit- tee of the National, we have very little choice as to the next place of meeting for the National Bee-Keepers' Associa- A Mummified Lizard in a Hive Some time ago Mr. C. T. Wise, of Acton, Calif., sent us a lizard that a col- ony of bees had covered with propolis in their hive. It is quite a curiosity. Mr. Wise wrote the following letter at the time : Editor .\merican Bee Journal — I send under separate cover a small Cali- fornia lizard or "swift," that I found "mum- mified" in one of my colonies of bees. The little animal had evidently entered the hive at the front and run to the rear, where it had been killed by the bees, and then encased in propolis so as to preserve it in its present condition. It was somewhat of a curiosity to me, and I thought it might be interesting to you. C. T. Wise. We wish to thank Mr. Wise for his thought fulness in sending us the speci- men referred to. We took it to the last meeting of the Chicago-Northwest- ern Bee-Keepers' .Association for the inspection of those who were present. We also read there the above letter sent by Mr. Wise. Apiculture in the United States We have received from Dr. E. F. Phillips, In Charge of Apiculture, at Washington, D. C, Bulletin No. 75, Part 6, being "The Status of Apiculture in the United States." It was issued Jan- uary 25, 1909, and can be secured for 5 cents by addressing the Superinten- March, 1909. American l^ae Joarnal] dent of Documents, Government Print- ing Office, Washington, D. C. (Postage stamps are not accepted.) The pamphlet is a very complete one, indeed, as it covers a great many points of interest not only to bee-keep- ers, but to every one else at all interest- ed in the resources of our country. ^\ccording to the census of 1900, the average number of colonies among far- mers reporting them, was 5.8, valued at S14.40: and the number of those who rely wholly on the production of honey and beeswax for a livelihood is very small. Referring to the extent of the in- dustry of bee-keeping in this country, the pamphlet says that the average value Hawaiian Islands, and is nicely illus- trated. It is an exceptionally interest- ing production, and no doubt every one of our readers will be pleased to have a copy. It is nice for bee-keepers to know about every part of the United States and its island possessions along the honey-producing line. We will not attempt to report very much from this pamphlet, excepting to say that the total number of colonies in the Hawaiian Islands is about 20,000, and the annual output of honey, prac- tically all of which is extracted, is prob- ably 600 tons, although the crop for 1908 may be nearly 1000 tons according to a recent report from the Hawaiian entomologist. Mr. J. E. THf)RSTAn and Apiarv. of honey produced annually, is $20,000,- 000: of beeswax, about $2,000,000. There are in the United States over 700.000 bee-keepers. The annual importation of honey amounts to about 2,500,000 pounds, and that of beeswax, about 700,000 pounds. The honey-bee probably does more good to American agriculture as a pol- lenizing agent than as a honey-producer. We might go on making other ex- tracts from the pamphlet referred to, but wtjuld prefer that each of our read- ers should order it for himself, and thus get the benelit of everything con- tained in the pamphlet, which is worth many times the small amount of 5 cents asked for it. It seems the apiaries are run by cor- porations owning several thousand col- onies each. They are organized so that their bee-supplies are purchased in car- lots, and their honey is also sold in a similar manner. We would advise all of our readers who are sufficiently interested, to send to Washington not only for the pam- phlet on Hawaiian bee-keeping, Init also for the one mentioned in another item, the one on bee-keeping in the United States. Bee-Keeping in Hawaii llulletin So. 75, Part .s, issued Janu- ary 19, 1909, by tlie Department of Ag- riculture at Washington, D. C, is "A t'.rief Survey of Hawaiian Bee-Keep- ing." It gives a very complete account of bee-keeping on the Hawaiian Islands, which, although one of the minor in- dustries, is being conducted with profit. Dr. E. F. Phillips, In Charge of Api- culture, so well known to our readers, prepared the pamphlet, which can be had for 15 cents liy addressing the Su perintendent of Documents, (jovcrn- nient Printing Office, Washington, 1) C. C Postage stamps are not accepted. I The pamphlet contains a map of the Apiary of J. E. Thorstad I he honey season this year was very good. I got 4,000 pounds from 40 colo- nies, spring count, and have now 53 colonies left in good condition. Enclosed please find postal which con- tains my picture and 7 supers with 33 pound-sections in each super, or 231 l)ound-scctions. This was all filled by one colony of bees. It shows that my supers are made differently from oth- ers, as I manufacture them myself. 'I here is a glass place in each end, which makes it possible to see when the sections become full of honey. J. F.. TnoRSTAi). Blair, Wis., Dec. 18. and other countries a multiple uncapper that is figured and described in the Irish Bee Journal. Both sides of the comb are uncapped at the same time. On each side is a series of triangular knives, reminding one of the cutter-bar of a mowing machine. It looks as if it might be somewhat expensive. Simmins Uncapper The l-'.nglish expert, Samuel Simmins, I',a^ patented in dreat Britiiin, .\merica, A Letter from Austria We have received the following from Mr. Alex. Schrceder, who visited us last fall: Dkar Mr. York: — Returned from my short visit to the United States, I feel it my duty to thank you and all vour countrymen I had the pleasure to meet, for the cordial and friendly reception I found all over the coun- try, which showed me land and people in a very fair light. I called upon Dr. Miller, in Marengo, and Mr. Horstniann. in Chicago, and was so for- tunate as to make the personal acquaintance of the former and family, while I was very sorry no: to meet Mr. Horstmann, he being absent from home, but was well received by his good lady and son, who showed me his bee-yard and work-shop which I found fully up-to-date and very interesting. Young "Leslie" opened one of the hives having a side glass, and showed us a very fine and strong Italian col- ony. In Marengo we found Dr. Miller and family very busy scraping sections, of which they had taken over ig.ooo; and we had the pleas- ure of seeing the various implements in bee- keeping used with you; for instance, a ma- chine to stick foundation into the sections, which being very simple, is sure to last long and to satisfy the worker. In Washington we met Mr. Benton, whom we knew for so many years, ever since he first came over to liurope with D. A. Tones, of Canada, to get the Cyprian bee. wliich I had iirovided to Mr. Cari. in Bruex. Bohemia, and Count Kolowrat. Tabor. Bohemia, some years before. He was very interesting, and showed us through the beautiful city of Wash- ington; and we also had the pleasure to see one of his apiaries in Virginia, near Claren- don. I thank you all for your kind reception, and am very glad I have seen at last some of the -\merican bee-keepers and bee-keeping witli which I was in touch for so many long vears through the "old reliable" American Bee Journal. On my arrival home I found my bees all right, and only in need to be packed up for winter, which I do with old bags and news- liajiers. My hives are on the Dzierzon i)rin- cijile. mostly 3 stories high, and can be built up to very strong colonies. I also have hives which can be built up to 40 frames of about 25 centimeters square. The largest "take" I ever got from one colony was Kilog. 42 fequal to about 83 pounds), and in one year I had an average of K. 10 (or about 22 Iiounds) per colony, fall count. My ajiiary is near the town, and the building of houses continues all around our villa, so that in not a very long time we sliall become town-folks, and then the crops of honey will, of course, be reduced still more. But as long as my bees find enough for their winter feed. I will not give up this hobby whicli I have prac- tised now for over 34 years, and. except for the stinging, which nobody likes. I have found it full of interest and jileasurc. At your request I enclose a picture of my apiary. The shade is in front (facing south) and the bee-house more to the left on wbiclt a disk is attached, showing a bee in the cen- ter, and around is the inscription, "11 mio non sol' ma I'altrui ben procuro." the motto of the Italian Central .\ssociation of Bee- Keejiers in Milan, which has about the same meaning as the motto on the button you pre- sented to mc. "Our toil doth sweeten others." In the fnmt wall 4 large hives are fixed, which face west and are handled from the in- side in a room, from which the bees escape through a turning window. I can increase the number of my colonies up to so. Fifty- three was my largest number, but during the last years I have reduced the number to be- tween 30 and 40. I run only for extracted honey, which friends of mine take as fast as produced, at a crown per 500 gram.s (it cents per pound) in glass jars. This price has been the same ever since I have been selling honey, and when today there is a demanil for honey March, 1909. American Hee Journal in Trieste (a town of over 200,000 inhabi- tants) it is in consequence of ray slow but steady work for the benefit of bee-keepers in general. The house has also a lower room where the bee-work is done, as pressing and sticking the foundation into the frames, extracting, etc. In the shade are 30 hives capable of 24, 20. and 16 frames, according to the strength of the colonies. In the rear is an old cement filter turned downward like a straw skep. and makes the home of a strong colony; also an old queen-rearing box from Sartori, in Milan; all other hives have, as a matter of course, the same frames, which I can interchange and reverse at pleasure. With the colonies I have, I have built up quite a library on bees, con- sisting of books and treatises on bee-keep- ing summing up to over 300 volumes, besides a goodly number of journals. American bee- literature makes a fair number of these. In this country flows of honey, as it is the fashion with you, are about unknown. We have fair honey-producing plants, and some countries in Austria have also very good honey crops, but "takes" as sometimes reported from your country sound like fairy tales to us. Alex. Schroeder. Trieste, Austria, Dec. 15, 1908. The picture of Mr. Schroeder's apiary appears on the front page of this num- ber. Mr, and Mrs. Schroeder visited the United States last fall, and got as far west as Chicago and Marengo, 111. it be noted that in this case, instead of being of poor quality the wax was very fine. Mr. Greiner says : I notice what you say in the "Editorial Comments" in last issue about propolis and wax. My experience is somewhat different. For several years I made it a practise _ to save all scrapings from sections and section- holders, wide frames and supers. One time I had nearly a kettleful, perhaps 2 gallons. I placed this on the stove while I was busy doing other work, and from time to time, after the wax had melted, I turned off the wax, which, being lighter than the propolis, would come to the top and separate. I worked away thus till but little more wax seemed to be contained in the molten mass, when I poured the remainder out on a board. When I weighed the wax I had nearly 2 pounds, and the color was a beautiful yellow, of much bet- ter quality than what I obtain from the steam press. ■•- A Long Sting! Prak. Wegweiser reports that a boy working near bees happened to be stung at the same instant in both ears. Howl- ing with pain he yelled, "Gracious Pe- ter ! I didn't know a bee had a sting long enough to reach through from one ear to the other !" water to moisten the surface of the sugar. Other experiments have con- vinced him that bees making a "find" convey the intelligence to others, ami the nurnber of bees then sent out is in proportion to the amount of treasures. Apiary of G. N. McMannan. of Carlton, Colo. We are sure our readers will enjoy reading the foregoing letter, and also be glad to learn of the safe return of Mr. and Mrs. Schroeder to their be- loved homeland. Apiary of G. N. McMannan I am yet young at the bee-business and have only 150 colonies in the yard of which I will send you a picture. I extract the most of my honey. My crop was light this year (igo8) — about 3,000 pounds. I can sell all of my honey at 10 cents per pound. G. N. McMannan. To Keep Ants Out of Hives Bert H. Masters, in Gleanings, puts his hives on stands or benches with ash- es under the stands to keep the grass from growing, and under each leg of the stands places a small lid filled with pine tar. This needs replenishing about twice during the summer. Wax From Scrapings On page 5 was an editorial on this subject, and an instance was given in which about an ounce of wa.x was ob- tained from each pound of scrapings, the wax being of poor quality. This would not give very great encouragement to- ward this sort of saving, although it was there stated that scrapings of a dif- ferent quality might have given a difer- ent result. It is a pleasure to be able to give an instance of what may very likely be nearer the usual, from a very good authority, Mr. F. Greiner. Let Raspberry Honey Granulating Complaint is made in The British Bee Journal that in the famous Blairgowrie district raspberry honey "granulates very rapidly in the combs, and sections in consequence will not keep all win- ter." Complaint of, that kind has not been made here. Perhaps the kind of honey was not to blame, for in the same place clover honey has the same fault, according to the same writer. Honor to an Apicultural Leader The University of Berne has named the Swiss leader, Ulrich Kramer, "Eh- rendoktor" (the honorary title of Doc- tor) in consideration of his scientific and practical services to bee-culture. A well-deserved recognition. Crimson Clover Honey Crimson clover yields honev of uniform quality; it is about on a par with buckwheat, and neither is satisfactory where honey for later use is worked for."— British Bee Join- nal. Can any one tell us whether crimson- clover honey in this country is as dark as buckwheat? Intelligence of Bees Gaston Bonnier, the great French authority, put pieces of sugar in his garden. The bees could not bite off any of it, but he marked the ones that tried. He watched them fly to their hive and later return with reinforce- ments, stopping on their way at a water- ing-place, where they secured enough Foul Brood and Damp Climate It is suggested, in the Irish Bee Jour- nal, that Ireland suffers so severely from foul brood because of its damp climate, and reference is made to dry climates where foul brood is unknown. But, good friends, Colorado is noted for Its dry climate, and foul brood rages there. Much the same mav be said of California. Foul brood may be un- known in South Africa, but not because of its dry climate. Foul Brood Laws for Iowa and South Dakota We have received the following in regard to foul brood laws for the States of Iowa and South Dakota ; Editor American Bee Jot;ENAL — In the February issue of the American Bee Journal there is an item by F. L. Shawler of bilver City, Iowa, in regard to a foul brood law for the State of Iowa. At the third annual convention of the Western Honey-Producers (a tri-State asso- ciation) held at Sioux City, Tanuarv 20 and 21, 1909, we had two foul brood laws drafted one for Iowa and one for South Dakota. The bouth Dakota law is passed, and we are work- ing hard for the Iowa law, which is being pushed by Representatives Stoddard, of Mills Co., and W. L,. Harding, of Woodbury Co. We will get the law if we can have the sup- port of the bee-keepers all over Iowa, and would be glad of any assistance the American Bee Journal could give in getting bee-keepers to write to their local representatives. Mr. N. E. France was present at our con- vention in Sioux City, and helped draft the laws referred to. We are hoping to have a State bee-keepers' association established next fall for Iowa, and also a Department of Apiculture in connection with the State College at Ames. Edward G. Beowx. Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. March 8. We hope that every bee-keeper in Iowa will do everything possible to help secure the foul brood law referred to by Mr. Brown. Surely, every reader of the American Bee Journal in that State will do all he can to help. Write to your members of the Iowa legislature. We wish to congratulate the South Dakota bee-keepers on tlieir success in securing a foul brood law so speedily. March, 1909. American ^ae*Journal Conducted by EMMA M. WILSON. Marengo. 111. Hives in Winter — Swarming. Dear Miss Wilson: — I have never kept bees before, and I would like to ask a few questions. .Are the hives to be entirely closed during the winter, or is the opening to be free so as to allow the bees to come out? We have had a few warm days which have brought the bees out. and I found a great many dead bees near the hives. How can one distinguish the queen-bee from the rest? What time do they swarm? Does swarming have any effect upon the amount of honey that is stored? Is there any way to prevent bees from swarm- ing? Mrs. R. Smith. Detroit, Mich. Hives must never be entirely closed ill winter. The amount of opening de- ])ends upon circumstances. .-\s far north as you are, if bees are wintered out- doors, the opening at the entrance should be small, say 4 inches, or per- haps as much as 8, by %. while 'way down South far enough, the full en- trance should be given. But if bees are kept in the cellar ( and cellaring is likely tlie best thing for you), then you can not have too large an entrance. Our bees in the cellar have an entrance 12 by J inches. If you shut bees up cntirelv. tlic air in the hive will become foul, and, besides, some bees will try to get out at times, and when they find they can not it is said they raise a hue and cry, stirring up the whole community, and bees should be kept just as quiet as pos- sible in winter. Don't worry too much about seeing dead bees about the hive after a warm dav in winter. Bees are dying off from old age all the time, and they better die out of the hive than in. If a colony is half as strong in spring as it was in the fall, be thankful. .^t the time when a queen is laying — you will hardly be looking for her at any other time — she is quite a bit larger than other bees. Her abdomen, or soft hind part, is longer than her wings, which is not the case with workers. You will not be likely to make any mis- take the first time you see her. In your locality, a colony may swarm in the time of fruit-bloom. Rarely, how- ever, until white clover is in bloom, say somewhere in the first part of June. Yes, indeed, swarming has a big ef- fect on the honey crop. If we only had bees that never swarm, bee-keeping would, be three times as easy. Take a colony that would produce 100 pounds n( honey if it didn't take a notion to ■•warm, and if it swarms at right time it may not produce a pound of honey, To prevent all swarming is a problem that is generally too much for the veter- ans, and perhaps it is hardly worth while for you to tackle it until you are a little better seasoned. The most that is generally attempted is to prevent all swarms after the first, which is not such a diflicult matter. When the swarm issues, hive it and set it on the old stand, putting the old hive close up against it. .\ week later, move the old hive 6 feet away — farther will be better. That will throw all the field-bees into the swarm, weakening the mother colony so it will give up further swarming. The swarm will be strong, and from it you ought to get your honey, if the season is good. Now let me answer a question you haven't asked. Yes, it will be the most profitable investment you can make to buy a bee-book. You will learn more in one year with it than you would in 10 without it. Without first studying some good tc.xt-book you are pretty sure to make mistakes, and even with only a single colony you might make a mistake that would cost you twice the price of a book. Yes, indeed, it will pay you well to buy such a book. Then you will still have plenty of questions to ask, and your questions will always be welcomed in this department. Success to you. Honey-Tea for Indigestion. Our good friend, Miss Sadie A. Butts, sends the following, taken from the Michigan Christian .\dvocate : "Honey ii a medicinal curative agent, with bland, healing, feeding, fattening, nerve-sooth- ing. propertif s of the highest value in disease." So writes .\rchibald Hope, of Macclesfield, in an interesting booklet just issued, entitled "Honey and Health." Honey, he explains, in "nature's form of sugar," and claims that honey-te.". will cure indigestion, and that if taken, hot an hour before meals is a remedy for dyspepsia. "Honey-tea" is made by dis- solving a tablespoon ful of honey in a cup of freshly boiled water. The "te."." should be sipped as hot as possible, three or four times a day, before meals. Many types of colds, cough'i and sore throats, Mr. Ilope says, may be cured by honey. _, Education and Bee-Keeping. It seems that education and bees go more or less together in California. The following clipping concerning the daughter of one of the best known bee- keepers has been sent by Charles Trout^ who. by the way, Is obtaining an educa- tion by the production of honey: GETS EDUCATION BY KEEPING BEES. Rearing and selling queen-bees is the novel way which .Miss Flora Mclntyre, a student at the University of California, has adopted to work her way through college. Miss Mclntyre is now in her senior year at the university here, and will be graduated with high honors with the class of 1909, next May. Not only has she succeeded in paying all her college expenses by rearing the queen-bees, but she has a snug nest-egg for a start in life when she receiver! her degree. Miss Mclntyre's father is a prominent bee- kceiier. Four years ago she conceived the idea ^f rearing bees to pay her expenses through the university. She started work and soon had a large bee-farm which became more and more profitable. , When she had realized $200 from the sale of bees she came to this city and registered as a freshman in the college of social sciences. For Whooping Cough. Boil down a handful of fresh crushed Cor dried) haws with a pint of water, and sweeten with honey. Continue to take of this tea frequently throughout the day, and the suffering will be pallia- ted and the cure hastened.— Prak. Weg- weiser. A Sister's Interestuig Questions. Dear Miss Wilson:— I have only 3 colonies of bees— my first year. They have been drag- ging out bees and killing them until it got too cold to do so. Are they the drones, or weak voung bees? ^ 2. How long does it take to fill a super ot 2.'. sections, if it is a good year? 3. Should I remove the super as soon as 4. bo you approve of the fences between sections in supers' . 5. Do bees need water at any time? It so, how do they get along in winter? 6. Will 1909 be a good year for honey, or was the white clover killed by dry weather . 7. Is that the best for honey ? Isn t fruit- bloom as good? -, .- ■ I, ., 8 Do the bees need .my ventilation in hot weather if there are 2 holes at the top of the brood-chamber, also an opening at tne bottom? -. « *) n.v Bloomington, 111. Mrs. E. P. Day. 1 They are probably the old dead bees that' thev are carrying out. A good many of the old bees die during the winter. , , , ., 2 It depends a good deal upon tin. management. If kept very crowded it might be filled in a week, and if plenty of super-room is given ft may take two weeks, or longer. We prefer to give them plentv of room, and more time. 3 The super should be taken off as soon as finished, or even before quite done if best results are obtained as to whiteness of comb, and the unfinished sections returned to be finished. 4. Some prefer fences, but we pre- fer the plain wood separator. But fen- ces are a sort of necessity with plain sections. , , . 5. Yes, bees, use a great deal of water, and h is a pretty good plan to provide them a watering place in spring and during the summer. In the spring if warm water is given it will save a good many bees that would otherwise be lost by being chilled by cold winds while searching for water. In winter they arc not rearing brood, but remain in a partly dormant condition, so get along with little or no water. The vapor from the bees condenses on the hive walls and furnishes some water, and there is also some water in the honey. 6. Can't tell. Let us hope it will be "a" good yca"f.' Likely fh-e dry weather has left enough white clover bloom, but even with abundant bloom white clover doesn't always yield nectar. 7. Very likely white clover is the most important honey-plant in your locality. In some places basswood or something else may be of more importance. If you had only fruit-bloom to depend upon, you might never have a crop of honey;' but it is of great value in build- ing up colonies. 8. Yes, if the holes are large enough. Bees need lots of ventilation. American Vae Journal Conducted by LOUIS H. SCROLL. New Braunfels. Tex. Texas 1909 Prospects. The weather has been very changeable for the last few weeks ; and although unusually warm for this early in the season, we have had several cold spells every few weeks apart. These lasted only a few days, generally, and then "good old summer time" would reign again. From a bee-keeper's standpoint the season opened up too warm and early — too far in advance of the bees. Every- thing was beginning to appear spring- like, and the buds were swelling to the bursting point when the cold snaps came and checked them. Laws writes this fr Mr. W. H. Bee County : "The weather of a few weeks ago I believe was a benefit to the bee-forage in this locality, are much more advanced with their brood-rearing, and unusually strong for this time of the year, and could perhaps take care of an early season, the weather conditions so early in the year are sel- dom favorable. It is better then to have both the bees and the forage in the best condition when the April weather is at its best. And with just such conditions wouldn't the honey flow ? Apiary of Grant Anderson This apiary is stocked with the best Carniolan bees. The foundation stock was sent me from the Government Api- aries at Washington. The camera caught but a small portion of the apiary. While this is a queen-rearing apiary, it also contains over lOO strong colonies bees, but I have never known a total failure in the honey crop. In l'905 I offered queens for sale and was fairly successful, and my trade in queens has increased each year. I have 6 apiaries located around Sabi- nal, and keep 4 races of bees— j-Italians, Carniolans, Banats, and Goldens. My favorites are Banats and Carniolans. ' My honey seldom goes out of Texas', but my queens go to all States in the Union, except Maine, and quite a good many to England and the West Indies, Canada, and Mexico. While the honey crop in this county never fails entirely. I don't know of any one who has made a fortune out of bees. In this locality the honey crop this year is about an average. ]\Iy best colony, an early swarm, gave me 185 pounds of white comb honey. Gr.ant Anderson. Sabinal, Tex., Oct. 31. "Shaking" the Bees to Work. ■ Regarding the above, Mr. Byer, page . 44, seems to doubt whether there is nnich in it or not. He is quite right to n certain extent, when he says that the "shaking" so much advocated a few years ago is not so popular now ; still, I know that it is used to a more or less extent by a great number of bee-keep- ers. It is true, however, that there is not such a how! made about it now as A C.=iRNIOLAN AFIARY BELONGING TO Gr.^NT ANDERSON. OK .SaEINAL. TEX. as it was colil enough to nip all the tender growth that the previous mild weather had forced out. .And if the cold had not come when it did, we would undoubtedly have been the loser, for the brush was too far advanced for the season. Now it will be April, as it should be, before the 'waheah' and 'catclaw' will be anything like ready for the bees. And we want April weather and balmy days when the bees and forage are both right." The same holds good for the most parts of the South. Although the bees run for honey. My bee-keeping experi- ence dates back over 30 years, but I was not in a good location, and did not try to keep more that 50 colonies until 1908. I am a blacksmith and carriage-builder by trade, but was obliged to give up my trade on account of my health failing in 1903, when I moved to Uvalde Coun- ty, with 80 colonies of bees. Like many others I have ups and downs with the was made then. But is this not true with all new (?) things? As they get to be older — and even those that are adopted and used extensively — they are soon little talked about, or "are not nearly so popular any more." Yet they are quietly used by thousands of bee- keepers the land over. It is the same with "shaking" bees to accomplish one thing or another. I March, 1909. American Hee Journal used it long before the noise several years ago, and have continued to use it with a great deal of satisfaction. It would be well to mention, however, that I have not made it a rule to use it in a wholesale way for any reason. But there are so many uses to which the shaking of a colony of bees can be ap- plied that there is enough in it to be worth a good deal. It might also be well to mention here that while I am an advocate of "shak- ing energ)- into bees" and getting better results, and more work out of thein, I do not advocate going too far with the matter. In this respect I am not quite in accord with the Williams idea of "shake, shake, and shake again," every little while, to make the bees go to work. In the first place it seems too cruel a thing for me to do, and then it would consume too much time with a great number of apiaries. Keeping a colony stirred up at cer- tain times of the year, v.-hijh can be done during certain hive-manipulauor. . will bring good results, however. .\nil the "shaking method" can be used suc- cessfully in swarm-control, for intrti- ducin.g queens, nuclei-making, moving bees short distances, and in numerous other things as well. Logi.«Iation for Bee-Kcj-pers. That is news to me — page 45 — relative to an amendment to the California foul-brood law. Texas is just contem- plating the same kind of a change, ap- parently, viz. : to provide for an annual appropriation of $2500 to carry on the work, which will be put in the hands of the State iMitomologist of the E.\peri- ment Stations, in whose power the State foul-brood law has been placed. An extra person is to be appointed as Chief Inspector of Apiaries to look after the work in all parts of the State, with full authority and supervision, under the direction of the State Entomologist. Since the State is such a large one. and it is impossible for one man to cover the entire territory, deputy dis- trict inspectors may be appointed where needed. This will be very much like that of California, and while Mr. Pryal does not favor it, I have been inclined to believe that we can make it work very satisfactorily here. Beps Allowed to Build Comb. There are conditions when bees se- crete perhaps more wax than under or- dinary conditions, and during such times it might be wise to make use of this in allowing the bees to build a certain amount of combs. Too much should not be depended upon this, however, for I am sure that, after several experiences, I have lost quite a good deal tiy sup- posing that bees would waste much wax if not given a place to use it. Conse- quently my views differ somewhat from the position taken by Mr. Aikin, as quo- ted on page 37. An experience that opened my eyes last year showed very conclusively that it was a mistake to suppose that it was a waste to give comb foundation in full sheets to colonics that were working "full blast" in the midst of a splendid honey-flow. Conditions were most fa- vorable in May for wax-secretion and comb-building. Supers were being given every 8 or 9 days until every colony had from 6 to 7 30-pound shallow- frame comb-honey supers on. The average j-ield was 180 pounds per colony. For years it was my rule to use full sheets of comb foundation in the first one or two supers given, or until the bees were secreting w-ax so freely that it was considered a waste to do so So the third and following supers received only 1-3 or 1-2 sheets. Having considerable beeswa.xlast spring I had it converted into super founda- tion, and used it more freely, so that full sheets were being given in all, even the third and following supers. It hap- pened that on account of a delay in ship- ment of a part of our foundation, we ran short, and therefore were compelled to till a goodly number with only 1-3 and 14 sheets. The results were a great surprise to us. Instead of the bees using the "great quantities of wax they were supposed to be secreting," all the colonics given supers with less than full sheets of foundation fell behind fully 10 pounds of comb honey to the super. We had saved an average of 10 cents in foundation per super, but lost $1.20 of honey for it. This proof was so con- vincing that I shall use full sheets throughout^ now, supers and all. I have always advocated nothing less than full sheets for brood-frames. During a poor season the difference would have been greater. It may be well to mention here that I have seen the bees use poor white wax to stop cracks with, and daub it in other places even when they had comb to build, so that this can not have great weight. .\s a producer of both comb and extracted honey. I have had other similar experiences. ^nadiaii nSeedom Conducted by J. L. BYER, Mount Jny. imi. How the Bees Are Wintering. At this date (Feb. 19) naturally we are beginning to speculate as to how the bees are going to winter. All my bees with the exception of the 35 colonies mentioned in another item, are out of doors and heavy with buckwheat honey. They have not had even a partial flight since November, and from present indi- cations I would judge that there will l)e some loss from dysentery, as a few colonies show unmistakable signs of the complaint already. Last fall, as 1 had detected no honey- dew present in the hives, I decided to risk the buckwheat honey for stores, but if there is any trouble this year, it will be the last time I will take any chances on wintering without a goodly portion of the stores being sugar syrup or clover honey. The bees that are in the cellar are on sugar stores for the most part, by reason of the smaller hives they are in, necessitating more feeding in the fall. If the bees that are on the buckwheat stores could have had a flight in Janu- ary, it would have had a good influence on them, no doubt, but that flight was conspicuous in its absence. How much difference a few miles one way or another in a locality may make, was forcibly brought to my notice a short time ago, when on Jan. 24 all the bees from 'I oronto and west had a glnr ious flight, while at my place, about i.; miles east of that city, everything was shrouded in a dense fog on that date. .Sometimes one good flight makes the difference between good wintering and Iiad wintering, and there is a possil)ilily that this may be the case this vear. This winter as a whole, would be classed as milder than usual, but, on the other hand, we have had practically no snow, and the bees have been fully ex- posed to what cold weather we have had. With the hives well protected with snow, severe weather is not felt by the bees nearly as much as is the case when the hives are open to the wind all the time, even if the tempera- ture does not go extremely low. Clover looked good in the fall, and I do not think there has been weather to injure it yet, but of course the spring is the critical period for this plant. Since writing the foregoing, the bees have had today (Feb. 22) a partial flight, and with the exception of two or three colonies that show signs of dysentery, all appear to be wintering well, so per- haps the flight they missed in January did no harm after all. Here in this locality it is quite common for the bees to go 4 months, and often 5 without a cleansing flight, yet if the stores are good we find no trouble to winter them successfully. In this connection I often wonder what the reason is therefor, when I see. in the bee-papers reports stating bad results when perchance the bees had to go 7 or 8 weeks without a flight. Cellar-Wintering of Bees. While at the llrant District Rcc-Keep- ers' convention, held in I'.rantford dur- ing the last week in January, R. F. Hol- termann kindly took the writer out to the mammoth bee-cellar of lloltermann & Foster, some 2 miles outside of the March, 1909. American Hee Journal cit}-. This cellar, probably one of the largest on the continent devoted ex- clusively to the wintering of bees, has combined in its architecture all that is known of the scientific and practical, in so far as the indoor method of winter- ing of bees is concerned. The cellar has been described in the bee-papers, and is also fully illustrated in the "A B C and X Y Z of Bee-Culture," so it would be waste of time to enter into details at this time. At the time of our visit, there were over 500 colonies in the cellar, and all were so quiet that only a faint hum was perceptible, notwithstanding the fact of the two of us looking at nearly every colony with a lighted candle. While the cellar is constructed with a view to using artificial heat if required, yet this winter, so far, a fire has not been start- ed. In lieu of this, Mr. Holtermann had the inside of the walls packed well with quite a thickness of straw, and up to the time of my visit he had not thought it necessary to use the stove, and, if I am correct, he was under the impression that better results were being obtained than was the case when they formerly had to use the sove. Certainly the bees were in the very best of condition on Jan. 29. Unlike most cellars, the floor above, or ceiling, has no sawdust or other like material, but is, if I remember correct- ly, constructed something on this order ; A tongue-and-groove flooring, felt pa- per, air-space, and then another tongue- and-groove flooring. Bees in a cellar to tlie number of 500 or more colonies, must generate a lot of heat, as on the day of our visit the wind was blowing a perfect blizzard from the east, and it was very cold. Yet notwithstanding the fact that a large ventilator was open in tlic floor or ceiling, and the outside cel- lar doors at the east side partly open, the thermometer was at 43 degrees. While in the cellar, Mr. Holtermann had a good joke at the writer's expense, and I may as well tell of the matter now and be done with it. While groping around in the semi-darkness, looking in the entrances of the hives, suddenly we came to a couple of strange looking ob- jects that in the deep gloom reminded me of incubators. Naturally I figured it out in a hurry that Mr. H. was like other well-known bee-men, going into the chicken business. Imagine my feel- ings when in answer to my inquiry, he said, "Why, those are Aspinwall hives !" Now I am perfectly familiar with these hives, in so far as that can be possible without using them, and I want it un- derstood, no matter what may be said to the contrary, that it was the darkness that deceived me. Joking aside, the Aspinwall hive, as now constructed, is, in its style of ar- chitecture, so different from all the old familiar patterns, that it is not to be wondered at if people should be de- ceived as to what they are for, even if seen in daylight. Returning to the cellar, I believe it has always given good results, with the exception of one winter when a number of colonies were badly affected with dysentry, owing to the presence of some honey-dew in the hives. This reminds me to remark, that no matter how im- portant the nature of the repository for wintering may be, the quality of the stores is still more important. Just a few days ago a well-known Ontario bee-keeper wrote me that his bees were very restless in the cellar, and were spotting the hives badly, although it was as early in the winter as Feb. 5. This cellar is very dry and of equable tem- perature and has given good results during the past winters, so there seems to be no question but what the quality of the stores must be to blame for the present ill conditions. When the letter came telling me about the restless bees, I 'phoned to the farm- er in whose cellar I have 35 colonies, and he said that he had just been down cellar, and found the bees very quiet. Now this cellar is damp, in fact is sit- uated in a springy locality, the floor be- ing wet nearly any time of the year, but the stores in the hives are good, and that fact explains why the bees are not restless in a cellar that certainly can- not be called well adapted to the winter- ing of bees. The bees wintered excel- lent in this cellar last winter, and from present conditions we are hoping for like results again this season. As a par- tial offset to the dampness mentioned as being ever-present, I might say that the bees are only separated from the fur- nace by a partition of inch boards. Whether this furnace is a benefit or not, I am not able to say, as the bees were not wintered there before the furnace was installed. Too Early Brood-Rearing Not De- sirable. In a late issue of Gleanings, Editor Root tells of a colony of bees that they have in their office, where the tempera- ture averages 68 degrees, the bees of course having an entrance by way of the sill of the window to the outside. He reports that the bees are doing well, and brood-rearing going on as in the month of May, and from this fact he grows en- thusiastic and says that they are con- sidering the idea of putting up a house- apiary, the same to be heated by steam all winter, to a temperature of 70 de- grees. He says, "One could have tre- mendously strong colonies in the early spring. While brood-rearing would necessarily consume stores, yet the trade of syrup or honey for young bees would be a good one." The plan at first glance may look a trifle alluring, yet with all due regard for Mr. Root's arguments on the ques- tion, I venture to say that the advant- ages to be gained are more visionary than real. It is a well-established fact that brood-rearing wears out bees as fast as, or faster than, honey-gathering, and to my mind this early breeding would be simply sacrificing not just one bee for another, but more like two old ones for each young one reared. With a lot of brood in the hives, bees will fly out in weather unsuitable even under ordinary conditions in the late spring, and it is but natural to assume that this condition of affairs would be much more aggravated if the brood-rearing were forced forward under normal surround- ings. Personally, I would be inclined to think that no returns would be re- ceived for the stores consumed by the early breeding, and, on the contrary, that the powers of the queen, bees, etc., would be drawn on to a positive dis- advantage to the colony. Granted, for the sake of argument, that the forcing system would bring the bees through the winter "tremendously" strong in the early spring, it is just a question if that condition would be de- sirable in localities where the main flow comes two or three months after that date. A colony wintering well, under normal conditions, will be in the very best condition by the time clover opens, and that, in my opinion, is the goal we should be aiming at. While I always like to have colonies strong, yet some of my best results have come from colonies that were just right when the flow opened, and this experience has no doubt been duplicated by scores of bee- keepers. Honey vs. Sugar. The latest statistics, make it clear that Canada and the United States consume, on the average, about 80 pounds per capita of sugar. Why should not a goodly percentage of this sweetness be honey instead of sugar? Certainly there is no good reason why this should not be the case, yet if we were to sug- gest such a condition, lots of people, including some bee-keepers, would laugh at the idea. The writer has six broth- ers and sisters, and whde we were all home on the farm, with our parents and hired help, the family averaged twelve. For a number of years we never used less than 600 pounds of honey per an- num. This was extracted honey, and I suppose, on the average, there would be another hundred pounds of comb honey as well. In telling this to some folks, I have heard them remark that this was altogether out of the ordinary, and some few would even hint that this was really too much of a good thing. Now I have reason to believe that the continual presence of real good honey on the table, (we never kept any other kind for our own use) lessened the con- sumption of sugar, and from the general good health of the family, it is certain that the honey did no harm, leaving out the possibility that it may have even been a benefit. Yes, I believe that it would be to the good interests of the consuming public, as well as to the pro- ducing bee-keepers, if half of the 80 pounds of sugar could be substituted by honey instead. Indeed "substituted" is hardly the right word, as it is generally supposed to mean, "replacing with some- thing just as good," but in this case we believe the honey instead of sugar would be something "quite a bit better." Breeding from the Best. The importance of breeding from our very best colonies is great, and is becoming better understood as the years go by; and the bee- lrarch, igog. American ^ee Journal ferent parts as I like tliem best, and made the can deep enough to hold about 200 pounds below the reel. If any should presume to say, "the thing won't work." I refer them to Fig. I, which shows the machine complete, together with some choice "honey" (the very best kind) "taken" with it. (It was ''extracted" after the ceremony of snapping the kodak was over.) Leslie, Ga. Increase by Dividing Colonies BY C. P. DADANT. Mr. D.\d.\n'T: — I have read your book, "The Hive and Honey-Bee," and last spring pur- chased a colony of bees in a large box-hive. During the summer I noticed that the bees were lying out of the hive and clustering at)out the outside in large numbers. I con- cluded to try an experiment. I put a mov- able-frame hive under the box-hive, so that the two would freely communicate. After a few days, noticing that the bees seemed to have moved into the lower hive, I removed the upper hive and put it on a new stand. At first it seemed to have but very few bees left, and the new hive seemed to have all the working force. But within a very short time the old-hive colony became the stronger again, and I now have 2 good colonies. Why would not this be a good method of "swarming" the bees to avoid all the trouble incident to natural swarming and having to watch the bees? What do you think of this method? Has it ever been used? Illinois. The above method was probably the first one ever used for making artificial swarms, being the most elementary and simple. Bernard De Gelieu, Radouan, Soria, and others, in the early part of the 19th Century, used "dividing hives," that is, hives which were made of sev- eral parts to be separated either hori- zontally or vertically, as desired, each part or section being removed from the others at will ("The Hive and Honey Bee," pages 135-6, latest edition). This was before the time of movable-frame hives, and there was no way to go into the details of artificial swarming. When you add a section or a hive- body under an already well filled hive, during the spring laying, at the begin- ning of the flow of honey, the queen moves to that part as the bees fill it with comb, and she begins laying eggs in the cells, abandoning the part which is already filled. Just as fast as the young'bees hatch out of the abandoned portion the workers fill the cells with honey, for they always aim to keep their honey above the brood-cliamber. By the method which you have pur- sued, if you had not separated tlie two hives to make a division, the bees would have eventually filled the upper hive en- tirely with honey. Your removal of the upper hive was done after the queen had moved down to the lower hive and before the brood in the upper hive had become too old to supply young queens by the rearing of queen-cells. If done at any other time, the operation would have been a failure. At the time of the removal the upper hive was left with only young bees, brood in all stages and honey, and they had to rear a queen, while the lower hive secured the old queen and all the working force. It was a good combination and therefore successful. But apiarists prefer to make absolutely sure of what they arc doing, and that is why they practice what has lately been called "shook-swarming," by which method or methods (for there is a great variety of ways) they do about what you did, but make sure of se- curing the queen in the new hive and young brood or queen-cells, or some- times, also, a queen in the other part. In the different methods of swarm- ing by artificial means there are a few points which 'must be kept in mind ; 1st. A queenless colony is not well suited to build combs, because queen- less bees build drone-combs exclusively. This is a natural instinct of the bee. .\s long as they have a queen at hand that is likely to make a demand for worker-cells in which to lay, a queen young and vigorous, that is not fa- tigued by protracted laying, they build worker-combs. Whenever the queen has a large amount of worker-combs ahead to be filled, the bees turn their atten- tion to building large cells which tak-f less time and material, and may be used indifferently to rear drones or store honey. There are times, also, when the queen is tired of layino- eggs that are fertilized as they pass the spermatheca. and desires to lay drones-eggs which, not being fertilized on the way. give her perhaps less pleasure but also less fatigue. .\i those times the bees will also build mainly large cells. When they have no queen, they naturally build such combs as are most readily built, therefore large cells. Such combs are not desirable in the brood apartment of the hive, for a large number of them is sure, sooner or later, to secure a large number of drones, and a conse- quent increase of expense without profit. It is, therefore, of the utmost import- ance that the portion of the colony which is left queenless for any length of time be entirely supplied w'ith combs, at least until a young queen is hatched. 2d. A sufficient number of young bees should be secured in the hive in which no hatching brood is left, to help care for the first eggs hatched into larv.-e. Very old bees, such as have roariied over the fields for days, are unsuitcd for brood-rearing. Their jelly-produc- ing salivarv glands are more or less atrophied from non-usage, and young bees are much superior to them for feeding the young larvae. In the econ- omy of a natural swarm, young bees that are then taking their first flight will be the ones to remain in the hive to care for the first brood. This has been ascertained beyond the possibility of a doubt, through the introduction of queens of different races in colonies at different stages of the season. A swarm- ing colony of common bees, containing an Italian queen inserted only a few weeks before, and having only a few young Italian bees along with the swarm, will show this fact very plainly, for those young yellow bees will be the ones to remain at home in the new abode, to care for the new brood. 3d. The colony which is deprived of its queen when tlie division is made must either be supplied with a new queen at once or must have incans of rearing one. By the introduction of a queen reared previously, or purchased from a reliable breeder, we serve sev- eral purposes. We save time, because if the bees are compelled to rear their own queen, if will be 2 or ,3 weeks before she is able to lay eggs, from the time when the division has been made. The furnishing of a queen of selected stock is also an advantage, be- cause we may prefer the stock of one colony to the stock of another, either because they are more gentle, or more productive, or nearer to our ideal. The improvement of the races can only be carried on tfirough the changing of the queens, and swarming time is the proper time to make changes in races without much loss of time or money. 4th. If the queenless portion of the divided colony is allowed to rear its own queen, it must have young larvae, and must be carefully watched so as to prevent it from sending forth an- other swarm. It often liappens that queeidess colonies containing a large amount of brood, in a very warm sea- son and when the crop is heavy and the cells filling rapidly, will rear a large number of queen-cells and swarm to excess witli the young queens first, hatched. If we aim to control swarm- ing in a positive manner, we must watch this matter also. Personally, the objection I have to this method of dividing very large colo- nies is. that I want to keen these large and powerful colonies undivided in or- der to secure the honey crop from them. We always have a number of colonies of fair strength which are yet not pow- erful enough to produce a large honey crop. If we can keep our largest colo- nies intact and turn their efforts to hon- ey-production, we can secure our in- crease from the very colonies that would not swarm or produce a surplus, for they are generally strong enough in bees at the time of the honey crop to make each a good colony. But. I do not wish to breed from these queens of rather inferior quality, so my aim is to get a supply of good, young laying queens of the very best descent, and use them in making artificial increase, what- ever be the method employed. We want the best, strongest, most prolific stock that can be secured, combined with gen- tleness ami honey-producing qualities. In bee-culture thus far, we have been ;il)le to secure only one of the progeni- tors, the female; the drone being still to a great extent beyond our control; but we should not leave anything un- done to secure daughters of the best breeders. Hamilton, 111. Uniting of Weak Colonies- Drone Comb in Extract- ing Supers BY G. C. CREI.N'ER. The "EditoriaK Notes and Cort'iments" in the November, 1908. issue, contain, under the heading "Uniting Weak Colo- nies." many timely hints lor the be- ginner, that are well worth remember- ing, and tliey would not come amiss if some of our older bee-keepers would make a note of them. For many years I have practiced uni- ting weak colonies almost every season, and I know, if it is properly done, it is generally successful. There arc two main reasons, \*hy colonies should be united, first, to pt-epare them for a March, 1909. American Hee Journal prospective honey-flow, and second, to bring them up to a wintering standard. The former may be done in the fore- part of the season, a week or two before a honey-flow is expected, and the latter late in the summer or early fall, early enough to give the bees a chance to arrange their winter quarters properly before winter sets in. To prevent antagonistic feelings, and perhaps the annihilation of one or the other. I have always considered it a de- sirable feature that the 2 colonies to be united should sit side by side for a week or two before the operation is per- formed. Each one should be reduced, by means of a division-board, to one- half of the regular frame number our liives contain, and placed in the opposite halves of the 2 hives. If the bees are then compelled to enter their respective hives by reduced entrances, the openings being on each outside, they will soon line "themselves to their homes without interfering with one another. It is not always the case that colonies we wish to unite are sitting side by side, in fact, they oftener do not, biit we al- ways know weeks ahead which ones need doubling up, and it is an easy mat- ter to shift them gradually together. The manipulation of uniting is a very simple affair, which is all the more facilitated if we have a few hives that hold a frame or two more than our regular standards. The hive to receive the 2 colonies should have a tight-fitting division-board, and the entrance be di- vided by a block to leave the openings on each outside similar in shape and ap- pearance as the 2 hives presented. When ready to operate, set the 2 hives a foot or two ahead of the old stands, and place the prepared one midway be- tween the stands the 2 occupied. Then carefully open the 2 hives, one after another, and transfer their contents into the one. By using a very little smoke, the whole job can be done bare- faced and bare-handed, without the first in- timation of a sting. Any bees that may be left in the hives after the combs are removed, can be dumped on the ground without much ceremony; they will all find their own homes, and all will be peace and harmony. From two weak colonies treated as here stated just before the white clover flow, I have taken, this season, (1908), from each one of tliem. This may not be a great achievement, nevertheless I consider the 28 sections clear gain, the result of uniting the two. If left sepa- rate, neither was strong enough to work in sections, but combined under one sec- tion super, they were in practically the same condition as a populous, full-sized colony. When weak colonies are united to fit them for winter, which is generally done later in the season, it may be done in the same way as for storing surplus, except, that the division-board should Before Unitino. 28 sections of nearly all finished clover honey. They were so crowded that I decided to divide them again, filling out their hives with empty combs, and when the honey season closed, I extracted a set of extracting combs. Jumbo size. After Uniting. be removed before winter sets in, the combs, liees and all, slipped together, and the division-board used to fill out the vacancy on one side or the other. If we have no choice between the queens, we need not worry over their affairs — they will settle that among themselves, otherwise we have to re- move the one we wish to discard. In regard to drone-comb in extracting- supers, I emphatically agree with the editorial referred to. My advice is. "don't use it." It is a waste of precious space, and misleads the bees. My ex- perience of many years has taught me that bees are always slow to accept drone-combs for storage in extracting supers, but this year (1908) they out- did themselves — they actually refused to use it, I extracted some combs that were all-worker comb except now and then a little patch of drone-comb. The former was filled and capped to the last cell, while the latter was empty to the last cell, but every cell was liright and polished, showing that the bees expect- ed to have the queen stock them up with eggs. In this, however, their expecta- tions were blasted by reason of the excluder. .\mong my supply of extracting combs 1 have a few sets of very nice, clean drone-combs ; they were gathered up during past years because I considered them too valuable to melt up, but kept them for extracting combs in cases of emergency. Being crowded for stor- age last summer, I used thein in my extracting supers as necessity demanded, one or two in a place, mixed in between worker-combs. As a farther test, I placed some of these drone-combs in the middle of the supers, others on the outside next to the hive walls, and watched them from day to day. In either case I noticed the same behavior of the bees — they filled up the worker- combs rapidly, while they ignored the drone-combs almost entirely. Hereafter I shall try to use nothing but worker-combs for the production of extracted honey. La Salle, N. Y. Spring Work With the Bees BY G. M. DOOLITTLE. As the sun advances farther and far- ther northward with each day at this time of the year, a feeling will steal over the wide-awake bee-keeper, to see how great an amount of cash and fun can he gotten out of the bees by keep- ing them in the best possible condition to take advantage of the harvest or harvests of honey when they come. To this end he or site will begin looking about to see if everything is in readi- ness for the summer campaign, and hav- ing this so. then the first suitable days for the bees to fly will be utilized in setting the bees from the cellar, if cel- lar-wintering is practiced, or in know- ing that all entrances are open and' free from dead bees, if the bees have been wintered on the summer stands. As soon as spring fairly opens, it is best to go over all the hives in the apiary, seeing that all dead bees are off the bottom-boards and out from between the bottoms of the combs, otherwise colonies which have lost many bees dur- ing the winter are left in bad shape to Intild up in time for the harvest, es- pecially if this harvest comes early in the season, as does that from white clover, which is the general source of surplus with the majority of bee-keep- ers. I have many times been called from 2 to 4 weeks before the clover bloom to see what was the matter with the bees, as a part of the colonies did not seem to be doing as well as they ought, only to find that he bottom-board was covered with dead bees, and at places piled clear up into the bottoms of the combs, while the bottom of this pile was full of small maggots, the mass of dead bees having become damp and wet through decomposition, which caused a stench almost unbearable. No colonj' of l)ees can thrive under such circum- stances. Of course, this does not apply to cellar-wintered bees, unless the hives have tight bottom-boards, for with loose bottoms the boards should all be changed when setting out, by giving the first colony set out a clean board from the store-house, and setting it on the same, when the one it was wintered on is cleaned and put on the stand of the next, setting the second colony taken froin the cellar on the same, and so on till all are out and on clean boards. At tliis time we should also know that each colonv has suificient stores so that ]v[arch, 1909. 99 American l^ee Journal J )^^^m^'\ brood-rearing may go on to tlie best ad- vantage, for bees will not breed up properly when there is fear of starva- tion from lack of stores. All colonies should have at least 10 pounds of honey and 15 to 20 pounds is better thus early in the spring. If any are short of 10 pounds they should be supplied by feeding, and the very best way to feed at this time of year is by setting in frames of sealed honey that have been reserved for this purpose from the sea- son previous. There is nothing that pajs the apiarist better than to carry over one or two combs of honey for each colony wintered, from the previous season, to use for feeding purposes the next spring. Having the bottoms all sweet and clean, and knowing that all have honey enough to carry them in prosperity till pollen becomes plenty from the elms and maples, there is nothing more neces- sary till the pollen arrives, except to see that all colonies are tucked up as warm and comfortable as possible. At this early period of the season, we must be on our guard about opening hives when it is very cool, and especially about allowing frames having brood in them 10 stand outside of the hive for any length of time unless the mercury is up to 70 degrees or above : otherwise the lirood will be so chilled tliat it will be removed, in which case we make a big loss, often more than counteracting any gain we may have made. Bees can be safely handled with the mercury at 50, if we do not expose the brood to the outside air for more than from half a minute to two minutes' time, the two minutes doing less harm in a still, sunshiny day than the half minute will do in a cloudy, windy day. Then, if the mercury is from 70 to 90 in the shade, as is sometimes the case with the early spring days, we will have to guard about the 1)ces rnbhing. for there is no time of the year when bees are likely to get demoralized through the opening of hives, as on the liot days of early spring. .\t such times it is tiest to wait about opening hives till after 3 or 4 o'clock in the after- noon, when we will work as rapidly as nossilile. and as long as we can see. leaving the necessary vacant space for setting in the combs of linney till near dark, when they can W put in safely. without danger from robbing, as any and all colonies will get things straight- ened up by morning so that they can care for themselves. The one who gets robbing started througli feeding during the middle of hot days in early spring. will not need to be told the second time 10 avoid "the very appearance of evil." When pollen becomes plenty from the elms and maples, we go over the apiary again, looking after the amount of stores, the gOf>dne-s of the queens, and, if we think that way, clipping all queens which are good enough to keep. There is a difference of opinion about this clipping business; but the most of our practical bee-keepers still think it pays to clip. In this age of non-swarming I do not consider that clipping is as essential as it was when natural swarm- ing was allowed, still, all there is against clipping, is the time it takes to find the queen and clip her ; and I somctim.-.-. think that this is more than offset by the ease of finding her when we wish, ever afterward during her lifetime, as a queen properl} clipped can be founi!, by the eye "catching on her," very much more easily than can one having her wings. In clipping I generally cut off from two-thirds to three-fourths of both her wings on one side of the thorax ; and for experience's sake I have many times cut off three-fourths of all 4 wings, and from these repeated experiments I can see no difference Ijetween the longevity or the laying qualities of such queens, and those which have their wings as not molested by man. And queens thus denuded of their wings attract the "eye." so that they are sure to be seen, almost without effort, whenever and wherever they come under the vision, so that they really do not have to be looked after. Where colonics are found having poor queens, which are laying only a little, and scattering their eggs all about through the cells of the combs, rather than forming a compact brood-nest, such queens are killed and a weak or weaker colony united with them, by setting the weak colony on top of this now queen- less colony at nightfall, a !a .-Mexander. All colonies should certainly have at this time at least 10 pounds of stores to carry them profitably as to brood- rearing over till apple-blo6m. Don't be a "penny wise and pound foolish" man in trying to see how much you can economize as to stores at this "time of the year, for nothing counts as great an advantage during the harvest, as having the bees feel ricli during the early spring months. Having good queens and plenty of stores, our spring work witli the bees is done. Borodino, N. Y. Rcfleciiofiiy^ California Bce-Keq)cr By W. A. PRVAL. Alden tjtation, Oakland, Calif. Skunk.s in the Apiary. The apiarist who lives among the hills has had more or less experience with skunks — I mean the four-footed rascals that come prowling about at night and destroying bees — not two-leg- ged ones that sometimes does the bee- man up brown by robbing liim or tak- ing undue advantage of him to his sor- row. A skunk will not tear a hive to pieces; neither will it knock it over in its at- tempts to rifle it of its contents. The A Skunk's Bee-Trap. skunk has little chance of getting honey from a bee-hive, though it would like to do so very nuich ; the animal is too small to apply sufficient strength to damage a hive. Not being al)le to get at the honey-combs, it docs the next liest thing it can to have some honey. It comes to a hive, scratches about the entrance to cause the bees to come forth ; finding the little animal molest- ing their abode they proceed to punish him, or, at least, they imagine they can inflict condine injury to him. They pile into his fur — hundreds of them do to his skunkship's delight — he's so thick- ly furred that he is proof to the bees' darts. When the sKunk tnniks he has enougn bees for one time he rolls over and over in front of the hive, thereby kill- ing the bees. Sometimes he will scratch again and bring about the destruction of more bees. Then he picks the little slaughtered honey-gatherers up and ex- tracts tlie honey they contained. Often a colony suffers greatly by such depre- dations, in fact, the whole population is depleted. The constant or repeated roll- ing and scratching in ^ont of a bee- hive, is well illustrated in the little lialftonc here shown. I saw the work; 1 made the photo. I was on a short visit to Mr. Patrick Keating, near the New Almaden Quick- silver mines a few years ago. Pat has quite a respectable sized apiary, as I liavc stated and illustrated heretofore in the American Bee Journal. One day Pat said to me, "Come up with me to the bays; I want to show you phat a foin burd has been doing in the af- fiary," or something pretty nuich to tliat effect. 1 went up the hill to the apiary, and over at tlie further end Pat pointed to one of the hives, and said, "Just look at that; did youse ever see the loike?" I admitted that I hadn't, and to be pleasant I thought I would cross-ques- tion him: "What did it, Pat ; do your chickens come away up here to dust in front of that bee-hive?" I asked. "Be off wid yeas; do ye think my bid- 100 March, 1909. American Hee Journal dies are such fools as to risk being stung by coming in broad daylight and dhusting right feminist those pesky stingers? . No, it is another kind of burd that dusts there; Oi'll fux the beggar, so Oi' will, Oi' will." My friend was much excited by this time and he gave some characteristic flourishes to his language, which ordi- narily was choice and free from Hiber- nie burrs. "What will you do to chase him away?" I ventured to ask. "I won't do any chasing; I'll set a good supper for him to-night," he said, in plain English. Then I knew it was a skunk that was the "burd of rare plumage" that was doing the dusting. Then, out came an egg and a bottle of strychnine from Pat's pocket. 'With the point of a pen- knife he inserted a grain or so of the stuff in the egg and buried it in the dirt in front of the hive. The next morning a big skunk was found half way down the hill toward the creek where the varmint was pro- ceeding for a drink to stop the fiery pain the poison made in his interior, when he died. That ended one of Pat's troubles and one of the bees' worst tor- mentors and destroyers. At the Monterey bee-keepers' mee:- ing the matter of depredations by skunks was considered. Mr. Vernon Townsend was sorely bothered by them. He was killing them off by wholesale. He poisoned them in a manner similar to that just described and used by Mr Keating. Other bee-keepers said they did the same. Bees that are much bothered by skunks become very vicious ; they seem anxious to repel any invader of the apiary, .^nd 'tis small wonder when their slumbers are disturbed by night marauders so frequently. Why, it_ is enough to give any one or anything nervous prostration; don't you think so? breath, they having gotten outside the hive to let the life-coil slip away from them. Mr. Benton still not heaving in sight, I ventured to poke my head into a room in the basement of the aforesaid "Bug Building." Sure enough, the gen- tleman I sougfit was there.^ He had sev- eral of his students in apiculture about him, and they were making a syrupy food for tlie bees, as he told me — some of the colonies were short of provis- ions. The students, some of whom were Philippines, went on with their work while Mr. B. and the writer held short converse. Then the boys went out to dish out the rations to the hungry bees. Believing the "chief chef" of the feast should be present to superintend the banquet, I was about to take my de- parture when Mr. B. assured me there was no need of my being in a hurry to go, as the boys knew how to attend to the distribution of the life - giving syrup. Then I remarked that the above-re- ferred-to disease was prevalent in the apiary, and wondered if he (Mr. B.) had ascertained what it was. I had left some specimens of my diseased bees from the same cause, with the univer- sity man a few weeks before. He re- plied that he had not yet determined what it was, but one of the students had the matter under pathological study and was making fair progress with the subject. We then spoke of the pro- posed change in the foul-brood law, which I will notice in another item. That Queer Disease — Doing Things at Berkeley University. I was over to the University early in the month to see Dr. Anderson of the Dairy School, and before returning I thought I would see Mr. Ralph Ben- ton, of the Bee Department. A hunt through the "Bug Building" did not reveal his whereabouts; thence to the apiary back of the "Gym," near by. I found the gate to the apiary open, but my man was not there. I ven- tured in and looked at the "exterior condition" of the colonies to see how they fared in comparison with mine. The day was not a propitious one, as have been few days since Christmas, still, many bees were flying, and, I sup- pose, working on the bloom of the acacias and the eucalpyti, of which there are many about Berkeley. A few of the hives did not show much animation, wherein they differed little from some of my colonies. Some of these weaklings were the ones troubled with the peculiar disease I have here- tofore commented upon in these col- umns. There were many bees long dead in front of the entrance, and a num- ber more were giving up their last competent apiarists as foul-brood inspec- tors, the dread disease would be soon banished from the State. They urged that the supervisors hereafter name practical bee-men as inspectors. The convention, however, went on record as favoring the bill after they had made some changes, one of which is that the person who is to have charge of the pathological work at Berkeley, be a university graduate — it doesn't make any difference from what insti- tution— and that the State allow a fixed sum per annum to carry on the work in conjunction with the present county inspectors. How the law will work if it should pass the legislature. I am not able to tell. To have the work done by com- petent men will be a blessing to the bee-keepers, even if the people's taxes are increased somewhat to help the mat- ter. Then, it is doubtful if it will be any better done by a college man than if it were done by one who had a thor- ough training somewhere else. The greatest work done in California for the fruit-growers was done by a man who never had even a high school edu- cation. His work on entomology has been introduced into the schools of the State. It was he who started the cru- sade in an intelligent way against the insects that were ruining the fruit crops of the State. His name was Matthew Cooke, and he studied the subject while he made fruit-boxes in a factory at Sacramento. A Queen-Bee Snag. The attempt to amend the Foul-brood Law of California and graft on a pro- vision to make it one of the close con- cerns of the University of California, met with more objection than was at first expected, so I learn. That the main provisions of the law will be good is not doubted; to get rid of malignant bee-diseases is a disideratum much to be desired by the California apiarists. A casual perusal of the law as drafted by Mr. Benton, early in January, caused me to remark to that gentleman that some provisions were objectionable, es- pecially that requiring all queen-bees and attendant bees brought to the State, or passing from one county into an- other, to be inspected by a university pathologist or his deputy, or by a county foul-brood inspector, before they could be delivered to the consignee for use in his apiary. I went over the injus- tice and needlessness of the provision in the case of queens coming in mailing- cages. The author of the provision, thought it well then to change the word- ing. I wrote this Journal of this pro- posed provision, as I also did the edi- tors of Gleanings in Bee Culture. I understand there was quite a time over the consideration of the bill at the Los Angeles Convention at the meet- ing, at the close of January. It was a hard tussel ; a committee was out nearly the whole session of the meeting wrestling with the several provisions. I believe the queen-bee detention was knocked out. The sentiment of the meeting seemed to be that if the several county boards of supervisors appointed A Wet Year Indeed in California. Up to the first of January the rain- fall was much below normal, and many persons believed we were in for an- other dry year. Of course there are always some persons who set themselves up as weather prophets, and a word from them is carried the country around as gospel truth. But, fortunately, the wheels of industry do not stop on their account. So the wise farmer goes on and plows his land, sows his grain, and And so it came to pass this year And so it same to pass this year that this style of farmer is now be- ing back and taking things easy; he's happy, and wears a broad grin when he meets the pessimistical rancher. For the rain came, and came, and came, and at this writing (Feb. 13) it is still coming. What the end will be I know not; this I know, however, the hills and mountains from Del Norte to San Diego, and for the full width of the State where they are not covered with snow, are so saturated with water that torrents are streaming down their sides into the valleys below ; some of the latter are flooded and in places crops have been ruined. On some of the river islands in the upper central por- tion of the State the water will not re- cede in time for the farmer to get in a crop this year. But the land in nearly all cases will be so enriched by the sediment deposited by the flood-waters that for years after great crops will result. .And this will be the bee-man's year to get a record-breaking harvest, provided, the climatic conditions are just right during the blooming of the nectar-secreting flowers. March, 1909. lOI American IBiec Journal j Send Questions either to the office of the American Bee Journal or to DR. C. C. MILLER. Marengro. 111. Dr. Miller does not answer Questions by mail. Transferring Bees. What is the best way to transfer bees? New York. Answer. — Probably the best way is to let the bees swarm, hiving the swarm in a movable- frame hive, and 21 days later to add the rest uf the bees to the swarm and melt up the combs. If you prefer, you can transfer during fruit- bloom, and your bee-book will give you in- structions for that. Bees Fighting and Killing Each Other. My bees are fighting, and seem to be kill- ing a good many. What is the cause, and w hat can I do to stop them? I thought it might be the young bees they were killing out. Oklahoma. Answer. — It may be that there is fighting because there is attempt at robbing. Young bees are not likely to be attacked. Nucleus Method of Increase. Would you a the nucstion as to whether hives are better painted or unpainted, you say: "Mr. Doolittlc's idea in that moisture will pass through unpainted walls better than through painted ones." If unpainted hives will let dampness and moisture pass out, will it not also let dampness and cold pass in? 2. Will not packing hives in tar-paper and other packing material prevent moisture from passing out the same as a painted hive? 3. I united some bees last fall by the follow- ing plan: I moved the hives of the colonies to be united toward each other a foot or so a day so that they could mark their location, until I had them close together. I then raised one hive gradually, still allowing the bees to mark their location, until I had it on a level with the top of the other hive. Then I set the hive on top of the other with wire-cloth between. I left the hives this way 4 days and removed the wire-cloth. All of the colrnies united this way did splendidly, except two, which fought until they killed each other. Did I remove the wire-cloth too soon, or what was the matter with the ones that would not unite? 4. When uniting bees what are the essential points to be considered? Virginia. Answers. — i. Y^s, moisture will pass in- ward through the wall of a hive just as well as outward, provided conditions are reversed. Do you find that commonly happen? That is, do you find the outside air reeking with mois- ture and the air inside dry? Instead of that the outside air^ — especially in winter, the time we are most anxious about — is dry, while we have moisture and mold inside the hive. 2. No, a good coat of paint is entirely im- pervious to water: the packing is not. Even if it were, the moisture inside the packing and outside the hive-wall can not do the harm it can inside the hive-wall. 3. After being over the wire-cloth 4 days I would hardly have expected any trouble. It may have made a little diflference if, on re- moving the wire-cloth, you did the work less quietly than you did with the others. 4. Perhaps the one essential point is that the bees shall have the same hive-smell. They will unite better if filled with honey, and also ii discouraged or frightened. They will unite better if one colony is queenless. Lately it has been advanced that they will unite peace- ably if both colonies are made queenless only a few hours. Of course, one of the queens will be afterward returned. Artificial Increase. I have been reading in "A B C and X Y Z of Bee- Culture," an article on page 310, by W. W. Somerford, on artificial increase. I do not fully understand, and am at a loss to know how a new queen can be hatched in the nucleus, as the old queen is caged in the parent hive 10 days previous to the division. Do the worker-bees put a worker-larva in the queen-cell and feed it the royal jelly? A Subscriber. Answer. — No, the bees don't put a larvse into a queen-cell, but they give extra feed to a larva in a worker-cell, and they enlarge its cell into a queen-cell. Such cells are called I>ost-constructed cells, or emergency cells, in contradistinction to pre-constructed, swarming- cells, or supersedure cells. Royal Jelly for Queen-Cells — Chang- ing Queens — Uniting Weak Colonies — Musty Combs, Etc. 1. After you have made artificial queen-cells, where do you get the royal jelly to daub the inside of the queen-cells before you transfer the larvse to the cells? 2. I have a colony of black bees in my barn, and want to change the queen the coming spring. Suppose that after I get the new n.ueen. I can not find the old one the first time I look the frames over, for I think there arc 15 of them. What will I do with the new queen until I do find the old one? How long will she live in the cage that she will be mailed in ? 3. What strain of bees would you advise for thi:i section of country? I am at about 43 degrees latitude, and 1300 feet elevation, and at some seasons we have 90 days' sleigh- ing. 4. When you double up light colonies in the spring, do you remove the queen from one and put the one that has the (jueen with the one that does not have any queen, or do you add the one that has the queen to the queenless colony ? 5. What will take the musty sincU from old combs? If I put them in an old colony will the bees clean them up and use them? , 6. Will it do to slip a full sheet of founda* lion in between the brood- frames in April or May? 7. What season of the year will bees first start to make cotnb? I02 March, 1909. American IBee Journal 8. How long will it require or take to draw out 2 sheer of foundation so that the queen will lay eggs in the cells? New York. Answers. — r. The only way is to get it out of queen-cells that the bees have started. For this purpose you must previously let the bees start cells in a queenless colony. 2. If the weather is warm — and you ought not to order a queen till it is warm — the queen will live a week or more in the mailing-cage you receive her in. If necessary "you can re- new the candy, or give a little honey. If you can not conveniently keep the cage in a warm place, you can put it over a strong colony, covering up well. 3. Perhaps nothing will do better than Ital- ians or hybrids. The probability is that if you get Italians you'll soon have mostly hy- brids. 4. Doesn't matter such a great deal which way. Generally the weaker one is moved to the stand of the stronger, as the weaker it is the fewer bees can be lost by returning to the old stand. If there is no great difference in strength, unite on the stand of the colony that has the queen, as queenless bees will stay where they are put better than queen-right ones. 5. The bees will take away the musty smell and clean them up all right. Only don't dis- courage the bees by giving more than i or 2 musty combs at a time. 6. Don't give foundation till the bees are gathering. Certainly not before fruit-bloom or dandelion, and perhaps better not till clover- bloom. 7- No; till they need it. That may be first in fruit-bloom. 8. I don't know. Less than 2ji hours in a good flow. Best Comb-Honey Hive — Getting Bees. 1. What bee-hive is the best for comb lioney? , 2. Where can I get a good breed of bees at a moderate price? Indiana. Answers. — i. I get good results with the 8-frame dovetailed, but if I were to begin anew I would have hard work to decide whether to use the 8-frame or 10-frame. Cer- tainly for any one who does not pay the closest attention to his bees the lo-frame is better. 2. You will find in the advertising columns of this Journal several who offer Italian queens, and you can hardly have better stock. If you send to more than one for an untested queen from each, the expense will be light, and you will stand a chance of getting an excellent queen in the lot. Tar Paper for Wrapping Hives — Wax Press or Extractor. 1. Would it pay to wrap hives in tar paper for spring protection? I see some favor it, while others do not. Why is there this wide dirterence? 2. What is the best kind of wax-press or extractor? Do you still use the Root-German' Is the Hershiser press enough better than any other to make it an economical press? Is Mr. Byer going to tell us hom he came out with the Hershiser press? Iowa. Answers. — i. There is a wide difference in climate. While it might not pay in the far South, it might pay well in the far North. Locations differ. Your apiary may be in an exposed place, where the wrapping mentioned may be of great service in warding off the chilly blasts of spring, while another apiary a mile away may be in such a warm corner that the wrapping is not so much needed. 2. I still have the Root-German, but as I produce comb honey exclusively, I don't have much use for a wax-extractor. From what others say, and from the construction of the Hershiser press, it ought to do excellent work. Mr. Byer doesn't seem to me a very se- cretive sort of chap. I never knew him to have but one secret, and that was his name, when he hid behind a nom-de-phime. If he doesn't tell exactly what you want to know, there's no law against your sending him a question about it. Improving Native Black Bees — People Living Over Cellared Bees. I. Don't you think that if our native black bees had been as carefully bred from the col- onies that always gave the best results, we would have had as good a race of bees as any in the world? They build nice combs and cap their honey whiter than the Italians. The only trait the foreign races of bees excel in is that they stick to their combs better when looking for the queen, which, in modern bee-keeping, is a great item. Don't you think that if an equal number of colonies of blacks and Italians were put by themselves where there were no other bee:i near them, and the only increase would be by natural swarming, the blacks would eventually run, the Italians out? Would that no: show that they were the stronger of the two? 2. Suppose a cellar is full of bees. Is it good or bad for the health of those who live in the rooms above the bees? Illinois. Answers. — i. Why don't you ask me some- thing easier? It certainly is not the easiest thing in the world to keep Italians pure, black blood is asserting itself in spite of all efforts to the contrary, and that looks as if blacks were the more vigorous. Then, too, in Swit- zerland, where are to be found some of the foremost bee-keepers in the world, they are cultivating pure blacks and trying to drive oui Italians. But you probably know that another trait in which Italians excel is that they are twice as active in keeping the bee- moth at bay, and that looks as if Italians were more vigorous. Besides, the older bee-keepers who had blacks and Italians side by side found that Italians stored more. If the Italians were better at the start, it seems that they would continue better, if there were careful breeding on both sides. But those Swiss. Perhaps they have a beter strain of blacks than we have. 2. That depends on the bee-keeper. If he's a poor bee-keeper, he will likely have a cellar with foul air and dead bees, and his cellar will be bad to live over. If the bee-keeper is all right, the cellar will be kept clean, with pure air. The air in my cellar is as good as, or better than, the air in the living-rooms, for the cellar-door is more or less open nearly all the time. , Leaning Boards Against Hives — Weight of Combs. 1. If. it right to lean boards in front of the hives that face the south? The wind is mostly from the west, northwest, and north. I did this to keep out the wind when it blows from the south, and to keep the bees from coming out on sunshiny days. They are out in the open. I also did this to keep out the snow from the entrances. The entrances vary in size from 5^x3 to 5^x2^, and a few -J^xaJ^, all of dovetailed hives — 8 and 10 frame. 2. How much will 10 frames of empty combs weigh, new and old, size i75^xp',8Xi 1-16, top- bar one inch ? New York. Answers. — i. Yes, it's a good thing to have the board there. Better take it away, though, w hen there comes a warm day in which you want them to fly. 2. They vary very much with age. A weigh- ing just made shows 10 old ones weighing i^Vz pounds. I have no new ones to weigh, but they would be much lighter. Supers and Sudden Honey-Flow Stop — Kind of Brood-Foundation — Storing Comb Honey in Attic. The careful reading of your book, "Forty Years Among the Bees," has called up the following questions: 1. In case the honey-flow stopped suddenly when you had supers tiered up 3 or 4 high, what would you do? 2. Where you use foundation splints and split "bottom-bars, what kind of foundation do you use — medium or light brood? 3. In storing comb honey in the attic, what temperature would it stand without melting down ? You will likely hear from California this year, as it has been raining here almost every day for the past month — warm rains. California. Answers. — i. If 4 supers had been on any considerable time, it would be practically cer- tain that at least 2 of them would have no unfinished sections except some of the outer ones. If the last 2 had just been given, one above and one below, they would be taken off as empties for the next year; some sections might be finished in the other 2 supers, but mostly they would be unfinished. In any case I would do just as at the close of any sea- son, sort out the finished for market, others sufficiently filled but not finished would do for home use or home market, and others with honey in would be given to the bees to empty. 2. I have used mostly heavy foundation, just because I had a stock of it on hand. Medium ought to give good results, but light brood might be iust as good with 2 or 3 more splints to the sheet, 3. Now you're getting beyond my depth. If an Illinois man should ask me that, I could say, "Don't you worry about that: it will never get hot enough to melt in an attic." Cut I don't know about your California attics. I have done a little experimenting, and there ought to be no trouble at any temperature below 143 degrees, as that is the temperature at which wax melts. Divisible Brood-Chamber Hives. Kindly give the manipulations of divisible brood-chamber hives. Louis SchoU promised long ago to tell how he handles his bees. Mr. Miller, the Canadian, uses the same hive. Does he ever tell anything? New Jersey. Answer. — Perhaps no two who use divisible hives manage them exactly alike. I am not sure whether Mr. Miller has given his plan of management, but I think if Mr. SchoU happens to see this he'll be pretty sure to give what you want, for he's one of the best fellows in the world and likes to help others. In a gen- eral way I may say that advantage of divisible hives is taken by reducing to a single story at time of giving supers, although some make the first and second stories exchange places. This last, you will see, throws the honey that was above the brood-nest right into the middle, and the bees are supposed to get busy carry- ing it up into the supers for the sake of get- ting brood in its place. T-Tins — Feeding Sugar Syrup in Spring — Thickness of Lumber for T-Super. 1. What is a T-tin? I see in the American Bee Journal the way to make the T-super,but I do not understand what is meant by the T-tin. 2. Would it do any harm to feed sugar syrup to the bees outside the hives in the spring, after they commence to fly, until the flowers bloom? Would it be likely to induce robbing? 3. How thick should the lumber be for a T-super? Maine. Answers. — i. A T-super has no bottom, but to support the sections has 3 tin supports running crosswise. Each of these is made of a piece of tin so folded that a cross section looks like a T upside down: J, You can buy T-tins of supply-dealers for about a cent apiece, probably much cheaper than you can get a tinner to make them for. 2. If you set the feed some distance from the hives it will not be likely to start robbing. But if the bees fly to it on bad days, it may cause loss of bees. Your neighbor's bees will help take care of it. In any case it will hardly do enough good to pay. 3. T-supers are made of the same lumber as hives— 73 inch thick. Queen Flying in December. To-day (Dec. 29) the bees were flying, and I thought I would go out and look at them. At one hive I noticed a lot of smal drones, such as are reared in worker-cells, and, of course, I suspected right away that something was wrong. I stooped over by that hive to watch the drones, and caught a few of them, when there came a nice queen and alighteiilft break out among my bees, or in my neighborhood, could we bee-keepers in southtrn AHnnesota get a foul brood inspector? To whom should we make application? 11. What is the best time in this locality to put out the bees in the spring? Minnesota. Answers.— I." Yes, foundation splints ,take the place of wiring. With horizontal wiring an generally used, if the foundation comes clear down to the bottom-bar thert* will be sagging or buckling. Whclher the foundation comes clear down or not, there is more or less stretching of the foundatifui at the upper part of the frame. These cells jiroduccd by this stretching will not be used by the queen for worker-brood. If she lays in them at all, she lays dronc-cggs. lioth these troubles are avoided by using foundation splints. 2, They are merely splints of wped- oueen plan with my bees. I am running for comb honey. I have 14 colonies. Some do not like it because queens get lost and swarms mix up. Is this so, and do you clip? Would you advise me to clip to control swarms.'' I shall be with them at swarming time. I in- tend to prevent second swarms. 2. Is granulated sugar, when made into h;iril candy, good to feed bees in early spring when tliey are short of stores? ^. Does yi part glucose or corn syrup when l)ut into such candy keep it more moist? and is it very harmful to bees in warm weather or early spring? Michigan. Answers. — 1. I have practised clipping for many years, and it woulu take a lot of money to get me to leave my queens undipped. It is true that sometimes swarms mix, and so they do with undipped queens. Sometimes a queen is lost, but that is better than to have both nueena and swarm lost. 2. Yes. 3. Don't think ot giving bees glucose in any proportion whatever. T-Supers — Fastening Foundation — Best Section for T-Super. 1. In answer to "Pennsylvania" on page 19. about the T-super, I can not understand if there is anything across the top, or what holds the tins. 2. Will the T-supers fit the standard hive? If not. I could not use them. 3. Please explain how to fasten brood- foimdation in both, with wire and ?pl|nf«. I)n you let tlicm remain, 4)r remove them? 4.'Kxplain exactly how you put f«uMu]ati'>n I04 March, 1909. Ainc>rican ^Bec .Joarnal j in sectiuiis, and \\ hat with. If by a press, wha: kind? 3. In using bee- way sections, do you put tlie b:e-way at the bottom or at the side? 6. Which is best in standard supers, the bee-way or plain sections? Kentucky. Answers. — i. I think you must have got it into your head that there must be something at the top of the super to support the T-tins, somewhat in the way frames are supported in a hive by the rabbet at the top. There is nothing of the kind. The T-super is the plain- est kind of a plain box with nothing about it in the shape of a rabbet ; and the T-tins are put inside, at the bottom of the super, and supported there by supports that are nailed on the bottom. Suppose you have your super made — just a plain box without top or bottom. Until the supports are nailed on of course the top and bottom will be the same. With your super lying flat on your bench before you. you will nail on the ij^^xi inch piece of sheet-iron flat on the edge of the box, or else drive in the staples and bend them over. Also you will nail your strips of tin (to support the ends of the end-sections) flat on the ends. Now your super is complete, but it is lying upside down. Turn it over, and you will see that the T-tin may rest down in the bottom, and when the sections are put in they will lie clear down flush with the bottom. 2. A T-super will fit on any hive that is fiat on top ; which is pretty much the same as saying it \vill fit on any hive. My supers are rather short to fit my hives. I count that an advantage. Sometimes I want the super to be shoved just a trifle forward to al- low a M -inch space for ventilation at the back end. When I don't want that ventilation I tack on the super at the back end a strip as long as the width of the hive or the super and about V^kY^. That makes the super long enough so it covers entirely the opening at the top of the hive. The super being made just as wide as the hive, of course it wHl be wider for a lo-frame hive than for an 8-irame hive. J. In the private letter accompanying your questions you say you are going to order the book "Forty Lears Among the Bees," Turn to page 87 of that book and you will find very full details as to putting in founda- tion with splints. The splints are only 1-16 of an inch square, and are left permanently in the frame. If the frames are wired, the wire is left for always. The wires are gen- erally strung through holes in the end-bars, 3 or 4 horizontal wires being used, and the wires are imbedded in the foundation by the use of a wire-imbedder, which costs only a few cents. 4. If you have only a very few sections to fill, yovi can use a putty-knife to press down the edge of the foundation upon the wood, or you can use a Parker foundation- fastener. Much better, however, is the Daisy foundation- fastener, which does the work faster and with less exertion. 5. The bee-ways are to allow a- way for the bees to go up, so they are at the top and bot- tom of the section. 6. That's a matter of indiivdual preference. Personally. I prefer the bee-way. Selecting Queen-Cells — Tariff on Honey. 1. I want to save all the queen-cells I cut out during swarming time, that are the largest and best that hatch. What is the best method or system to follow ? Can you tell what kind of a queen a cell will produce by its looks or size? That is. if they are large or small cells, can you tell whether they will be large or small queens? Does the size of the cells have anything to do in telling what a queen will be when hatched? What is the least troublesome or least expen- sive, or the best regardless of cost? 2. What should we bee-keepers be doing to keep the tariff off on imported honey and wax? It is time we, or our bee-keepers' asso- ciations, were doing something. New Yokk. Answers. — i. Your question is not the easiest to answer. If you will pardon me for saying so, your question is somewhat mixed. You say you're going to save all cells, and then save the largest and best that hatch, which sounds as if you mean to select from among the young queens; but immediately you ask about deciding by the looks of the cells. Well, I'll do the best I can, and if I don't get at what you want I'll be glad to have you ask again. But when the best is done it may not be satisfactory, for athough one may be able to decide something as to the value of a queen or a cell by looking at it, it's hard to tell some one else how to do so. As a rule, a large cell is better, although sometimes a queen of full size will come from a cell so inconspicuous that it may hardly be noticed as a queen-cell. A long, slim cell is generally not desirable. A good cell ought to be covered with deep cuts all over, although there are exceptions. Allow me to say in passing that the largest queens are not always the best. The queen that I think produced more brood than any other queen I ever had was, I think, the smallest. One way will be to have a nucleus for each cell. But that will oblige you to have a nucleus for even the cells whose occupants you reject. To avoid this you can have the cells hatch out in a nursery of some kind, and give your selected virgins to your nuclei. 2. The way to influence legislation in this regard is to write to your Congressmen. No need to wait for associations to act, for each individual has the right to write. But there is by no means unity of feeling among bee- keepers. Some would rather not have the tariff changed. Certainly those comb-honey producers who buy more wax than they sell would hardly gain by a higher tariff; so you cannot blame them for not being anxious for a higlier tariff on wa.x. As to honey, they will probbly say that imported honey is of the lower grades, and does not come in com- petition with good comb honey. Sorring Out Queens of Cross Bees. I have bees in one of my apiaries that will follow me all about the yard, and will oc- casionally attack horses that are being worked near by. I don't want to change all the queens in order to get the queens of the cross colonies, but the difficulty is to tell the cross colonies from the others, as they do not seem different with ordinary handling. How would a practical bee-keeper proceed successfully to sort out the objectionable queens so that he could replace them with gentle stock ? Colorado. Answer. — Not always the easiest thing to spot the cross colony ; and sometimes one colony will make so much trouble that it seems the whole apiary is cross. _ Sometimes if you walk rather briskly close in front of the colonies, the bees of the cross one will dart out at your legs. Or, knock lightly on the hives, and see which one flies out at you. your eye on the "Sisters' " department I'll get her to tell how she does it. 3, I'm not sure whether there's any better way than to lay a separator on a flat surface and scrape it with a hatchet. But they cost so little that I've thrown away a good many and bought new. 4. Yes, I've used in T-supers, with fences, 4 '4 plain sections, and also tall sections, same as in catalogs. I like them as well as in other supers, but prefer the common sections with plain separators. Partial Clipping of Queens. 1. Would it be possible to "hobble" a queen? That is, to clip her wings so she still could fly, yet not be able to fly high or far? To what extent, and what wings would you clip for such purpose? 2. Do you ever sell any queens? I should like to have a few of your hybrid queens to breed from, even though they be <»ld ones. Illinois. Answers. — i. Yes, I think it was Mr. \s- pinwall who did that very thintr, and 'if I remember rightly, quite successtully. All four wings should be cut the same length. I'm not sure, but I think Mr. Aspinwall cut ofl nearly or quite half of the wings. 2. I rear queens only for my own use, but sometimes spare an untested queen of best stock in July. Depth of T-Supers — Cleaning T-Tins — Fence Separators in T-Supers. 1. I think your super-followers are 4'4 x 5-16 inches, with notches for T-tins. I have some lumber about the right thickness, but a little too narrow for 454-i"ch. Would it be any disadvantage to have them only as wide as the plain-sawed separators, 3^, and without notch- es for T-tins? What would be the disadvan- tages, if any? 2. How do you get the propolis off T- tins? You probably have a quicker way than I have for cleaning them. 3. What is a good way to clean the plain sawed separators used in T-supers? 4. Did you ever use fences and plain sec- tions in T-supers? If so, how did you like them? I suppose they were the same as are listed in supply-catalogs. Pennsylvania, ^Answers. — i. I'm not surt» whether it would make any difference. I don't think it could make anv difference at the top; but there might be' a little bulging at the bottom, es- pecially if the bees were crowded for room. Possibly, however, that might not happen, for bees are not much inclined to bulge at the outer sides of a super. 2. I made very slow work scraping them; but my assistant found a way that does the business in perhaps a fourth of the time, and does it ever so much better. If you'll keep Average per Colony — Comb vs. Ex- tracted. If I remember, you reported over 260 pounds of comb honey per colony the past season. Where is the bee-keeper who runs for extracted honey in the same locality, who re- ported more pounds to the colony ? It has been running through my head for years that where the honey is left on the hive until it gets thoroughly ripe there is not as much difference in the yield as some people would try to make us believe. Illinois. Answer. — There's a big mistake somewhere. I don't think I ever averaged 260 pounds to the colony, or even 260 sections. My best year was 1903. In that year, from 124 colo- nies, spring count. I took 18.150 pounds of comb honey, or an average of a little more than 146 pounds per colony. If 12 sections weighed II pounds, that would be nearly 160 sections per colony. It would be interesting to know j ust how much more I would have taken if I had been running for extracted honey, but I'm afraid I'll never find out. Likely what is true as to the difference with one man or one place would not be true as to another man or another place. Similar to Spring Dwindling. Irving Long: — I wish to ask your opinion i^f something about bees. I am always glad lo help any one that I can in regard to the many different things that we bee-keepers rub up against, and I am quite sure you are also. I call myself a beginner in bee-keeping, although I have been making it a close study for 5 years. Perhaps I have passed the be- ginner's stage, but there are many things that I am unable to decide for myself. The ques- tion that I wish to ask you is this: Kvery spring I notice that after spring comes and the bees have brood-rearing well advanced, and everything humming to the mu- sic of the bee, then comes sometimes what we bee-keepers call "black-berry winter," a cold, wet time that keeps the bees at home to take care of their maturing brood, and brood of all ages — a time that keeps them boused vip 2 or 3 days. They will begin to carry out brood. Is "it the natural instinct they have to pre- pare for hard times by cutting down the mouths to feed? We know a little later in the season under the same conditions they will go to work on the drones. I am unable to decide whether it is this desire to save stores, or whether it is chilled brood. We know that they would be compelled to contract their clus- ter to keep their brood warm in the center of the brood-nest, and thereby leave brood in the outside combs that would become chilled, and, of course, they would carry that out. If they waited to do that until it warmed up, I would say it was chilled brood, but they commence it about the second day after being housed up. If it is chilled brood, you see it is my fault in not having furnished warm hives, or the entrances should be con- tracted at such a time. What is your opinion? These questions properly solved, go to make up our successes. The brood that they carry out is usually of the age when they resemble a young spider — legs, but no wings. But I know you have seen the same thing many a time. H. C, G. Saline Co.. Mo. Answer. — I will gladly answer your ques- tions to the best of my ability. What you speak of is similar to spring dwindling. In fact, spring dwindling is caused probably by the same thing: lack of proper protection March, loog. American Hee Journal 105 in the spring. Some years ago I tried winter- ing bees in the cellar. I have an average (or better) farm cellar. I found that bees wintered perfectly until March. Then if it came very warm they were uneasy and flew out too much. (The difference in stores was only 5 to 7 pounds of honey from those in the bee- houses.) So I tried taking them out in February and March. Those set out in bee-houses even in February always came along all right, while those set under trees, every every one dwindled badly; even losing their (jueens. Bees never destroy worker-brood except in case of actual starvation; but we all know if the flow stops suddenly they throw out the maturing drones, and make way with all young drone-brood. Quite often a warm time comes in March or April when bees expand their brood-nest too much. There is a very great difference in differ- ent strains of bees in this respect. Some will use up all the honey in the hive in early spring in rearing a hive of brood, and then starve to death. Others would need to have the honey uncapped and frames spread, or empty frames put in the middle of the brood- nest. Another cause of too early brood-rearing is feeding. If bees are in danger of starv- ing, feed. In early spring give them sealed combs if you have them. If you don't have them, feed white sugar syrup, so as not to stimulate them more than you can help. I want every one of my colonies to have not less than 40 pound's of honey in the fall for wintering. So if I have to feed at all, it is just before harvest of white clover. Probably in your case if it is not feeding, it is lack of proper protection in the spring. See that the bees are kept just as when wintering, also protect the hive. An old dry- goods box packed around the hive with hay or straw does very well. Give them a south face, or east, with the front of the hive ex- posed to the weather, and I will venture to say vou will never see many worker-bees ihrow'n out chilled in the spring. I never saw over one or two dozen to a colony thrown out here when wintered in a bee-house or shed. Irving Long. Marceline, Mo. comb is cut into shape, and fitted in the frame, I bring the slicks perpendicular, and drive the nail at the bottom. Comb with brood and honey is easily handled this way. In 4 days the bees will fasten comb in place so that sticks can be taken off unless the colony is very weak, or the weather turns cold. One-half inch or .>^-inch wire-nails are best to use. I also forged me a hive-tool made like a claw-hammer. The handle part is flat- tened at the end, chisel-Hke, but rounded. W. A. SWEARINGEN. Epworth, Ky., Jan. iS. A Season's Experiment with Bees, There were moved into my neighborhood last season, 12 colonies of black bees. There was a piece of timber land not far from my apiary, but nearer to the black bees. That is. the black bees were between my apiary and the timber (in the year of 1907). At least 70 percent of my queens mated with black drones. At the same time I had another apiary on the other side, but nearer to another body of timber. The percent of mlsmated queens there was only about 25- In the fol- lowing spring (1908) the black bees were removed by sale to different places at a dis- tance from here. The mismated queens of the year were only about 20 percent. This year I will get a chance to try an experiment that I do not think will pay in a financial way. The first part of the year was very wet and in the month of May it turned very dry, so much so that I fear the clover has been badly damaged. It was more dry than it has been for several years past. Most of the bees that went into winter quarters are old bees that have not done much work to weaken them. Early in the season bees began to fill their hives up, but clover could not stand the dry weather, as all the supporting roots were on top of the ground and failed to secrete any further nectar in the bloom, and I fear a large part of it has been killed. It has been weakened anyway. There was a light fall flow of honey from asters, and some little brood was reared. The bees that were short in stores were those in the extracting yard, and the opes that had swarmed. There are very few bec;i that are as strong now as they were last March. Most of the weakest ones were united last fall. Neither clover nor bees arc in a condition to stand a hard winter. I will send a description of how I have transferred quite a number of colonies of bees. I take pieces of pine, or soft timber, as long as the Langstroth frame is high, J4- inch thick, and saw it in strips 3-16-Jnch wide. I nail one on each end of the frame, if the comb is in a large piece; more if comb is in small pieces; and on the other side of the frame I nail a like number, or as many as it takes to hold the comb in place on last side, I nail at the top, or to top-bar, but at the bottom I just drive the nail through the piece and turn it lengthwise of the top-bar, so that you -can put the comb in place. After the Bot-Flies and Horses. I must surely take exception to your article under heading of "Hoodoo Ribbons in Aus- tralia" in regard to bot-flies. Here in West- ern Nebraska, if we drive horses with any satisfaction, we must put cloth of some kind under their jaws (or neck). If you would notice horses here from June i, or sooner, till cold weather, you would see them actually rear up and strike, the bot-flies are so re- pugnant. Out in the pastures they will run and throw their heads over the backs of other horses to keep the flies from them. While they don't seem to mind them around their legs any more than a common fly, they will go almost wild if one flies under their jaw. I've killed many a one there, and have seen them stick there till they had their eggs laid. Of course, the eggs don't do ar»y damage, as the horse can't get them in its mouth as they can on their body and legs. I once had a high-bred horse that would rear in the air and groan every time a bot-fly would buzz un- der his jaw, I have seen men here put red rags under the horse's jaw to keep them ' off. I don't know if it was efficient or not. I always fasten a cloth of good width from the throat-latch to bridle-bit. Then they can't get in. A. M. Bent.\min. McCook, Neb.. Jan. 18. fit is perhaps a reckless thing to have said anything about a subject upon which the bee- books are deplorably silent, and at a time of year when bot-flies themselves can not be called upon to give their evidence. But if there is anything wrong in the case, it is the bot-flies that are to blame. What right have they to do such a foolish thing as to be bothering the throats of horses? The bot- fly (Gasterophilus equi) may be seen very bus- ily engaged in laying its eggs upon the hairs of the horse, in the confident expectation that the horse will bite off and swallow them. to hatch out in the intestines of the horse, the larvae, or hots, to do their mischief there. Now how could a horse possibly swallow a nit on his throat? To he sure, any one who is at all familiar with horses can hardly have failed to see horses going frantic at times when big flies troubled them about the throat, but is it a certainty that some other fly than the bot-fly is not the culprit? You've seen plenty of the eggs of the bot-fly on a horse's front legs, did you ever see a lot of them on his throat? Did you ever know a bot- fly to bite a horse on the throat or anywhere else? Mind you, this isn't saying that it doesn't, it isn't saying that it doesn't chew Krcat holes in a horse's throat, it's only ask- ing the question. I.^t us have light on this important matter. It would be a sad thing if any one should fail of a crop of honey through ignorance regarding the bot-fly! Later. — Since the foregoing was written, others have written protesting that bot-flies are the miscreants that trouble horses about the throat, sometimes making them rear and strike frantically. Perhaps it will be well to lay the subject on the table for a few weeks, until fly-time, so as to make exact observation whether it be bot-flies or flies of some other kind that are the throat-troublers. At present all the testimony to hand is in that direction, and in case this is corroborated the only thing is to apologize for ignorance, and anathematize the bot-fly for doing such a crazy thing as to lay eggs where they don't standi a ghost of a chance of ever hatching. And then it might be well to transfer the discussion to some equine paper.- — Editor.] roofing boards are laid close together; floor 2 feet of dry sawdust. Take off the cover from the hive, carry the hive into the house, set it flat on the sawdust, take the honey off from the bees, double an old grain-sack once from the top to bottom, making 4 thick- nesses of canvas, spread over the bees, and replace the honey-board on top of the bag. I have 37 colonies and there is not a hand- ful of dead bees. You can see the bees through holes in the old bags. The house is perfectly dark: S-foot posts. I don't allow any one to touch the house in any way. I work for surplus honey in su- pers. I don't think much of having to feed bees. I want but one super of honey from one colony. Don't rob the bees, and you won't have to feed. I don't think there is much made after vou have figured the cost of sugar, time, and trouble. I think bees winter better on honey of their own storing. I like to read the Bee Journal. There are a great many things I don't know anything about, and don't want to. M. S. Crawford. Perry, Mich., Feb. 24. Wintering Bees in a House. I am what you might call a "fool" bee- keeper, and in reading the Bee Journal I think there are more of them. I won't say how I manage bees, only that I see so many ways of wintering bees. Now notice this: I winter them in a house made for that pur- pose. It is 14 feet wide and 20 feet long, matched siding on the outside, sheeting on the inside, filled between with sawdust. There is 6-inch studding and a good, strong roof. The Rather Discouraging. Since mv last letter we have had a very cold spell, but it is warm again, with bees flying. This is a forerunner of a bad spring. It has been that way here for the last two springs, then no honey till in the fall, and I missed it last fall on account of the drouth. R. B. Perrv. Greenfield, Tenn., Jan. 26. Plenty of Rain. We are still having plenty of rain— nearly 25 inches so far. The soil is thoroughly soaked. We can not tell for certain as to the 1 909 honcv crop. It takes March and April rains for that; then we may have un- favorable weather. M. H. MendlEson. Ventura, Calif., Feb. 12. Very Wet Weather. Yesterday I found one colony of bees cast- ing out their voung drones, and another one hurrying out their workers that could scarcely fly. The walk was full of those that had per- ished. The weather is very bad so far— very wet. The almonds are in full bloom, but the bees can not get out. A day and a half is the longest sunshine we have had this month. W. W. C01.ESTOCK. Ptcasanton, Calif., Feb. 20. Mildest Winter in Years. This has been the mildest winter in years, the mercury going below zero only twice dur- ing the whole winter, and then for only a short time. While this is so. yet the bees have had no chance for a good flight, that are on their summer stands. Those in the cellar are in fine shape, and were it not too early to "count the chickens," it could be said that the season of 1909 would be one of the best for bees here in central New York. But, alas! the two most trying months for bees are just ahead of us. G. M. Doolittle. Borodino. N. Y., March 2. Best He Has Read. I had discontinued the American Bee Jour- nal for several months in order to test the other bee-periodicals, to find which would do me the most good. I have nothmg else that will help me along the line of honey-produc- tion, controlling swarming, how to have good, vigorous queens in colonies, besides wintering, and other important things, so much as the American Bee Journal has done in the past year. I can heartily and consistently say that the American Bee Journal is the best period- ical on the subject I have read. Grantsville, Md. I.- J- BEACny. Look Out for the Skunks. Do all bee-keepers know that skunks are very destructive to bees, and that quite often "spring dwindling" is caused by these little robbers, perhaps entirely unknown to the bee- Their mode of operation is to establish their home in some old abandoned woodchuck s hole, or other hiding place, perhaps only 10 or 20 rods from the apiary, which they then visit nightly until winter sets in. and then when- ever the weather is warm throughout the en- tire winter and spring. ^ l- a They go to the entrance of a hive and scratch Mn»il the beea are disturbed and rush ■Marcli, 1909. American Hee Journal .u, then mash them with their paws and a: ihem by the thousand. Whether they are attracted by the honey which may be within the bee's body, or that the insect itself is food enough for them, 1 do no: know. Perhaps both, for in summer and fall the skunk lives principally on crickets. Go into any old pasture-lot on a hill, and you may find thousands of stones which have recently been overturned. This is done by skunks in pursuit of the crickets which are hidden under the stones. If one of these miscreants is living on your l>ees. as I recently discovered they were on mine. March is a good month to discover and stop the depredation. Whenever there comes ?. tracking snow, it is easy to follow their tracks to the den, at the mouth of which a small steel-trap will soon end the trouble. If no such snow appears, a close inspection of the entrances of the hives may disclose the sera tell marks, and traps set right there will soon arrest the thief. These visits have been so frequent among my hives, that I suspect such work may be going on entirely unnoticed in very many apiaries, and I sound this note of warning, for I am convinced that many a good, strong colony may be' entirely ruined during the spring months, and the real cause never be known. Is.\-\c F. Tillinchast. Factorvville, Pa. Honey Scarce — Carrying Pollen Here honey is scarcer, hardly any on the market, and almost none in the hives. The price on chunk honey is 16 cents. This is a bright, clear honey which never candies. It is sourwood honey. It is February 22, and bees are carrying in pollen as fast as 1 can count. This is very unusual for this State, as it generally is win- ter at this date. My bees will come out weak in numbers, and but little honey. But I am looking to the future with a smiling face. Geo. F. JonE$. Elkin, N. C. Bloated Bees. In answer tn an inquiry on page 46, about bloated bees, I will say that I had 2 colonies with this disease last December. I watched these colonies for 3 days, and found every day more bees coming out to die. I cured the bees in 24 hours by feeding diluted icarm honey in entrance-feeders. The brood in the hives was healthy and the queens laying. The end of November and December I fed my bees about 23 gallons of old sorghum molasses, at the rate of one gallon of molasses to 3 gallons of water. None but these 2 colo- nies got sick, and all reared plenty of brood, and are in fine shape today. Seguin, Tex., Feb. 24. Henry Breuner. this that will injure it, as clover can't stand being smothered with ice, especially seedlings. It is my opinion that white clover seed that sprouted last fall will produce good blooms full of nectar, if the season's conditions are right, but the layers from last year's plants are more vigorous bloomers, whether from one, 2 or 3 year old plants. I believe that the plants die naturally, only after bearing a seed crop. Then the root dies and the branch- es take root and go to work on their own hook, and may send out other runners or branches for the next season, thus increasing year after year. I find that my 14 colonies are all right up to date. They are outside and with little protection, as I could not get enough leaves to pack them as I usually do. They are mak- ing long flights today, and get quite a little sap from broken limbs of the hard or sugar maple trees. They are nearly as busy as on a May day. I am also wintering 14 colonies for a friend, and tliey are all in fine condition. I hope to bring them all through the winter safely. We are having rather an unusual winter, so that the bees have had several fliglits. I ex- amined several colonies today, and they are quite heavy, so much so that I will not have to feed any before April. E. E. Kennicott. Crlenview, 111., Feb. 21. Will Try Bees in Tennessee. I came to this State about a month ago, and I find that the people down here still keep bees in the old-time way, but by the weight of the hives this must be a good coun- try for the bees. I have engaged 40 prime swarms to commence business with, so^ you see that I will soon be on top again 'with bees. Having kept bees in old Indiana on a large scale, and having made it pay, I think I can do it here. Anyway, I am going to try it, and 1 f it pays 1 certainly shall let the "Old Reliable" know about it. The weather here is rather cold, chilly and damp at present, and I certainly feel the cold worse than I did in old Indiana. Julius II.\ppEt.. Chattanooga, Tenn., Feb. 8. Wants to Produce the Best. I smarted 5 years ago with 2 colonies and have 1 00 now. From 60 colonies last year I got 6,400 pounds of extracted and 1,500 pounds of comb honey, and increased to 100 colonies. I have sold most of my extracted for 125^ cents per pound, and comb at 15 cents, to the consumer. Most of my comb honey has been sold to the groceryman at $3 per case. My aim is to have the best honey that this territory will produce, and 1 don't have any trouble in disposing of it. I read all 3 of our valuable bee-papers, and get much valuable information from them. C. S. Caldwell. Evanston, 111., Jan. 7. Good Honey Crop in 1908. The honey crop of 1908 was good. From 6 colonies, spring count, I took 960 pounds of extracted honey, and 50 pounds of comb honey — total loio pounds. I sold the ex- tracted to my customers here at home at 10 cents a pound, they furnishing the recepta- cles. It was sold before the approach of cold weather. Bees are wintering fine so far on tlie summer stands in 10- frame hives. That makes 20 frames to the colony almost full of honey. I have kept bees since 1880, and find it a very profitable side-issue to farming. J. H. Uphaus. Greentown, Ind., March i . White Clover and Bees All Right. I have just been out investigating the white clover prospect for the coming season, and I find it very good, both from the seed and lay- ers. The layers are fully as strong as last ^••*r, aUhouKa we niay^have an ice-storm after Bees in a Church. This is one of the most pleasant churches the writer has ever served. Several of the members and others here keep bees, and this seems to be a good place for them. For 2 years a colony has made its home in the walls of the church, just above the pulpit. So while the "drippings" of the sanctuary have not been visible before last fall, we succeeded in taking about 100 iiounds of very nice honey from the colony of bees in the church. My 4 colonies which I moved from Dur- ham. Iowa, have been wintering nicely, and are very strong. Their hives were full of the nicest kind of honey last fall. I think that bees have been wintering quite well in this locality. (Rev.) J. W. StinE. Tiffin, Iowa, March 3. Report for Last Season. Last year was a somewhat hard one on the average bee-keeper here. I began with 1 7 colonies in the spring, lost 2 by spring dwindling. I had 7 swarms in May and June. All died from starvation, owing to con- tinual floods and general wet, then a long drouth. About August 2 came a good rain, and oh, how smart-weed (heartsease) and Spanish-needle did bloom ! I got 1 9 swarms, most of w^hich built up well, and all are alive so far. One swarm I caught August 10. It not only built up on 8 Langstroth frames, but gave i8 pounds of surplus honey — a thing I had never before seen. I had only shallow extracting frames, but did not extract. I sold it as chunk honey, as the demand was greater than the supply. I took off and sold about 1.400 pounds, and have about 150 pounds left. Bees are in good shape. (Dr.) J. T. Blank. Elk City, Kans., Feb. 26. honey either. Honey needs to be reduced a little with warm water. The space between the holes will prevent the bees from drown- ing— not a bee will drown. I have made 4 or 5 feeders that hold a quart, and have been feeding my bees all winter, that had but very little honey. Some days it would be pretty cold for them. By making the honey warm they would come up in clusters and work the honey down into the combs below. I see by feeding this way that some of the colonies commenced breeding the first of February. Seville, N. C, Feb. 22. M. D. Taylor. A Cheap Bee-Feeder. Here is a new way to make a bee- feeder, and just as good as any of the high-priced bee-feeders. You can make it yourself by tak- ing a scantling of any kind of wood, 2>y2'^iy2 inches, and 6 inches long, or any length you want, by boring 2 rows of i i4-inch holes 3 inches deep, and place it on top of the brood- nest, with honey or syrup. The bees will come up and carry it down into tlie cluster in a hurry. Make the syrup warm, or the Develops the Home Honey-Trade. In 1908 I started out with 25 colonies, spring count. I increased to 47 colonies, se- cured 1000 pounds of fine clover and bass- wood honev, which sold for $3.60 per case ot 24 sections'. Some of it went to Chicago, but it was principally sold at home. I could not supply the demand. I grade my honey, put it up in nice shape, and it goes off with a rush. I don't have to peddle it, as my cus- tomers come and get it by the case. ,1 ^"^'"sli an attractive case to keep it in. When the case is emptv it is returned and another order taken, so you s^e I have a snap m the honey- business. This honey-business was built up bv good management and fair dealing with my customers. No other will pay the Progressive bee-keeper. I live in the suburbs, of the vil- lage I have near neighbors, but I sweeten them up with honey every year, so, I have no complaint— "no kick coming.' So in time of peace prepare for war. I make and use the American hi^e 15 inches square, 12 inches ^"gh, brood -frames i^!4xiiK, 9 frames to the hive. For big coloni^s'^^I use 2 hives. 1 make everything except the sections. I do this work in the Wer-tme, and I enjoy.it. I have tried other hives, but this one is the best for this locality for comb honey. F. McBride. :Mc(Tuffy, Oliio, March 1. Northern Michigan Convention. The Northern Michigan l-ee-Keepers; Asso- ciation will met at Traverse City, Mich., April 7 and 8 1909. A morning, afternoon and even^ne session will be held the first day of The meeting and a morning and afternoon ses- sion the second day. Traverse City is the center of a fine bee- enthusiastic meeting .s an''C-pated. Do no^ ^i X ^i.i^ n^ei.ht.s%o"|o\.o.g "'The^'win be premiums ofEerejl for the beJt .0 pounds of both comb and extracted honev, also on best s PO"nds of bce.wpx. Tf'vou have never attended a convention, come IZ .0 this meeting, and get acquam d with your neighbor bee-keeper. It >f a "Otf" fac that if a man (or woman, "ther) at tends one convention, there .s ™ "^^'e n •getting t.,em to attend mo^e^ afTer aS|"g ''°" '?tterenieet^ngs Isn't this convincing ^vfdence'o'i the "terlfng worth of conventions ?rnt O NelsonT Chas. Irish, Miss A. H. JJi^lt :rtrdcuar.!;rlh|-'- furnishing their parlors free for our convention ,^^^^.^^^„, Remus, Micli. '-• The Successful "Philo System." , .^-'-wn-rhar-'wiirviefd'-a \Z. ^liv^mi':inVl ^TofirbesfJes' rn'Uho >s JviUing to ,.ve h.s h. ='rhilo°'l%.- of P^g'-essL Poultry '" ^-^' ''lJ{lry7LT:r'il' h^ 1- ouT- eEin?5^!r.X?7r?'a| = can put into practice successfully. The tact March, 1909. American Hm Journal that Mr. Philo himself has been successfully raising chickens for more than 30 years places liim in a positon to speak with authority. The Philo System is not a "new idea." nor a fad. Its basis is work, and it attempts not to point out an easy way, but to show the right way. For this reason the inexpert will find this book invaluable. It will start him right, and keep him from getting very far from right. By following the plan given in this book a man may make a net profit of S874.00 or more upon a city lot 50 feet square; besides, he should receive a few hundred dol- lars for by-products. On another page of this issue will be found the large advertisement of Mr. Philo. It gives full particulars. When writing be sure to mention the American liee Journal. DON'T BUY QUEENS UNTIL YOU SEE MY FREE OFFER NOT CHEAP QUEENS, BUT IJUEENS CHEAP. Reared from the best selected red-clover mothers. My queens are all reared by the bees, as they far better understand the job than I. I use no artificial plan. All queens large and well developed, such as will, with proper manaeement. fill an ordinary hive full of eggs and brood in ten days. Directions for building up weak colonies with my queens, 10c. frices ol Eilra Selected Three-Band Bees and Queens. Untested queens 1, $ 75 ; 6, J 4.20 Tested " 1, 1.0O;6, 6.70 Breeder 1, 5.00 ; 3, 12.00 1-frame nucleus with untested q'n.l, 1.75 ; 6, 10.20 2-frame nur-Ieus with untested r4*n.l, 2.25:6, 13.20 l-frame uncleus withtested J/AJ.
  • a<-a Co. Wis. (iood Ijulldlnifs, and 32 colonies of liees Bith llxture.i. GKO. W. UKLANO. Royalton, Wis. LEWIS BEEWARE A Full Stock at Factory Prices Our e.xcellent location and facilities en- able us to give; . J SOUTHERN BEE-KEEPERS prompt service and best prices. Write for our Big Catalog of Bee-Supplies, Seeds and Poultry Foods. Otto Schwill & Co., Seedsmen Established 1869 Box 73, Memphis, Tennessee lAst Mention Be« Journal vrben vrrltUiK* TEXAS FAMOUS QUEENS The Blue-Ribhon Winners Will be ready early in April' Let me book your order now for April, May and June delivery. -PRICES- Untested, each, 75 cts.; per doz., $ 8. .:<■ Tested. •' $1.25 " . " " 12. Italians, Banats, and Carniolans— all blue-ribbon winners, and free from dis- ease. Write for Circular. 3Atf GRANT ANDERSON^ Sabinal, Texas Mention Bee Jonmal when vtrltlnc- BIG QUEEN-REARING YARD FOR THE NORTHWEST Having secured the services of an Expert Queen-Breeder, we will furnish you with Pare Bred Italian Queens of well-known superior honey-gathering qualities. 900 col- onies back of our business. Queens ready about April 10th. (Jrders booked now. Each Doz. Select untested $1.00 $ 9.00 Tested 1.50 11.50 Select tested 8.00 16.00 Special price on large orders. Send for circular. 3A3t VIRGIL SIRES & BRO.^ North Yakima, Wash. Mention Bee JonrnnI ivhen wrltlnsr. 6P«»rr'*»n* Off ?." Bee-Supplles, • erceui \Jll Berry-Bo.xes. etc. -Send for price-list. Manufactured by JA3t J. J. BRADNKK, Marion. Inil. I^TWO MONEYMAKERS^^/ SCARFF'S SMALL FRUITS and beea are an lijoal combination forbfc-koopers or farmer.'^. (Jrder early and plan f. a jrcnHrouH quan- , t(ty fit these fruit.s. Tlie bcoB poncnizn them, mail- jj inj,' them profluow tn luxurious abundance.an'l at the same time increase amount and value of honey. Small Fruit Plant Free. I want to prove now W'11-rootcd, HtroDK and vigorous my plants are. I wlli * Bf-nd free '^)nf fine plant (my Belectfon) if you will write ' fir my new VMi free catalnjf. Some at inv cuMtomers mak" over $300 anarre with my i>lant.'». Bofikon "Trans- planting anrd«TH. I mcII a larire variety of nursery etock, ^own on an H«(t-acre farm. ±r A.sk rorOalalosr L. W. N. SCABFF. New Carlisle, Ohio American Hee Journal March, 1909. ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI 3 BIG SPECIAL NUMBERS January, - Spraying FebruaryGardening March, Small Fruits FREE The Fniit-Grower is the greatest and most helpful farm mapazme. Each of these Fpecial issues coiiljiins about 'Opiigeg.hainJtumelyilluBtnited. cover in coloi-s and weighs alniost a pound. Oneissueisworthadollar if you liave a few trees, plants orap:ard>:n butif yuusend lOi- stamps or coin, to help pn.T cost of mailing and show ymi are Interested and not writ inp through curiosity, the thn-e numbers will be sent FKF.F. We cannot afford to send these jHipera unle?a you are interested. The paper is to good ve know you will be a regular reader after you see the^e issues. Regular rate i- a dollar a year, but as soon a?- you answer this "ad." we will send the first number by return mail and tell you how you can gii't the paper at half price and also secure Absolutely FREE, Prepaid, a Tree and Vine of "Delicious" Apple and Banner Grape These two new fruits, best ever introduced. Apple very finest quality in the world, sold as high as S6 a box. Hardy everywhere. Fill in coupon below AT ONCE. The Fruit-Grower, Box 502 . St. Joseph, Mo. I enclose 10 cents to pay cost of mailing three FREE special numbers. After rei-iivinff tht-ni I will eillin saccept your Special Half Kate ''New Fruits Offer" and ubscribeor notify you to stop the paper. Name Town State Mention Bee Jonmal vrhen 'vrrltinB. BEE-KEEPERS Write us now for our Catalog ana get low prices on good, honest, BEE-KEEPERS' SUPPLIES Onr specialty is making Sections. All other eoods up-to-date. AUa. LOTZ & SON, Cadott, Wis. 10A34t Please mention the Bee Journal, BEE-SUPPLIES Wholesale and Retail Ask us for prices on the goods you will need for this season. Discount for early or- ders. Send us your subscription for Glean- ings—one year and a Bee-Veil for $1.15. post- paid. Send for catalog. M. H. HUNT & SON, 0pp. Lake Shore Depot. Lansing. Mich. Uentlon Bee Journal vrhen vrrltliiK. DID YOU Ever stop to think what a good investment a few good queens would be? I send out no inferior queens. All my queens are selected, as I kill all that are no good. If you want one or 100, write me. UAtf S. F. TREGO, Swedona. HI. Southern Bee-KeepersI I have a new and complete stock of LEWIS BEEWARE and would be glad to quote you prices on what you may need. I can furnish a limited number of Cau- casian and Italian Bees and Queens. "Southern Bee Culture" contains 150 pages of practical information alone all lines of bee-keeping. Written by progressive bee-keepers scattered over the South. Price. 50 cts., postpaid. 2A3t J. J. WILDER. Cordele, Ga. fj^entlom Bee Jonmal whea wvltlas. Get Our Prices NOW! J. H. C. Phelps. Pres. "'HIS means a big savinE to YOU of S26.50 on busKy shown here — same rstio of saving on over 125 other style vehicles and harness — be- cause of our large factories, enormous purchases of mate- rial and perfected organization, which means high quality with big saving in manufacture. Because we sell direct to you from factory. We're going to give our customers the advantage of this saving. You never before had an oppor- tunity like this to purchase a Buggy at such a low price. We make over 125 Styles of Split Hickory Vehicles and a full line of Harness— everything made to order — many options given as to finish and trimmings. Let us send you our Big Free Book — it tells the whole story of "Split Hickory Vehicles"— and it's Free for your name and address on a postal. Address H. C. Phelps, President Tlie Obio Carriage Mfg. Company "Makers or SpUt Illcli>ry Viliiilc ■^•• Station 322 Columbus, Ohio Two Years* Guarantee Mention Bee Jonmal when vrrltlnK. GLADIOLUS The most magnificently beautiful of all summer flowering buibs. The most popular, easily grown and showy both while growing and for cut flowers. We grow acres ot them intlud' ing hundreds o! varieties and sell large I'ulbs o( our choicest Altoona Mixture at 75 CIS. pt-rdo^en : f 5. 00 per 100. lo order to get you interested we offer too Bulblets for 15 cts. or 1000 [or $1. L'O postpaid with full directions fi.r growing. Many will bloom the first year. All will become large bulbs, bloom and nml- tmly the_second season. It's a real iSargain— how many do you want? Beauiiful large catalogue of Bulbs, Plants and Seeds mailed free if you mention this paper. THE iOWA SEED CO., l>es Moines. Iowa Uentlon Bee Journal vrben vrrltlnar. Crotvn Bone Cutter Best Made- Lowest pKf^l* jonr hens cut green bonp * ami ^tt more ejtga. With a ^ Crown Rone Cutter tou can cut up bU scrap bones I easily and quickly, and without I any trouble, and have cut houe [ fre.th every day for your poultry. Si'nd at once for free catalouue. WILSON BROS., Boi r,i ^ Easlon, Pa, in Price HeBtlon Bee JeerHid when wrItlnK. R[[ To prove that our ''Bliz- zard Belt Evergreens ill grow in all pans of the country we offer to send 6 line Spruces H to ^ ft. tall, free to property owners. Wholesale value and mailing expense over 30 cents. To help, send 5 cents or not as you please. A postal will bring the trees and our catalog containing many colored photo plates of our choice Blizzard Belt Fruits. Ornamentals, etc. We want lo get acquainted with you and it will pay you to get in touch with our Hardy Bliz- zard Belt trees. 39 years" experience in growing hardy trees here in what was once called the Great American Desert. 'Wnte today. THE G4RDNER NURSERY CO.. Box 45 1 Osa^e. Iowa 4^,^. L^ LAWH FENCE - ■''^""•■''■^■""'''^'^^" ' - Many designs. Cheap as wood. 32 page Catalogue free. Special Prices to Churches and CemeterleB. J Coiled Spring Fence Co. I Boi 3i» Winchester Ind. Boo Everything for Bees We manufacture the latest ap-l proved supplies and sell direct at factory prices. We're oUi- time beepeoplein abeecountry. We know your needs. Early order discounts. Send for cat- alog. Don't buv till it come?. LEAHY IMANUFACTURING CO. llTalmage SI., Hijjinsiille. M.i. Houso ALSO. E. T. Flanagan & Sons. Box 4. Belleville. 111. FOR SALE AT A BARGAIN About 2000 T-tins for 4i-section T- supers for lO-frame hives ; over 2000 Fence Separators for no-beeway 4ix4J sections; over 2000 -11x4^ Section-Hold- ers ; and 250 moving screens for 8- frame dovetailed hives. Have been used. Address, 2A2t M. H. Mendleson^ VENTURA, CAL. PRIZE TAKERS Pharr's Goldens took first prize at 3 e.x- hibits in Te.xas in 1907. We will furnish Golden. Carniolan. Caucasian, and 3-band Italian Queens, untested. $1.00 till June 1. then 75 cents. Tested. $1.25 till June 1. then $1.00. For large quantities, write. Our 3- band Breeders from W. O. Victor and Grant Anderson strains : other races from the best obtainable. "Prompt service and satisfac- tion," is our motto. Address, 3Atf NEWCENTURYQUEEN-REARINGCO., or JOHN W. PHARR, Berclair, : : : Texas WAlVTFrk •''O Brown or Hybrid '• >*-i ' * UKJ Queens for May delivery. ' Quote lowest price. CHAS. HULCE. .^bbottstord. Wis. Marcli, 1909. American l^ee Journal I WANT YOU to gret niv new, handsome win-^H ^^^v ^^^H rhowmg' Fashion Book, ^^S^S HUNDREDS OF LATEST STYLES with illustrated lessons on Cutting and Dress- making', FREE, and I will sel! you all the pat- terns you want fur five cts. each. — ^^ They are the same patterns you have always pai-l 10c & I5c fur at the stores, made by the same people, and correct in every aetail. I publish the FARMER'S CALLf a weekly paper for every memfier of the family. An especiaHy interestinc-fea- ture each week are ttie chil- dren's letters; and the Woman's Department 13 unusually str'inc and in- structive. Among the special features fur women folks is its fashions in which I show i the 5c patterns. Lt-t " me help you to save money. MY SPECIAL OFFER Send me l''c and T will s^nd vou , the Farmer's Call every week for one year (about 1000 pages) and will send mv big Fashion Book to you tree. I also agree to sell vou anv pat- tern you want thereafter i<:>r 5 c. I can sel ft hem for 5 cts. because I buy them bv the thousand and don't make any profit. I don't want anv i>rofit. I want your subscription to the FARMER'S CALL. You will save nianv times the cost of my offer in a year. WRITE TO-t)AY. You can use this coupon— cut it out now and mall to me with 2.5c— Ic and 2c stamps taken, but a quarter almost always goes safe: John M. Stahl— Enclosed 25c (or Farmer's Call for one year, your book of pittems, postpaid, anJ privilege of buy- iTE patterns at 5c e^cii, Ni"^ Very Special Offer Send me 50c and I will send you the Farmer's Call for one year, the Illinois Farmer for two years, the Fashion Book prepaid, with privilege of buying patterns at 5c each. Use above coupon, but enclose 50c and write I. F. in the corner. Cut out the coupon right now, fill oat, and send to JOHN M. STAHL, J. P. Sta., Chicago, III. (Prop. Farmer's Call f->r y>ast ^5 ynars.} IF YOU WANT THE BEE-BOOK That covers the whole Apicultural Field more completely than any other pub- lished, send SI. 20 to Prof. A. J. Cook, Claremont, Cal., — FOR BIS— ''BEE-KEEPER'S GUIDE" Liberal I>isconDtsto the Trade. Mention Bee Joarnal when wrlC^ns* THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY Has the latest report of all the best work in practical entomology. Articles upon apicul- ture by national authorities appear in it. If you wish the best entomological journal foi the practical man, subscribe for it. $2 a year. DWIGHT SANDERSON, DURHAiM, N. Bnsiuess Met* H. n A n y r O ' Foot-Power DAnllLO Machinery lit-iid wimt J. I. Parent, of Charl- t'ln, N. v., fny-*: "We cut with one of y.iir ('-.iiihined iAsuhiriLH. laat wlnt«-r. M) chaff hives with 7-ln. cap, IWt horicy-nwiks, 600 broodframea, 2.fX)0 honey t>oxfB. and a (frcat de&l of other work. This wlnt*T we have double theamount of l>eehlve8,etc, to make, and we expe<-t to do it with tblR Saw. It will do all you pay It will" f'atalOK and prke llgt free. Addrcm, W. F. ft JOHN BARNES, 996 Ruby St.* Rookford. 111. Mention Be? Joamal when vnitlMC- ii] 99 'Forty Years Amon^ the Bees •By "Dr. C. C. Miller One of the Best -Known Honey - Producers in all the World THIS book of over 340 pages tells just how Dr. Miller manages his apiaries to produce the most honey, which, in turn, brings the most money. Dr. Miller has been "at it" some 45 years, and so is competent to tell others the best way to be success- ful with bees. In 1903 his crop of comb honey was over 18,000 pounds, and he is not located in the best honey- producing part of the United States, either Northwest- ern Illinois. The book is bound in substantia', cloth, gold-lettered, and is sent Dost- paid for only Sl.Of'; or with the American Bee Journal one year for $1.50. (Or send us 4 new subscriptions to the Bee Journal— with $3.00 -and we will mail you the book free as a premium.) Every bee-keeper ought to have both the book and the Bee Journal, if not already possessors of them. As Dr. Miller gets a royalty on his book— so many cents on each copy sold— every bee-keeper who buys it is thus helping a little to repay him for his effort to lead others to success through his writings on bee-culture. As we have a good stock of these books on hand, we can flu all orders by return mail. This is the time of year to read up on bee- keeping. Better send us your order at once for Dr. Miller's book, and study it carefully so as to make the mostof the bee-season. Address, GEORGE W. YORK m. CO.."«^k'',cAoo**?Ll'^''"- March Cash Discount One Percent on LEWIS BEEWARE except on tinware and honey-packages. Send for catalog. ARNO HONET Si BEK-8UPPLY CO. (Not Inc.)' H. M. Arnd, Proprietor, Saccessors to York Honey & Bee-,Supply Co., 191-193 E. Superior St., Cbicaeo, III. Long Distance Telephone, North 1669 HAND-MADE SMOKERS BINGHAM ^ Extracts from Catalogs— 1907: oLE«N "^-TlB Chas. Dadant & Son, Hamilton, 111. — This is the 8n)'i)r BEE <;MnKFR 1^^ " recommend above all otherB. \i. B. Lewis Co., Watertown, Wis.^We have sold these Smok- ers for a good many years and never received a single complaint. A. 1. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. — The cone fits inside of thecup so that the liquid creosote runs down inside of the smoker. All Bingham Smokers are stamped on the tin, " Patented 1878, 1892, and 1903," and have all the new improvements. Smoke Engine — largest smoker made $1.60 — 4 inch stove Doctor— cheapest made to use 1.10 — 3J^ " Conqueror— right for most apiaries 1.00 — 3 " Large— lasts longer than any other 90— 2}^ " Little Wonder — as its name implies 65 — 2 " The aboTe prices deliver Smoker at your post-offlce free. We send circular if requested. Original Bingham &. Hetherington Uncapping-Knlfe, T. F. BINGHAM. Farwell, MiGti Patented, May20,'1879. BEST ON EARTH. no American Bee Joarnalj March, 1909. Now Ready The 97th edition of our catalog is now ready. If you have not received a copy and are ready to place an order for any supplies write for a copy. Our mailing list has over 400,000 names, si time is required to get the entire edi- tion mailed. We e; .i this so any one may understand why a catalog may ni-. reach him early. The A B C of Bee Culture When we announced the completion of the new edition late in 1907 there was a good deal of satisfaction to notice the big buncb of orders on hand, although we did regret the unavoidaL delay in getting the books to some customers who had waited patiently for months. Over two thousand copies of this edition have already been sent out. We be- lieve all urgent orders have been filled. We felt that the change of price to $1.50 postpaid might cause a little slackening in the demand. Not so, however, for in all our experience the orders never came faster. We have also of the English edition a half leathe.' it $2.00 and full leather at $2.50, postpaid. German Edition, ABC der Bienenzucht in paper cov- ers, $2.00. Cloth-bound at $2.50, postpaid, to any country. French Edition, A B C de L'Apiculture, cloth-bound, at $2.00, postpaid, to any country. Gleanings in Bee Culture If you haven't seen a late copy of Gleanings you can't tell from any brief description how really magnificent it is. There are many valuable departments, and our subscribers just at this season of the year are telling how much they appreciate the paper. Each issue is very fully illustrated. The covers are done by the finest engravers in Chicago, and our writers are the best in the land. Besides dozens of writers of prominence whose names we can't even mention for lack of space, we have such men as Dr. E. F. Phillips, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture; Dr. Edward F. Bigelow, Associate Editor St. Nicholas ; F. Dundas Todd, former Editor Photo-Bea- con; Allen Latham, Connecticut, etc. A trial of six months (12 numbers) costs 2Sc. If in addition to your own subscription you secure others for six months keep loc on each one for your trouble. A liberal cash commission to those who do canvassing for us. Gasoline Engines and Power Honey Extractors For large apiaries, or where the honey comes with a rush and labor is scarce, you should investigate our power machines. A circular of these will be sent on request. THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, MEDINA, OHIO Bee-Supplies Distributor of Lewis and; Root" Bee-Sup- plies. We are now prepared' to furnish promptly a full line of Supplies and Berry Boxes. Choice new stock just^from factory Beeswax wanted. Send for^atalog. W. 3. McCARTY, Emmettsburg. Iowa Mention Bee Journal vrhen vrrlttne. BEE-SUPPLIES. 40-paEe catalog free. Brimful of the latest make of hives, etc. Oar supplies will please you in every way. Prices are riprht. "We can make prompt shipments as we carry a full line of A. I. Root Co.'s supplies in stock. Don't fall to write us if you are in need of supplies. SAtf JOHN NEBEL& SON SUPPLY CO.. High Hill, Montg. C .. Mo- Mention Be« Journal when Trritlnar. Choice White Wyandottes 15 eic;ueens for sale in season. QUIRIN-THE-QUEEN BREEDER, Bellevue, Ohio HONEY ^JEESWAX When consigning, buying, or selling, consult R. A. BURNETT & CO. 199 South Water St, Chicago, II WRITE FOR BEST BUGGY OFFER in America, on famous ColumbUB Bug' gles— at prii-'.-s tliiit 5nve ymlij: inoiiey. Lowest factory prices onend hy.-inyr.ri shippt-d on one month'a approval, 2 years' guarantee, (.ietncw frcec.it.ilue. ("oIomliiiH fBrrlnge & IIhi-ih-hb Co- Slnllnnt '.'^ Coliimt.ys n. 112 March, 1909. American Hee Journal Before buying your Comb Foundation or disposing of your Beeswax be sure to get our prices on Wax and Foundation, or get our prices on Working Wax into Foundation. We are also in a position to quote you prices on Hives, Sections and all Other Supplies. We give Liberal Discounts during the months of November, December, January and February. Remember that Dadant's Foundation is the very best that money can buy. We always guarantee satisfaction in every way. Lan^stroth on tbe Honey-Bee (new edition), by mail, $1.20. Send for our prices on Extracted White Clover and Amber Fall honey. DADANT (a SONS, Hamihon, Illinois CAPOJ CAPONS briDK the largest profits ~1U0 per ceot more than other poul- 1 try. Caponizing is easy and soon learned. Progressive poultrymen use PILLING ?s^^%^ih Postpaid 52.50 per set with free instrac- ] tions. The convenient, durable, ready- for-use kind. Best material. We also make ' pnnUry Marker 25c, GapeWorm Ertractor25c 1 \ French Killing Knife 50c. Cnpon Book Free. ' G. P. Pilling L Son, Arch SI., Philadelphia, Pa. FENCE Sfr^e"?!^' Mat1er>f High Carbon Double Strength ti^lU-d ■Wirt-. Heavily Galvanized to prevent rust. Have no agents. Bell at factory prices on 30 days' free trial. We pay all freight. '.'.1 he Itrhts of farm and poultry feiire. Catalog Free. COILED SPRING FENCE CO. Box 89 Winchester, Indiana. We are the Distributing Agents for Lewis Beeware Prompt shipment. Satisfaction al- ways. Send for our Free Catalog. THE. C. M. SCOTT CO., 1009 L. Washington St., INDIANAPOLIS, IND. UentloD Bee Jonmal n-hen vrrltlns. Bee-Supplies for Season of 1909 Complete stock on hand, as our plant has been running steadily so as to take care of the demand for Bee-Supplies the early part of the coming sea- son. We are practically overstocked at this time and advise those in need of Bee-Supplies to order now (shipments may be delayed until you want the goods') before the contemplated advance in prices all along the line. Lumber is dearer and labor has never been so high, but we agree to protect our pa- trons at present prices upon receipt of their orders at this time. It will cost you only one cent for a postal card to get our delivered prices on Dovetailed Hives, Sections, Section-holders, Separators, Brood-frames. Foundation, Smokers, Kxtractors, Shipping-cases, etc. It may mean a sav- ing to you of many dollars. It is the natural advantage we have over others that enables us to make you the Best Price. There are no better goods than ours, and we GUARANTEE SATISFACTION or REFUND your MONEY. Being manufacturers we buy lumber to advantage, have lowest freight- rates, and sell on manufacturer's profit basis. Let us quote you prices. Prompt shipment guaranteed. MINNESOTA BEE-SUPPLY COMPANY^ 152 Nicollet Island, Minneapolis, Minn. Alsike Clover Seed Also small and large Red, Alfalfa, and Timothy Seed, for sale. Choice seed. Write for prices. Catalog Apiarian Supplies Free. 2A3t F. A. SNELL. Milled^eville. - . i Illinois ^Z: j\ J^OTOJIMJKN Our cnin,,lc!c ri<-r1ric Kailway Course by mail \m11 lu.ik^ j uu a cniiitit-Krnt Molor- man or Conductor in short time at small cost. Hundreds of positions open at good salaries. Instruction endorsed by Elec- tric Railway mjn.iy.'ers. \\rite today ior free cai.ilog— bt.ite age and weight. The Wenthe Railway Cor. School, Oept. E R-393. Freepoii, III. ^ 49th Year No. 4 April, 1909 73c. a Year iOc. a Copy 114 April, 1909. American Hee Journal PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY GEORGE W.YORK S COMPANY 118 W.Jackson Blvd., Chicago, 111. IMPORTANT NOTICE. THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE of this Journal is 75 cents a year, in the United States of America, (except Chicago, where it is 11.00), and Mexico; In Canada 85 cents; and in all other countries in the Postal Union, 25 cents a year extra for post- age. Sample copy free. THE WRAPPER-LABEL DATE indicates the end of the month to which your subscription is paid. For instance, " dec09 " en your label shows that it is paid to the end of December, 1909. SUBSCRIPTION RECEIPTS. -We do not send a receipt tor money sent us to pay subscription, but change the date on your wrapper-label, which ■hows that the money has been received and credited. Advertising Rate, per flgate Line, 1 5c. 14 Hoes make one inch. Nothine less than 4 lines accepted. DiSCODNTS: 3 times 14c a line 9 times Uc a line 5 .. ]2c" •• 12 •' (lyr.)lOealme Reading Notices, 25 cents, count line. Goes to press the 6th of each month. National Bee Keepers' Association Objects of the Association. IBt.— To promote the Interests of its members. 2d.-To protect and defend its members in their awful riahts. Sd.— To enforce laws against the adulteration ot honey. ^^^^1^^, Membership Dues, $i.oo. General Manager a°^j,,Trea?^^ej- ^ P.atteviUe. Wis. or If more convenient. Dues may be sent to the publishers of the American Bee Journal. "Songs of Beedom" This is a pamphlet, 6x9 inches, con- taining 10 songs (words and music) written specially for bee-keepers, by Hon. Eugene Secor, Dr. C. C. Miller, and others. They are arranged for either organ or piano. The list includes the following : " Bee - Keepers' Reunion Song;" "The Bee-Keeper's Lullaby;" "The Hum of the Bees in the Apple- Bloom;" "The Humming of the Bees;" "Buckwheat Cakes and Honey;" "Do: Happy Bee-Man;" "Bee-Keepers' Con vention Song;" "The Busy, Buzzing Bees:" "Spring-Time Joys;" and "Con- vention Song." The pamphlet is mailed for 25 cents, or sent with the American Bee Journal one year — ^both for only 90 cents. Send all orders to the Ameri- can Bee Journal, 118 W. Jackson, Chi- cago, III. WE ARE NOW Booking Queen-Orders for 1909 $4.00 for 6 queens; $2.10 for 3; or 75c for" ^%y Italian Qu66n-B66 For a number ot jMrs we have been Bending out to bee-keep- ers exceptionally tine Untested Italian Queens, purely mated, and all rig;ht in every respect. Here is what a few of ttiose who re- ceived our Queens have to say about them : YVhat They Say of Our Queens George W. York & Co.:— The two queens received of you some time ago are tine. 'J'hey are good breeders, and the workers ate showiDg up flne. i introduced thera among black bees, and the bees are nearly yellow now. and are doinir good work. A. W. SWAN. Nemaha, Co., Kan.. July 1.0, 190.'.. Geohoe W. Yofk & Co.:— After importing queens for 15 years you have sent me the best. She keeps 9H Langstroth frames fully occupied to date, and, although I kept the hive well contracted, to force them to swarm, they have never built a queen-cell, and will put up Itto pounds of honev if the How lasts ihia week. chas. Mitchell. Ontario. Canada, July 22, 19o5. George W. Yofk & Co.:— The queen I bought of you has proven a good one, and has given me some of my best colonies. N. P. OGLESBY. Washington Co.. Va.. July 22, 1905. ♦♦♦ George W. York & Co.;— The queen I received of you a few days ago came through U.K.. and 1 want to say that she is a beauty. I immediately introduced her into a colony which had been queenless for 2o days. She was accepted by them, and has gone to work nicely. I am highly pleased with her and your pmniptness in filling my order. My father, who is an »ild bee-keeper, pronounced her very fine. You will hear from me again when I am in need of something in the bee-line. B. B. McColm. Marion Co., 111., July 13. We usually begin mailing Queens in May, and continue there- after, on the plan of '' first come first served." The price of one of our Untested Queens alone is 75 cents, or with the monthly American Bee Journal one year— both for $1.20. Three Queens (without Journal) would be $2 10, or 6 for $4.00. Full instructions for introducing are sent with each Queen, being printed on the underside of the address-card on the mailing-cage. You cannot do better than to get one or more of our fine Standard-Bred Queens. Address, GEORGE W. YOKK . I>. Wood, Box 61, LanBlne, Mich, WctntckA Man to assist in small apiary dllieu near Littleton, New Hamp- shire, and to work in garden. .Must be clean and good tempered, good character and habits, and have had experience with bees. State experience, references, and amount wages required. Address, J.J. Olpssner, 237 MIchiean Ave.. ChlcaKO Westwood Red-Clover Queens A New York customer writes, " I have tried queens from a good many breeders, but yours are far ahead of them all " 4A4t HENIIT SHAFFER, 28B0 Harrlion <>«.. Sla. I., CInclnnall, 0. OUa>e JTldnS homen, co.ftliiK rrom g29) 10 W.vio, for i, eenti.. 4A3t hlern & Hon, Arrhlteeln, Carttiaee, Mo. Italian Bees Queensand Nuclei Choice Home-bred and Im- ported Stock. All Queens Reared in Full Colonies. Prices for April One Tested Queen $1.65 One Select Tested Queen 2.20 One Breeder Queen 3.30 One Comb Nucleus— no Queen 1.50 Safe arrival guaranteed. For price on larger quantities and description of each grade of Queens send for Catalog. All Queens by return mail. A limited quantity of Comb Foundation. Send for sample. J. L. STRONG 204 E. Loian St., - • CLARINDA, IOWA Larger I'rofits in Comb Honey with les.s lalxir by usinff Baehmann's Patent Super— the only su- per that has so greatly r educed M^ time, labor and ' storage space in the production of comb honey. Super complete for eight- frame hive, 75 cts. H. Bachmann, " * Canada. Send for circular. C — . — fiuelph, Ont Mott's Strain of Italians D Work red clover and other deep blooms. Hardy and gentle. Untested, 75c. Guaran- teed. $1.00. Tested, $1.25. Golden Queens for the same price. Leaflet, " Safe Plans of Introduction," 15c. Also " Rapid Increase," I5c. Or copy of each, 25c. 4A6t E. E. MOTT, Glenwood, Micli. Western Headquarters FOR ROOT GOODS My stock of goods is the largest and most complete carried in the West, and with car-loads continually being added, I am in position to meet every want of the bee-keeper with promptness and satisfaction. We sell Root's GoodS lierc at Des Moines, Iowa, at Root's factory prices^ wholesale and retail. .Send for catalog to-day, or send us a list of the goods you need and we will name you prices according to quantity, by letter. Address, 4A3t Joseph Nysewander, 666 & 667 W. 7 th Street, PES MOINES, IOWA. FOR SALE 25 strong colonies ang[8tToth on the Honey-Bee, revised by Dadant.— This classic has been entirely rewritten. Fully illustrated. No apiarian library is complete without this standard work by "The Father of American Bee-Cul- ture." 520 pages, bound in cloth. Price alone, $1.20. With a year's subscription, $1.70, Given free for 4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. '*The Honey-Money Stories,'*— A 64- page booklet containing many .-ihort, bright stories interspersed with facts and interest- ing items about honey. The manufactured comb-honey misrepresentation is contradict- ed in two items, eat-h i_>ccui>ying a full page. Has 33 tine illustrations of apiaries i.>r apiarian scenes. It also cantains 3 bee-songs. This booklet should be placed in the hands of everybody not familiar with the food- value of honey, for its main object is to interest peo- ple ia honev as a daily table article. Price 25 cents. With a year's subscription, 90 cents. Given free for one new subscription at 75c. Three copies fe Journal. Next year — 1910 — will be the Ameri- i':ni rin- jniiiii:ii's "Jubilee \e.Tr — 511 years since it was founded by Samuel Wagner, in Washington, D. C. After conducting it a few years he died, when it passed into the hands of Rev. W. F. Clarke and others, the former editing it for a year or two. Thos. G. Newman then purchased it (in 1873), and until May, 1892, was its busy editor and pub- lisher. So we have been connected with the American Bee Journal a trifle over half of its life, and have edited and published it for just about one-tliird of its ex- istence. In 1881 the Bee Journal was changed from a monthly at $2.00 a year to a weekly at the same price. In July, 1885. the price was put at $1.00 a year, and so continued till July, 190". when it was changed back to a monthly publication. Today the price is only 75 cents a }'ear, while it contains about twice the amount of reading matter in its regular 32-page issue that it had when it was a monthly at $J.oo a year. And there are many who think that today the American Bee Journal is a better bee-paper than ever. It has a larger number of subscribers than it has had at any time during its history. But we think it ought to have several times its present number of sub- scribers. The years are rapidly passing. So many of the old friends of the Ameri- can Bee Journal have gone to their re- ward, and so many others are fast ap- proaching the time when the last fare- wells must be said. We have met and become acquainted with a large number of bee-keepers during the 25 years of our connection with the American Bee Journal, most of whom we feel that we can count as real friends. To possess their friendship and regard is to be rich in what is of most value in life. It were discouraging and almost hopeless if it were not for the inspiring friendships of earth — if it were not for the loyal and true spirits that one meets and holds close to his heart as the years come and go. After all, unless one is faithful, and tries to do his best, even if not financially well rewarded, there isn't much else to strive for on earth. The greatest satisfaction comes from having made a sincere effort to be help- ■ ful to others, to be loyal to the highest and the best, and to be faithful and true to those who have shared in life's struggles and conquests. The end comes all too soon to most of earth's toilers. so that it would seem that the few short years may well be spent in doing one's 188) George W. Editor American York, Bee Journal. 19011 I20 American Hee Joarnal j April, 1909. best to make life's pathway a little smoother and a little less irksome to those who are going the same way. When all is said, and all is done, the final verdict, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joys of thy Lord," if it can be truly said, will be reward enough for having striven to live well, even if there were nothing promised beyond that. So at the threshold of another 25 years we will take a new grip upon the apiarian and other duties and prob- lems that confront us, and go forward to meet them, and to perform them, with the spirit of the conqueror who, though sometimes defeated, is not cast down, and who from every contest receives a new impetus to strive to ren- der a nobler and a better service to mankind. A Call from Mr. E. F. Atwater Idaho has large possibilities as a bee- keeping State. Mr. E. F. Atwater, who has about 700 colonies there, gave us a very pleasant call recently. He is one of the hustling young bee-keepers of that part of the country, and has also written occasionally for the bee-papers. He is very pleasant to meet, and, n.-^ihing preventing, he will easily find his place among the leaders who specialize in bee-keeping. Another 48-Page Number This number of the American Bee Journal is another one having' 16 ex- tra pages. We had such an accumula- tion of good reading matter that we just had to use the extra space in order to keep up with the incoming contri- butions. We trust that our readers will not object to the extra number of pages again. On the contrary, we ftel sure they will appreciate it so much that many of them will try to get their neighbor bee-keepers to become sub- scribers. We wish they would do this. We always have room for more sub- scribers. There are just thousands upon thousands of bee-keepers who need the kind of help that the old American Bee Journal can give them. As some colonies were weak at the time of shaking, we made only 100 good colonies from the original 140. .As we wished honey rather than bees from this yard, we preferred to make our increase at other yards which are free from disease. When fall came, the bees were again inspected and all found clean except seven colonies, which, as bees are cheap here, were sulphured and hauled home. The 93 colonies gave as large a crop per colony as was taken from yards not diseased. Curing Foul Brood in the Fall The proper time to treat foul brood is when bees are gathering. Sometimes, however, it happens that a case has been unavoidably left without treatment, and according to J. L. Byer, in the Canadian Bee Journal, Jacob Alpaugh has been quite successful with fall treatment. He says: Briefly stated, the infected colonies are left till October, when the brood-rearing has ceased, and then the bees are shaken on empty frames and left that way for 2 days. At the end of that time full sheets of foundation are given, feeders put on and the bees fed as rapidly as possible. Last fall a friend of mine well Itnown to a good many members of our Association had a number of colonies slightly affected with foul brood, and he de- cided to try this treatment, as circumstances kept him from attending to them earlier in the season. The result was an unqualified success, and my friend said he would not have believed that it was possible for the bees to draw out the foundation as quickly as they did. Certainly the 2 days* starving did not appear to hurt the bees any, and as they appeared after treatment clustered on the beautiful new combs I would not pay 3 cents to insure their wintering. Getting Honey While Curing Foul Brood Some of our Western friends manage to secure good crops of honey while curing foul brood. E. F. Atwater thus tells about one case of more than a hun- dred colonies, in Gleanings in Bee Cul- ture: Last April, in inspecting our McDonald yard of 140 colonies, we found perhaps half of them affected with foul brood. With a view to circumvent robbers while working with the bees, we at once constructed a tent to use in our work at this yard. When the flow arrived, early in .Tune, with three help- ers I went to this yard, and in about twelve hours we shook almost every colony into a clean hive, supplied with wired frames and full sheets of foundation, and clipped evei-y queen to prevent absconding. About 2^ of the weaker colonies were taken a few rods away, to the north part of the yard, all their queens caged, and the brood from the shaken colo- nies was piled up on them to hatch, and all entrances well contracted. When shaking, all combs with little or no brood were put in hive-bodies, and stacked up bee-tight in the shop. Then in ten days to three weeks, as we had time, we shook the stacked-up colo- nies at the north end of the yard. Death of Editor W. Broughton Carr Mr. W. Broughton Carr, for many years editor of the British Bee Journal and of the Bee-Keepers' Record in con- junction with Mr. Thos. W. Cowan, died Feb. 11, 1909, at the age of 73 years. The initials of his name are very familiar in connection with the "W. B. C." hive of his invention. He was a man greatly beloved, and his death is a serious loss to British bee-keeping. country that it is written in the German language. Yet that will make it all the more valuable to German bee-keepers in this country who still maintain a love for the mother-tongue. "Der Bienenhonig und seine Ersatz- rnittel" is written by Dr. Alfred Haster- lik, contains 232 pages, and has 3 illus- trations. Beginning at the beginning, we are told how the bee gets the nec- tar and what it does with it, including an analysis of nectar; then through the chemistry of honey, its harvesting, test- ing, adulteration, etc., up to its market- ing. There are also given pharmaceuti- cal preparations in which honey is em- ployed, and this for several diiTerent countries, and a string of recipes for honey-cakes, etc. One is just a bit sur- prised to find that this list of recipes is hardly so full as that contained in the booklet "Honey as a Health Food," that has had so large a circulation in this country, seeing that honey is so much used in home-cooking in Germany. It is interesting to note how Ameri- can honeys are rated. Norfhern white clover honey holds the first rank, with the Florida mangrove a close second; then comes Cuban bellflower, and then linden. Much honey is imported into Ger- many. In the 10 years from 1897 to 1906 inclusive, more than 860 tons were imported from California. That seems like a lot of honey. Mexico, however, furnished more than 3 times as much; Cuba II times as much; and Chile and Peru 20 times as much. "Forty Years Among the Bees" F. Dundas Todd, ex-editor of the Photo Beacon, while criticising some of the illustrations in Dr. Miller's "Forty Years Among the Bees," has this good word for the book itself, in Gleanings in Bee Culture : Again, there is that Nestor of bee-keeping. Dr. Miller, whose "Forty Years Among the Bees" is in my hands every day from March to September, for the very simple reason it comes nearer being specific in the details I want to know than any other book on bee- keeping. I like the doctor's book just because he goes so thoroughly into the details of his practice, and in many ways I am endeavoring to follow him. He is the only writer who goes minutely into hive-construction, so far as I know, and I want to say that this past season I would have been in a pretty fix if I had not had his "Forty Years Amoni; the Bees," as I am so far from supplies, and was compelled to make my own hives. It can, therefore, be readily understood how much I had to rely upon books. A Book About Honey There are books galore about how to manage bees, there are books devoted solely to queen-rearing, and books de- voted to other branches of bee-keep- ing, to help the man who is trying to make a gain by selling honey, but here is a book about honey itself. .\las for the majority of bee-keepers in this Illinois Bee-Keepers, Beware! We have received the following from Jas. A. Stone, a member of the Legis- lative Committee, of the Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association, which will be of interest to every honorable bee-keeper of Illinois: When our committee came before the com- mittee in the Illinois Senate, we were asked why some of the bee-keepers opposed the Foul Brood Bill; and, from what we were able to figure out, there are two bee-keepers making objections — one from the north part of the State, and one from south part. We are sure we are "onto" both of them. Both have foul brood among their bees, and the disease has been known to go with queens sold from one of them — if not from both. We placed the facts _ before the committee — showing what a pity it would be not to prevent such men from spreading the disease broadcast over the State. It now behooves bee-keepers everywhere in Illinois to see that we get a law to protect us from these men whom we cannot call honest, for no man will fear an honest law, if he himself be honest. Let all bee-keepers see their representatives and warn them against these Shylocks. Jas. A. Stone, Springfield, III. Mem. Legislative Com. What a shame it is that just a few obstinate bee-keepers in a whole State should be listened to at all by any mem- bers of the legislature of Illinois in a matter that practically all of the bee- keepers are in favor of, and know they ought to have ! Especially is this true, when the States surrounding Illinois are securing good bee-disease laws. See what Indiana, on the East, has done recently; and Wisconsin, on the North, has had a good bee-disease law for years. Shall Illinois continue to re- main in the rear in this matter, jus: because two or three of her bee-keepers do not agree with all the rest of the State? It is high time that this much- April, 1909. 121 American l^ee Journal )>^^i^#n needed law is enacted, for it is for the protection of all honest and sensi- ble bee-keepers, from those who would harbor in their own apiaries, or spread broadcast, bee-diseases, which, if not cured or restrained, would soon wipe out the whole bee-business of the State. Let all bee-keepers in Illinois come to the defense of the bee and honey business and urge their members of the legislature to vote for the bee- disease Bill. Don't delay in this mat- ter, but act at once. To New Jersey Bee-Keepers We have received the following letter from Albert G. Hann, Secretary of the New Jersey State Bee-Keepers' Asso- ciation, who wishes again to ask the co- operation of all New Jersey bee-keepers in the effort now being made to se- cure the bee-disease law : Our foul brood Bill has been introduced into the Senate by Senator Gebhardt, of Hun- terdon County, and is now in the hands of the Committee on Agriculture, of which Sena- tor George W. F. Gaunt is chairman. It is now up to the bee-keepers of the State to make their needs known to their law-makers. Let each interested bee-keeper write at once to the assemblymen and senator from his county, urging them to support this Bill. Also write to Senator Gaunt, asking him and other members of the Committee to get the Bill before the Senate. All legislators may be addressed at the State House, Trenton, N. J. What we do must be done now, for the legislature will adjourn before many weeks. Albert T. Hann. Pittstown, N. J., March 23. Morley Pettit, Ontario's Provincial Apiarist Upon the recommendation of the Honorable, the Minister of Agricult- ure, the Committee of Council advise that Morley Pettit of Aylmer, Ontario, 2. The Inspection of Apiaries under the Foul Brood Act ; and 3. Lecture work at the Ontario Ag- riculture College — said appointment to take effect on and from the first day of April, 1909. This may be a surprise to many, in view of the fact that Mr. Pettit yielded to the call to preach the gospel a couple of years ago. But he left the regular ministry more than six months ago for reasons that were considered good and sufficient to himself, and while wonder- ing what he would do next, the offer of the position of Provincial Apiarist for Ontario came to him quite unsolicited. The wide opportunities it will give for a practical demonstration of Christi- anity in everyday business and profes- sional life appealed strongly to Mr. Pet- tit. It really seemed to him that it was a direct answer to prayer. The field of practical experiments in apiculture has been very little touched upon under Government auspices in Can- ada, although great progress has been made by private enterprise and at pri- vate expense. If all the money that has been lost could be reclaimed, it would equip several experimental stations and employ a whole corps of experimenters. Both the Ontario government and bee- keepers are to be congratulated that they are to have one so competent in so many ways to labor with the bees themselves, in order that theories concerning them, and their habits may be demonstrated, and better ways and methods discovered for the more successful management of the apiary. It is hoped that Mr. Pet- tit may have the fullest support and co- operation of all the bee-keepers in On- tario, so that his labors may result in the highest good to the largest number of those in whose interest he will now devote his time and abilities. Having Honey Exhibit at Jefferson County (N. Y.) Fair. cial Apiarist a large measure of suc- cess in the field of apiarian experimenta- tion. • To low^a Bee-Keepers We have been requested to republish the item on page 88 of the March Amer- ican Bee Journal, relative to securing a bee-disease law for the State of Iowa. It was there urged that every bee-keep- er in Iowa write to his members of the legislature to be sure to do all they can for the passage of the law in their in- terest. We think it hardly necessary to publish what appeared on this mat- ter in last month's number, as it should be sufficient simply to call the atten- tion of the Iowa bee-keepers to the subject again. They will certainly act promptly and effectively, and thus help in securing the enactment of their much-needed law against bee-diseases, and for the inspection of apiaries. be appointed Provincial Apiarist, his duties to include ; I. The conduct of experiments in Apiculture at the fruit Experiment Sta- tion, Jordan Harbor, Ont. a very pleasant personal acquaintance with Mr. Pettit, and also with his fa- ther, Mr. S. T. Pettit (who is also one of the oldest leading bee-keepers of On- ario), we bespeak for the new Provin- Italian Queen-Breeder in Earthquake A noted Italian apiarist, Signor Vin- cenzo Asprea, is a breeder of Italian Queens for export, and translator into the Italian language of several foreign studies on bees, among others the Bul- letin No. 55 of the Bureau of Entom- ology "The Rearing of Queen-Bees," by Dr. E. F. Phillips. Mr. Aspreu lives at Gallina, in the close vicinity of Reggio, the unfortunate Calabrian city destroyed by the earthquake in Decem- ber last. L'Apicoltore, published in Milan, in its February number says : "We have received many postal cards from bee-keepers who enquire about Mr. Asprea with words of sympathy. We have trans- mitted these to our friend, who replied thus on January 14: 'I have received your letter, and thank you and all our good friends for the interest you take in me. Wc are living a sad life, desolate among the ruins; we are badly sheltered in huts built hurriedly with our own hands under the menace of cold and rain. It rains, it rains with a steadiness un- known in these parts. And our poor dead still remain buried under the stone-heape of Reggio, from which we have not been per- mitted to dig them out, neither do the soldiers succeed in doing it. They lie pell-mell with other dead, as the walls and timbers that crushed them buried them, and are decaying there.' " ♦ Apiaries of Mr. and Mrs. Hovre, Etc. I am sending some photographs. No. I is the apiary of Mrs. Geo. B. Howe, in 1908, of which she is justly proud. This little apiary produced honey enough to pay for itself at $6 per colony last spring, and some besides. I call this good for a dry year. Our bees aver- aged about half a crop or less. No. 2 shows our home apiary of 266 colonies of 3-banded leather-colored Ital- ians, in 1908. I have bred this strain for 12 years, and have a strain that cap their honey white. I would be glad to pay a good price for a breed- ing-queen that will produce better hon- ey-gatherers and cap their honey white. I think if the bee-keepers would take more pains to breed better bees there would not be any need of all this shak- ing that some advocate. I do not see why any one can not do as well as I have done. I got the best honey-gath- erers I could get, and bred them, not for beauty, but for honey. I find after 122 April, 1909. American "Bee Journal years of careful breeding that there is :i steady gain, and I test the best strains I can get beside my own. Do not think that because you have a good breeding- queen that is all you need, for 3^ou need just as ivell-bved drones as queens. T am more than convinced that you must have them in order to get the best re- sults. I do want a pure queen for a breeder. I know that there are some that claim that a hybrid is just as good, but I claim that more lasting results are secured with a pure queen, and the young queens are much more even as to honey-gatherers. I hope that the bee- keepers will wake up to what they are losing. There is not a bee-keeper who can not improve his bees, and get more hon- ey, by careful selecting and breeding. I have done it, and others can. Do not keep a poor queen if you know it. Get her out of the yard as quickly as you can. No. 3 is D. R. Hardy's apiary, in 1907. He is a firm believer in well- bred bees, and is a breeder of the Carn- iolian crosses, is a successful bee-keeper, and is well known at our bee-conven- tions. No. 4 shows a honey exhibit at the Jefferson county fair, Watertown, N. Y., put up by Messrs. Hardy. French, Sim- mons, and Howe. How I do miss the American Bee- Keeper! The February number of the American Bee Journal is a hummer. Geo. B. Howe. Jefferson Co.. N. Y. Indiana Bee-Disease Law Last month we mentioned the passage of a law in Indiana in the interest of bee-keepers. Not only for the benefit of the bee-keepers of that State, but that other States not having such need- ed law, may see what Indiana has en- acted, we publish the sections of inter- est to bee-keepers, as follows : HOUSE BILL NO. 144. A Bill for an Act to amend sections 8, 9, and 10, of an act entitled, "An act to provide for the appointment of a state en- tomologist, defining his powers, prescribing his duties, fixing his compensation, providing for the inspection of nurseries, and to prevent the dissemination of the San Jose scale and other dangerously injurious insects and plant diseases, defining the penalties for the viola- tion of this act, making an appropriation therefor, repealing all laws in conflict there- with, and declaring an emergency," approved March 9, 1907, and also adding sections there- to to provide that the state entomologist shall be State inspector of apiaries, prescribing his duties and fixing his compensation as such in- spector; providing for the appointment of deputies and assistants to the state entomolo- gisc and limiting their salaries; providing for the filing of affidavits by parties affected by the inspection clauses of this law, and de- claring an emergency. Sec. 4. — The state entomologist shall be and is hereby constituted State inspector of apiaries and as such inspector it shall be his duty to aid and assist in the development and protec- tion of the bee and honey industry in this State, and to adopt and carry out proper meas- ures for the prevention and suppression of contagious and infectious diseases among bees. Sec. 5. — The state entomologist shall have full power and authority at his discretion to visit and examine any apiaries for the pur- pose of discovering whether or not any dis- ease may exist among bees in any part of the State. When notified of the existence or the probable existence of foul brood or other con- tagious or infectious diseases among bees in any apiary in the State, he shall visit and examine said apiary so reported and all other apiaries in the same neighborhood tliat he may be informed about by diligent inquiry or otherwise, for the purpose of determining whether such disease exisits or not. When- ever he shall be satisfied of the existence of foul brood or other diseases in their malig- nant form in any apiary it shall be his duty to order all colonies so affected, together with all hives occupied by them, and the contents of those hives and all tainted appurtenances that cannot be disinfected and that might cause the further spread of the disease, to be immediately destroyed by fire under his per- sonal supervision and care, but where said entomologist, who shall be the sole judge thereof, shall be satisfied that the disease exists in incipient stages, and is being or may be treated successfvdly, and he shall have reason to believe that it may be entirely cured, then he may in his discretion omit to de- stroy or order the destruction of the colonies or hives in which the disease exists. who is aware of the existence of foul brood or other infectious or contagious diseases either in his own apiary or elsewhere, shall immediately notify the State entomologist of tlic existence of such disease, and in default ot so doing shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be fined in any sum not more than ten dollars ($10). Sec. 11. — Apiaries within the meaning of thi^^, act shall be any place where one or more hives, swarms, or colonies of bees shall be kept. Sec. 12. — Whenever as the result of an offi- cial inspection the State entomologist or any of his deputies shall order the treatment or removal of any trees, vines, shrubs or plants, or shall order the treatment or destruction of any bees, have, frames or other appurtenances connected with apiculture he may require that an affidavit shall be filed by the owner or per- son in charge of the property so affected in which it shall be stated that the treatment ordered has been carried out to the best of the affiant's ability, and that the work had been effective for the purpose prescribed. Any Apiary of D. R. Hardy. Jeffkrson Co.. N. Y. Wiienever the disease shall be found to exist and the treatment for the same shall be ordered by the State entomologist, he shall give to the owner or person in charge of the apiary instructions as to the manner of treatment of such apiary, and to see that such treatment be carried out, and should the said owner or person in charge of said apiary refuse or fail to carry out the said instructions to the complete eradication of the disease, or the satisfaction of the State en- tomologist, he shall destroy or order to be destroyed all said diseased colonies by fire as provided for in case of disease in its ma- lignant form. Sec. 6. — The State entomologist shall have full power in his discretion to order any owner, possessor, or person having charge of bees dwelling in box-hives (having mere boxes without frames), in apiaries where disease ex- ists, to transfer such bees to movable-frame hives, within a specified time, and in default of such transfer he shall order destroyed or destroy all such box-hives and the bees dwell- ing therein. Sec. 7. — The said State entomologist shall have the right to enter for the performance of his duties upon any premises where bees are kept. Sec. S. — The State entomologist shall in- clude in his annual report to the governor such information in regard to the work of the apiary inspector and bee-culture as he may deem of importance to the State. Sec 9. — Any owner of any apiary where disease exists or any person or persons, com- pany or corporation who shall ^ell, barter or give away, or import into this State any colo- nies or colony of bees or appliances infected with disease, or expose to the danger of other bees any comb, honey, bee-hives or appliances or things infected with the disease, or conceal the fact that disease exists among his or their bees wiien disease is known to exist, or re- fuses to allow the Sta.te entomologist to in- spect or treat any apiary or appliances, or shall resist, hinder or impede him in any way in the discharge of his duties under the pro- visions of this act, shall be guilty of a mis- demeanor and upon conviction shall be fined iu any sum not lesn than ten dollars ($10) nor more than twenty-five dollars ($25). Sec. 10. — Every bee-keeper or other person person making such affidavit, knowing the same to be false, shall be guilty of perjury. Sec. 13. — The State 'entomologist shall have the authority to employ such deputies and as- sistants as the work of the office may require. They shall hold office for such periods of time as the work of the office may require and in their appointment the State entomologist shall consider only their fitness for the work which they will undertake, disregarding entirely all political affiliations. The salary of no deputy shall exceed twelve hundred dollars ($1300) per annum. The inspector of apiaries shall receive for his services the sum of one thou- sand dollars $1000) per annum in addition to his salary as State entomologist. Such com- pensation to be paid out of the general ap- propriation for this act. Sec. 14. — \\'hereas an emergency exists for the immediate taking effect of this act it shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage. We think that Indiana bee-keepers are to be congratulated. Mr. Walter S. Pouder, of Indianapo- lis, who did valiant service in securing the passage of the foregoing law on March 5, 1909, wrote thus on March 6: "In my opinion we have the very best bee- law in the Union. The office of our Ento- mologist will be a permanent headquarters. Some may think that the method of disposing of diseased bees could be improved, but we expect to have an inspector who will use good judgment in this part of the work." Honey - Sweetened Tea tor the Memory. "For a bad memory," says The Fed- eral Independent Bee-Keeper, "drink sage tea, sweetened with honey." Now what can we drink "sweetened with honey" to make us forget disagreeable things? April, 1909. American ^ee Journal 123 )^^^^"] Conducted by EM.M.; ii. WiLSuN. Maicujiu. lil.; Hoiv to Clean T-Tins. I am asked how to clean T-tins. I am glad to be able to tell of an easy and successful way to clean them without scraping, for I know what it means to scrape them. A large iron kettle, such as is used in butchering hogs, is a very good vessel for the purpose, for it can be used in the open air and all the muss taken out- doors. Fill the kettle a little more than half full of water (the amount will de- pend upon the number of T-tins to be cleaned) ; build a good fire under it, and when the water is boiling hot add 2 or 3 cans of concentrated lye, pouring in very carefully and slowly, because the lye is likely to boil over. Xow put in as many T-tins as the kettle will hold without being too much crowded, for there must be room enough to move the T-fins about freely, so the lye will reach all parts. This can be done nicely with a four-tined pitchfork. Slowly lift the tins up and down with the fork, so the lye can get at all parts, and the loosened propolis will be washed off by the same movement. If the lye is strong enough a very few minutes will be sufficient to clean them thoroughly. Now lift them out with the fork into a tub of clear rinsing water, souse them up and down a few times, and lift out. setting them up on end in a crate or box to drain. The amount of water and lye used must be governed by the number of tins cleaned. Whenever the solution acts too slowly, add more of the concentra- ted lye, and water must be added, too, when needed. See that the water is kept hot all the time. I am sure you will be pleased with this way of cleaning, as it is very sim- ple, and the T-tins look like new after their bath. Weai-inK I5oe-Gloves — Mud for Re- moving Propolis from Finger.s. That always interesting Scotchman, D. M. Macdonald, says in the British Bee Journal, that he never wore bee- gloves, and never will, but will look on their use with more tolerance after reading in this department that the sis- ters care more for gloves as a protec- tion against propolis than as a protec- tion against stings. He then says : "By the way, I find the best efTacer of this tenacious adherent is mud. A fair flow of water, falling! some two feet, is available. If the hanfis are 'soaped' by the rough mud and cleansed under this flow it clears the propolis off expeditiously, and generally most ef- fectively." That's new. Wonder if he uses any particular brand of Scotch mud, or whether common American mud would do. Referring, again, Bro. Macdonald, to your statement, "I never wore them when manipulating bees, and never will," please don't be too sure. Not a thousand miles from here there was once upon a time a certain bee-keeper who scouted the idea of wearing bee- gloves. But when his bees became cross enough he was glad to don those same despised gloves. Are you sure that you will never have cross enough bees? Good Bee-Country. I live very near Swine Creek, in Geauga Co., on the banks of which grow sweet clover, spearmint, peppermint, heartsease, purple as- ter, milkweed, boneset. and goldenrod. Fields of alsike clover are growing near, and the seeds have scattered over the pasture. White clover grows wild here. Would you call this a good bee-country? Ohio Bee-Woman. Yes; especially if alsike and white clover are abundant. A Preacher's Mellifluous Words. Ill Bishop W. .\. Quayle's book, " The Prairie and The Sea," page 127, occurs the following passage which is as sen- sible as it is beautiful : "And the bee-weed, swarming with bees, tosses its pink blooms; and the sweet clover, with its perfect musk of perfume, so sweet that it is no wonder, as I walk along-side it, the hum of bees is as if a hive were there instead of a flower. Can that be set down as a weed and a nuisance which gives daily bread for the bees and honey for hot biscuits on wintry mornings? These are solemn thoughts, as we ministers say. And alfalfa has strayed out of the field where it has been fenced in, and its smell is sweet, and its bloom is purple as king's robes; and I forget it is grown for hay, and think it is grown for perfume and poesv. God is so given to blending \itility with ' .-esthetics. He loves to." The Good Work of Two Bee-Sisters. Louisa C. Kennedy gives the follow- ing interesting account of the work of herself and sister, in Gleanings in Bee Culture : After our father was taken from us, 10 years ago, my sister and I carried on the apiary. That was the spring when everybody lost nearly all his bees. We lost all but 18 queens with a mere handful of bees for each — perha[)S not more than a pint of bees to the tiuecn. We fed &nd built them up and then divifled them until we had .35 good colo- nies. That would have been a pretty good honey-year if we had only had the bees to gather it. As it was, we sold about $102 worth of honey. Since then we have had some pretty good honey-years, and a good many very poor ones. The poorest year we sold only $81 worth of honey; tlie best, $678 worth. The greatest number of colonies we ever had at any one time was 93; the fewest, 18. During the T< years we have received for honey sold, $.'5. 490. 99. During this time our expense for the apiary has been $576.66. Upon the whole I think that is not so bad for two women, pretty well along in years, to do. During the last few years we have had our brothers to help us with the heaviest of the work, such as taking off honey (we have always worked for comb honey) , fixing up the bees for the winter, etc. This present year the forepart of the season was so wet and cold the bees could not work. When it did become dry and warm they tried to make up for lost time. We got about 3000 sections of honey and about 600 more this fall. We had 60 colonies, spring count, and we now have 73 good strong ones in winter quarters. Honey and Water-Cress Jnice for Re- moving Freckles. Take water cresses, wash well and let drain, mince fine and press. Weigh the juice obtained, and mix with 1-3 of its weight of honey, and filter. Each morning and evening wash the freckles with this solution. — L'Apiculteur. "Wide-Awake" Sisters? — Sure! G. M. Do6Iittle, page 98, says of the wide-awake bee-keeper, that "he or she will begin looking about to see if every- thing is in readiness for the summer campaign." Thanks, Bro. Doolittle, for that "or she," thereby recognizing that there are sisters in the craft and es- pecially for classing them among the "wide-awakes." .Appreciates His Wife. Mr. C. X. Wliite says in the Irish Bee Journal ; "My successes, such as they are. I attribute in great measure to my wife, and I oftcn^ wish that more men were blest as I am in this re- spect." Mr. White's case is probably not so exceptional as he thinks. Not a few bee-keepers are glad to give their wives full credit, and others are just as much indebted without saying anything about it. Not that they are ungrateful, but it doesn't come in handy for them to men- tion it. Honey Egg-Nog — It's Good. Here are directions for a delicious egg-nog, with a rich, nutty flavor, made without brandy froiu an original rcc'pa by the writer : Take the yolk of one egg, beat well. Add slowly one level teaspoonful of sugar. Con- tinue beating until the yolk is a light, thick froth. Then add a level teaspoonful of bees' honey, dropping it in while beating. Beat the white of an egg to a firm froth. Pour the beaten yolk into the while, gently folding it in. This will make a tumblerful. Egg-nog made in this way is doubly rinor- ishing — the honey having much the same noiiirshing quality that olive-oil has. .'\t the same time it is most palatable to one of weak digestion, and acceptable to all of strong tem- perance principles. I think any one who tries it once will wish to try it again and again. — .■\. V. F., Tenn., in The Delineator. We have tried this and it is good. A Sister's («ood Success — Bee-Postal Cards Help Sell Honey. Dear Miss Wilson: — I thought T would have a short chat with you. f had good success with my bees last summer. ft was a great swarming year, but I di^>,-,. . young queen Svith an afterswarm. 5. Doesn't matter much when, but there are less bees in the way during the gathering hours than early or late. 6. As much as you conveniently can of the two wings on one side. Half of them will do. Send Questions either to the office of the American Bee Journal or to DR. C. C. MILLER. Marengo. 111. Dr. Miller does not answer Questions by mail. Relationships of Bees — In-breeding. :. What relation are the drones to the work- er-bees of the same queen ? 2. What personal relation is the drone in the hive ? 3. What do you call in-breeding? Give a practical illustration. 4. Why is a queen called a perfect mother or female bee, when she gives birth to worker bees only, by mating ? 5. What is the nearest cross one can make in in-breeding, and what relation are they to each other? (It seems to me that an lincle wedded to a niece is the nearest.) New York. Answers. — i. The drone has the same mother but not the same father. That makes him a half-brother, doesn't it? But his father is grandfather to the workers; that makes him uncle to the workers, doesn't it? , 2. He is not an illegitimate son; so not a bastard. He is a parthenogenetic son. 3. "In-brecd." says the dictionar>', means "to breed or to follow a course of breeding, from nearly related animals, as those of the same parentage or pedigree; breed in-and-in." It would be in-breeding to have a young queen meet a drone from the same hive, or even with the relation less close. 4- The fact that she may give birth to off- spring without mating only proves her a more perfect mother, if that is possible. 5. The mating of parent and child, or brother and sister 15 probably as close as you can get. Sloping Cells — Full Foundation Sheets for Swarms — Too Much Honey in Brood-Chamber. When I hive swarms on full sheets of foun- dation, they store a good deal of honey in the brood-chamber when first hived, and the cells arc built sloping up. or- slanting. 1. Will cells thus built be as good for brood- rearing later on as those built more horizon- tally? 2. How can I prevent them from building sloping cells, or get them built more horizon- tally? 3. Do you use full sheets to hive swarms on? 4. Do you advise the average bee-keeper to use full sheets when hiving swarms? 5. Do you use, and advise the use of, the fufl number of frames, or contract the brood- chamber for swarms, or how many frames should be used? I use 10- frame Langstroth hives. 6. What ia the best way to prevent too much honey going into the brood-chamber when swarms are first hived? 7. Do you consider it a disadvantage to have swarms store much honey in the brood-chamber when first hived? Bees swarm here on clover and buckwheat, so we get swarms from June i to the middle of August, and sometimes later. Buckwheat honey seems to sell a little better* than clover in thi'^ locality, although we manage to sell the clover honey at the same price. Pennsylvania. Answers. — r. I think so. 2. I don't know. 3' Either full sheets of foundation or drawn combs. 4. Yes. 5. Some advocate giving only about half the number of frames at first, each frame furnished with only a shallow starter, and. when these arc filled, giving additional frames filled with comb or foundation. The idea ir. that when a swarm is first hived the bees will build only worker-comb, but not later on. I suspect that for most it will be more satisfactory to givf at the start frames entirely filled with comb or foundation, in which case there would be no object in giving less than the full quota at once. 6. Give plenty of super-room. But unless a queen-excluder is used, this super-room should not be given for 2 or 3 days, for fear of the queen going up into the super, for it is gen- erally supposed that the super given to the swarm is one that has already been on the old hive, having a good start in it, and the queen might prefer this to the bare foundation in the brood-chamber. 7. Too much honey would be bad, but I don't believe there's generally much danger of it. Catching Stray Swarms in Decoy Hives. Suppose a person sets hives containing frames with a trifle of foundation, in differ- ent places about his farm to catch any swarm of bees that comes. Is this right, or is it wrong in any way? Illinois. Answer. — I think I've seen it condemned, but I hardly sec how there can be anything immoral about it. It does not entice bees away from their owner; and a swarm that goes into such a hive would leave its owner anyhow. What difference does it make to me where a stray swarm goes, if it soars off anywav? Judging from Appearance when Bees are Working — When to Put on Supers — Clipping Queens. 1. How do you determine by the appearance of the bees when the gathering ot nectar com- mences? Some bee-keeping friends of mine say they can. Please give me the philosophy of it. 2. Just how long after the commencement of nectar-gathering shoould one wait before put- ting on the supers? If this is governed by conditions, please explain them. 3. What would be the objection to honey put into sections without separators? Some of the prettiest section honey I ever saw was pro- duced without separators. 4. Which queen leaves the hive at swarm- ing— the young or the old one? 5. What is the best time of the day to hunt the queen to clip her wings? 6. How much do you cut off? Bees are wintering fine. Mine arc out-doors, and I have 100 percent alive yet. Utah. Answers. — i and 2. I don't determine by the appearance of the bees. I watch for the appearance of the very first white clover blos- som, and as soon as I see it I begin putting on supers, although bees don't really begin stor- ing until about 10 days later. I woudn't want to wait a day after they begin storing, and pre- fer to have supers on at least 2 or 3 days before, so the bees may make a start at stor- ing in supers rather than in brood-combs. If I were not in a clover region, I'd try to learn when blossoms first appeared on whatever I expected a crop from. You can tell something about it by watching the bees. There's a lively getting around that shows there's something doing. You will also see the bees carrying in pollen. One of the surest ways to tell is by taking out a brood-comb and giving it a hard shake, when the thin nectar will fly out in p. shower on the top-bars. A common rule with some is to put on supers when the bees begin to put white wax along top-bars and upper part of combs. I'd rather nave supers on a little before that. 3. Without separators sections are built out more plump, ana don't look so lean, but if you try to pack them in a shipping-case the bulged places will crowd into their neighbors and cause leaking. 4. The old queen with a prime swarm; a Foul Brood from Dead Brood. In the summer when the weather is very warm, and the inside of a hive becomes so hot as to kill the brood and it rots in the combs, will that cause foul brood? Michigan. Answer. — Did you ever know the bees to let :t get hot enough to kill brood. And if the heat should kill the brood, the bees would clean it out before it would rot. And if they did let it rot it would not cause foul brood. Exchanging Queens from Hive to Hive. What is the best way to exchange queens from one colony to another, the hives not bemg of the same make so that the brood can not be exchanged? Wisconsin. Answer. — You can exchange queens by introducing each queen into the other hive with an introducing-cage, just as you would introduce a queen in any case. A little safer way will be to exchange both bees and queens. Shake out into any empty box both bees and queen of one hive, letting the box stay on the stand. Do the same with the other. Now exchange hives and let each set of bees run into its new set of combs. Thus each colony remains on its old stand but has a new set of combs. Returning Swarms. What is the best manner of returning a swarm to the hive from whence it issued, so as to make it stay, no further increase being desired ? Pennsylvania. Answer. — It doesn't matter how you re- turn the swarm; it will stay as well for one kind of returning as another. It is the con- dition of things in the hive that decides wheth- er the swarm will issue again, and it isn't the easiest thing in the world to prevent it. The old-fashioned way was to return the swarm every time it issued, and if you don't mind the amount of work involved in returning it half a dozen times or more, the old way is good. Here's another way you may like 'bet- ter: When the swarm issues, return it and kill the old queen. A week later destrov all queen-cells but one. If you miss no 'cells there ought to be no more swarming. Moths in Combs and Honey, Etc. 1. Last year I liad several hives full of brood-combs and honey that I was saving to put my swarms in. Result of my saving — fat moths. This year I have 2 hives with brood-combn and honey, and what I want to know is liow to keep the moths out until the middle of May or the forepart of June. If I smoke them out with sulphur will that help? and how often will I have to do it? 2. The moths even got into my comb honey which 13 upstairs. How can I prevent them from getting in there? :l. Is it true that moths can not live on comb honey in sections alone? The other day while looking over my comb, I found two. al- though they were not large, but they had been able to work a web in the comb clear across the section. 4. In cellar wintering in a damp cellar, do the bees need a larger entrance than other- wise? and should it be cooler, or warmer than 45 degrees? 5. Does the bluish-looking mold on top of the frames of a colony in a cellar indicate dampness in the cellar or not enough venti- lation in the hive? Wisconsin Subscriber. Answers. — 1. As late as the fore part of June there ought to be little trouble in any part of Wisconsin to keep them in a cool cel- lar. At least the worms would make very slow work there. You could take a look at them every week or two. You can also treat them to sulphur fumes (carbon bisulphide mav be still better.) After giving them one good dose of sulphur, repeat it in about 2 weeks. If you use carbon bisulphide there ought to bo no need of a second dose. 2. The easiest way is to get Italian blood. You sec, the eggs arc in the sections when taken from the hives. Of course you can treat the sections with sulphur or carbon bisul- April, 1909. American Vae Journal phide about 2 weeks after taking thera from the hive, but if you have Italians there will be little need of that. 3. I don't think it is true. ■1. You need a large hive-entrance in any cellar, but it is more important in a damp cellar. A damp cellar also needs a little higher temperature than a dry one. 6. If it's the kind of appearance I have in mind — grey rather than blue — it hardly indi- cates anything wrong. Regular mold may in- dicate either that the cellar is damp or that the hive is not well ventilated, or it may indi- cate both. A low temperature also favors mold. Charge for Pasturing Bees, What is usually charged for pasturing bees? I want to take 10 or 20 colonies 10 miles from home. Wisconsin. Answer. — There is no sort of rule about it It's just as you agree. I never agreed to pay anything; but I always left a liberal allowance of honey. In any case you should make such arrangement about it that your landlord will feel he has the best end of the bargain. Introducing Queens. 1. Wbat is the best way to introduce a queen ? 2. What kind of a queen would you recom- mend? 3. What month is the best to introduce the queen? Illinois. Answebis.^ — 1. When you have a queen sent by mail, instructions for introducing accom- pany her. They will likely be to let her stay caged in the hive a couple of days without letting the bees get at the candy, then remove the old queen and let the bees at the candy. 2. ItaiiaxL 3. Any time after honey is yielding well, say from the first of June. Honey Gives Him the Stomach- Ache. I am very fond of honey, but unable to eat it as it gives me stomach-ache. Kindly advise me what the trouble is, and how I am to eat it to avoid this distress. Pennsylvania. Answer. — Hard to tell what the trouble is. Possibly the honey is taken in connection with too much other food. Possibly too much liquid is taken at the meal. In any case, the proba- bility is that whatever is the cause of the disagreement is something that ought to be changed anyhow, whether honey is eaten or not- Might be well to try tiking a small quantity at a meal, not as a dessert after a meal, but as part of the meal, increasing as the honey is borne, and drinking between rather than at meals. Mating of Queens from Different Lo- calities. 1. Would it be advisable to make queens with drones bred from the same mother? 2. I got 4 queens from the same place in Texas. Would it be better to rear drones from one of them and queens from the other, to mate with for requeening my other colo- nies, which are black bees? or would you advise me to get a breeding-queen from some one else, and use drones from those I haver Ontabio. Answers. — 1. If you mean to mate a queen with a drone reared from the mother of^ the queen, no; and you probably couldn't do it if you tried. 2. Unless in special cases, it would be bet- ter to have the drones and the queens in no way related. Italianizing Bees— "Tested" and "Un- tested" Queens. 1. We have 100 colonics of bees which we want to Italianize, but do not know the best way to go at it. as some of our hives have crooked combs. How can we introduce a queen to a colony which has crooked combs? Don't we have to get the old queen before intro- ducing the new one? How would it be when introducing a queen to take a nucleus _ and place it in a hive, putting this hive containing the queen in place of the old hive, when most of the bees are out at work, letting the flying bees enter in the hive with the new queen? or would the bees kill the new queen? 2. Would it be best to buy queens, or to buy nuclei and rear our own queens? 3. How far away from other bees would we have to place a colony to insure pure mat- ing? 4. What is the meaning of a "tested" and an "untested" queen? 5. Which of the Italian bees are considered tht best and most gentle — the Golden or the 3-banded? Utah. Answers. — 1. Yes, you will have to remove the old queen. A very good way to introduce a queen into a hive with crooked combs, is to straighten the combs, or transfer them into frames. Or, you can drum out the bees, put- ting an empty box over the hive and pound- ing on the hive till all the bees run up into the box. Then you can find and remove the old queen, let the bees return to the crooked combs, and crowd the cage with the new queen between the combs. Your nucleus plan will work, only the queen must be caged for 2 or 3 days. 2. You might compromise, buying a num- ber of queens and rearing the rest. 3. You would probably be pretty_ safe at 2 miles, but to be entirely safe you might have to be 5 miles or more. No one knows exactly how far. 4. A tested queen is one which has been laying long enough so that you can see by the markings of her worker progeny that she has been purely mated. An untested queen has not been thus tested. 5. Opinions differ. Probably the most pre- fer the 3-banders. Decoy Hives — Bees in Louisiana. 1. How do you fix decoy hives to catch swarms ? 2. Would bees properly handled here be profitable? We have a large lake full of willow, some fruit, and lots of wild flowers during summer and fall, but we have no clover nor buckwheat. Louisiana. Answers. — 1. There is no fixing needed, any more than in getting a hive ready for a swarm. If you put in the hive one or more empty brood-combs it will be more attractive to the bee-moth, for which you must look out. 2. I have no personal knowledge of your lo- cation, but it is very likely that you have other flowers that will largely take the place of clover and buckwheat. Langdon Non-swarming Device — Early Work with Bees. 1. In reading over "The Honey-Bee," Bul- letin No. 1, New Series, Third Edition, writ- ten by Frank Benton, I find the Langdon Non-Swarming Device, on page 104. What do vou think of the device? I can not find anything about it in any of the American Bee Journals. 2. Mr. George Williams says, on page 53, that you get up before daylight and pull your colonies to pieces. Do you think that in- creases your honey-yield? Indiana. Answers. — 1. Great things were expected of the Langdon device when it was first made known, but the hopes concerning it were not realized, and for some years nothing has been said about it. 2. I never shake my bees merely for the sake of shaking them, and when I manipulate them do no unnecessary shaking. But Mr. Williams thinks the necessary^ shaking they get makes them work more diligently. I don't know whether he is right or not. What Supplies a Beginner Needs. I have 12 colonies of bees in good frame- hives. I am a beginner. What shall I order in the way of supplies? I wish to run for comb honey, and increase by natural swarm- ing. I have nothing in the way of tools, and my time is limited, as I am a rural mail carrier. I have your "Forty Years Among the Bees." I also take the American Bee Tournal and Gleanings in Bee Culture. All are fine. Kentucky. Answer. — It is not an easy thing to tell what any one needs without pretty full par- ticulars as to harvest and conditions. In general terms I should say that you should have on hand enough sections all ready in supers in advance, so that you can gjve to the bees as many as they would fill in the best season you have ever known, and then an extra one for each colony besides. Pos- siblv you have had so little experience that you don't know what the bees would do in the verv best kind of a season. Well, then, we might guess that in the very best kind of a year you would pet an average of 125 sections per colony, although that may be put- ting it pretty low if you are in a good location. If your supers hold 24 sections each, as a good many supers do, it would take about 5 supers to hold the 125 sections, as we don't need to be so exact about it. But some colonies will fill more than the 5, and some less; you can't hold them to the exact number, and at the last there will necessarily be more or less unfinished sections on the hives when the season closes: so you ought to count an extra super for each colony; altogether, 6 su- pers per colony, or 72 supers of sections for the 13 colonies. Understand, only once in a while you will have a season when you will need so many; but you never know but what the next season may be a bouncer, and you must be prepared for it. What are not needed will be all right for the next year. Even if the season proves an entire failure, your su- pers will be all right for the first good season that comes. As to hives, you will probably want to double your number, preventing all after- swarms, so you will need to have in readiness a hive for each colony, or 13 in all. Getting Honey Out of Combs With- out an Extractor. Do you know of any method of getting the honey out of combs in wired frames without the use of an extractor? Where one has only 3 or 3 colonies of bees, the expense of an extractor is hardly justifiable, as the amount of honey would hardly pay for the machine, and yet the honey must be got out somehow, and should be done without destroying the combs. Idaho. Answer. — No, I don't think there's any way of getting honey out ot combs either wired or unwired except by the use of an ex- tractor. Of course you could wash the combs or melt them, but I'm sure you mean to keep the combs whole. Increase in July — Hive for the Farmer. 1. Could any increase be made with a queen received in July this season? 2. I have 20 colonies in 3 kinds of hives, most of them 8 and 10 frame Dovetail hives with Hoffman frames. I would like to get thera into one kind of hives and frames. Would the Root Dovetail hive take the Miller frame ? 3. For the average farmer who will not handle frames very much, which do you think would be best, the 8-frame Dovetail, the 10- f rame Dovetail, or the Danzenbaker ? Illinois. Answers. — 1. Yes, you can do a lot of in- creasing after that time, with plenty of colo- nies to increase from. At the time you intro- duce your new queen into a colony, make an- other colony queenless. A week or 10 days later destroy all the queen-cells started in this latter colony, and give it brood from your new queen. That will give you queen-cells of the new stock, which you can give to nuclei, and these nuclei you can gradually strengthen by giving brood well matured from strong colonies. Of course you will be wise not to draw too much brood at a time from any one colony, always leaving it at least 4 frames of brood, for if reduced too much it might not recover so late in the season. 2. Yes, the Miller frame is the same size as the Hoffman, and fits the Dovetail hive. 3. The ID-frame Dovetail is a safe choice for any farmer. Introducing Queens — Control of Queen - Mating — Long - Tongue Italians — Nucleus Method of Increase, 1. While looking at one of my hives, March 13, I noticed a queen fly from the entrance and make a few circles and then go back to her hive. It was about 12 o'clock, and the thermometer stood at 54 in the shade. Was not that an unusual occurrence for that time of year? The queen seemed small and took wing very easily. 2. I would like to have your opinion on this way of introducing a queen that comes through the mails: Pry the perforated piece of tin off the end, then put queen-excluding zinc over it and let the workers pass out. Then take from the colony you wish to introduce the queen to, enough workers to fill up the cage, then put back the perforated tin, and let the bees eat the candy out before they release the queen. 3. Do you think that if we could control the mating of the queens and drones that we (Continued on page 146.) April, 1909. American l^ee Journal mm Confributedl Producing Extracted Honey BY F. GREIXER. From what I have written in different papers on the subject of honey produc- tion, it may appear that I produce only comb honey. Some have asked me why T saj' so little about producing ex- tracted honey, and the answer is, the production of the article in liquid form has always been a side-issue with me. although of late years I am having an increasing call for it, to be used on the table and to be a strictly fancy article. To meet this demand I am obliged to run my most distant out-yard for this product, on account of my nearer yards not furnishing an article to suit my cus- tomers. The lighter-colored the honey the better it is liked, although I also produce a limited quantity of buckwheat extracted honey for some special custo- mers, and so I often move a load or two of bees into the hills where buck- wheat is grown. Usually, I am success- ful in this, but 1908 was a season which put all previous years into the shade. From 35 colonies I harvested only about 100 pounds. The locality where I produce white extracted honey sometimes furnishes a little inferior honey at the beginning of the honey season, early in June, so I have to be on my guard ; but after the clover commences the honey will be fine to the end. As soon as the colonies become reasonably strong, each is given a set of extracting-corhbs (5 inches deep, in the clear) over an excluding honey- board. The brood-chambers contain 8 combs, equivalent to 10 Langstroth frames, the extracting supers contain- ing only 7 combs. From time to time, as needed, I add more supers, always placing the empty combs next to the brood. I find that of the colonies run in this way nearly 50 percent contract the swarming fever, and it is necessary to make examinations every 6th day, the same as with the colonies run for comb honey, in or^lcr to head off all swarming. I feel sure that more breeding room would pre- vent the swarming, or reduce it to a very small percent; but not wishing to adopt a larger hive, a hive containing more than 8 combs, I continue my prac- tice as outlined, and I make my brushed swarms the same as with the comb- honey colonies. In a good honey season the hives soon become so tall that it is not practical any more to tip them up for an exam- ination from the bottom. In this case, some of the topmost supers need to be removed, either to be taken home or placed on other hives which are not doing very much work; in this case I let the bees go with the honey. My aim is to have all lioney on the hives as long as possible, and not do any ex- tracting till I can make a business of it, and move full loads to the home-yard where the e.xtracting is done. I realize that a loss occurs by not ex- tracting the combs as soon as taken from the hives, and while still warm, but I cannot yet see my way clear how I could do so. When the time comes to take the hon- ey, I aim to do so, when there is a prospect of a warm night ; then the su- pers are snatched off as rapidly as pos- sible, freed from the bees, and loaded on the wagon. I can usually take off a wagon-load in an afternoon, load and move it home (a four-hours' drive), and reach the place of destination by 9 or 10 o'clock p. m. Sometimes I have not started till dark, on account of the difficulty to get the load away from tlie bees. However, it is possible so to handle the full supers, and by so keep- ing everything covered with escape- boards, or perhaps otherwise, that the bees will not become stirred up and demoralized. For convenience sake in loading, I make use of special racks having tight bottoms, and holding either 10 or 20 supers each ; and when the uppermost supers in them are covered up by es- cape-boards, the honey is not only per- fectly safe against robbery on the bees' part, but what few bees are still re- maining in the supers, may work their way out. Thus T have been enabled to move my honey even in daytime, when no honey was being gatlicred. with but little danger to man or beast. When arriving home, the honey is taken to the warm and tightly closed honey-house, and the extracting is be- gun at the earliest opportunity to pre- vent its becoming colder tlian there is any need. It is the best 1 can do un- der the circumstances. Occasionally I have started the extractor at once, and worked all night. In all my operations with Ijces I em- ploy no help, doing all of the work my- self. This migjit not be considered l)usiness-like by some of the fraternity. but money is not all we arc after. We do not wish to take a foreign clement into our family. While it may be true that bee-keepers generally are' a better, cleaner set of men than the average laboring class, yet we feel that we can enjoy our family life better by not having strangers with us at all times. We certainly thus avoid the risk of taking into our family an undesirable element, men who will pollute our homes with tobacco, whisky, etc. We are satisfied. As to the manner of extracting the lioney : I do not yet riln my extractor by power, although I had contemplated malcmg the proper arrangements for hand'^'Th"- ^ ''""•*"" '"y Cowan by liand The uncappmg is done with a Bmgham honey-knife; cold no hot water; I f5„d it unnecessa v'; a lar^e ong box w>th an inserted screen bot om holds the cnppings and allows" them 10 Oram. Aly combs are not all fullv sealed, although tl,e majority are Bv fT!Jt"1 °' -^Pty com'b the be^e^ are apt to leave tiie combs along the edges unsealed, particularlv so when he eason suddenly and prematureTy comes to an end, as it did the past year In com.V^"; '^' ^"P"^ a'^o do^ot be bu'Vh'at we' '° '1^'' "P°" 'he hives bees Sf f^ '!," '/^'"^ =>" with the Dees till the end of the season- and combs"."-''''*" "'^' ^"'^h portions of the farrlv welf ' "°' ,''"'^'^ '^°"f^''" honey I do nof I "P'"","^: ^'*'^°"gh I confess fact ""' *° ^^ ^" ■-''^^ol"te On an average, my combs are more than three-fourths sealed; comb Xr comb h,-,s every cell sealed, and the re- sul.mg honey is usually of good body, it IS left m he tanks or open barrels covered up with chcese-clotli till all tie little particles of comb, bee-bread etc days" '°Aft'eV°Pi,"'r'^ ■^^•■" ''^^'^ f^w ou^ i^"5.r all foreign matter is t:^?,"^^^' '^^ ^°'''y '^ '■^ady to go into the 60-pound cans Honey to be put up in glass will soon become cloudy, and later granulae. To I find i/'"'' "' ,^'f" '' ^°' ^ period" i hnd It a good practice to heat the honey to about 140° Fahr., before fill! "ig the cans or bottles. Even at iS° t m';;'J'°t,"*'T ''"''°"'" perfectly clear, but a ronglr'timl"^ '' ^'"' '-P--^-e for tl,r^°'f"'" i"""" *'°'' e-^tracted honey io/^orJ5 "'" r'''°':' ■■'^^' =^o>"etimes'^ fed W 7u°,' *'"'"' '""'f' '""St be fed. Where fall honey may be had the bees may be allowed to store it in he brood-combs. This provides sufficient stores to carry the bees through the winter and spring liere in my locality and 1 do not find it necessary to feed sugar. - "^^" I usually select the bees from this dis- tant out-yard to move into the buck- wheat .section, because there is seldom any fall honey-flow. So as soon as th" white honey season is done, and before buckwheat commences to vield honey not far from August i, I do the mov- Naples, N. Y. Quantity Not Quality of Food Decides Royalty BY W. W. MCNF.AI.. Careful research has failed to dis- close any evidence to verify the teach- ings of orthodoxy relating to the food of a _ queen-larva. The term " royal jelly has a fanciful, high-sounding note but It leads one away from the truth. Nature is not partial to royalty in that manner. It would not be in order of economy for the nurse-bees to prepare several kinds of food for the larva?. The sooner we disabuse our minds of the belief that there is some occult power in the food, tlie sooner April, 1909. American l^ee Journal we will be able to rear uniformly good queens. When Nature would lavish her charms upon any particular larva, she uses the simpler means of increasing the regular ration. Any worker-larva is a queen-larva at birth, and if it has all it wants to eat, tlie transition from a worker to a queen is sure to follow. The expression that "too much is just enough" is exemplified by the amount of food set before the queen-to-be. Taking the worker-bee as a unit, the perfect queen necessarily represents the best possible development along those lines. Therefore the queen with all her physical graces is just a big worker- bee with a new and greater instinct than her common sister. The reproductive powers of a virgin queen and a worker are the same, for the eggs of both pro- duce only males. When the queen mates with the drone she comes into full possession of her own. She is then said to be fertile, for her eggs are productive of both male and female life. The re- productive powers of the drone are al- ways identical with female life, and vice versa the queen. But the fertile queen has the distinction of being able to choose the sex of her ofifspring. This is the resultant factor, however, in the provision Nature has made, whereby the distinguishing features of the drone be- come part and parcel of the queen's re- productive system at the time of mating. It is a wise provision, for the danger arising from frequent flights to meet the drone would be a greater menace to the welfare of the colony than the effect of inbreeding, were copulation to take place within the hive. One could hardly dodge the inference that any difference relating to sex in her ofifspring would be optional with the queen after that event in her life. The nurse-bees can and do regulate the possibilities that lie wrapped up in every fertile egg, but they can't change the sex of it. In proof of this I have only to mention the fact that the queen always seeks the embrace of the drone before entering upon her duties as mis- tress of the hive. Nature would not hazard the life of the queen by send- ing her forth in quest of something not essential to the life of the colony. If the nurse-bees can reverse the ex- isting order of sex just as the occasion demands, the drone would be utterly a nonentity. But all worker-larvae are females to begin with, and the destiny of each is made sure by means already stated. However, considering, that the queen and the worker each owes its rank in life to the manner in which it was fed while maturing, it follows as a matter of course, that queens can be reared, representing at mature life, every stage of development from the polished physique of a perfect queen down to the common worker-bee. The conditions essential for the best development of a queen-larva, are (i) all the food it can possibly consume; (2) perfect quiet; and (3) a uniform temperature up to the time the young queen emerges from the cell. When the cell is not kept good and warm, the im- mature queen cannot appropriate the food as she should, and the effect is the same as if the proper amount had not been given her. The period of incuba- tion will be lengthened, and her life shortened thereby. Any plan or sys- tem that does not keep the colony from dividing its forces till the queen hatch- es, is faulty, and should not be used. Queens reared under the swarming im- pulse are not always good queens, for reasons just given. There should be no compromise in the queen's rank, for the temperature of a worker, though usually a good thing in its place, will prove the imdoing of a queen. But it is the quantity and not the quality of the food that is respon- sible for whatever difference there may be between them. I fully believe I am right in this matter, but if any one can prove that I am not, I shall be glad to hear from him. The nurse-bees have no power over sex through the agency of the food. The hidden power which determines that all-important factor Can for Holding Honey-Cap- pings. Etc. BY F. P. DAUM. In the December .\merican Bee Jour- nal, J. R. Bogart asks for a descrip- tion of a can to hold cappings and straining honey, etc. I have one that suits me all right, which I had made at a tin-shop for $6.50. I am sending drawings, and will describe them as fol- lows : No. I fits outside of No. 2. No. 2. fits outside of No. 3. No. 4 is the permanent bottom of No. 2. No. S is the loose (strainer) bot- tom of No. 2. The bottom inside is 16x21 inches; the cappings holder inside is 11x12 inches; and the strainer is 21 inches in diameter. TIN rim' 2 WIDE Can for Holding Cappings. must be obtained through the medium of the drone. When the queen has met the drone and usurped his pow- ers, she never again ventures beyond the confines of the hive, save to accom- pany a swarm. My observations all tend to show that the fertile queen is not dependent upon any agent or thing whatsoever for the exercise of her doubly constituted pow- ers when depositing eggs in the cells of worker-comb. And, furthermore, Nature would not depart from her cus- tomary rulings in so striking a manner if her plan of special provision for fer- tilzation did not include special endow- ment of the gift of reproduction. Amelia, Ohio. I hope these illustrations and descrip- tion will be a help to Mr. Bogart, as well as to others. Clinton, Mo. N0.4.— Colorado Bee-Keeping BY R. C. AIKIN. In No. 3, I discussed the question of stimulating brood-rearing by breaking of stores, by readjusting so as to put the honey near the entrance where it would be uncapped and carried back — anything that would cause the bees to handle honey when there was nothing being gathered from the fields. The same question was up for discussion at April, 1909. American Hq^ Journal our Colorado State convention since I wrote the matter referred to, and I feel that I ought to give the reader the bene- fit of what developed in the convention, as the subject was handled there by some of the big guns. By some it was argued that feeding, the presence of abundance of stores, or the making of the bees manipulate or handle these stores, would not cause much increase unless there was abund- ance of pollen in the combs, or being brought in. Many Colorado locations are short on pollen ; this is so true that such locations often find the brood- combs almost totally bare of pollen. In my own location in 20 years I have never seen a surplus of pollen in a single hive ; I think in only one year in that time the bees did not hunt for flour and other substitutes in the spring, and that one time was a spring that the weather was such that they could fly but very little until pollen was to be found on trees. Now there is no doubt in my mind but this scarcity of pollen does retard breeding to considerable e-xtent ; but that its absence will fully nullify the effects of feeding or handling of stores, I am not prepared to say; my opinion is that the feeding will help. To have a gen- eral opinion is not conclusive, and to make comparative tests by experiment, so we have an array of facts, both pro and con, few of us ever do. Because a man gets well of a s.ickness after taking such or such medicine is never proof that the medicine cured. All in all, we do know that when bees handle both honey and pollen they will breed better than if either is lacking. A shortage of honey-stores is easily remedied ; but the lack of pollen is by no means so easy, at least with present knowledge on the subject. After all was said at the convention I am still convinced that there is bene- fit derived from my instructions in any case, and if there be plenty of pollen in the hive that is easily available, or a little coming in, much will be gained if the bees are made to handle stores daily. I wish I had some of the pollen the East can spare. LARGE HIVES. Regarding the question of large hives, and the getting of these by storifying with the 8-frame, or any other, for that matter, let me say that our people in convention brought decitied testimony to bear favorably on the subject. This matter is so important that it ought to be repeated and urged upon the apia- rists. The Dadants have for many years urged large hives, and I must say they have the best of the argument — they are right. I notice quite a tendency among our Colorado apiarists to the use of larger hives. I would not recommend the lo-frame hive, but rather the use of two 8-frame bodies. We want an "elastic hive," as some writers used to put it ; and another thing is to have the extra proportion in depth rather than width. There is no question about the truth of the theory that a hive not too wide, but deeper than wide, serves the bees better than a shallow wide one; and if the body be in two parts it is elastic, and can be quickly made shallow- er when it will not injure the colony and will favor results in surplus. The 8-frame super gives better re- sults in sections than a 10, and this is another reason for using the 8 size. If the apiarist has a mixture he can still use but one size of super. I have for several years used only 8-frame supers on both 8 and 10 frame hives ; and this leads me to discussing the question of honey-boards. I know that but few people use honey-boards in comb-honey production, but it is mainly because they do not know their value, and because the manufacturers do not combine them with the hives as sent out. SL.\T HONEY-BO.^RDS. I have used all kinds of brood-frames, from the thinnest and narrowest top- bars to the thickest and widest, and I know that bur-combs will be built through any of them; and with the thickest and widest at times, and suf- ficient quantities to make the use of a slat honey-board a very good invest- ment. Some burs will be built through even the honey-board, too, but it saves a big lot of attachments of comb and honey to the under side of the super. The" super should be as clean on the bottom as possible, because if there are bur-combs they must be cleaned oflt be- fore the super be tiered up or placed over another; if not, the tops of the under sections will be smeared with wax. If the bottoms of supers be clean the operator can handle them just about twice as fast in readjusting or in re- moving. The honey-board should be made of narrow slats. I use ^-inch, ripping them from common thickness boards. Our factory people persist in making the slats wide, usually from ij^ to l^; this is too wide. Another fault with the fac- tory people is in making the board with a slat set plump against the rim-piece, so that bees climbing the side of the brood-chamber must turn inwards to find an opening to get above. If any- thing this is a more serious fault than the wide slat. The rim-piece should be of J4 or % width — the same as the thick- ness of the hive-body sides — then the first slat should be set leaving a good free opening so that all bees climbing the hive side can go right on up the super side, too; and every super should also have a free passage-way up the side, an uninterrupted climb-way to the roof. This is important, and must not be overlooked in hive-construction. In nailing the honey-boards I do not try to make them break-joint (that is, to have a slat come over the space be- tween top-bars) ; this feature is a good one, but so hard to maintain because of varying position of the frames if a follower is used — the follower may be on one side now, and tomorrow be on the other side. The slats are just put as close together as can be to let the bees pass freely through. If you have both 8 and 10 frame hives make just as many of these slat-boards as you have hives, but with this dif- ference: For the lo-frame hives make the board cover the hive— that is, if the lo-frame hive is 2% inches wider than the 8, each side slat for the rim will be z'A inches wider than the rim side of the 8-frame board. This of course breaks that direct run up the hive side, but the bees, after turning inward till they find the opening, can then continue on up the super side. With such honey- boards you can use 8-frame supers on any width hive. I use the T-super, and they are made with ordinary thickness ends, and, of course, are shorter than the hive-body, so I make the end-piece of the rim enough wider so the hive- body is fully covered, and still the short- er super covers all openings. HOW TO CLEAN HONEY-BOARDS. The honey-boards usually come off at the close of the season with lots of wax adhering in bur-combs. To clean them I heat a tank of water to boiling, then with a pile of the boards beside me I dip them one at a time into the water, churning it up and down until the wax IS melted from the end. then reverse and churn as before, until the other end IS clean, then flip it onto a pile. The boards come out hot and are practically dry m a few minutes. It is a little warm on the fingers, but not unbearable, and if you have never tried this way it will surprise you how little time it takes to clean several hundred; in fact, you want to work rapidly to get best re- sults. Keep the water boiling, and that throws the accumulating wax to the ends.while you churn in the middle, and the air escaping from the wood and the bur-combs makes an additional bubbling and boiling so that there will be a space of several inches about the churning board that is free from wax. When wax gets so it crowds the churning place, skim off some of it. You can clean a board this way while you would be thinking of whittling the wax off, and the wax accumulations will pay you big wages for the time emplodyed. TOP-BARS WITH GROOVE AND WEDGE. I know such top-bars are popular, but they are so just because the factory people make them so, and the users never tried other kinds in the right way, if they_ tried any other kind at all. There is no use whatever in a groove and wedge to fasten foundation; they are worse than useless, being a source of trouble to bee-keepers, and add to the first cost of the frame. Make the under side of the bar just as plain as plain can be. To fasten foundation fix a board about J4-inch shorter than the inside measure of the frame in length, and a plump J^-inch narrower than the net inside measure up and down. On one side, about the middle, nail lengthwise a cleat an inch or so thick for finger- hold, and in one edge near each end drive a nail so that when the frame is laid over the board with the top-bar on these 2 nails the board just comes up a scant half way through the frame. In like manner put one nail only in the other edge of the board, but have this nail at the middle of the length. With 2 nails, one near each end for the top- bar to rest on, and the one at the centre for the bottom-bar, every frame is bound to lie solid without a teeter. Melt some wax in a cup about the size of a pint dipper or possibly a little larg- er— this can be done over a common small-burner kerosene lamp; with the lamp you can guage the heat, for the wax should be just thoroughly melted and no more. Grasp the board in the April, 1909. Amarican ISee Journal left hand palm up, holding by that strip-handle nailed at its centre, with the right hand drop the frame over the the board, and put the thumb of the left hand against the bottom-bar, reach- ing the thumb up so its pressure comes on the uppermost edge of the bottom- bar: held in this way the bottom-bar is held firm and snug to the edge of the guage-board, and the top-bar is held down snug against the 2 short-stop nails, and with a ^s-space crack the entire length between it and the board. With the" right hand lay the starter on the board, and against the top-bar, inclining the board from you, and also inclining from your left to right, then with a common tin teaspoon pour wax, starting at the high end and let it run along the bar and the starter until it reaches the other end, when you bring the board to a level so far as its length is concerned. However, to keep the wax from passing down between the starter and wasting instead of running lengthwise, you must incline the board so that the top-bar is almost level crosswise. It takes only a little bit of practice — just a few trials — until you learn the angles at which to hold the frame. If you get the wax too hot it will melt the starter, and is much more inclined to spread and waste: if too cold, it congeals too quick- ly and does not run freely. As fast as you get the wax run on, pick off the frame and put it on a pile beside you. until you have quite a bunch of thein when you lay down the guage- board and pick up the frame and run a line of wax on the other side of the starter, until you have cleaned up the pile, when you run another batch the first side on the guage-board to be served in like manner. This puts a line of wax on each side of the starter, and it is there to stay. It is quicker done than to put foundation into the groove and put the wedge in, and while the wedges will shrink and drop out this will stay. And if you ever want to cut out the comb and put a new starter in, you have a good, smoothe surface to work on. It does not take any more wax, either, at least but a trifle more, and any dirty or off-grade wax will do the job. Colorado and all of us dry-climate bee-keepers "have a kick coming" on the frame with groove and wedge, for unless we use the frame at once after putting the starter in. or nail the wedge fast, they drop out, then we have comb built in all kinds of shapes, mixed with wedges down on the bottom-bars_ until it is like tearing a hive to pieces to get thu frames out. Let me repeat, that the method here outlined is easier, quicker, cheaper and better, than the wedge method. Try it. Loveland. Colo. (To be continued.) Superseding Queens— Uniting Colonies— Shallow Feeders BY EDWIN EEVINS. Considerable has been said recently in the bee-papers as to whether the bee- keeper had better do some superseding of queens himself, or leave the matter entirely to the bees. My own experience convinces me that it would have been better for me if I had taken a large hand in the business every year since I came to have any considerable number of colonies. Last season, just after the white clover harvest was over, I con- cluded to requeen quite a number of colonies that bad not stored any surplus, by the plan used by Mr. Chapman in requeening his old apiary. The writings of Dr. Miller had con- vinced me that bees are not so foolish as to use larvse too old for develop- ment into good queens when they have larvje of all ages to choose from. ^ I made queenless some 12 to 15 colonies, allowing the bees to requeen from their own brood, except in one instance where the brood was so scant that a frame of brood was given from another colony. My examinations showed that but 4 colonies had made any attempt to super- sede their queens. Three of them made a success of it. In one colony I found one sealed queen-cell, and as no other cells had been started I concluded that it was a case of supersedure, and did not look any further for the queen. Later I saw evidences of the work of laying workers, and, on examining that sealed cell. I found in it a dead queen. My experience seems to indicate that but few of the colonies one desires re- queened will requeen themselves at the time the work ought to be done for the advantage of the apiarist. Some will not do it at all, as is proven by the fact that I found 2 colonies fairly strong in bees that were entirely without brood of any age. I have seen but one criti- cism of the above plan of requeening, and that is that one perpetuates all the bad qualities of some of the queens superseded. This is not necessarily so, as an exchange of brood is not difficult, putting the brood of the undesirable queen where it will not be used for queen-rea'ring, and giving some from the hive of a, better queen. In this case, it seems that it would be a good plan to practise the method only on colonies having satisfactory queens, and to get satisfactory queens in the other colonies as soon as possible. By a "satisfactory" queen I mean, of course, a queen of a strain you are wil- ling to perpetuate. UNITING COLONIES. I notice in Gleanings that Editor E. R. Root has just made the discovery that uniting bees by placing one or two thicknesses of newspaper between the two hives is a good thing. This is a method I have long practised, and I de- scribed it in the American Bee Journal several years ago. Shortly after I men- tioned the method in the American Bee Journal. I noticed that Dr. Miller ad- vised one of his questioners to unite in the same way. I do not claim that the method is original with me. Probably I got the idea from some writer in some one of the bee-papers. What I claim is that the method is nothing new. SHALLOW FEEDERS FOR SUPERS. I wrote something quite a while ago about the desirability of having some shallow Hill feeders to use in spring in chaff-packed comb-honey supers, on top of the brood-frames. I found diffi- culty in getting the shallow feeders, but the Dadants helped me out. They had some of the perforated covers to the quart feeders, and got their local tinner to make feeders half the depth of the quart ones to fit the covers. I used some of these last spring in supers hav- ing chaff cushions in them, and found them to be very convenient, as the cushions could be easily adjusted to prevent the escape of heat from the brood-chamber. The supers with their chaf? cushions are left on all of my hives till about the beginning of the honey- flow, as I believe the temperature of the hive is kept more uniformly warm than it would be without them. Some claims used to be made for the advantages of having single-walled hives, and having them stand out in the sun- shine all through the spring ; but I have learned to be somewhat doubtful about these advantages. The spring is not all sunshine. I leave the winter pack- ing of straw around three sides of my hives till the middle of J\Iay, and some- times later. Leon, Iowa. Laying Workers — How to Get Rid of Them. BY G. M. DOOLITTLE. Before me lies a postal card which reads as follows : "I had a colony last summer which had lay- ing workers. I did everything — moved hive, gave brood, etc., all to no purpose, the colony Anally dying in early fall. What can I do to save a colony under such circumstances in the future? Would it do to unite them with another colony? Would these worlcers spoil that colony also? Please answer in the American Bee Journal." Laying workers confront every bee- keeper of any experience, sooner or la- ter, especially if he does not keep a good lookout to see that no colony goes queenless more than 24 to 30 days, or for 2 weeks or more after all brood has emerged from the cells. If no queen is provided, and especially if the bees are of the Cyprian, Holy Land or Italian races, the colony will, soon after all the brood has emerged, set apart some of the workers, from one to several hun- dred, installing them as queens, after which it is extremely difficult to cause them to accept a queen of any kind. All colonies rearing young queens should be looked after from 20 to 24 days after the issue of the prime swarm or the taking away of the old queen, and if eggs are not found the colony should be given a frame of which many cells contain eggs and small larv^, in which case, if the young queen has become lost from any cause, they can rear another. This will keep the bees from installing workers as queens, and at the same time the building of queen-cells on this brood is a sure indication of queenlessness, and when cells are thus built it is better, if possible, to introduce a laying queen at once, for by the time the Ijees can secure a laying queen from this brood the colony will begin to be- come populated, and by the time the brood from her eggs emerges will be nearly ruined from the loss of bees dy- ing from old age. But, if the colony has a laying worker. American Hee Journal what is to be done? That depends large- ly upon our wants. If we do not care for an increase of colonies, probably the best thing to do is to unite the colony having such workers, with one having a laying queen, which should be done by thoroughly smoking each near sunset, when the combs should be taken out of each hive and alternately placed in an- other hive, so the bees will be so mixed up that they vi-ill not quarrel ; or a new hive may be placed on the stand of the colony having the queen, when the bees may all be shaken off their combs in front of this hive, shaking them off the frames alternately so as to mix them up completely, setting the frames having the most brood and honey in the hive, leaving out the rest. If. on the other hand, we wish to keep all the colonies we can, the colony hav- ing the laying workers may be treated in this way : Go to several colonies in the apiary which can spare a frame of brood and take enough frames of brood (one from each) to fill out the hive, or at least two-thirds fill it, being sure that you do not get the queens from any col- ony with this brood and bees, for we want the bees that are on the combs to go w'ith them in this case. Now take the combs out of the hive having the laying workers, or what is better, set this hive off the stand it is occupying, placing another hive on this stand, when the frames of brood are to be placed in it. If it is filled only two- thirds full, fill out the vacant space with dummies, as such a colony would build only drone-comb if it built any at all. As each of these frames of brood and bees have a different scent, they will not quarrel when thus mixed up, for each bee that another meets is a strang- er, which so confuses them that they do not know what to fight for. When all is fixed and the hive closed, carry the hive having the laying workers in it several rods away, and after having drummed on it a little so the bees will fill themselves with honey, open the hive, take the frames out and shake every bee off on the ground, thus compelling them to fly separately back to where their old home used to be. Arriving here they find a different state of affairs existing from what there was when they left, and if the laying workers get back (which some claim they cannot do) they seem to accept the fact that their reign is over. In any event, the bees seem to be in a condition to accept a queen or rear one, as the circumstances are placed before them by the apiarist. It is usually best to give them a queen, if possible, or, what is next best, a queen- cell just ready to hatch ; but if neither can be done, they will do fairly well at rearing one, as the brood which has been given will keep emerging till they get a laying queen, so that they arc nearly or quite as well off, even if now left to themselves, as a colony would be which had cast an after-swarm. I have frequently gotten rid of laying workers by setting brood in the hive having them, and shaking the bees off their combs at the entrance, letting them run in at once; but as many as s frames of brood are needed so as to give enough bees to overcome the influence of those desiring to cleave to the laying workers. In this case, as in the above, the colony is not allowed any of their combs in which the laying workers have laid, for thus allowing them their combs gives them an advantage over the bees that have come on the combs of brood, which advantage we do not wish them to have. The reason why the questioner failed with the brood w-as in not giving enough of it, or in not giving bees with it, or else in allowing the bees having the lay- ing workers to retain their own combs. The Cyprian, Syrian and Holy Land bees are much more liable to have laying workers than the Italians, and the Ital- ians are somewhat more inclined that way than are the German bees, well known as the black bee of this country. The first three named varieties will fre- quently fill the cells with eggs, which, after being "fed and cradled," will give only drones, and this while the young queen is becoming fertile and laying, thus hurting the combs and the pros- perity of the colony very much. How- ever, these races of bees do not cling as closely to such laying workers when they have them as do the Italians and the blacks, so they are more easily got- ten rid of. Borodino, N. Y. Chunk Honey for Small Bee- Keepers BY .XLLEX LATHAM. We read not a little of chunk-honey production in Texas, and can readily see that such honey can be more easily pro- duced than can section-honey. The lo- cal demand settles whether we shall pro- duce this or that sort of honey. In the Xorth there is a poor market for comb honey except section-honey, and until we create, a demand for chunk- honey we cannot profitably go into the production of the same in large amount. For the small bee-keeper, however, and for him who does not care to go to the trouble of manipulating his colonies for section-honey, the production of chunk-honey is an excellent thing. Chunk-honey production has two dis- tinct advantages — less labor is involved than in section-honey production, and less trouble with swarming. With any sort of hive it is an easy matter to sup- ply a super of empty frames, having, except in the case of one or two, only narrow starters of foundation. One or two frames should be to a greater or les.s extent filled with virgin comb. Even without excluders a fair amount of honey will be obtained thus at a trifling cost, and with excluders the very choicest of honey will reward one's ef- forts. Simple as such a method is, it involves more labor than many bee-keepers (more properly bee-owners) care for, and doubtless many a man would welcome a method which calls for almost no manipulation, and yet at the same time is attended by almost certain honey crops. For some 6 years I have run a small apiary upon a certain hill in Norwich in which I term my let-alone hives. During that time only two swarms have issued so far as I know, and I have harvested an average of 50 pounds. Only one season proved a failure, and that was due to the bees suffering from pickled brood. Last year (1907) I har- vested 600 pounds from the 10 colo- nies, and this year 550. I practice vs iting this apiary twice per year for manipulation — once in the spring to see that each colony has a good queen, and once in the fall to take the honey. Sometimes the spring visit is omitted because of lack of time. During the past year I have run some 60 of these let-alone hives, and har- vested an average of 50 pounds of honey. I have not put in over 3 days of labor on these hives this year, aside from the time spent in caring for the honey. Having but little demand for chunk-honey I strain the honey to sell bottled. Strained from virgin comb it is the equal of the best extracted, and superior to most extracted honey. These let-alone hives are extremely simple, though their construction in- volves certain fundamental principles which unquestionably have much to do W'ith the success attendant upon their use. It is out of the question to give a minute description of these hives in this article, though I will mention some of their cardinal points: The hives are roomy ; they have the storage apartment back of instead of above the brood ; they have ample en- trances with space below the front frames ; the frames hang parallel to the entrance; a sheet of excluder zinc sepa- rates the brood-chamber from the store- chamber. Simple as this hive is in construction, it answers every need, and demands in telligent though minimum amount of care. I have run them now for 7 years, and each year I discover some simple improvement in construction or in man- ipulation. No time is used upon this hive in preparing- for winter, for the hive is constructed with particular ref- erence to the needs of the bee. If one is kept from visiting these hives for any reason, no serious harm would re- sult if 2 or 3 years elapsed, barring the possible loss of the queen. Think for a moment of going to one of these hives late in November and removing 140 pounds of good chunk- honey, the entire labor put upon the hive previous to that covering a period of time not exceeding 10 minutes. Last May I opened up one of my hives on Raymond Hill and noted that the queen was all right. I did not see the hive again till Nov. 27. Upon that date I took out 140 pounds of honey, most of it of the finest quality. This hive has 13 storage frames, each 13 -"^ '7 inside measure, with an upright in the middle of the frame to prevent slumping of the comb in hot weather. In this case the 13 frames were full from top to bottom — 26 beautiful chunks of honey, each 13 by about SYz inches. These hives are not perfect non- swarmers, but the swarming does not exceed 20 percent. It is far less than 20 percent in some apiaries, and 50 per- cent in otiiers. I am hard at work solving the problem, and am fairly con- fident that I have solved it already. I hope soon to cut down the swarming to 10 percent. Of course, I do not see the swarms, and they go to the woods, April, igog. American Hee Journal and it is only by the condition of the colonies in the fall that I can judge of the amount of swarming. Readers of the American Bee Jour- nal can make no mistake in making up a few of these hives and setting them upon the farm of some friend where there is good pasturage and few bees. Norwich, Conn. "Survival of the Fittest"— Among the Bees BY ADRIAN GETAZ. Some time ago I found in a magazine, a paper on the West Indies. Among other things, was a statement to tue effect that the bees introduced there, finding out that there is no winter, and therefore no need of making provisions, finally decide that gathering enough for the present needs is all that is necessary; w'ith the consequence that the apiarist fails to get any surplus. To me such statement sounds ridicul- ous, to say the least. I am more and more convinced that the bees, like all other animals, act through instinct. That instinct prompts them to do certain things when they are in certain condi- tions. But never mind. Let us suppose that the bees are intelligent enough to know that winter provisions are needed. How could they know that there is a winter coming? Those that passed through the previous winter died in the early spring. Three or four generations have passed away during the summer, and when the next winter comes, none of the bees living knows anything about it. Assertions similar to the one above quoted have been frequently made, not only concerning the tropical countries, but even in regard to Florida or other places having little or no winter. I do not know how much truth there is in those assertions. I do not know what causes the supposed laziness of bees in such countries. It may be that the temperature is too high to permit the bees to work during the largest part of the day. And it may be that, while the explanation given is wrong, it may nevertheless be true that the bees trans- ported into tropical countries eventu- ally get to be less active than those liv- ing where the winters are long, and pro- visions are necessary. If it is, which, after all, is very likely to be so, it comes through the great law of Nature, called the Survival of the Fittest. Take a ternperate or cold country, for example. Suppose 2 colonies — one ac- tive enough to amass sufficient provi- sions to go through the winter; the other just active enough to make what might be termed "a good living." During the summer this latter colon}- would prob- ably be the stronger. The bees being less active, and therefore less exposed, w'ould live longer and therefore be more nu- merous. The queen not being hampered by an excess of honey in the combs, would probably lay more, and thus also add to the strength of the colony. But at last the winter comes, that colony dies for want of provision, while the other survives. The same process goes on from year to year, with the result that the bees of that country will be good honey-gatherers. But suppose that these 2 colonies, are in a country without winter. Then the second one, being the stronger, will have the best chance to live, and send out good, strong swarms ; and in the course of time, the bees of that country will be a race gathering nectar enough to prosper and do well, but no more. Many people in reading the above w-ill say at once : What do I care about the ''survival of the fittest" or the tropical countries? The honey, or the dollars that it brings, is what I want. And yet there is a valuable lesson in it. It shows that the bees and all other animals and plants, and, even to a large extent, the human race, are what the conditions under which they live make them. It shows that like all the other domestic animals, the bees are, or might become, what we make or might make them. It shows the importance of pro- per management to obtain the qualities desired in our bees. Kno-xville, Tenn. Views of an Indiana Apiary BY CLARENCE WOOLBRIGHT. I am sending some photos of my apiary, also of some appliances which I have found to be of much value to me while working among the bees. Fig. I shows the apiary in the height of the honey-flow, with myself and fam- ily. In the shade in the left foreground can be seen 4 swarm-catchers, which have been of much value in swarming time. Two of these cages can be seen in Fig. 3, taken on a larger scale. Fig. 2 shows the apiary just about the time the bees were finishing work in the supers. The colonies are not all shown in this picture, and they are not all shown in Fig. i, as there were about 100 colonies at the timf these pictures were taken. PREVENTION OF INCREASE. Fig. 3 represents 2 hives and 2 swarm- cages. The central hive represents a. swarm just issuing. The one at the left shows a hive after it has been treated for swarming. At the right can be seen a swarm cage, standing on the open end, with its brace leaning against one cor- ner, and 2 entrance-blocks at the other corner. These entrance-blocks are some- thing like the Dudley blocks without the tube. The reader will notice that this picture was taken out of season, as will be seen in the background a part of a row of bees packed for winter. There- fore I can represent both in one picture. But we will suppose a swarm starting to issue from the central hive. The cage is put on close up to the hive and held in place with the brace as shown in the picture. While the swarm is coming out into the cage take a new hive-body filled with combs or founda- tion, and put on a bottom-board the size and shape of an escape-board. This board has a solid floor with an entrance at one end 3/g-inch by its full width (see hive at the left.) On top of this new hive-body place an escape-board. Now if the swarm has settled down in the cage, hive it in this new hive. Care must be taken not to leave the cage on the old hive too long, as the bees will go back into the hive. If the swarm Fig. 1.— Woolbright Apiary in Height of Honey-Flow Fig. 2.— Woolbright Api.\r\'— Bees Working in Supers. April, 1909. American IBee Journal gets into the cage before the hive is ready, pick the cage up and set it on the open end, as the cage at the right. Now after the swarm is in the new hive, take an entrance-block and put it on the entrance of the old hive. (See hive at the left.) Turn the little piece of excluder to one side of the l4-inch hole (which is the entrance) and leave it thus for g days. Now remove the supers from the old hive and set them to one side. Then pick up the new hive which has the swarm, and set it on top of the old hive. Now set the supers on top of the escape-board, which is next to the new hive. Then put up the run- way board and fasten it to the bottom- board of the new hive with small wire hooked over nail-heads, which are on the bottom-board and run-way for this purpose. (See hive to left.) In from 24 to 48 hours the escape-board can be removed and the bees will continue work in the supers. The reason for using the escape is to keep the queen out of the sections, and to force the bees out of the supers into the new hive, so there will be a larger force of bees to draw out the frames of foundation. At the end of 9 days turn the little piece of queen-excluder around over the entrance of the old hive, as there is danger of a virgin queen leaving the lower entrance, and going in at the upper entrance and causing trouble. At the right, leaning on the side of the swarm-cage, is an entrance-block, show- ing queen-cell protector in place, wliich is also put on over the entrance at the end of 9 days. The excluder will pre- vent the virgin queens coming out, but will allow the worker-bees to pass. The cell-protector will also allow the workers to pass, never to return to the lower hive, but on returning from the field, heavily laden, must enter the top en- trance, as the brood is now all sealed. The bees will all enter the top-hive, as fast as they become fielders. The run- way board is used to- obstruct the lower hive-entrance, and to aid the heavily laden bees to gain the upper entrance. In 21 days the lower hive can be re- moved and the new hive and its supers can be lowered down on the old bottom- board, and they will work on as if they had never cast a swarm. There will be nothing left in tlie old hive but combs, with a little honey, a few young bees, and a virgin queen ; also some drones, if not liberated. In the front row of hives in Fig. i, can be seen 3 colonies treated in the way just described. This is a good plan to use when transferring. There is another plan of preventing increase, which I have found to be of much value, which is as follows : When the swarm starts to issue, cage it as stated above, and when it settles down in the cage, pull the cage back from the hive a little so it will be out of the way. Then remove the supers, set them to one side, and remove the brood-frames one at a time, and take out all queen-cells, return the frames, then put the supers back on the hive, then return the swarm. This operation is performed on all colonies as fast as they cast a swarm, throughout the swarming season. These cages have been a great help to me in the swarm- ing season, as I had as high as 18 swarms in one day the past season. Had it not been for these cages there would have been a great mix-up, but by their use everything was in good order at the end of my day's work. My apiary is run for comb honey. My total crop the past season was about 4000 sections. My customers call at my house, taking almost my entire crop. Fig. 4 shows the apiary while the snow is on; also my method of wintering. The colonics are set in rows, the hives being about 14 inches apart, and are packed with straw, vihich is held in place by a sort of rack, and over the top of the straw is placed felt roofing to turn the rain. The packing is about 10 inches thick at the back of the hives. The fronts are left clear so the bees can fly at any time the weather is warm enough. In the background of Fig. 3, will be seen a closer view of the bees packed for winter. The bees are left in their winter quarters fill settled warm weather in the spring, when the racks are piled up out of the way, and the straw re- moved. The American Bee Journal is a wel- come visitor at our house. Many have been the good lessons which I have learned from its pages. Elnora, Ind., Jan. 6. Cost of Beeswax to the Bees BY C. P. DAD A NT. Should the bees be allowed to build the combs? Is there a waste of wax when the hive is supplied with already- built combs for the harvest? These questions, mentioned in the American Bee Journal for February (page 37) have lately been discussed both in this country and in Europe, with entirely dif- ferent conclusions by different writers. The matter under study can never be positively decided, because of the differ- ent conditions in which the production of wax is carried on. Experiments on the cost of wax in pounds of honey have been made, and the amount of honey needed variously estimated at from up- wards of 20 pounds down to 2 pounds for each pound of comb. The last- named estimate was given by a foreign writer vi'ho has so little practical knowl- edge of bee-culture that he condemned the use of the honey extractor as alto- gether impractical. On the other hand, the scientists who tried the experiments of feeding bees and found 20 pounds as needed to produce a pound of wax were doing this in too artificial a manner to secure as good results as must be se- cured in the height of the honey harvest. It is evident to me that the amount of honey consumed in producing a pound nf wax varies greatly, even in favorable circumstances, just as the amount of corn or cereals needed to produce a pound of fat in our domestic animals varies under different circumstances. Tliis comparison is supported by most scientists. Cheshire compares the con- ditions necessary to produce wax to those needed by chickens to fatten — con- finement, bodily inactivity, warmth, and high nourishment. But must the bee produce a certain amount of beeswax whether she is wil- ling to do so or not? In other words, must an amount of wax be produced, which if not used to build combs will be Fir,. 3.— WooLBRioHT Apiary— Two Hives and Two Swarm-Cages Fig. 4.— W001.11RIGHT Ai'Iarv— With Snow on Hive.s. April. 1909. American Hee Journal thrown away or plastered over the walls of the hive? When the bees are filled with honey and have no comb in which to deposit it, there is no doubt that they hang in clusters, "in warmth and inactivity," un- til this honey is changed into wax. It was once believed that a certain part of the bees were "comb-builders," and that their sole occupation was to build combs ; that they differed from the field workers in appearance, being larger in the abdo- men and less active than the others. This was asserted by Huber, who, with the help of his faithful Burnens, made such accurate discoveries. But Huber had no means of discovering what was later ascertained by the introduction of the Italian bees, that those bees which he named "comb-builders" are the young bees before their first flight, and that these bees become field-workers in their turn. They are wax-workers when wax- producing is necessary at the time when they are too young to go to the field. But when the combs are full, from one end of the hive to the other, then all the bees must become wax-producers, as there is no other way for them to get rid of their honey. Huber and others since have ascer- tained that all the bees are capable of producing wax when their honey-sack is full and cannot be emptied. It is also evident from the testimony of a number of writers that at the time when the adult bee is constantly carrying honey to the hive, the wax-producing organs are more or less active, and a small amount of honey is constantly being changed to wax. In all my experience with bees, and while producing extracted honey, supply- ing the bees with supers full of empty combs already built. I have never seen the bees waste wax, except when the combs were full, and there was no more room to build other combs, and no full combs to seal. In one or two instances I have seen wax-scales wasted, but in each of these cases there was room to spare; the waste was caused by a sud- den change of temperature, and I as- cribed it in each instance to the inability of the bees to keep up the warmth of the hive, the scales of wax becoming too tough to be manipulated and had to be thrown away. Such instances are so rare as to be hardly worthy of notice. When the honey harvest begins, and there is plenty of empty combs for the bees to store the honey, there is very little wax produced. That which is brought forth is used to lengthen the cells which have been cut down during the winter and spring while consuming the sealed honey, for any of our apiarists know that the cappings are cut away and wasted when the honey is used. So the bees repair their combs' and "whiten" them — a process well known to both comb and extracted honey producers at the opening of the crop. Should we consider this whitening of combs as a waste? No, for the wax is placed where it serves the bees, and it is sufficient to say that they always do it, whether they have room for new combs elsewhere or not. But they always place honey in the cells, and have them fairly well filled before this whitening goes on. " have never seen the bees build brace- combs except in too open spaces (in their judgment, evidently,) or waste wax otherwise by plastering it on the walls, as long as they had plenty of empty combs within their reach. It appears to me that we can very easily reason the bees' action in comb- building. When the crop is light, their stomachs are never crowded. Only for a few minutes at each load does a bee find opportunity or desire to pass into the digestive organs more honey than is absolutely necessary for its sustenance. When it reaches the hive, and hands over its load to a young bee, the latter easily finds a storing place for it. Then there is no inducement for either of them to build comb or to consume honey in comb-building. But when the crop is well on, or sudden ; when each adult worker brings home a full load and at once goes back for more, with all the eagerness of a miner who has found a fortune, then all the combs are soon filled. If the apiarist has not provided an extra supply, the young bees, after filling all the cells, have to retain in their honey-sacks as much as they can possibly contain, since the harvest keeps arriving from the held. Then it is that wax- production is not only welcome, but in- voluntary, for there is no other way. of overcoming the difficulty. Every apiarist who has opened a crowded hive at the time of a sudden and plentiful harvest has noticed how full all the bees look, how sluggish they appear, hanging to each other in fes- toons, apparently idle, waiting for their honey to change into wax so that they may build more combs. Should there be no room for more combs, the wax would have to be wasted, unless the bees swarmed. This waste will not take place as long as there is a single cell to finish, a corner to fill, a cell to seal. Open a hive in this condition and supply it at once with empty combs and the conditions will change. You will im- mediately see a new activity. They de- posit their honey and rush to the field again. Those that have produced wax- scales utilize them to repair the combs given them, as well as to strengthen these combs. The evidence of the great cost of combs to bees is visible it seems to me, in the economy with which they build these combs. How light and fragile they are ! If wax cost them next to nothing, they would surely build them stronger at first. But it is only when they handle over old combs that wax is added to make them strong — they add a little here and there. Is that wasted wax? Not by any means. If you are a producer of extracted honey, you know how much nicer it is to handle a comb which is several years old, for it is much tougher and less liable to break than the new combs just built. In my experience, I have found no more waste of wax in the production of extracted honey than in that of comb honey. As long as your bees have room there will be no waste of material, but whenever the combs are full and sealed, and every space crammed, there is a chance for waste of both honey and wax, whether you are producing comb or ex- tracted honey. That the bees must produce more or less wax during a harvest does not ad- mit of a doubt, but that they must pro- duce enough wax to store all the honey they harvest, and that the supplying of combs already built is a waste, I cannot admit. Far from that, I hold that in locations where the harvest is sudden and very large for only a few days, there is a positive loss in compelling them to build their combs before they store the honey. In countries where the flow is gradual, beginning with a few ounces per day, increasing steadily to a few pounds, the loss from lack of combs is smaller. But when the honey-flow is delayed by unfavorable atmospheric con- ditions until the blossoms are in profu- sion and the harvest begins with a rush, there are days when the bees are actually compelled almost entirely to suspend op- erations in order to secure combs to store their crop. The loss is then three- fold. There is the actual cost of the wax in honej' consumption ; the loss of time to the bees whose abdomens are full and that cannot harvest more until they can unload ; and the loss in breeding caused by the filling of all available cells with honey, in the brood-nest as well as the supers. Some will say that such sudden crops are rare. Not in this part of Illinois. Our crops are sudden and short. We have weighed hives at times to ascertain the amount gathered each day, and we have several times noticed an increase of 18 to 19 pounds in one day. This weigh- ing of colonies is not carried on as per- sistently on this side of the Atlantic as in Europe. The "Societe d " apiculture poure la Suisse Romande" publishes statements every year of weights of hives regularly taken in different loca- tions. Such a statement was published in the December number of their Bulle- tin, from 23 different localities. Those reports show plainly how sudden crops may be. In some instances crops of 11 pounds are recorded following a day of entire failure. In one instance there is a record of 9, 10 and 11 pounds of in- crease for 6 or 7 consecutive days. Bear in mind that these large crops are made with extracting supers filled with combs. I doubt very much if such crops would be possible if the bees had to build their combs, no matter how favorable the cir- ctunstances might be. The reader knows that we are almost exclusively producers of extracted hon- ey, but there was a time when we pro- duced comb. I never could secure re- sults at all adequate, when the bees had to build their own combs. At one time we had an apiary of 87 colonies with all supers full and the crop still on. We went to extracting and took off about 5,000 pounds in 3 days ; at the end of the third day we examined some of the hives extracted 2 days previous and they did not have a single cell without honey. It would have been utterly impossible for those bees to gather the fifth of that amount if they had had to build the combs. Yet there was no waste of wax, because the bees were not compelled to retain honey long enough in their stom- achs to digest it into beeswax. The pro- duction of wax was at its minimum, while if they had had to build combs it would have been at its maximum. I have never heard of more than two April, iqog. American Hae Journal instances where it was found neces- sary and advisable to produce wax as much as possible. The first was reported by an apiarist of South America, living away from civilization with very inade- quate means of transportation. He could not secure more than about 3 cents per pound for his honey, and found it profitable to have as much as possible of it converted into beeswax, by cutting out the combs and allowing the bees to rebuild. The other is reported by Dr. Phillips on Hawaiian Bee-Culture, "Bu- reau of Entomology, Bulletin No. 75", a very interesting report concerning the status of apiculture in Hawaii. It ap- pears that the bulk of the honey pro- duced there is from honey-dew of dif- ferent kinds, but dark and of poor flavor. This is so inferior an article that Dr. Phillips suggests that it may pay to have this honey transformed into beeswax. But in our case, I believe it pays to economize the wax as much as possible. I do not have very far to find corrobor- ative testimony to support my view. In Gleanings for February 15, 1909, page 102, Mr. Louis SchoU narrates how he accidentally supplied a number of colo- nies with supers containing starters only, while a similar number of other colonics were supplied with full sheets, and the latter yielded a crop averaging $1.10 per colony more than the others, after pay- ing the excess of cost of the i^'ii.r sup- plied in the full sheets. If the beginner will carefully take note of the above explanation and experiment for himself, I think that he will readily ascertain that we run no risk whatever of loss of wa.x as long as we keep the bees supplied with a sufficient number of combs for storing honey. The wa.x pro- duced will just about keep pace with the lengthening of the cells to proper size, and the sealing of the honey as it ma- tures. Hamilton, 111. Double - Walled vs. Single- Walled Hives — Wiring Frames BY VVM. .M. VVHITXF.V. Wc often hear this objection to the chaff or double-walled hives: "Tliey are not so readily warmed Ijy the sun's rays in the winter and early spring as the single-board hive". The fact is, they are packed, and are kept at an even tem- perature, if the bees have sufficient sup- plies, and do not need the additional warmth of the sun ; they are not af- fected so easily by the fluctuations or changes of temperature ; not so liable to spring dwindling; breed up stronger in early spring: all of which reasons, it seems to me, commend them to any prac- tical bee-keeper who winters his bees on the summer stand. Again, the outside case protects the sections from the eflfects of chilly nights in June which so often happen, and which drive the bees from outside sec- tions in supers on single-board hives thus retarding the work of comb-build- ing which otherwise would have been carried on evenly throughout the entire super of sections. Again, they are not so heavy or un- wieldy to handle as many imagine — they are made of thin stuff, and while larger, are scarcely heavier than a single- lioard hive. BEST WAY TO WIKE FR.-\MES. In aswering the question which is so frequently asked as to the best method or wiring frames, the same old, anti- quated method is often recommended — that of horizontal wiring, which is an absolute failure, so far as accomplish- ing the object for which wiring is done — foundation buckles just the same. The only successful method is by vertical wiring, or by the use of wood splints as recommended by Dr. Miller. When I see end-pieces to frames come all punched — well, I won't tell you just what I think — it wouldn't sound well. The objection to staples, as mentioned in "ABC of Bee-Culture," doesn't count at all, even in the Hoffman frame. The slimmest wire brad of sufficient length, driven into the under side of the top bar at the outside edge of the founda- tion groove and from which, by the use of a pair of round plyers little hooks can be quickly made, and which do not obstruct the insertion of the foundation in the least, is the neatest thing imagin- able to loop the end of the wire to; thence, to a corresponding hook in the bottom-bar, but of shorter length, and driven from the under side ; thence, zig- zagging up and down till about 2-3 of the central portion of the space is occu- pied— say 5 or 6 wires. With this ar- rangement, properly done, there will be no buckling of the comb. Rather than use horizontal wiring, I'd use foundation heavy enough to need no wiring — medium lirood. I think it would be all right for standard l.angstroth frames. By my method of wiring I have produced, as an experiment, good combs from extra thin super foundation, such as is used in sections. Light brood 10 sheets to the pound, with the above method of wiring, is quite a saving of expense over the use of medium brood of 6 to 7 sheets to the pound. Evauston, 111. Proposed California Apiarian Legislation BY RALPH BENTON. In charge of Apiculture, University of California. On page 107 of the issue of Gleanings in Bee Culture and on page 45 of the .\merican Bee Journal for February, I note discussions of the proposed amend- ment to the California statute law rela- tive to foul brood and other diseases of bees, now pending in the California leg- islature. The main trend of these dis- cussions is correct, but there are cer- tain misapprehensions and interpreta- tions that I desire to clear up in the minds of the bee-keeping pul)lic. In the first place, when attempts are made to discuss or interpret the Cali- fornia law, or the amendment in ques- tion, it must be borne in mind that our law relates not only to foul brood but to all of the brood-diseases of bees, and also to the diseases of adult bees com- monly and collectively called paralysis. Keeping this steadily in mind, let us consider some of the questions raised in the discussion referred to. First, the statement is made in Glean- ings that the amendment provides for a "University Inspector of Foul Brood." This is but a slight error in name, but I desire to correct it for the term so used is misleading. What the amend- ment does provide for is a State Super- vising Inspector of Apiaries who shall be .Apiarian Pathologist of the State Agricultural Experiment Station, an in- stitution separate but closely connected with the University. Note that this officer is an "inspector of apiaries" and not simply a foul-brood inspector. This is true of all of our county inspectors under the present law — they are "in- spectors of apiaries," and as such in- spect and treat for not only foul brood but all of the other maladies of bees. As Apiarian Pathologist the State Su- pervising Inspector of Apiaries will con- duct investigations in the diseases and other enemies of bees, and undoubtedly, ranking an Instructor in Apiculture in the University, it will fall to him to con- duct such courses of instruction as are given in the College of Agriculture in the diseases of bees. Now coming to the main point around which most of the discussion pro and con has centered : I refer to the sec- tion relating to the importation of queens into California. There are two things that must be remembered when discussing this section : Firstly, the section in question relates to the im- portation of queens not only in ordin- ary mailing cages but also queens in "nuclei" or "swarm boxes ;" and, sec- ondly, that the whole law relates in all of its applications not only to foul brood but to all brood-diseases and also to the diseases of adult bees, or paralysis. The exact causes of certain of these diseases is not known, but there seems to be an overwhelming evidence point- ing to the fact that those known as pickled brood and paralysis are in some way directly connected in transmission and spread through the queens. Time and again have these diseases been in- troduced into apiaries previously free from disease through the agency of an importation of queens. Time and again have partial, and in some instances in certain of these diseases a permanent cure, resulted from requeening with fresh and uninfected stock, the apiary so infected. When I refer to these diseases which in certain portions of the United States do not flourish and in many sections are minor maladies, an adequate apprecia- tion must be had by the bee-keeping public of the virulence and the extent of the ravages of these same diseases as transplanted and permitted to flour- ish under California climatic and other condititms. In soine localities so-called paralvsis is nnich more dreaded than foul iirof)d, and rightly so, if we are to judge from the havoc wrought by this baffling disease. The writer has been in apiaries in which all of the flight bees have been taken off and hive after hive so decimated in numl)ers that brood- rearing operations were at a standstill for lack of bees and stores to proceed on. In passing down the rows of such April, 1909. American Hen Joarnal j an apiary, from a pint to two quarts or more of dead bees could be scraped up in a pile in front of each colony, and hardly a place to step without crushing a struggling and diseased bee. If foul brood is an insidious disease, in that it cuts, off the supply of young bees, par- alysis is just as insidious as far as prac- tical returns are concerned, in that it takes off all the flight or working bees. So much for the basis upon which the bee-keepers of California have seen fit to include in their proposed law a sec- tion relative to the importation of not only bees, but specifically queens as well. Now a few words in regard to the possible interpretation of the law : The proposed measure is very clear and defi- nite in its statement. There is nothing in it relative to the inspection of queens either at the post-office or at an express- office. There is nothing in it, in fact, binding an immediate inspection of queens upon their arrival by the inspec- tor, unless the inspector so desires to rule. What the section in question does provide is, first, that all queens intro- duced into the State of California, or from one county into another county within the State, without a clean bill of health, are so introduced at the risk of the consignee. If the consignee does not wish his property endangered, and to make himself liable for the importa- tion of uncertified bees, immediately upon the arrival of such consignment of bees he is required to notify the inspec- tor of apiaries, holding such queens sub- ject to his orders. With the sanction of the inspector the queens may then be introduced into the apiaries of the consignee, and kept under observation for a period of not less than 60 days, at the end of which period, if no disease has developed, the queens may be pro- nounced free from disease, and then, and only then, lawfully introduced. This in no way debars the sending of queens into California by an Eastern breeder, and as Mr. Root has repeatedly asserted, works no hardship there, as Mr. Pryal anticipated might result to Eastern ship- pers of queens. And, further, Califor- nia bee-keepers do not, as Mr. Root an- ticipates, feel it a hardship at their end of the line, since it is with the Califor- nia bee-keepers that the proposed mea- sure emanated, and who have been sup- porting it with an overwhelming major- ity, quite unanimously, except in a few quarters. As I have repeatedly pointed out, the real burden would lie with the inspectors of apiaries by increasing their duties; but the California bee- keeping public seems willing to increase this line of work in its united effort to restrict and eradicate bee-diseases lo- cally, costing the honey industry annu- ally in the neighborhood of $250,000 to $300,000. If an aggressive campaign is to be carried on, all possible sources of in- fection must be guarded, and the great advantage accruing from a system of complete inspection including queens is being able to locate definitely, if possible, the sources of constant re-infection, and concentrate a united effort upon these sources, and so solve the problem, the immensity of which, relatively speaking, few bee-keepers realize. We believe that suppositions or possible interpreta- tions of the law are endless, and in general lead to nothing, and are more of the opinion of Mr. Pryal, that the law framed in the best interest of all should pass, and if in interpretation it is ineffectual it can then be changed and strengthened to suit the situations -that may arise in the future. Berkelev, Cal. Buzzings From the Clover Field BY CHAS. M. HIX. White clover is getting to be the greatest honey-plant in the United States. I believe no other honey-plant yields so much surplus under the same conditions. If a larger kind with the short heads could be produced, the far- mer could be persuaded to sow it for hay. Why does not Mr. Burbank at- tack that problem? "Wherever a farmer or dairyman or horticulturist can make a living, a bee- man can," says the Modern Farmer and Busy Bee. There is a great deal of truth in that statement, and it gives en- couragement to those who are Qom- pelled to stay in the location they are in. The best advice to the man who con- templates looking for a new location in another part of the country, is, "Stay where you are." While bee-keeping is comparatively a new business when compared with the other branches of agriculture, I believe the bee-keepers are the happiest of the lot. Fully 75 percent of the bee-keepers are photographers. Ought not the other 25 percent to be? Almost every one who can make a success with bees, can be a successful amateur photographer. It does one good to see a bee-yard like that of Mr. W. W. McNeal, on page 7. A good way to promote the sale of honey near home is to have a public field-day, to which the public is invited, say one day every two weeks. Nothing makes the people want honey so much as when they see the real process of production. But very few people have any idea how much comb and extracted honey is taken from the hives and pre- pared for market. Tilr. L, W. Benson, page 25, says, "I am not a bee-man," but I wonder if that is not what the neighbors call him. The name is really earned by one who has so much experience, and more — he's not afraid to tell it to others. Some bee-keepers say it harms bees to move them in mid-winter, but if it is done on a warm, sunny day. it does no harm. I moved a colony of bees in December, 1906, and the next season they were the best in this locality. While wrapping hives with tar-paper outside the packing may do sometimes, a dry-goods box covered with felt roofing, with packing inside of the box, between it and the hive, is far ahead, and is the cheapest in the long run. It is not the intelligent farmer-bee- keepers who injure their neighbors, but the wilfully ignorant ones. Those who are successful in other lines, will not generally object to subscribe for a bee- paper. While the bee-moth is an enemy of bees, I sometimes think we should be thankful for some of its work, because when the larvse of the beeswax-moth get to work in some box-hive apiary, the owner will begin to "sit up and take notice" of more modern hives. Why should we use glass in comb- honey shipping-cases? Other food- stuffs are not shipped in glassed cases. Why not just have a few for exhibition in the stores, and the rest plain boxes without glass? Fellow bee-keepers, let's not prophesy what next year will be, but get ready for a big yield. If we are disappointed, then it will be time to complain._ The honey crop for next year is not in our hands, but in the hands of Him "from whom all blessings flow." Although, of course, we can by intelligent labor, make a great difference. Did vou ever notice that bee on the front cover of the "Old Reliable?" Well, in the circle around it are the words, "Our toil doth sweeten others." Why should not this be the motto of the bee-keepers as well as the bees? Let us look up and lift up. Hampshire, 111. Comb Honey and Digestion— Bee-Keeping in New iWexico BV J. E. JOHNSON. I have read with much interest the controversy between Dr. Miller and Dr. Bohrer as to whether honey in the comb is injurious to digestion, and whether extracted honey is to be pre- ferred. Probably it is very presump- tuous for me to "butt in," especially where two men (and let me add, both good men, and well-informed on scien- tific things) are crossing swords, but please let me just this once give my views. Dr. Bohrer claims that the comb honey contains poison deposited there by the bees from their stings, and that extracted honey is free from this. Now, Doctor, what is that poison? Have you analyzed it? The poison from bee- stings that causes our eyes to "button up" when we are stung is not formic acid, but is the toxin, or elements of the decayed or used elements in the bee's body. This substance is not of a volatile nature, and thus the honey does not absorb it, but the element we find in honey that makes it an antiseptic, is formic acid, which is also a product of the bee. Formic acid is very volatile^ and as honey has strong chemical at- traction for things of gaseous nature. April, 1909. American l^ee Journal the honey attracts the formic acid, and thus the honey absorbs this acid while ripening before it is sealed. Most of this acid is absorbed by the honey from the bees at the entrance when fanning a current of air through the hive to ripen the honey. The acid from their stings is absorbed by that current of air, and is, by the affinity of this honey, absorbed by the honey. The wax has nothing to do with it. Formic acid is poison somewhat of the nature of salt. Salt taken in large quantities is poison, but is beneficial when taken in the right proportion. So is formic acid. An all-wise Creator provided that the bee should make a perfect sweet in the proper manner, not interfered with by the cunning of man, but the extractor is man's invention, and does not add to the value of the food, but to the convenience of handling the product. I would much rather produce extract- ed honey, and here in New Me.xico I find that the production of the ex- tracted honey is especially to be pre- ferred, as cool nights hinder comb- making, and I have been very sorry that I did not take all my empty combs with me from Illinois. But I find that here, as elsewhere, the people prefer comb honey. So I say, as I have said before, to all, produce as much extract- ed as your market will take at a .good price, and educate people to use more of the extracted article; but when you have a good demand for comb honey, supply that demand with the finest and cleanest that you can produce. Both comb and extracted honey are good and wholesome, and people should use more of it. That can't be disputed. But to induce people to use more of it, you should supply what they want ; but whenever you influence people against either comb or extracted, you hurt the sale of both. So far I find that our mesquite is our best honey-planf here, better than our alfalfa. Mesquite grows only from about 12 inches to 3 feet high, but I almost had a bad "attack of the old- fashioned bee-fever when I found that bees came in loaded with fine nectar from this mesquite for 6 weeks. In fact, it was almost equal to a good white clover flow for 6 weeks. But what gave me the attack of the old- fashioned bee-fever was the fact that I had been able to purchase only one not very strong colony to meet that honey-flow. And what was worse, one day when I was not near, they swarmed, and about 2 barrels of water thrown among that swarm would not convince them that the J. E. Johnson Apiary was the only place on earth for them to lo- cate, and they pulled for the Guada- loupe Mountains 60 miles away. I have never heard from them since, but hope they arc enjoying their new home. However, I built up 3 colonics from what I had left, without any feeding, but got only a little surplus. I find that alfalfa does fine here, and we cut 4 to 6 times during the season, but the second and third crops are about the best honey-yielding cuttings. I found that alfalfa one year old, in bloom nicely in August, did not attract a single bee, but older alfalfa had a good number of bees working on it. Here we have little or no rain in April, May and the first half of June, and as alfalfa begins blooming in April, it yields better during those dry months. Not only so, but you can't raise alfalfa seed successfully after the rainy season begins. We call July and August the rainy season, because there are thunder showers within sight of us 3 or 4 days out of every week, and occasionally we get a shower, and sometimes a good, heavy down-pour. But the larger por- tion of the showers are near the moun- tains. After tliese rains begin seed does not form well, neither does the alfalfa yield much honey during those months, so I will have to change my views about Illinois alfalfa yielding honey. I have alfalfa growing luxuriantly in ditches where water has run 6 to 12 inches deep for two weeks at a stretch. It seems you can hardly drown alfalfa, if it has just its head above water, but if you cover it with water so that the top can't get air, you can drown it, hut not very easily. So I would say to Mr. Dadant, you never had it too wet in Illinois for alfalfa. But alfalfa is a high-altitude plant, and I think the high altitude with the very powerful ab- sorbing atmosphere, is necessary for al- falfa to yield nectar virell. You people in the low altitude don't realize how absorbing this atmosphere is. You can bring a brand new wagon from Illinois here in March, and in May every tire will fall off. After the wheels have shrunk and the tires are rusted they are all right. A woman with a long clothesline, as she hangs out her washin.g, can begin to take clothes in in 15 minutes after hanging them out. be- ginning at the first end of the line. So conditions are very different here. I succeeded in raising a fine patch of alfalfa in Illinois, but it did not yield honey. Prof. Hopkins wrote mc that as yet he had failed to get a seed crop. So while irrigating does not stop the forming of seed in alfalfa here, rain does. However, alfalfa that is intended to produce seed, is not irrigated as much, but is left pretty dry. Now if during our rainy season we can't pro- duce alfalfa seed and not get much honey from its blossoms, I think you may expect to get honey or a good seed crop only in very dry years, or when it happens to be very dry during blooming time. I find that this mes- quite, although it is of very hard wood like hedge, the roots are very large, sometimes 6 inches or more in diam- eter. The top is only like a bush, but it belongs to the legum or clover fam- ily, and thus it is related to alfalfa, and the soil has bacteria that work on alfalfa roots and alfalfa does well, be- cause the same bacteria work on the roots of both. We have lots of flowers growing wild all summer, and especially in the fall and late summer. I can not name them very well. Fruit-bloom is of 3 or 4 weeks' duration — apricots, peaches, pears, plums, and apples of large or- chards, from 100 to 200 acres; and as mesquite comes at the close of the apple-bloom, I consider it the most valuable as yet. There are hundreds of acres of mesquite, but as the country improves, the mesquite will grow less and alfalfa more. So far mesquite is old, and the greater part of the or- chards and alfalfa is young. I think alfalfa improves in yielding honey, as it grows older. The ground does not freeze in win- ter, but vegetation stops growing. There is a little ice occasionally in the morn- ings. Bees fly nearly every day all winter, but as yet have consumed very little honey. The winters are dry, and bees winter fine.. This is the greatest place for auto- mobiles I ever saw. The roads are al- ways fine and often dusty. There is a livery barn that has no horses — just au- tomobiles. I have not yet been to the mountains. The Guadaloupe (pro- nounced Waluppe here) Mountains are 60 miles away, where there is much tim- ber, some trees being 3 to 4 feet in diameter. I have no doubt there are some bee-trees there. New Mexico is an old settled country. The house in Sante Fe in which Gov. Curry lives, was built in 1605, and is still in a good state of preservation. Many years ago when Gen. Lew Wallace was Governor of New Mexico, he lived in this house and wrote "Ben Hur." The writing of "Ben Hur" was the means of the writer's conversion from a disbeliever to a Christian. Just think of a house still in good use that was built 2 years be- fore the Jamestown, Va., colony was established! We hope to get State-hood soon. I shall get more bees this spring. Davton, N. Mex. Foul Brood— How to Treat It BY M. M. EALDRIDCE. Manager N. E. France has sent me a copy of the proceedings of the National Bee-Keepers' Convention held in De- troit, in October last. On page 72, I find the following in regard to foul brood, credited to R. L. Taylor : "If your colonies arc strong there is a way to get rid of foul brood without much danger, and, I think, with perfect safety so far as the new colony is concerned, and that is Bald- ridce's plan of using a hec-escape. You pre- pare a hive for your colony with starters or foundation, and place it upon the stand of the colony that has the foul brood, setting tliat one a little aside, putting the entrances as nearly together as possible; then take into the new" hive with the queen, to make a start, sufficient bees to take care of the queen at least and then put up a bee-escape upon the front of your hive, having it in every other way perfectly bee-tight. Then you have noth- ing more to do but to let the bees come out of themselves through the escape, and if you place the escape properly they cannot return to the foul-broody colony, but will go into the new hive. Mr. Calridge uses that plan, and says it is always successful. I have used it in several instances, and have found it suc- cessful." The foregoing, I suppose is word for word as reported by the stenographer, and may not be exactly as Mr. Taylor gave the plan, or desired to give it. This is why I stated in the beginning that the plan is credited to Mr. Tayloi. I am pleased to learn that Mr. Taylor found the plan he describes successful in treating foul brood, but I would not be willing to advise any one to treat tlie disease exactly in that way. I never take the queen and some of the bees away from the foul-broody colony to start the new colony, and I see no ne- cesity of doing so in any case. I prefer to start the new colony by taking a 140 April, 1909. (American Bcc Journal comb of brood with the adhering bees from a healthy colony , and giving them the queen from the diseased colony in one or two days thereafter. I want the queen to remain in the diseased colony, caged, and the cage placed on top of the frames where she can be got at with the least trouble, so as to be given to the new colony at the proper time. I want the queen to remain as stated so the bees therein w-ill not become excited as when they find themselves queenlcss. If the new colony is started in the fore- noon, or when the bees are busy at work, a good time to remove the queen and let her run in at the entrance of this colony is on the following day, and near sundown. I also prefer to face both colonies in opposite directions. That is, set the prepared hive on the foul-broody stand with the entrance the same way, turn tlie diseased colony half- way around, and leave the entrance open. I do not find it necessary to use the bee-escape at all when treating a number of colonies, except in the final wind-up. The bee-escape is of minor importance in treating foul brood by my plan. The main thing is to compel the bees in the diseased hive to transfer themselves to the new hive without taking with them any diseased honey. They will do this by manipulating, as I have stated. Sev- eral diseased colonies, if they exist in the apiary, may be treated in the same way and at the same time. Then in the course of a week or 10 days the diseased colonies may be consolidated by piling them up 2, 3, 4, 5 or more stories deep. Then by using a bee-escape in front of the bottom story, and locating the com- bination by the side of a weak colony, when they go out for any purpose, they will be forced to go into the other col- ony. There are divers ways to manipulate the diseased colonies, but it is unneces- sary for me to describe them all. The getting rid of foul brood by my plan is so simple that almost any one can treat the disease successfully. I wish the reader would try my plan and then report. If you wish more light on this topic than is outlined in the fore- going, please read my directions more in detail on page 205 of the July issue of the American Bee Journal for 1908. St. Charles, 111. [In order that our readers may have Mr. Baldridge's plan of treating foul brood right at hand, we have decided to reproduce it once more, as follows : — Editor.] Baldridge P1.AN OF Tre.\ting Foul Brood. The Baldridge plan of treating a foul-broody colony successfully is as follows: nst. Open the hive of the diseased colony 'and cage the queen. The best time to do this is late in the afternoon or near sunset. Place the caged queen in the top of the foul-broody hive, and where the cage can be got at with *s little trouble as possible. 2d. Bore a small hole — about one inch in diameter — in the front end of the foul-broody hive a few inches above the regular entrance, and fasten over it on the outside of the hive a Porter bee-escape. After the bees are through flying for the day turn the foul- broody hive half way around so the bee-en- trance will face the opposite direction. 3d. Now go to some healthy colony and select one or two combs of brood well cov- ered with bees, and place them in an empty hire and fill this hive with empty combs. frames of comb foundation, or empty frames, and set this hive on the stand of the diseased colony. The rear ends of both hives will now touch each other, or they may be a few inches apart. Now leave the hive thus, for say 2, 3 or 4 days, or long enough for the outdoor workers in the foul-broody colony to return to their old location. This they will empty bodies and return with healthy honey. .\11 the nurse-bees will remain in the diseased colony, and before they pass out of their hive through the bee-escape all germs in their bodies will have been disposed of in nursing the uncapped brood in the foul-broody colony. My plan of treating foul brood is not exact- ly a new plan, as it was outlined by me in ^^-:,^.rrw.^^ k^ W-^^ IM^^ Upper Fig.— Honky-House of C. I. Graham, Set Up for Operation. Lower Fig.— Honey-House of H. T. Chrisman, and Extracting Crew. do, of course, and they will then remain in the new hive, having one or two combs of healthy brood. 4th. Near sunset of the second or third day take the caged queen away from the dis- eased colony and simply let her run into the entrance of the new hive. 5th. Now close the regular entrance of the foul-broody hive and all other exits except the one through the bee-escape. Then gently place this hive by the side of the new hive and close to each other, the closer the better, with both fronts facing the same way. Thereafter the bees that hatch or fly out of *he dis- eased colony must pass through or out of the bee-escape, and as they can not return they must and will go into the new hive. By this means the new hive, in the course of 3 or 4 weeks, will secure all, or nearly all. the bees and brood that were in the diseased colony, and during this time, or for any length of time thereafter, no robber-bees can gain entrance there and carry away any diseased honey. This plan of treating foul-broody colonies prevents all loss in bees, honey, or the build- ing of new combs, and is a simple and practical way of treating the disease. In some respects the plan is a far better one than any other I have seen described. My plan may be carried out in divers ways, but it is not always best to describe such and thereby confuse the reader. The entire plan is based upon the well-known fact that foul brood is a germ disease, and that the germs may be taken into a new hive by the bees filling their bodies with the diseased honey deposited in the foul-broody hive. The disease may likewise be taken into the new hive by the nurse-bees. My plan does away with all such danger, for when the diseased colony is left undisturbed over night the bees re-de- posit all their honey, and on going out to work the following day they go out with 1897, page 333, in the Bee-Keepers' Review. Since that date I have treated a number of foul-broody colonies by my plan, and always with good success. I am advised that others liave done likewise. M. M, Baldridge. Honey-Houses in California BY CH.\S. TROUT. It is by the means of the inovable honey-house that our specialists ex- tract such enonnous amounts of honey. I will describe 2 of the most success- ful houses I have seen : The upper figure is the e.xtracting house of Mr. C. I. Graham. It con- tains 2 4-frame extractors, and 2 cap- ping tanks. The honey runs direct from the extractor through pipes to the tank on the outside. The house is built on the bed of a strong wagon, with burlap sides and tar-paper roof. It can be drawn easily by 2 mules from yard to yard. The lower figure shows the crew and extracting house owned by H. T. and J. Chrisman. This house is quite differ- ent than Mr. Graham's. .\ space only 5 feet by the widtli of the wagon is used for e.xtracting purposes. It con- tains only one extractor and uncapping April, 1909. Amarican Hae Journal tank. The honey is lifted into the house instead of carrying it on wheel- barrows. The remainder of the house is used as a dining room by the men and a bedroom by the owner and wife, and is partioned off from the rest. It has screen halfway down each side and canvas flaps, which enable the operators to have plenty of ventilation. The illustrations show many other conveniences Redlands, Calif. Sweet Clover as a Honey- Producer BY ISAAC F. TILLINGHAST. During the past season I have been traveling quite extensively through sev- eral different states, visiting bee-keep- ers, and noting the comparative results, under different kinds of management, and in different locations. One fact forcibly brought to my at- tention by this inspection of localities was that the most profitable apiaries I found were in sections where large quantities of sweet clover were found growing in vacant lots, along railroad embankments, and in fact wherever it had been able to gain a foothold. So striking and remarkable were the results in some of these cases that I be- came convinced that this plant is really one of the most valuable sources of honey that we have in this country, and in order to try and profit by the discov- ery, I procured 100 pounds of the seed which I have been quietly scattering in every possible nook and corner within a mile or two of my apiary. ■ I think that the chief value of this plant, over many others, lies in the fact that it continues in bloom for so long a time that it bridges over the periods of dearth between our natural supplies, and furnishes a great amount of nectar when the bees otherwise would have nothing whatever to keep them busy. And again, unlike buckwheat, and some others, which seem to supply onlv during the early part of each day, sweet clover will be found covered with bees from early dawn till dusk, day after day, from July to September. One peculiar thing about sweet clover is that it will grow rampantly in new railroad cuts and embankments, con- sisting of sand and gravel, or rock and hardpan, which contains no humus or soil of any richness which would sup- port any other kind of plant, and as it has the property, like other clovers, of gathering nitrogen and feeding it to the soil in which it grows, it is no doubt one of the greatest soil-improvers in existence, and well worthy of a place on every farm for this purpose alone. I have a five-acre field of old worn- out farm land which I am seeding to this plant which will be allowed to re- main undisturbed for several years for the double purpose of improving its fertility and at the same time supplying bee-pasturage. The Mohawk valley, in New York State, through which runs the New York Central, the West Shore, and vari- ous trolley lines of railroad, as well as 'he canal, has many pieces of company land lying between these thoroughfares, which through disuse have become seeded with sweet clover, both white and yel- low, making an aggregate of hundreds of acres between Albany and Syracuse, and I found that bee-keepers in this belt were invariably securing larger returns from their apiaries than any in sections not covered with this plant. Right in the city of Syracuse are a number of large apiaries which are mak- ing almost phenomenal records which I attribute almost entirely to sweet clover which is scattered all around the city on vacant lots, parks and street ways. One instance I may mention was the case of Mr. F. A. Salisbury, who showed me hives from which he stated he had taken an average of 266 pounds of box honey during the past season. I think that the same condition exists in some of the suburbs of Chicago, and if so I am led to ask why we do not hear more about the value of this plant? Is it because those who have it and know its great value wish to keep "mum" and profit by their knowledge rather than publish it to the world? I. for one, shall be pleased to hear from any person who is in position to say anythin.g either for or against it. Factorvville, Pa. Comments On Several Topics BY HARRY LATHROr. My bee-keeping life has been spent entirely in the great white clover belt of Southern Wisconsin, and of course I look at bee-keeping from a different point of view from some whose fields and resources are far different. ^fy advantages are an unlimited field during good seasons, a grade of honey that is the standard for the whole world, and record yields during good seasons. My disadvantages are crop failures, owing to the occasional failure of the white clover crop, and a climate in which it is necessary to house or otherwise protect bees in winter. These two objections have, I believe, pre- vented a great many from going into the business of bee-keeping in this part of the country. It requires years of study to be able to contend with the conditions, and work bees here at a minimum of ex- pense and obtain the maximum of yield. I have two yards at present — one on a strictly clover location, and the other here on the Wisconsin river where there is the chance of an occasional crop of very nice fall honey. This year C1908) after the white hon- ey was all through, I secured 2000 pounds of buckwheat, golden-rod blend that is about as nice as any good maple syrup for pan-cakes. I always ask the same price for such honey that I do for the best white clover and basswood, as there are some who prefer it. I also find that the amber honey of this rcf^ion makes good winter stores, be- ing, as a rule, well ripened by the close of the season. Late Extracting of Honey. The dark honey mentioned above was not removed from the hives until it was too late to extract without artificial heat. I have a small building that I use as an extracting room. I would carry in enough combs for an even- ing's work, start a fire in a cheap sheet- iron stove of the air-tight variety, and by 8 o'clock, when I am through with my other work, the honey would be nicely warmed through. I would then extract, sometimes as late as midnight. I have had no trouble to extract honey even in winter by using proper heat, but I would not want to depend upon any sort of an oil-stove. I use a capping melter run with a common gasoline jet, and it does the work in such a satis- factory manner that I will probably never go back to the fussy plan of keeping a lot of cappings on hand to drain out and take up room until ren- dered by the usual process. Rendering Combs Into Beeswax. I never learned anything about wax- rendering until the last year. My wife always made the wax on an old cook- stove, using a common wash-boiler. I think she got at least two-thirds of the wax, and tlie balance was lost. But we live to learn, and so one day I shut myself up in the little shop and melted up a lot of combs and scraps, using my new Hatch-Gemmill press. Now I know how to render and get it all, except, perhaps, a very small percent. It is not hard to learn. You want a warm room, plenty of hot water, and some nice, loose-woven burlaps for making the cheese in. However, I have not yet learned how to refine wax so as to get large cakes of the pure stuff. I sup- pose the comb foundation makers have very good facilities for this purpose, and I have been sending them some of my wax in the rough and letting them refine it. It is a safe thing to do when you are dealing with such honest, faithful men as we have in that line of business. I would like to see an article on re- fining wax, by some one who has the thing down to a fine point. I think probably Mr. C. A. Hatch could make the matter clear, and no doubt there are many who would like to have Iiis in- structions. If I were to make a guess at what would be a good inethod, I would say, re-heat the wax that comes from the press or from the solar ex- tractor, in deep cans or pails; allow it to stand quietly in a melted condition, and dip off the top into clean moulds. Put in more unrefined wax, heat up and dip again. Am I correct? My Ijees_ went into winter quarters much heavier in stores than last year. The few light ones were set to one side in the cellars and I will place on them supers containing some No. 2 sec- tion honey. That is about all the use I have for sections. Retail Prices for Honey — A Rap at Glucose. At one time I made a specialty of fancy comb honey, but of late I always think it is produced only at a loss here. The trouble is that the price of comb honey is down so near what I can get for good extracted honey in pails that it doesn't pay to bother with it. My principal package is the lo-pound pail, which I sell at one dollar, and "Jones," or whoever else buys the honey, "pays the freight." My wholesale price for 142 April, 1909. honey in 60-pound cans is 8 cents, and I get it, too. Now if all bee-keepers would demand these prices, which are very reasonable, they could get them. At present the large dealers and cracker factories are offering only 5 cents for honey. But after all, the great enemy of our in- dustry is glucose. Go into any country or village store, and 5'ou will probably find a small amount of honey on sale, and as much as a dray load of pails containing the so-called corn syrup. My friends, are you aware that this stuff is not fit to eat? Then what are you doing to educate your people in reference to sweets for the table? I tell my people it is all right to use pure sugar syrups if they prefer them, and I think that only such should be al- lowed on the market. If we could handicap glucose as manufactured but- ter was handicapped by the dairy-men, vou would see a different state of af- fairs in the honey-trade. It is not appetite but greed that causes such an immense sale of glucose syrup for table use. The men who make it are actuated onlv by greed of gain. I have talked with several people who have worked in glucose factories and they each and all say that they would not" think of eating the stuff. Some of these are good honey customers. Cheap boarding houses use it, again from mo- tives of greed, and last, but not least, farmers who have hired hands to feed. Well, there are some farmers in this part ' of the country who would not carrv such stuff into their houses, and among this class I have my best honey customers. A man who puts honey on the table for his hired help will lose nothing bv so doing. They will appre- ciate his desire to give them good food, and work all the better to his inter- est. . , . On the other hand, there is nothing that will more quickly advertise the cheap, second-class quality of a public house than the use of glucose on the table in the place of honey or pure syrups. Bridgeport, Wis., Dec. 12, 1908. The Care of Extracted Honey BY DR. E. F. PHILLIPS In charge of Apiculture. Bureau of Entomology. Department of Agriculture, Washington. D. C. I was recently asked by the officers of the National Association to prepare a paper for this meeting. However, ow- ing to the shortness of the time after the request came, I was unable to pre- pare a new paper, but agreed to read a part of a paper which I had prepared for publication on the production and care of extracted honey. I shall omit the first part of this paper which deals with the production, and shall read only the portion pertaining to the care of the honey after extraction. The entire paper will be published soon as a part of one of the bulletins of the Bureau of Entomology. The Ripening of Honey. When nectar is gathered from flowers by the worker-bees, the amount of wat- American l^ee Journal er contained in it is very high. It is generally supposed that, by the time bees reach the hive to deposit the nectar in the cells, part of this water has been removed; at any rate, during the pro- cess of ripening, the amount of water is very much reduced, until, in thor- oughly ripened honey, it will not ex- ceed 25 percent and is generally not more than 20 percent. Some very ripe honeys will have as little as 12 percent of water in them. If more than 25 per- cent of water remains in the honey at the time of extraction, it will probably ferment. The ripening of honey consists not only of the evaporation of the surplus water of the nectar, but especially of tbe transformation of the sugars of the nectar into the levulose and dextrose of honey. Unripe honeys contain a larger proportion of sucrose or cane-sugar, and it is probable that the longer the honey remains in the hive the less of sucrose will be found in it. While hon- eys vary all the way from zero to 8 or 10 percent in their sucrose content, the purest honeys are those which con- tain the least. The official honey stand- ard of the Association of Official Agri- cultural Chemists allows 8 percent of sucrose in honey. It is the policy of most bee-keepers to allow this ripening to take place in the hive by waiting until the honey is almost all or entirely capped, and this is undoubtedly the preferable method. It is a matter of common observation that honey which remains in the hive for a long time has a better "body" and has more of the characteristic honey aroma. By ripening in the hive, honey gets its characteristic flavor to a greater extent than is possible in evaporation outside of the hive. There have been several machines de- vised for the artificial ripening of hon- ey which has been extracted "green," that is, with too great a water content. The principle on which all of these are constructed is the application of heat, not to exceed 160 degrees F., for a suf- ficient time to reduce the amount of water present to about 20 percent. Either sun heat or artificial heat may be used. In the western part of the United States honey may be, and usual- ly is, extracted before it is all capped, because it is the general practice of bee-keepers to run the honey directly from the extractor to large tanks, some- times holding several tons, out in the open, covered with porous cloth tightly tied down to exclude bees. Many of these tanks are contracted at the top, leaving only a comparatively small op- ening. On account of the extreme dry- ness of the atmosphere and total lack of rain during the dry season, this par- tial evaporation outside of the hive takes place very rapidly. The advocates of ripening outside of the hive argue that, if honey is extract- ed before all the water is removed from it, the bees have less to do in- side of the hive and can devote almost all of their time to gathering nectar in the field. This obviously would result in an increased amount of nectar, and, consequently, provided the forage will produce it, in an increased amount of honey. They argue that it is impossible to detect any difference between honey ripened inside of the hive and that rip- ened outside, as far as flavor is con- cerned, but this is a point on which many other bee-keepers and experts in honey-tasting do not agree with them. It must be admitted that, for general sale, the delicate aromas of well-rip- ened honey are not necessary, since the purchasing public is, as a rule, not edu- cated on this point; but it certainly pays to produce the very best article possible for the further education of the trade, and, therefore, a thorough ripening inside of the hive is very much preferable. To insure this, it is better to tier up the hives rather than extract as soon as a hive-body is full. On all honeys, after extraction, if allowed to stand in a vessel, a scum will rise to the top, made up of impurities, such as wax, brood, dead bees, and par- ticles of dirt which may get into it. This is particularly the case with hon- eys which are extracted when not thor- oughly ripened. In all cases honey should be strained as it leaves the ex- tractor and subsequently skimmed until no further impurities come to the top. It is frequently the practice to draw honey from the bottom of the tank in which the honey is stored, through a "honey-gate," so that the impurities do not get into the smaller receptacles in which the honey is to be packed. The thorough ripening of honey can- not be too strongly recommended. Hon- ey attracts moisture, and there is al- ways a tendency for a very thin layer to form on the top of the honey in which the water content is very high. In such a film the amount of sugar is low, the acetic-acid-forming bacteria can grow rapidly and the honey becomes sour. In thoroughly ripened honey, it is very probable that a film of thinner honey is always present, but, in such a case, the sugar content is so high that the bacteria cannot grow. It is desirable that honeys from dif- ferent sources be kept separate as far as possible if the product is to be used for the bottling trade. This can he done only by extracting at the close of each honey-flow. While it is prob- ably impossible to get a honey from only one species of plant, except under the most abnormal circumstances, at the same time honey may generally be re- moved at the close of each flow so that the total quantity will have the charac- teristic flavor imparted by a single kind of flower. The Granulation of Honey. Almost all honeys granulate or "can- dy" after a certain time, and may be- come solid. This phenomenon varies greatly in different honeys. For e.xam- ple, alfalfa honey produced in Colorado will often granulate solid within a few weeks from the time it is extracted; while the white sage honey of^ southern California will often remain liquid and entirely clear of crystal for two years and often longer, if properly piit up. The reason for this difference in the time of granulation will be discussed under the heading of "Types of Honey." Honey from the same species of plant varies somewhat in different localities. April, 1909. American ^ee Journal Formerly the general public was sus- picious of granulated honey, in the be- lief that it contained cane-sugar, but, fortunately, it is now generally under- stood that pure honeys will granulate in time, and this crystallization is gen- erally considered as a test of purity. The education of the purchasing pub- lic has so far progressed that now some bee-keepers prefer to sell their honey in a solid granulated condition, it be- ing cut up into bricks and wrapped in oil paper. In bottling honey, or putting honey from any large receptacle into smaller ones, it is necessary to liquify the en- tire quantity completely before the op- eration is begun. This may be done by immersing the receptacle in water which has been heated to 160 degrees to 170 degrees, F., and letting it remain until the honey is all liquid and free from crystals. Honey should never be lique- fied by direct application of heat, and it is extremely important that it should not reach a temperature of more than 160 degrees, F. It is well-known to al- most all bee-keepers that honey heated to higher temperatures will become darker in color and lose flavor, and, consequently, they are generally very careful on this point. There is, how- ever, a very much more important rea- son for avoiding high temperatures. When honey is heated to 180 degrees, F., and more, the higher alcohols which give honey its aroma are driven off, and, more than that, a decomposition of certain of the sugars takes place; this is what gives the darker color to the honey. Of all the various substances used for the adulteration of honey the one most nearly resembling pure honey is invert sugar, of which the Herzfelt artificial honey is the best illustration; in the detection of adulteration, one of the tests for the addition of invert sugar is based on the presence of decomposi- tion products due to heat. These de- composition products in invert sugar are probably identical with the decom- position products in overheated honey; at any rate, honey which has been heat- ed to more than 180 degrees F. for any considerable time, gives the test for in- vert sugar and would, therefore, be de- clared to be adulterated if this test were applied by a chemist. A bee-keeper might argue that he is not infringing on the pure food law in over-heating his honey, since he had added nothing in the way of an adulterant. If, however, he changes the chemical composition of his honey by injudicious treatment, it is no longer pure honey, and he has no right to sell it under that name. It is very much safer to liquify hon- ey at a temperature of about 140 de- grees, F., and thus avoid any danger of decomposition. If this lower tempera- ture is used, it is, of course, necessary to keep the honey at this temperature for a considerable time; but the safety of such a proceeding makes the extra time well worth while. Two or three of the most widely cir- culated American te-xt-books on bee- keeping advocate the drawing off of the liquid portion of granulated honey, particularly in the case of honey which was not thoroughly ripened before it was extracted. The granulated portion is then allowed to liquefy and is recom- mended as a verj^ fine quality of honey. This practice is in no way permissible, as will readily be seen if the composi- tion of honey is studied. Honey is made up of dextrose and levulose in about equal quantities, sucrose, a certain amount of ash, and vifater. In granula- tion, the dextrose crystalizes readily, and the levulose probably does not granulate at all. If then, the liquiu portion, consisting largely of levulose, sucrose and water, is removed by drain- ing or by pressure, the resulting por- tion is not honey but dextrose. How- ever fine the flavor of such a compound may be it is not honey, and cannot truthfully be sold as such. Since honey separates into its com- ponent parts in granulation, it is very necessary that alt the honey in the re- ceptacle be hquefied and thoroughly mi.xed before any portion is removed from it for bottling or canning. If, for example, honey is in a 60-pound can, and is to be transferred to pound bot- tles, it is necessary that the entire 60 pounds be liquefied and mixed before any is poured out into bottles, in order that all the bottles may contain honey according to the legal standard. Un- less this is done, some of the bottles will contain a high percentage of dex- rose and will granulate rapidly; while others will contain a preponderance of levulose and will not granulate for a long time. Unless this mixing is done thoroughly, none of the bottles will con- tain absolutely pure honey. In order to protect himself, the bee-keeper must be very careful on this point. Some bee- keepers prefer to pour the honey cold into the bottles and heat it afterward before sealing. As a matter of con- venience this has many points in its favor, but, in view of the separation in- to component parts which may take place, it is a bad practice. The honey should first be heated and liquefied com- pletely, especially if honeys from sev- eral species of flowers are to be blended. As previously stated, there has ex- isted, and possibly still exists, a popular idea that granulation indicates adultera- tion by the addition of cane-sugar. This is, of course, untrue, since pure hon- eys do granulate solid. Many bee- keepers in combating this idea have stated that this very granulation is a test of the purity of the honey. This statement, so frequently made, is equal- ly untrue, since invert sugar — one of the adulterants sometimes used — will also crystalize solid as rapidly as do most honeys. Bee-keepers should not make such statements to their custo- mers since it may reflect on the purity of their goods if the truth is found out. Age seems to affect honey greatly. Repeated granulation and liquefaction as the temperature varies year after year in some way affects the chemical composition of the honey, changing the product so that it may not have the composition that it had at first. Some honey 35 years old, submitted to this Department, was found to contain too much sucrose. A sample of the same honey had previously been analyzed by two official chemists and declared to be adulterated; but the history of the sample precluded this possibility. The honey had apparently changed greatly with age in appearance as well as in composition. Some bee-keepers make a practise of adding a very small amount of glycerin to the honey to prevent granulation. This should not be done, for it is adul- terating the honey. Some have argued that, since glycerin costs so much inore than honey, they are not adulterating in that they are not adding something cheaper to the honey to increase their profit. According to pure food laws, however, nothing can be added to hon- ey, unless the addition is specifically stated, and the addition of even a small amount of glycerin is, in the eyes of the law, as great an offense as the ad- dition of glucose. Heating Honey for the Desthuction OP THE Bacteria of Disease. The only condition under which hon- ey should be heated to a higher tem- perature than 160 degrees F. is in the case of honey which has been extracted from a colony containing foul brood. In order to kill the bacteria of either of the brood-diseases, it is desirable to dilute the honey by adding an equal amount of water and then raising the temperature to the boiling point and keeping it there, allowing the mixture to boil vigorously for at least 30 min- utes; in order that no risk may be run, it is better to make this one hour. Hon- ey which is so treated is changed chemi- cally and is no longer pure honey, but it makes a good syrup for feeding to bees and is the best way of using honey from an infected source. Too much care cannot be exercised in bringing this to the proper temperature, but it must, be remembered that the resulting product is not honey but a syrup, the chemical composition of which is quite unlike that of pure honey. Packing of Extracted Honey. If honey tends to granulate rapidly, it will save much trouble in liquefying to put it into the receptacle in which it is to be sold as soon after extraction as possible. There will then be no difficulty from the various ingredients becoming separated. To preserve the delicate aromas it is desirable that hon- ey be sealed as soon as possible. When honey is put up in less than 3- pound packages it is generally bottled. A bottle makes a much more attractive package than a tin can and shows off the contents. There is no doubt of the fact that honey sells largely on its appearance, and too much care can not be exercised in packing and labeling so as to make the package attractive to the purchaser. In cases where a bee- keeper sells directly to a local trade he may educate his customers to judge his honeys by their flavor, in which event it is immaterial what kind of a package is used, and honey may even be run out from a large can into a vessel furnished by the customer, when the honey is de- livered. It is too often the case, how- ever, that bee-keepers put up their hon- ev in such poor, unsightly packages that they can get only a low price for their goods. If honey is put up in more than 3- pound packages, tin cans are generally April, 1909. Amc^rican l^ee Journal used, and the most common receptacle is a square can holding 5 gallons (60 pounds). Two of these are usually boxed together for shipment. Square and round cans of various types are often used for smaller quantities. Bar- rels are preferred by some for large shipments for the baking and confec- tionery trade, but their use can not al- ways be advised. Before honey is put into it. a barrel must be thoroughly dry, and tight zvhen dry, because of the fact that honey takes up a certain amount of moisture, and if, when the honey is put into it, the barrel is damp, the honey win absorb the moisture, causing the barrel to leak. Barrels also absorb a certain amount of honey. In dry cli- mates, particularly, barrels should be used with caution. When honey is packed in bottles it is desirable that granulation be retard- ed, since a partially granulated bottle is not attractive. To aid in the retard- ing of granulation the honey should be entirely liquefied, thoroughly mixed in a large can, and run into the bottle warm. The tjottle should be as full as possible and sealed hermetically while still warm. Granulation usual- ly begins on the edges of the top line of the honey, and spreads rapidly from these points; this is probably because some honey gets upon the sides, and partially dries. It is, therefore, desir- able that the honey fill the bottle clear to the cover to prevent this. It must also be free of bubbles. Bottles may be hermetically sealed by using some style of clamp cover or by sealing a cork with a nii.xture of bees- wax and resin. This mixture may be colored by the addition of a dye. Granu- lation may be considerably retarded by keeping the honey at a nearly uniform temperature. This should not be less than 65 degrees, F., and is much better at 90 degrees to 100 degrees, F. While the honey is in the hands of the pro- ducer or bottler it may be kept liquid for a long time in this way, but, of course, when cold it is generally sub- ject to changes of temperature. Honey, either comb or extracted, should never be kept in a cool or damp place. The Production of "Candied" Honey. Honeys of average type are relatively free from non-sugars, such as that made from alfalfa, soon granulate solid and are sometimes sold in bricks. Granula- tion may be hastened by changes of temperature and by stirring. If it is desired to have a can of honey granu- late rapidly, it may be carried from a warm room out doors in winter and back again at intervals of a day or two for a couple of weeks. If this is ac- complished with occasional stirring when granulation first begins, the whole can will soon be a solid cake. Honey may also be poured into smaller re- ceptacles such as waterproof pasteboard carriers or oyster pails, and allowed to crystallize in the package in which it is to be sold. If allowed to granulate solid in a large tin can the tin may be cut away and the honey cut into bricks with fine wire in the way that prints of butter are sometimes prepared. A market for "honey-bricks" must generally be built up locally, for as yet the general public has not learned to look for honey in such shape. The cost of the package is less than that of bot- tles, and the granulated honey is by some considered as superior for table use to liquid honey. Several bee-keep- ers have used this method with suc- cess, and claim that it gives great satis- faction to their customers. Honey Types. It is well known that honeys from different plants vary considerably in taste, color, granulation, etc. The taste and color are given to honey by the plants from which the nectar is derived. Granulation may be considered as a property of all honeys, or, rather, of the dextrose contained in all of them, and, from a study of the chemical com- position of many specimens, it seems probable that all honeys would crystal- lize were it not for the fact that some of them contain an excess of either non-crystallizable levulose or dextrose gums, and other non-sugars. The fol- lowing table will make this point clear : I. Normal Honey (from nectaries of flowers.) 1. High Purity (high in sugars, re- latively low in dextrine gums, and other non-sugars.) a. Levulose type, e. g., mangrove, tupelo, sage. b. Average type ; a. High in su- crose ; e. g. ; alfalfa. b. Low in su- crose ; e. g. ; buckwheat. 2. Low Purity (relatively high in dextrin, gums and other non-sugars; e. g. ; basswood, sumac, poplar, oak, hick- ory, apple — most tree honey). II. Abnormal Honey (not from nec- taries of flowers) (generally high in dextrin, gums and other non-sugars). 1. Honey-dew Honey (from aphides and other insects.) 2. Coniferous Honey (plant exuda- tions not from nectaries). Honeys containing approximately the same amount of levulose and dextrose, and which are high in sugars (average type) granulate readily. Very few honeys have more dextrose than levu- lose. If, however, the levulose is con- siderably greater than the dextrose (Levulose type) or if the non-sugars are relatively high (Low Purity and Abnormal Honeys) granulation is re- tarded. Some honey-dew granulates rapidly, but no abnormal honeys of that type were included in the samples ex- amined, and consequently they are not included in the table. The use of the terms "high" and "low" purity in this table must not be taken to indicate the comparative values of the various honeys. Low-purity honeys which have relatively more dextrin, gums and other non-sugars, are just as good honeys as those of the high- purity class. Abnormal honeys, how- ever, are less desirable. The presence of the non-sugars in low-purity honeys may be due largely to a slight admix- ture of honey-dew, since most honeys contain a trace of this. It must be re- membered in considering this subject that practically no honey is from a single species of plant, and therefore they will vary considerably according to the other nectars added to them, as well as according to local soil and cli- matic conditions. — Read at the Harris- burg Convention. "Boiled Dowiv^ Old Queens Dull-Looking. J. E. Crane, in Gleanings, thinks the most distinguishing sign, when one tries to decide by looks whether a queen is young or old. is the dull look of an old queen as compared with the briglit look of a young one, no matter what the color. Understocking a Ijocality witli Bees. The danger of too many bees on a given area has been pretty well under- stood, but perhaps no one heretofore has said anything about any danger from too few, unless it had reference to there being too few bees to secure proper fertilization of blossoms. Now comes this statement, in Gleanings, from the Colorado State convention ; W. C. Dyer said that he believed there ^yas as much danger from understocking a location as from overstocking. He claims that, if the nectar remains in the flower, and is not gath- ered by the bees or other insects, it will dry down to a hard scale, and so stop further se- cretion in the blossom ; but if there are suffi- cient bees, the flower secretes nectar for sev- eral days. Caution as to Liquefying Honey. Mr. E. E. Coveyou, of Michigan, the man who does such an extensive business in bot- tling honey, says that it is very important, in liquefying honey, to draw off the melted por- tion as fast as it melts. If the liquefied prod- duct is kept under heat until all the solid por- tion of the honey has become dissolved, it will lose some of its delicate flavor and darken somewhat in color. The same suggestion has come from other sources; and we may say in addition that Mr. Coveyou's experience has been quite in line with our own. It is a fine art to liquefy honey, and do it right, without impairing the flavor or color. Right in this connection we discovered in our experiments with the capping-melter that it was important to allow the free honey to run off as fast as the cappings melt. The conditions in a capping-melter are much the same as those that are present in a tank that is melting up candled honey. — Gleanings in Bee Cuhurc. Tariff on Honey. E. G. Mann, in Gleanings, regrets that at the Detroit convention a higher tariff was recommended without a fuller discussion. He says: Those who advocate a higher tariff ostensi- bly for the purpose of excluding diseased honey and wax are open to suspicion, inas- April, 1909. American T^ee Journal much as the exclusion of unwholesome and dangerous substances may easily be controlled in our imports without a tariff; and, like beneficiaries of tariff in general, they wish to conceal their intentions under the cloak of public welfare. They keep our eyes on the dangerous germs of foul brood while they quietly abstract from the public 5 cts. on wax and 2 on honey, and this, too, while we are trying to get the people to consider our honey a desirable, cheap, and wholesome food. Perhaps it may be well not to be too insistent on a rise in tariff at a time when there is a general cry for lower rates, and when even some of tjie men who have made fortunes from high tariffs are beginning to say tariffs should be lowered. Using the Uncapping Knife. Opinions differ as to whether an un- capping-knife should be used hot or cold. Perhaps they always will differ. What may be best under one set of conditions may not be best under an- other. As to whether the stroke of the knife should be up or down when un- capping, it would seem there should not be the same difference of opinion. There has been some discussion re- garding these matters in Gleanings, and while there seems no great convergence of opinion regarding the first point, there seems some tendency toward a general preference for the downward stroke of the knife. Louis H. SchoU says: I have tried both the up and the down stroke in uncapping tons and tons of honey, using many different knives, and I often won- der why the upward stroke is used. I have tried it often, especially to find the better way, and I have come to the conclusion that downward shaving is what I prefer. It seems easier to me; the knife can be handled bet- ter: the comb need not be tilted so far, and the cappings fall over and off readily instead of banging to the knife. Shaking to Start Work in Sections. Geo. W. Williams, the enthusiastic apostle of shaking bees, gives this as his method of procedure when a col- ony seems slow to start work in sec- tions : To begin with, we will give the hive a vigor- ous kick or two to ease up our rising temper, and, incidentally, to cause the bees to fill themselves sufficiently with honey. Next, give them a few puffs of smoke, and then dump every bee, queen, drones and all, with a food sharp thump, in a pile in front of the ive: and as we put the frames back we will put the honey and capped brood in the center, and the younger brood to the outside, and the job is done. Now, if the bees do not start to work in the sections, and in all of them alike, before morning, it is because they are_ different from mine; and I will always believe that their education has been neglected. It would do your eyes good to see the beauti- ful cases of honey taken this season from just such a colony. In all my manipulations I try to keep the fact constantly before me that a thorough shaking never fails to bring a colony into the same psychological condition that characterises a newly-hived swarm; and, as I go among them, and find one that, for any cause, fails to come up to the standard I have set, I "shake" it. — Bee-Keepers* Review. "Bunching" Bees for Winter. For II years Oliver Foster has prac- tised with satisfactory results, in Bent County, Colo., a plan of outdoor pack- ing that certainly has a good look. He hunches together 8 hives, 4 side by side in a row, and back to back with this another row of 4. For best results there must be no cleats on sides or back ends to prevent making a solid block of the 8 hives, neither must there be any pro- jection of covers. If necessary, plain boards may take place of covers. The idea is to have the hives on a level sur- face, close together, with no space be- tween them, either at the back or side. Mr. Foster's plan of packing, especial- ly with regard to entrances, seems par- ticularly to be commended. He says in the Bee- Keepers' Review : For convenience in packing we will nearly close the entrances, and then cover them all over with packing, so we will now form win- ter entrances at the top of the hives; jix2 inches is large enough. These may be cut from the top edge of the hive bodies, or they may be provided for in the cover. The to? entrances for the four outside hives should be in the middle of the exposed side, while those of the 4 inside hives should be in the corners next to the outside hives. This will bring two entrances on each side of the block, and equally divide the distance between them. In closing the lower entrances, leave an inch or two open at one side, that side farthest from the center, and lean a piece of tin or board 6 or 8 inches square against the hive over the opening to form a small, dark ante- room in front of each lower entrance. This will relieve the bees of any possible occasion to worry before the change in entrance is discovered, provide a dumping ground for dead bees, and a clustering place for live ones, it needed, in warm weather. See that all entrances are mouse-proof, and we are ready to pack. Lean a layer of straw up against the block of hives all around on 4 sides, and bank earth against it. Lay straw over the top also, let- ting it project over the edge of the block all around, or 4 inches deep. Lay it so that the straws will radiate from the center outward. Then pile straw on a foot or more deep in the middle. We will cover this with earth also, but to keep it from rolling off over the edge, make a hoop the size of the block, 4 inches deep, of 1x4 strips of board, and lay this on the straw. Now shovel on all the earth that will stay on, spatting the steep sloping sides down smooth and snug into the corners. SchoU and Divisible Hives. Inquiry has been made as to Louis Scholl's management of divisible-brood- chamber hives. Advocating shaking as a means of arousing the energy of bees (Gleanings), he claims that the various manipulations of the season shake ener- gy into the bees, and incidentally gives the following resume of his manage- ment: To stimulate breeding, the upper and lower stories of the broodchamber may be exchanged. This tears up the colony, and the brood-nest is re-arranged by the bees, which has a stimu- lating effect on them. Later the two shallow stories are exchanged a^ain, and one with empty combs is slipped in between them to "knock swarming in the head." Just before the honey-flow they are torn up again, as the two lower stories (there are three now for the brood-chamber) are exchanged again. The top story, which is now partially filled with honey, so that the bees are crowding out the brood, is raised up, and a new super with foundation placed under it. This makes still another shaking; and, how those bees do workl Honey in Jelly-Tumblers. .^s containers for e.xtracted honey, jelly tumblers have the advantage over bottles that they need not be thrown away by the consumer, but are of value as tumblers. An objection has been that unless kept right side up they allow the honey to leak. O. L. Hershiser has overcome this difficulty, and at the same time the difficulty of granulating. He says in the Bee-Keepers' Review : "The tin lid of the jelly tumbler fits snugly, but docs not seal air-tight. However, it may he made to seal air-tight by the use of a paraffined paper disk cut large enough to pro- ject about 3-16 of an inch beyond the edge of the top of the glass. This is placed on top of the glass while the honey is still hot, and the tin cover is forced down over it, thus tightly sealing the glass. So thoroughly may jelly glasses be sealed by this method that I have frequently carried them loose in my grip or pocket on long journeys, and for a considerable length of time, paying no attention to keeping them right side up, and no leaking occurred. "The paper used for the disks is what is known to the paper trade as paraffined paper. The lighter colored and comparatively heavy stock should be used, as it makes a closer fit, and seals more securely, than the lighter grades. "Honey sealed up in this way will remain liquid until sold and consumed, if that be within any reasonable time. The writer has no difficulty in so preserving honey in a liquid state for the space of 2 years, and he has samples still perfectly liquid that were put up for _ show purposes at the Pan-Ameri- can Exposition, nearly 8 years ago.'* Vicious Goldens. "We have complaints from all sides of the very yellow bees, which are more vicious than the old hybrids. Yet we are obliged to furnish these bees, in spite of their temper and lack of hardi- ness. There are strains of very yellow bees that are gentle and hardy, but they are the exception. According to our ex- perience, there is no better bee than the old leather-colored Italian, and we are inclined to think a slight mixture of black blood helps the harvest." — L'Api- culture Nouvelle. Number of Bees Afield at One Time. In Prak. Wegweiser it is stated that the number of bees afield at one time from an average colony is about 10,000. This was decided by taking the weight of a colony when all the bees were at home and comparing it with the weight when all were afield, making the ob- servations at a time when the bees were getting nothing from the fields. But would as strong a force go afield when nothing was doing as when there was the incitement of gain? Again, what was considered an aver- age colony? The probability is that if we could find out the truth about it, we would find that what is an average colony in the apiaries of some of our best honey- producers, at a time when honey is com- ing in a flood, would be found to have in the field at one time a much larger force than 10,000 bees. Ideal Location for an Apiary. Here is the idea of E. D. Townsend, as given in Gleanings: "The ideal location for an apiary is a clear- ing of about 2 acres in the midst of woods. I like to have the timber surrounding this apiary of second growth, for the second growth IS denser than the first, and affords a better protection against the prevailing winds in the spring. Then if I could have this timber to my liking it would be about 50 feet high." But some one replies, "The idea I why, that's 10 times as much land as is need- ed. A place cleared just large enough to hold the hives, and trees twice as high, would be the ideal condition for best protection." But listen to Mr. Townsend's reply: "Such a condition, however, is just what we do not want, for howling winds might be blowing overhead that would chill every bee that ventured above; and, at the same time, if the sun were shining the temperature in- side the enclosure would, perhaps, be such that American Hq^ Journal April, 1909. the bees would venture out and be lost. It can be seen that, with twice as much of a clearing, and with the timber only 50 _ feet high, there is some circulation of cool air in the yard, which will hold the flying forces back whenever the general weather conditions outside are unfavorable. The fortunate man is the one who has just enough outside pro- tection and no more. With no outside pro- tection at all, as in cases where the hives stand exposed to the full force of the wind, during breeding time in the spring it is very difficult for colonies to build up to the proper strength for the early honey-flow in June. A high board fence is of but little avail for this outside protection, for it protects the hives only enough to entice the bees out-of- doors when it is too cold for them_ to fly, so that they are caught in the cold wind and lost." Ants and Bees. Ants are sometimes troublesome in and about hives in the North, but the matter is not so serious as it is in the South, where they sometimes clean out a whole colony. A. I. Root, in Glean- ings, tells how they were mastered on the island of his winter home in the South. He says : My good friend, we had the same trouble on the island; but when Mr. Shumard had about 200 laying hens right in the dooryard and all around the apiary, not an ant troubled his hives. Little chickens and big went for the ants just as soon as the nest was stirred up any- where in the garden or apiary, until the ants de- cided that that was not a healthy locality for them. Finally the women-folks complained so much about having so many chickens around that Mr. Shumard fenced them off to another part of the island, and then the trouble with the ants began. He placed all his hives on benches with the legs standing in basins of water, as you suggest. But this was a good deal of trouble, for leaves and trash would get into the water, and the ants would get across. By putting some kerosene on the water it prevented the evaporation and re- pelled the ants better than pure water alone; but so long as he kept the chickens a\yay, there was a constant warfare. Every little while the ants would find a hive unprotected, and sometimes they would almost ruin a good strong colony just over night. I do not know of any thing that succeeds so well as a lot of chickens. Dr. Miller's Question-Box (Continued from page 128. i could get the bees that could work red clover blossoms? The *'A B C of Bee Culture" says that one man succeeded in doing that. 4. Have the Italian bees longer tongues since they have been bred in this country? and is it possible to increase the length of their tongues by constant selection? 5. On page 279 of "A B _C of Bee Cul- ture," is a plan for making increase. What do you think of it, and how do you like the nucleus system? Indiana. Answers. — 1. Yes, it is unusual, and not a very good thing. As far north as Indiana a queen reared in March is not likely to prove of much value. 2. You could gain hut little by merely swapping escorts, and might lose much; for the new escort might kill the queen. 3. Control of mating would be a great help in trying to breed for any trait. 4. I don't think there is any difference in general; and yet it is possible that there may be some difference in particular cases if care in selection has been for any length of time. 5. The nucleus plan is good, as also the plan you mention in "A B C of Bee Culture." Which is best depends upon circumstances. But by the Alexander plan you quote in Gleanings you are probably led to believe that you can get two colonies in place of one to start in on the clover harvest, and thus get twice as much honey. I am sure that would not be so here, and I doubt if it would be so with you. I can get more clover honey from the single colony than from the two that result from dividing. Buckwheat — Decoy Hives — Tobacco- Smoke and Bees. 1. Does buckwheat bloom at the same time that white clover does ? How much should be sown to the acre? Does it make the bees want to swarm in the fall? Is the grain good for chickens? 2. Will you please explain decoy hives. I have seen the word used several times in the American Bee Journal. I believe that they are used to attract swarms. 3. Does it hurt the bees to use tobacco smoke. Missouri. Answers. — 1. No, buckwheat is much later, usually being sown after clover is in bloom, say about the last of June. Some sow a peck to the acre, some twice as much. It is not likely to make bees swarm. The grain is good for chickens. 2. Leave an empty hive anywhere where a swarm may enter of its own accord — that's a decoy hive. 3. It may, if used heavily. Rearing Queens for Italianizing. I have 2 Italian colonies and 30 black ones. I wish to rear Italian queens. 1. After I have a frame of queen-cells pre- pared with Italian larvae, will it have any effect on Italian queens if I put the frame over zinc in a black colony to be nursed by black bees? 2. Can I mate a queen with drones in con- finement, by putting a young queen in a 2- frame nucleus and the desired drones? Subscriber. Answers. — 1. No; but if you are counting that you will get cells started merely by put- ting brood over an excluder, a laying queen being below the excluder, you will probably have more failure than success. 2. No. Bee-Cellar and Honey-House. I am just beginning to keep bees, and would like to build a bee-cellar with a honey- house over it as given in the diagram. I live on the top of a large hill, and think it would be too cold to winter the bees outside. I live in the central part of Crawford Co., Wis. I ask your advice as to whether to build or not. If you think it best for me to build, how should I build? Is my plan a good one? I have 8 colonies of Italian bees. Wisconsin. Answer. — Your scheme is good. An out- side stone-wall 9 inches thick, and an inside wall of the same thickness, with a 6-inch air- space between ought to make a warm cellar. You propose to have your cellar 4 feet under ground and 3 feet above ground. Unless there is something in the lay of the land to pre- vent, you might have more of it under ground, making it warmer. You propose to have fresh air enter at the ceiling and have foul air en- ter at the bottom of the cellar. Better let fresh air enter at the bottom and foul air start out at the top. If you should make a perma- nent business of bee-keeping, you may want a larger building than 18x14 feet. once, 2 or 3 rods away from the apiary, or farther, and the bees will clean them up with- out tearing the combs. But suppose you have only 5 supers for 50 or 100 colonies. In that case put the o in a pile, cover them over, leaving a hole where only one bee at a time can get in, and the business will be done all right. As to the sections on hand now, you can treat them the same way, only it isn't so certain that they'll clean out the granules. In the fall they can clean them out before any of the honey is granulated, in which case they will be sure to make a clean job of it. If I understand him correctly, so good an authority as G. M. Doolittle holds that if you let the bees now clean out the candied honey, itwill be all right to give the bees tne sections with tha candied honey in them, as they will clean out the sections before putting fresh honey in them. I have some question about it. If vou try any of them, I wish you would re- port. Granulated Unfinished Sections. I have 31 colonies of Italian bees, and ex- pect to build up a fine apiary, as I have one ot the best locations in the United States for alfalfa and sweet clover. I am running for comb honey and am using T-supers, and agree with you in thinking they are far superior to the section-holders. The honey-flow stopped sooner than I ex- pected last fall, and I was left with 12 supers of unfinished sections on hand, i tried feed- ing them back last fall on the hives, but the bees would not remove the honey so I still have them in my honey-house. Last vear I had 2 or 3 such supers, and I put them about 6 rods from the hives in the spring, and the bees soon found the supers but they not only got the honey, but they ate the combs so badly that I could not use them for baits. The honev that is in the 12 supers in the honey- house at present is granulated. How can I feed that back to the bees and have the combs for baits? Some sections have very little in, and others from a quarter to a third full. I will have more unfinished sections next fall, and I would like to know how I can get them cleaned out if the bees will not do it by put- ting them on the hives. Utah. Answer. — First, let me tell you what to do next fall. If you have enough supers of un- finished sections so that you have about one for each colony, set the whole business out at Probably Common White Clover. We have all over this part of the country a little white sweet-scented clover, which we call little wild clover. Is this the clover that is called white or sweet white clover in the American Bee Journal? When is the best time to sow the seed? Illinois. Answer. — I think it is the common white clover. It is sweet-scented, although the scent is not strong. It does not grow high, each leaf starting from the ground. Spring is a good time to sow% although it may be sown almost any time. Tiering Up Supers. I have the S- frame hives. Is it wise to place more than one story on the hive? What I notice is, after having put on one super the same size of the hive, then another, that then when we take the 2 supers off, a cluster of bees can't get in the hive, and they hang outside and either die or stray away. Is this not discouraging to the rest ? Would it be better not to put more on than one super, then take it off and replace by a fresh super? Ontario. Answer. — I think you have hardly been careful in your observation. If bees hang out because too crow^ded or too warm in the hive, they neither die nor go astray, and are not at all discouraged. If they are busy gathering, give them super-room enough so they needn't hang out. To lessen the num- ber of supers would do no good, and probably result in less honey. If there is nothing for them to do in the field, let them hang out to their heart's content. Comb Honey Management — Best Size of Hive? — Long-Lived Bees, Etc. 1. Your article in the Bee-Keepers' Revievv, and the experience of a Mr. Myers, of Michi- gan, refutes the idea that our Northern land is not adapted to comb-honey production. Mr. Myers used the S-frame Langstroth in home- made Hilton hives, heavier and thicker than those made by the factory. Would it be ad- visable in my locality to kill the queens in July each year ? Two hundred and fifty pounds of comb honey were produced by Mr. Myers in some of his 40 colonies. He cut the queen-cells every 8 days. He used the T- super with, I believe, wooden separators. 2. If at the beginning of the honey-flow we put the frames of foundation in the _ old hive and put the brood in a hive, or in hives, on top of a super section with a Porter bee- escape underneath, would that repress the swarming fever more than the system you practice of cutting queen-ccIls out every 10 days? I believe that bees are more contented with new combs or foundation than old brood- combs. 3. Mr. Townsend advocates a 10-frame hive with extracting frames to the side of the comb honey sections in the section super for comb honey. Mr. Chapman told me himself that the 10-frame was too heavy, and he uses the 8. When doctors differ who shall decide? Had we not better try to find out for ourselves? 4. Is it not easier to cut out queen-cells in the Danzenbaker hive than in the LangstrotH? I am pretty badly smitten on the Danzen- baker hive, but I see you do not like it as well as the 8-frame Langstroth. 5. One writer in the American Bee Journal says it is advisable for beginners to use the 10-frame Langstroth at first; that it can be used for an S-frame Lane^troth. and then he can satisfy himself hereafter which style he likes best. Is not his method logical? 6. I am at present of the opinion that a larger colony can be obtained by your system April, 1909. (American Bee Journal than by the combined Chapman and Dudley Tube combination, although it would gladden an enthusiast's heart to see the way the masses of bees will ascend into the section super by the former method. Does my opinion coin- cide with yours? 7. Would not the finest comb honey, on the average, be produced by the Doolittle system, more especially if the old hive containing the brood were placed close to the new hive, with a Dudley Tube connecting both hives? 8. I know of one person who has long-lived bees. Would not bees of such inheritance be extremely valuable even in a short honey- flow? 9. You, no doubt, read the able article of Chas. Trout, of California, in the American Bee Journal, on rearing early queens and drones. Could we not by this method get queens and drones prior to the honey-flow, in our North- ern territory? Michigan. Answers. — 1. I don't know what plan you have in mind, but I have some question whether you will like the plan of killing all queens in July. Try it on a partial scale first. 2. That plan will do more to prevent swarm- ing than cutting out cells. But with brood over the sections, the cappings of the sections will be darkened, and the brood over the escape may not be cared for in the best manner. 3. "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.' 4. I know of no reason why it should be easier. If you take into account taking out and putting back frames, it is harder. 5. Although a 10-frame hive is not en- tirely convenient to use as an 8- frame hive, still it can be used in that way, whereas an S-frame can not be used as a 10-frame at all. 6. Not having had experience with both methods, I am not in position to give them the fairest comparison. 7. I'm not sure I catch your meaning. Honey of best quality can be produced by the Doolittle system; but so it can by other sys- tems. 8. Yes, long life is valuable, whether flows be long or short. 9. Mr. Trout says his "method is still in the experimental stage." However it may turn out in California, it hardly needs any experi- menting to decide that it would be a dead failure here. Effect of Bees on Flowers. I have a next-door neighbor who is en- gaged in the florist business, and he asserts that flowers for cutting, when visited by bees, deteriorate much more rapidly than flowers that have not been so visited. In other words, the presence of bees shortens the life of cut-flowers or flowers for cutting. I am particularly desirous of keeping a few colonies of bees but do not desire to injure my neigh- bor's business. Could you advise me as to whether my bees would materially affect his interests? - New York. Answer. — The life purpose of a flower is to produce seed. When fertilization has taken place, the bloom is no longer needed to at- tract the bee, and, other things being equal, one would hardly expect a fertilized blossom to last as long as an unfertilized one. In the case of cut flowers, however, there is in most cases no production of seed. A cultivated rose, for instance, with its multitude of petals. is a botanical monstrosity, not capable of producing seeds, at least to the same extent as a single rose, and if it does not become fer- tilized by the visit of a bee. one can hardly see how such a visit should shorten its life. Increasing Number of Colonies — Al- sike Clover — Bees Dying Off — Eyes of Bee. I enjoy rca*'- 'j the "Question-Box" very much, and considtr it alone worth all that the American Bee Journal costs. I had 30 colonies last year, spring count. I increased to 50 by artificial swarming. I had only 4 natural swarms. They gave me 8500 one-pound sec- tions of fine honey, and 300 pounds of ex- tracted. I use your famous T-supers, and practise tiering up, as I find I get by far the best results, 1. Do you think with the above results from 30 colonics that I would be safe to increase to 100? There arc not to exceed" 25 colonics outside of mine within a radius of 3 miles. Our principal yield is white clover. We have had some basswood, but they did not work on it last year. There is a little sweet clover on the railroad. 2. Do you think it will pay to buy alsike clover seed for farmers to sow within one mile — would say 40 acres' Would it make any perceptible difference in the yield of honey? 3. Why do the bees die in some colonies worse than in others in the same row, packed the same, and to all appearances in the same condition? In front of some hives there seems to be a quart or more of dead bees, while in the next hive there will be none at all. My bees are packed outdoors under sheds facing the East and South. 4. How many eyes has a bee? Iow.\. Answers. — 1. Of course it can only be a guess; but I feel it a pretty safe guess to say that you would be all right with 100. 2. Yes, or to sell it to them at a bargain. 3. Differences in individual colonies are not easily accounted for. Yet the difference may be more apparent than real. In one case the bees have gone a distance from the hive to die; in another they remain in plain sight A superseding of queens or a difference in their laying may bring it about so that in one colony there may be more old bees ready to die than in another. 4. Each bee has 3 simple eyes. The number of compound eyes varies. Cheshire counted on each side of the head — in a worker, 6300; in a queen 4920; in a drone 13,090. or that there be any label at all. But it for- bids labeling it honey unless it is honey, and if the name of the producer is on the label it must be the name of the true producer. In a word, the label mustn't lie. 4. I have no labels, as I don't produce ex- tracted honey ; but you can likely get them from any bee-supply dealer. Wedged Frames — Super Springs — Queens and Swarming. 1. In your answer to "X'irginia," you tell him to use the wedges that come with the frames. I make my frames. Please explain how to make or get them, and how to use them, 2. Do you use springs with the T-super? n so, how many, what kind, and how? Also how near full would the super be before an empty should be placed below it ? Will the bees then finish it above? 3. All my queens are clipped with the hives flat on the ground. Will the queen go back into the hive when the bees swarm? Kentucky, Answers. — 1. A saw-kerf is made in the under side of the top-bar, into which the edge of the foundation goes. Then close beside this is another saw-kerf made by a finer saw. and into this narrower kerf the wedge is crowded. The wedge is a thin strip of wood as long as the under side of the top-bar, one side being chamfered down to an edge, so as to enter the kerf. If you make your own frames it will perhaps be easier for you to have no saw-kerf in the top-bar, but merely to let the foundation come up to the top-bar on the under side, and cement it there with melted wax. 2. I use a single spring in each super, crowded in between the follower and the side of the super. It is the common super-spring sold by supply-dealers, in shape something like the elliptic spring of a buggy. 3. Usually the queen returns to the hive when a swarm issues, but occasionally one enters another Iiive, or wanders off and is lost. Bee in France and America — Honey. 1. Let us know who is right, the American or the Frenchman? I read on page 40, under the heading, "The Bee a Winner in France," that the bee drew 523,843 votes, as a domes- tic animal, which looks well. But the G. B. Lewis Co. print on the first page of their catalog: "A bee is a little insect." How can it be domestic in France, and an insect in America? 2. The bee gathers nectar from the flowers, which nectar, after undergoing a chemical pro- cess in the bee. becomes honey. Is not nectar dumped into the comb, then evaporated and becomes honey? 3. According to the Pure Food Law, must every honey-package be labeled with the pro- ducer's address, if sold by the producer to grocers or customers? 4. Please send me a few sample labels. I sell most of my honey in Mason fruit-jars. Wisconsin. Answers. — 1. A bee is domestic in France antl an insect in America just the same as a dog is domestic in France and a quadruped in America; it is an insect in both countries and it is domesticated in both countries. 2. No:' if you were to gather nectar and put it in cells it wouldn't be honey, and if the bee were to dump the nectar into the cells just the same as it gets it from the flowers it wouldn't he honey. It must undergo a change in the bee. although that change may continue after- ward. 3. No; the law docs not require that the producer's name be on the label. It docs not require that the word "honey" be on the label Unfinished Sections — Comb Leveler — Position of Pictures in "Forty Years." 1. Last fall the honey season closed sud- denly with supers on the hives. As a result, I have a big lot of sections unfinished, too many to throw away. Of course, I let the bees clean them out last fall. Will it do to give the sections full thickness of comb to the bees next summer without leveling down the comb, or will the new honey be off-color it put in last year's comb? Of course, the sections are clean. 2. Can you tell where I can get the Taylor Handy comb-leveler? I haven't seen it listed in the catalogs for some years. Or do you think it is not necessary to thin the comb? 3. In your "Forty Years Among the Bees," why is it that the illustrations are not on the same pages as the descriptions of things? For instance, on page 200 you refer to Fig. 74, but the figure itself is on page 217, and so on all through the book. California. Answers.— 1. If the sections are not in the least discolored, they may be given just as they are. Sometimes the edges are dis- colored, the rest of the section being white. In that case they should be leveled down until the discolored part is all removed. 2. I think it is entirely possible you might get one by writing to one of the large manu- facturers, even if the Taylor Handy Leveler is not on their list. 3. You'll have to ask the publishers about that. They're the guilty parties in the case. Indeed I don't remember that they consulted me about it. Go for them good and iiard, for it would be much handier to have the pictures right on the page where reference is made to them. But there are places where there would he 3 pictures on the same page, and that couldn't very well be without putting one pic- ture on top of another, which would hardly do. After all. there may be some good reason why the pictures are put the way they are. Perhaps Bee-Paralysis — Moth and Bees. I am a novice in the bee-business and am into it partlv as a side line, and partly for love of the little busy bee." Western Wash- ington is a very poor honey-producer, about one year in 4 or 5 giving a fair crop. 1. I have one dovetailed hive of hybrid Italians that is a sore puzzle to me every year. They appear strong and healthy in the spring, but as soon as they begin turning out young bees, I find on the alighting-board a number of bees which are coal black in color, no down on them, and slimmer than ordinary bees. They can not fly, but just flutter their wings and hop about, while the rest pull them about and act in a generally excited way. This goes on all summer, the bees civing little or no surplus, while adjacent colonies are doing fairly well. Can you explain? Last year was very poor indeed. Over half of the bees in this neighborhood will not winter through, which I consider a good thing, as nearly every- body has a few box-hives from which thev derive no benefit at all. I sell my honev lo- cally, getting 25 cents per section for all I can produce, and then some, whne shipped-in honey brings onlv 15 or 20 cents. Of course, I put out nothing but No. 1 fancy combs, using the other grades myself, or as bait-combs. 2. Do bees carry tnolh while swarming? I caught 3 swarms that came from moth-infested hives of a neighbor, and had to destroy them all in the fall. They were full of web and caterpillars. None of my own bees are bothered at all. That February number of the American Bee Journal was a 'cracker- jack I" Washington. Answers. — 1. Looks like what is called bee- paralysis. The bees are probably no slimmer than others, but look so because their plumage is gone. They probably appear to he tremb- ling. In the coiQcr parts of the country the disease doesn't amount to much, but it is a very serious matter in the warmer parts. Many cures have been given, only to prove failures afterward. O. O. Poppleton has had much experience with the disease, and recom- April, 1909. AnK»rican ^ec Journal j mends (.Koot's "A B C and X \ Z page 135) the following treatment: "He forms as many nuclei from strong healthy colonies as there are sick colonies to be treated. As soon as the nuclei have young laying queens, he gives to each, as fast as they can take care of them, one or two frames of the oldest capped brood from each of the paralytic colonies, and thereafter till all the brood of such colonies is used up. The diseased bees and queen he next destroys with sulphur fumes, fumigating the hives at the same time. ... It is im- portant that in giving the combs to the nuclei, there be no dead bees in the cells, as the disease is transmitted by dead or sick bees, although not by the brood or combs. 2. I don't believe that bees ever carry with them tne moth, its larvse, or its eggs. Fastening Comb-Foundation — Tiering Up Supers, I understand extracted honey, but never produced any honey in the comb in sections. I have 27 colonies, all with Italian queens in- troduced last season, 16 of them being in 2- story hives, the balance being singles. I make my own hives. As I get swarms I aim to put all into single-story hives. I expect to buy supers for them. I have one strong colony in a box. I mean to make a swarm for one ot my upper stories, then in 21 days to make another from it. I also have 3 colonies that I bought complete, hive and all, at a sale, tor $3 50. They had 33 pounds of honey m the supers. My hives are standard size, but the frames run the narrow way instead of length- 1 How do you fasten in brood- foundation? Also explain all about how you make and use splints. My frames are 10^^x7^ inches, in- side measure. 2 Give me all the information you can as to the best and cheapest way to fasten founda- tion starters in the top of the sections. Must I buy the new hive the supply-men advertise.' 3 I have seen men use the super and when full' put an empty one under it. How would it do to take out the sections when filled and replace the empties? Kentucky. Answers.— 1. Many of my frames were filled with foundation by pouring melted wax along the angle between the top-bar and the founda- tion, but of late years I wedge them in the sawkerf with the wedges that supply dealers send out with the frames. I never made splints— it's so much cheaper to buy them. But if you have a fine buzz-saw, all you have to do is to saw out little sticks 1-16 of an inch square and yi of an inch shorter than the dis- tance between the top and bottom bars. The splints are pressed into the foundation by the edge of a little board kept wet. See reply to "Minnesota," on page 103 of the March num- 2' If you have only a hundred or so to fill, the cheapest way is to press the edee of the foundation into the wood with a case-knite. If you have a considerable number, you can- not afford so slow a way, and should get a foundation-fastener. The Daisy foundation- fastener is one of the best. You don t need to buy a new hive to use sections. All that is necessary is to have your super fit on your hive, and almost any super may be fitted to almost any hive. 3 If you mean that you would have only one super for a hive, taking out the sections when filled and putting empty sections into the super again, let me tell you that would be an extravagant and wasteful way. You wouldn't get as much honey that way as to put the empty super under the other when the bees have it about half filled or less. 1 often have 5 or 6 supers on at a time and think I gain by it. Prevention of Increase — Transferring — Making a Living with Bees. 1. I see by your writings that you have not yet succeeded in preventing swarming. Do you prevent increase? 2. What do you do with the swarm when it issues when you do not want to increase? Do you shake it back into the hive that it came out of? „ o 3. Do you cut all the queen-cells every 6 *4^ I have both 8 and 10 frame hives with bees in them but not many empty bodies with cees will be more likely to accept her. I would like to have the cpin- ions of some authorities as to whether there is anything in this idea or not. It seems rea- sonable to me, but it seems as if some one must have tried it long ago, although I have never read nor heard of it. Louis Macey. North Platte, Nebr., Feb. 27. Wiring Frames — A Good Bee-Story. As I am interested in bee-keeping I take pleasure in reading the American Bee Jour- nal. I just received the February number, and it is the best of all. I have been keep- ing bees for a number of years, and when I read the American Bee Journal I feel a good deal like a little boy when he gets up in school to recite his first piece. I have both comb and extracted honey. I sell all at re- tail to friends and neighbors, and do not have enough to go around. Last year was a poor honey season with us. One bee-keeper saia it was the worst he ever experienced, and he has kept bees 28 years, and has as much as 11 or 12 tons in a season. I agree with Mr. Grciner about wiring frames. I wire mine as tight as possible with- out springing them, as Mr. Grciner says a tight wire imbeds much easier than a slack one, and it certainly makes a stiffcr comb to ex- tract. I have a Ihinkin' about me age^ if I didn't hace to be ihinkin' io th' rent. — Mr. Dooley. April, 1909. American Hee Jonrnal Watch Free as a Premium 1 This watch is stem wind and pendant set. It is made to meet the popular demand for an accurate timekeeper at a low cost. It is open face, heav^ beveled crystal. Bezel snaps on. Lantern pinions. American lever es- capement, polished spring encased in barrel. Short wind and long: run— 30 to 36 hours in one winding:. The manufacturers give the following warranty: 1. To te in perfect running condition when it leaves the factory. 2. To be correct In material and workmanship. 3. Rf pairs will be made, not necessitated by careless- ness or abuse, durinff one yen r from date watch is bousfht, it it is Fftumed to them with 6 cents enclosed for retom postage. An Easy Way lo Get This Watch Free Send us 4 new subscribers to the American Bee Journal at 75 cents each, and we will mall v- " ' Watch free as a premium. Or, wew-'" the American Bee Journal one ■- 11.60. Or. send us $1 10 -- " Watch alone. Every boy and rri' It would be a ve^^' ■ or relative. Addrt I I • George W. York ® Co., 118 W.J Bee-Supplies for Season of 1909 Complete stock on hand, as our plant has been running steadily so as to take care of the demand for Bee-Supplies the early part of the coming sea- son. We are practically overstocked at this time and advise those in need of Bee-Snpplies to order now (shipments may be delayed until you want the goods) before the contemplated advance in prices all along the line. Lumber is dearer and labor has never been so high, but we agree to protect our pa- trons at present prices upon receipt of their orders at this time. It will cost you only one cent for a postal card to get our delivered prices on Dovetailed Hives, Sections, Section-holderSt Separators, Brood-frames, Foundation, Smokers, Extractors, Shipping-cases, etc. It may mean a sav- ing: to you of many dollars. It is the natural advantage we have over others that enables us to make you the Best Price. There are no better goods than curs, and we GUARANTEE SATISFACTION or REFUND your MONEY. Being manufacturers we buy lumber to advantage, have lowest freight- rates, and sell on manufacturer's profit basis. Let us quote you prices. Prompt shipment guaranteed. MINNESOTA BEE-SUPPLY COMPANY, 152 Nicollet Island, Minneapolis, Minn. 50,000 Copies "Honey as a Health-Food" To Help Increase the Demand for Honey We have had printed an edition of over 50.000 copies of the 16-paee pamphlet on " Honey as a Health-Food." It is envelope size, and just the thing to create a local demand for honey. The first part of it contains a short article on " Honey as Food," written by Dr. C. C. Miller. It tells where to keep honey, how to liquefy it, etc. The last is devoted to "Honey Cooking Recipes" and "Remedies Using Honey." It should be widely circulated by those selling honey. The more the people are educated on the value and uses of honey as a food, the more honey they will buy. Prices, prepaid— Sample copy for a 2cent stamp : 50 copies for 90 cents : 100 copies for $1.50 : 250 copies for $3.00 : 500 for J5.00 : or 1000 for $9.00. Your business card printed free at the bottom of front page on all orders for 100 or more copies. Address all orders to GEORGE W. YORK Gem Ink Peiiril, n ,i-mi>leto leak proof trimiii»li, may liA carried in any posit inn in jir.cket or Bhopptng Imp, wrli^s at any anj;Io at first tnui.h. PUli- niHii ( Bi> rlnR) fe<«.l, Irdlium pnirit, pnlisherl vulcanized nililicr CBBe. terra cotta flnieli. Hetail evorywhore for ^L' /.(i. Apfiits wanU-"!, Write for terms. Write nr>w "lest you furget." Adilrtsa Laughiin Mfg. Co. 385 Majastlo BIdg., Detroit, Mich. CroH^n Bone Cutter Best Made Lowest in Price pKKI> voiir hcnn f?iil i;rci ■ an.i Ki-t more eggs. Crown Rone Cutter you can cut tip nit sernp bonea eaxlly and (|ulokly, and without ny iroiililc, iinil Imve out l)oDe reili every day for yi.ur poultry. !i-i)d at once for free calnloKue. WIISON BROS., Boi (-'I ^ , Easton, Pa. Mention Bee Journal when vnitlns. Apiil, 1909. American lee Journal SPECIAL CLUBBING m PREMIUM OFFERS In Connection With The AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL Sample copies free to help you interest your friends and get subscriptions. If you will send us names of your neighbors or friends wo will mail them sample copies free. After they have received their copies, with a little talk, you can get some to sub- scribe and so either sret your own subscription free or receive some of the useful premiums below. They're worth getting. We eivo you a year's subscription £ree for sending us two new subscriptions at 75 cents each. BEE-KEEPERS' NOVELTY POCKET-KNIFE Your name and address put on one side of the handle as shown in cut, and on the other side pictures of a queen-bee, a worker, and a drone. The handle is celluloid and transparent, through which is seen your name. If you lose this knife it can be re- turned to you, or Serves to identity vou if vou happen to he injured fatal- ly, or are uncon- scious. Cut is exact .^ize. Be sure to write exact name and address. Knife delivered in two weeks. Price of knife alone, postpaid, $1.25, With vear'ssubscrip- t ion, $1.75. Free for 4 new 75e sub- scriptions. BEE-KEEPERS' GOLD-NiB FOUNTAIN PEN A really good pi^n. As far a.'^ true use- fulness goes is equal to any any of the higher- priced, m u c h -adver- ti.-^ed pens. If you pay more it's name you're charged for. The Gold Nih is guar- anteed 11 Karat gold, Iridium point- ed. The holder is hard rubber, hand- somely hnished. The cover flta snu^'iy, and can't slip off because it slijjhLly weIv of ink to the i^'en point without drop- ping, blotting or spotting. Every bee-keeper ought to carry one in his vest-pocket. Comes in box with directions and filler. Each pen guaranteed. Here shown two- thirds actual size. Price alone, po.stpaid, $1.25. With a year's subscription, $1.75. Given free for i new subscriptions at 75 cents each. MONETTE QUEEN-CLIPPING DEVICE The Monette Queen- Clipping Device is a fine thing for use in catching and clipping Queens' wings. Four and one-half inches high. It is used by many bee-keepers. Full printed directions siiit with each one. Price alone, post- paitl, 25 cents. With a year's sabscription, 90 cents. Given free for sending one new subscription at 75 cents. IDEAL HIVE-TOOL A special tool invent- ed by a Minnesota bee-keeper, adapt- ed for prying up supers and tor general work around the api- ary. Made of malleable iron, SH inches long. The middle part is 1 1-16 inches wide and 7-32 thick. The smaller end is I's inches long, V, inch wide, and 7-32 thick, end- ing like a screw- driver. The larger end is wedge-shaped having a sharp, semi- circular edge, mak- ing it almostperf =ct for prying up cov- ers, supers, etc., as it does not mar the wood. Dr. Miller, who has used it since 1H03 says, Jan. 7, 1907: " I think as much of the tool as ever." Price alone, post- paid. 40 cents. With a year's subscrip- tion.Jl.OO. Given free for 2 new subscrip- tions at 7Sc each. Size, PREMIUM QUEENS These are untested, stan- dard-bred ItalianQueens, reports of whiih have been highly satisfactory Theyareactive breeders and produce good work ers. Sent only after May 1st. Orders booked any time for queens. Safe de- livery, guaranteed. Price. 75 cents each, 6 for $4.00, or 12 for $7.50. One queen with a year's sub- 'scription, $1.20. Queen free for 3 new 75c subscriptions. HUMOROUS BEE POST-CARDS O WONT TOu BEE nr HOKTX A-JO CHEER THIS LONELY HEjAPT? Fob t WOULD huo you all the Tint -^ And we would mfvea part A " Teddy Bear " on good terms with everybody, including the bees swarming out of the old-fashioned "skep." Size 3'ix5H, printed in four Icolors. Blank space lHx3 inches for writing. Prices -3 postpaid. 10 cents; 10 for 25 cents. Ten with a year'r. subscription. 90 cents. Six given free for one new 75c subscription. BOOKS FOR BEE-KEEPERS Forty Years Among the Bees, by Dr. C. C. Miller.— 3i4 pages, bound in handsome cloth, with g-old lettera and design, illustra ed with 112 beautiful half-tone pictures, taken by Dr. Mdler. It is a good, new story of successful bee-keepingby one ol the masters, and shows in minutest detail just how Dr. Miller does things with bees. Price ah>ne, $l.0o. With a year's subscription, $1.50. Given free for 3 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Advanced I5ee-Cnlture, bv \V. Z. Hutch- inson.—The author is a practical and heli>ful writer. 3;!ii pages; bound in cloth, beautifully illustrated. Price alone, $1.L'U. With a year's subacription, $1.70. Given free for 4 new subscrii.>tion3 at 75 cents each. ABC&XYZof Bee Culture, by A. I. & E. R. Root.— Over 500 pages deacribing everything pertaining to the care of honey- bees. 400 engravings. Bound in cloth, price alone, $l,.'j|t. With a year's subscription, $2.00. Given tree for 6 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Scientific Queen-Rearing, as Practically Applied, by G. M. Dooliitle.— How the very best queens are reared. Bound in cloth and illustrated. Price alone, $1.00. With a year's subscription, $1.50. Given free for 4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. In leath- erette binding, price alone, 75 cents. With a year's suI»scripiion, $1.2.>. Given free for 2 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Bee-Keeper*s Guide, or Manual of the Apiary, by Pruf. A. J. Cook.— This book is in- structive, helpful, interesting, thoroughly practical and scientific. It also contains anat- omv and physiology nf bees. 544 pages, 295 illustrations. Bound in cloth. Price alone, fl.20. With a year's subscription. *1.70. Given ree for 4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. I^anestroth on the Honey-Bee, revised bv Dadant.— This classic has been entirely rewritten. Fully illustrate' I. No apiarian library is comicete without this standard work by "The Fatnerof American Bee-Cul- ture." 520 pages, bound in cloth. Price alone, $1.20. Witn a year's subscription, $1.70. Given free for 4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. '*The Honey-Money Stories."— A 64- page booklet containing many short, bright stories interspersed witli facts and interest- ing items about honey. The manufactured comb-honev misrepresentation i*-' contradict- ed in two items, each occupying- a full page. Has 33 tine illustrations of apiaries or apiarian scenes. It also cantains 3 bee-songs. This booklet should be placed in the hands of everybody notfamiliar with the food-value of honey, for its main object is to interest peo- ple i\ bonev as a 'liiilv table article. Price 25 cents. With a gear's .sub'^ci-iption, 90 cents. Given free for one new subscription at 7.'>o. Three copies for 50 cents; or the 3 with a year's subscription, $1.00; or the 3 copies given free for 2 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Amerikanische Bienenzneht, by Hans Buschbauer, is a I)ee-keepers' handbook ut 13S pages, which is just what cents each. THE EMERSON BINDER A stiff board outsi numbers) of the American Bee Journal. Makes reference easy, preserves eopies from loss, dust and mutilation. Pii< e postpaid, 75 cents. With a year 's subscription. $1.25. Given free for 3 new subscriptions at 75 cents each^ WOOD BINDER ' Holds 3 volumes. Has wood back but no covers. Price, postpaid, 20 cents. With a year's subscription HO cents. Given free for one new subscription at 75 cents. BEE-HIVE CLOCK A few of these handsome "bronze-metal" clocks leir. BaselH'-j inrlies wid.- b\ ',t U iiiehes high, l^(■sl^'n is a straw skep with i-loek face in middle. Keeps excellent time, durable and reliable. Weight. boxed, 4 poun.ls. Vou pay express charges. Price $l..iO. With a year's subscription. $2.00. <;iven free for ft new subscriptions at 75 cents each. SEND ALL ORDERS TO THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, 118 W. Jacksoi\. Chicago, IH. April. 1909. American Hee Journal QVEENS An improved superior strain of Italians is what Qnirin-the-Queen-Breeder rears. Our stock is Northern-bred and hardy. Our five yards Winter on Summer stands ■with practically no loss. One of our customers tells us he has be- come one of the largest honey-producers of the West and says that in a great measure his success is due to our stock. Prices before Jaly 1 1 6 Select queens $1 00 ; $5 (JO Teste*! queens 150 h 00 • ' ■ ■ 2 00 10 00 4 00 «00 2 30 I U 00 3 30 1 20 00 6 00 30 00 Select tested queens. Breeders Golden tive-l'and breeders — Two-comb nuclei, no queen... Three-cumb nuclei Full colonies on eieht frames. 12 jalto l."> 00 Ifi 00 25 00 35 00 Add the price of whatever queen is wanted with nuclei or colonies. Queens ready April 1st, bees May 10th. Safe arrival and pure mating guaranteed. Circular and testimonials free. Quirin-the-Queen-Breeder, Bellevue, 0. UentloD Bee Jonmal vrheo nrrltlns* DON'T BUY QUEENS UNTIL YOU SEE MY FREE OFFER NOT CHE.^P QUEE.VS. BUT QIFENS CHEAP. Reared from the best selected red-clover mothers. My queens are all. reared by the bees, as they far better understand the job than I. I use no artificial plan. All queens large and well developed, such as will, with proper management, fill an ordinary hive full of eggs and brood in ten days. Directions for building up weak colonies with my queens, 10c. Prlcei ot Eilra Selecled Tliret-Bind Bees and Queens. t'ntested queens 1, $ ?,-. ; i;, | i.20 Tested " 1, I.oo ; fi, S.70 Breeder 1, 5.00 ; 3. 12.00 1-frame nucleus with untested q'n.l, 1.75 ; 6, 10.20 2-frame nucleus with untested q'n.l, 2.25 ; 6, 13.20 1-framc uncleus with tested queen. 1, 2.00:6, 11.70 2-frame nucleus with tested queen. 1, 2.50:6, 14.70 Full c^'ionics. untested queen 4.75 Full colonics, tested fiueen .'i.OO Prices of Eilra Selected Fi>e Band or Golden Italian Queens. Untested queens 1, $ l.oo ; R. $ ;"i.70 Tested •• 1, l.,50;6, S.7U Breeder 1, lo.oo ; 3, 24.00 If queens are wanted in lar^e quantity, write for price list. " 3.\tf W. J. LITTLEFIELD, Little Rock.. \rk.. Rt 3. Heation Bee Jonmal wbea wrltlas. QUEENS on APPROVAL If not satisfactory leave in Post-Office for return mail. Orders booked now for May delivery. A very hardy strain of Queens purely mated. 1 Queen $1.00 6 Queens 5.00 12 Queens 9.00 Two-frame nucleus and Queen 2.00 Full colony and Queen in 8-frame hive 7.00 Give me a trial order for Supplies. I can please you in price and quality. 15 years' experience. Order from any standard cata- og. 2A8t A. M. AI'I'LKfiATE. Rejnoldsvllle, I'a. Mention Bee Jonrnal vriien wrltlaff. PUTNAM Has issued an Educational Catalog outlin- ing the "Chantry Methods of H(jney-Pro- duction." of interest to the e.xpcrt. The contention is an increase ot 25 percent in honey, every section perfect, and no un- finished sections. .Several other features. Price, 10 cents. Same to apply on future orders. Karly order discount:; and pre- miums. :?Atf W. H. PUTNAM, River Falls. Wis. WAMTRTi Bees in any old hives, in TT>«.l'^lDLf large or small lots. Give full details in first letter. .Must be bargain. Extracting combs also wanted. 3Atf E. W. BROWIN, Morton Park, Cook Co., III. TEXAS FAMOUS QUEENS The Blue-Ribbon Winners Will be ready early in April- Let me book your order now for April, May and June delivery. -PRICES- Untested, each. 75 cts.: per doz., i 8. EB Tested, - $1,25 12. Italians, Banats, and Carniolans — all blue-ribbon winners, and free from dis- ease. Write for Circular. 3At£ GRANT ANDERSON^ Sabinal, Texas Mention R»e Journal vrhea yrrttimM' —A Bi^ Incom e— For You If you will make eusv monthly iiavments we will bring you a BlG REGULAR INCOME without any trouble on your part, from Irrigated Orchards n the t;imi>us YaUiiua Valley in the State uf Washinjrt-'n. Tlicy pny fn.ni$l,OiiO to ?l.',50y a vear per acre. Yon our eastern offlee as follows : L'.\3t Land League of America, 2309 Central BlHii.. Kochester. N. Y. BIG QUEEN-REARING YARD FOR THE NORTHWEST Havini: secured the services of an E.xpert Queen-Breeder, we will furnish you with Pare Bred Italian Queens of well-known superior honey-Katherinsr qualities. 900 col- onies back of our business. Queens ready about April 10th. Orders booked now. Each Doz. Select untested $i.oo $ 9.00 Tested 1.50 11.60 Select tested 2.00 16. 00 Special price on large orders. Send for circular. .■iA3t VIRGIL SIRES & BRO.y North Yakima, Wash, Mention Bee Journal vrben TTTltingr. Do You Need Queens? VVe can furnish Tested Queens by return mall. Vigorous and prolific queens reared last fall and wintered in 4-frame nuclei, $1.00 each. Our 3-band strain of Italians will not disappoint you. 3Atf J. W. K. SHAW & CO,, Loreauvllle, Iberia Par., La. Mention Bee Jonrnal vrhcn yrrttlng, ePofr***!!^ Off **" B«e-Supplies, lerceni Vfll Berry-Boxes, etc. Send fc)r price-list. Manufactured by 3A3t J. J. 1SHAI>NKK, Marlon, Intl. '* Bee-Talk " la the name of an eriueatfonat Catalog of Bee- Keepers' Supplies; there Is a barg-aln counter, only one of iieverHl features that make the hook- let worth manv times its price— lo cents. W. H. Putnam, River Palls, Wis. Lai\gstroth on the Honey- Bee Revised by Dadanl— Lates* Edition This is one of the standard books on bee-culture, and ought to be in the library of every bee-keeper. It is bound substantially in cloth and contains nearly 600 pages, being revised by that large, practical bee-keeper, so well-known to all the readers of the American Bee Journal — Mr. C. P. Dadant. Each sub- ject is clearly and thoroughly explained, so that by following the instructions of this book one cannot fail to be wonder- fully helped on the way to success with bees. The book we mail for $1,20, or club it with the American Bee Journal for one year— both for $1.70 or, we will mail it as a premium for sending us FIVE NEW subscribers to the Bee Jour- nal for one year, with $3.75. This is a splendid chance to get a grand bee-book for a very little money or work. Address, GEORGE W. YORK ®. CO., 118 W. .lackson Blvd., CHICAGO, IIX. REE pf'?: iii,,t our ""Itliz- zard Belt Kvergreens Hruw in all p.uis of the Luu nlry w e offer to send 6 fine Spruces ^ to ^2 It. tall, free to property owners, lolesalc value and mailm^ expense over 30cents. To help, send 5 cents or not as you please. A postal will bring the trees and our catalog contiining many colored photo plates of our choice Ulizzard Helt Fruits. Ornamentals, etc. We want to yet acquainted with you and it will pay you to get in touch with our Hardy Bliz- zard Belt trees. 39 years' experience in uTowing hardy trees here in what was once called the Great American Desert. \\'rite today. THE GARDNER NURSERY CO.. Box 45. Osafje. Iowa BEE-SUPPLIES Wholesale and Retail Ask us for prices on ttie ^coods you will need for this season. Discount for early or- d;;rs. Send us your subscription for Glean- ins^s— one year and a Bee-Veil for $1.15. post- paid. Send for catalog. M. H. HUNT t, SON, 0pp. Lake Shore Depot. Lansing. Mich. LAWN FENCE Many deslprne. Cheap &a wood- 32 pat:e Catalogue free. Special Prices to Churches and Cemeteries. Coiled Spring Fence Co, box aiswincheeter Ind. We are the iJistributintj AKfiits for Lewis Beeware Prompt shiptiient. .Satisfaction al- ways. Send for our p-ree Catalog. THE, C. M. SCOTT CO., 1009 E. Washington St„ INnlANAPOI.IS, IND. Mention Bee Journal when vrrltlnK, American ^acJonrnaij Bees and Queens FOR SALE Full colony in 2-story 8-frame L. hives, $7.00; price of queen to be added. NUCLEI One 3-frame Nucleus. $2.75 : price of queen to be added. QUEENS Tested Queen in April and Jlay, $1.25. War- ranted, in May, 75 cts.; $7.50 per dozen. Italian, Carniolan. or Caucasian, at the above prices. Virgin Queens of the above strains, 25 cts. each; dozen, $2.50. 4Atf ARTHUR STANLEY, Dixon, Illinois Mention Bee Jonmal when writlnK. Southern Bee-Keepers! I have a new and complete stock of LEWIS BEEWARE and would be glad to quote you prices on what you may need. I can furnish a limited number of Cau- casian and Italian Bees and Queens. •'Southern Bee Culture" contains 150 pages of practical information along all lines of bee-keeping. Written by progressive bee-keepers scattered over the South. Price, 50 cts.. postpaid. 2A3t J. J. WILDER. Cordele, Ga. Hentlon Bee Joaraal when wrltlas. BEE-KEEPERS Write us now for our Catalog and get low prieM on good, honest, BEE-KEEPERS' SUPPLIES Oar specialtT is making Sections. All other foodi up-to-date. AUa. LOTZ & SON, Cadott.Wls. 10A34t Please mention the Bee Jonmal. PRIZE TAKERS Pharr's Goldens took first prize at 3 ex- hibits in Texas in 1907. We will furnish Golden. Carniolan. Caucasian, and 3-band Italian Queens, untested. $1.00 till June 1. then 75 cents. Tested. $1.25 till June 1. then $1.00. For large quantities, write. Our 3- band Breeders from W. O. Victor and Grant Anderson strains; other races from the best obtainable. "Prompt service and satisfac- tion," is our motto. Address, 3Atf NEWCENTURYQUEEN-REARING CO., or JOHN W. PHARR, Berclair, : : : Texas Mention Bee Jonmal frhen fnittas* FOR SALE 40 colonies of Italian Bees in 8-frame hives; also comb honey supers with sections. OUSTAVE GROSS. Lake Mills. Wis. A Mammoth Honey Crop Is expected. Already honey-handlers are hunt- ing buyers. Look out for low prices: for honey. You will not get the best Bee-Supplies for the least money. until vou send me 10 cents for my Bee-Talk. W. H, Putnam, River Falls, Wis. Gard en an d F arm Al manac subject is carefully indexed, divisions of time. //ow to Grow Flowers and Vegetables THE MOST CONVENIENT REFERENCE BOOK 180 Pages, Fully Illustrated This unique " Garden and Farm Almanac " has become an institution. The 1909 issue, revised, enlarged and im- proved, tells when and how to plant flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubbery and lawns— gives elaborate planting tables, so simply arranged that the newest amateur can easily understand every detail— shows what needs doing around the grounds each month of the year— pictures and describes the best varieties of fruits— tells how to fight insect enemies— has several pages about farm animals- gives rules for foretelling the weather— prints cooking time-tables— tells all about fencing and much other farm work— and is meant for the suburbanite and for the coun- try dweller. Probably the most valuable and unique feature is the series of 12 immediate service coupons which insure an immediate, authoritative and complete reply to every question not covered fully enough by the Almanac. The 1909 edition contains 180 pages, cover in three col- ors. There are over 70 halftone illustrations. Every The calendar shows the moon and sun and the various A Big Ofter We will send the above Almanac, a year's subscription to the Garden Magazine (a grand monthly) and the American Bee Journal for a year— all 3 for only $1.75. Address. George W. York & Co., ii8 W. Jackson, Chicago, 111. CHOICE ITALIAN QUEENS are the result of careful selection and breeding from the best honey-gathering strains of superior long-tongue Italians. Our methods will produce perfectly-developed, long-lived and prolific queens. If you want bees that will winter well, build up rapidly in the Spring, and roll in the honey, our queens will produce them. We are now booking orders which will be filled in regular rotation, beginning May 1st. You should get in line by placing your orders early. Single queens— golden or three-banded— $1.00; 6, $5.00; 12, $9.00. Safe delivery and satisfaction guaranteed. Send for circular — it's an eye-opener. 4Atf THE GOLDEN APIARY, Dodge City, Kansas, U. S. A. Three Millions The magic initials A. Y. P. E. are emblazoned on the Horizon of the Occident. They stand for Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, which means the World's Fair at Seattle that opens June 1st and closes October 16. 1909. Six great transcontinental railroads will bring the people of the earth to this wonder- ful show, viz : Canadian Pacific ; Great Northern ; Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul, North- ern Pacific. Union Pacific, and Southern Pacific (lines. Hundreds of steamships will aug- ment the throng. The Northwest Farm and Home-theoldest descriptive and agricultural magazine in the world— will distribute free at the Exposition several million copies elaborately jllustrated and containing articles by well-known authors which will make the periodical invaluable. Send for rate cards and sample copies. Northwest Farm and Home North Yakima, Wash. Let Me Pay the Postaflc on Big FREE Book to You Just write me a postal— I'll send the book at once. It shows over 126 styles of Vehicles and a full line o£ Harness. a. a Phup% I Save You $26.50 on This Split Hickory Buggy and save you at the same ratio on all my other vehicles sold direct from my factory your home. This booktellshow I make you these savlORS, shows you more Vehicles than you could see in 10 Ut^c store roDiiis— and teHs you how mnny .ipti'^ns you may have as t<- ^ H. C. PHELPS. President, The Ohio Carriage MIg. Co -ht Hickory ., ,\eliii.lesS. ' ' -* ^ Direct frum ^ ", I"actor>' to ''- Home. ;:in Days' Free Road Test. Two Years' Cu.irintee. ^jt style, etc. Station 322 Columbos. 0. Mention Be« Journal when writing. Mention Bee Journal vrhen vrrltla^ April, 1909. American l^ee Journal I WANT YOU to ^et my new, handsome win-^B ^^^m ^^^m Showing Fashion Book, ^JSmSi HUNDREDS OF LATEST STYLES with illustrated lessons on Cutting' and Dress- making, FREE, and I will soli you all the^pat- terns you want for live cts. each. -""^ "^^ They are the same patterns f'ou nave always paid ICc & J5c or at the stores, made by the same people, and correct in every detail. I pubUsh the FARMER'S CALL* a weekly paper for every member of the family, An especially interesting'fea- ture each week are the call' dren's letters; and the Woman's Department 13 unusuallystrong' andin- atructive. Among- the special features for women folks is its fashions in which I show the 5o patterns. Let me help you to save money. MY SPECIAL OFFER Send me ■s.o and I will s>-nd von -^ the Farmer's Call every week for one year (about 1000 paces) and will send mv big Fashion Book to you free. I also agree to sell y^^m^ 1 Now Ready The 97th edition of our catalog is now ready. If you have not received a copy and are ready to place an order for any supplies write for a copy. Our mailing list has over 400,000 names, -'i time is required to get the entire edi- tion mailed. We e. .1 this so any one may understand why a catalog may no. reach him early. The A B C of Bee Culture When we announced the completion of the new edition late in 1907 there was a good deal of satisfaction to notice the big buncb of orders on hand, although we did regret the unavoidaL delay in getting the books to some customers who had waited patiently for months. Over two thousand copies of this edition have already been sent out. We be- lieve all urgent orders have been filled. We felt that the change of price to $1.50 postpaid might cause a little slackening in the demand. Not so, however, for in all our experience the orders never came faster. We have also of the English edition a half leather it $2.00 and full leather at $2.50, postpaid. German Edition, ABC der Bienenzucht in paper cov- ers, $2.00. Cloth-bound at $2.50, postpaid, to any country. French Edition, A B C de L' Apiculture, cloth-bound, at $2.00, postpaid, to any country. Gleanings in Bee Culture If you haven't seen a late copy of Gleanings you can't tell from any brief description how really magnificent it is. There are many valuable departments, and our subscribers just at this season of the year are telling how much they appreciate the paper. Each issue is very fully illustrated. The covers are done by the finest engravers in Chicago, and our writers are the best in the land. Besides dozens of writers of prominence whose names we can't even mention for lack of space, we have such men as Dr. E. F. Phillips, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture; Dr. Edward F. Bigelow, Associate Editor St. Nicholas; F. Dundas Todd, former Editor Photo-Bea- con; Allen Latham, Connecticut, etc. A trial of six months (12 numbers) costs 25c. If in addition to your own subscription you secure others for six months keep loc on each one for your trouble. A liberal cash commission to those who do canvassing for us. Gasoline Engines and Power Honey Extractors For large' apiaries, or where the honey comes with a rush and labor is scarce, you should investigate our power machines. A circular of these will be sent on request. THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, MEDINA, OHIO Bee-Supplies Distributor of Lewis and Root Bee-Sup- plies. We are now prepared to furnish promptly a full line of Supplies and Berry Boxes. Choice new stock just from factory. Beeswa.x wanted. Send for Catalog. W. J. McCARTY, Emmeftsbur^, Iowa Mention Bee Jonmal when vrrltlug. BEE-SUPPLIES. 40-page catalog free. Brimrnl of the latest make of hives, etc. Our supplies will please you in every way. Prices are right. We can make prompt ehipmenta as we carry a full line of A. I. Root Co. 'a supplies in stock. Don't fall to write ns if you are in need of supplies. 8Atf JOHN NEBEL& SON SUPPLY CO.. High Hill. Montg. Co.. Mo. MeBtton Bee Jooraal when vrrltlns. Choice White WyandoHes 15 eggs, $1.00; 30 eggs, $1.50. INDIAN RUNNER DUCKS 11 eggs, $1.00; 22 eggs, $1.50. J. F. Michael, Rt. 1, Winchester! Ind. Italian Bees for Sale 1 colony, $5 ; 2 for $9 ; 5 for $20. yueens — tjnteste'l, 75c each ; 6 for $4 ; Tested, $1 each; 6 for $5. Will put colonies into any style hive to suit pur- chaser. t. BOOMHOWER. Freehold, Greene Co., N. Y. Mention Bee Jonmal when wrltlns. MARSHFIELD BEE-GOODS FRIEND BEE-KEEPER— We are prepared to fill your orders for Sections. A large stock on hand. Also a Full Line of Bee-Supplies. We make prompt shipments. MARSHFIELD MFG. CO., Marshfield, Wis. IOWA- J. W. Bittenbender, Knoxville. Greeory & Son. Ottumwa. KANSAS— S. C. Walker & Son, Smith Center. MICHIUAN-Lengst & Koenie, 127 South 13th St., Saginaw. E. S. S. D. Buell. Union City. NEBRASKA— Collier Bee-Supply Co., Fairbury. CANADA- N. H. Smith, Tilbury, Ont. ARIZONA-H. W. Ryder, Phoenix. MINNESOTA-Northwestem Bee-Sup- ply Co., Harmony. ILLINOIS-D. L. Durham. Kankakee. OHIO— F. 11. Hollowell Harrison. TEXAS-White Mfg. Co.. Blossom. .. WISCONSIN— S. W. Hines Mercantile Co., Cumberland. J. Uobeli. Glenwood. BIG DISCOUNT On all Bee-Supplies until May I. Send for 1909 prices. I can save you big money. lIAtf W. D. SOPER, Jackson, 9Iich. mention nee Jonmal when irritlng. Free Catalogs are constructed with a view of enriching the Kiver at the expense of the consumer. Bee- Talk is sold for 10 cents because it contains valuable information for all classes of bee- keepers. W. H. PuTN.\M, River Palls, Wis. Mention Bee Jonmal when nrlllnB. April, igog. American Bae Jonrnal j "FALCON" I Air-Spaced Hives are the best all-the- year hives for the bee- keeper who uses no bee- cellar. Can be packed with chaff i£ desired. "Sections" Foundation Of the highest quality, a trial order will convince. BEESWAX WANTED Highest price in cash or supplies. Write for Cata- log of full line of our Bee- Keepers' Supplies. Feb. discount, 3 percent. W. T. FALCONER MFG. CO., Jamestown, N. Y. Qoney anb -f 23eestpax-f Chicago. March 29.-The demand for honey during the past month has not been equal to the offerings, which are at present in e.xcess of any previous year at this time. The consumption has not equaled our ex- pectations in view of the quality, which has seldom been equaled. The prices are with- out change from the last issue, but are weak. Beeswax is strong at 30c. R. A. Burnett & Co. Boston, April I.— We quote : Fancy white comb honey. 15c : No. l.Z4c: white extract- ed, 8 l-2c : light amber, 7 l-2c. Beeswax. 30c. Blake, Lee Co. Los Angeles. April 6.— Water-white ex- tracted, 8c: white, 7 1-2c; light amber, 7c: amber, 5c. Fancy white comb. I()c: No. 1 white. 15c: fancy light amber, 14c; No. 1 light amber, 12 l-2c. H. J. Mkrcer. Cincinnati, March 29.-The market on comb honey here is bare of fancy comb honey. There is considerable off-grade honey on the market, but no demand. Ex- tracted honey fair: white sage at lie in 60-lb. cans ; amber in barrels at 6 and 6 l-2c. Bees- wax is moving fair at J.33 per 100 lbs. C. H. W. Weber. Toledo, March 30.-The market on comb honey remains about the same as last quo- tations. Stocks are not moving very rap- idly, and owing to some producers who have held their honey since last fall, and pushing it on the market has a tendency to break the prices. Fancy comb. U 12 to 15c : No. 1.14 to 14 l-2c. Extracted white clover is in fair demand at at 7 to 7 l-2c in cans: alfalfa, 6 to 6 l-2c ; amber honey, 6 to 6 l-2c. Beeswax, 26 to 28c. The Griggs Bros. & Nichols Co. Indianapolis, March 27. — There is a favorable demand for best grades of both comb and extracted honey. Stock held by jobbing houses is rapidly decreasing, and very little is now being offered by producers. I note some arrivals of fancy white comb at i2 l-2c. and No. 1 at 12c: white clover ex- .racted in 5-gallon cans at 7c. Some amber oncy is being offered, but the demand does b Headquarters for Bee-Supplies Notices' We have a new stock of goods on hand for 1909 and are able to fill your orders, witliuut delay, at factory prices, SO ^^"^"^ ^ ''^'- °^ '^^ supplies you need, and we will be glad to quote you our best prices. OO ^^ NOW and secure our Special Early-order Discounts. If you care to save on freight charges, send your orders to us. No charges for drayage. On account of the death of my father, Mr. C. H. W. Weber, It is necessary to make it understood that the business will be conducted the same as usual: there will be no change whatever. Soliciting your patronage, I am. Yours truly. CHAS. H. WEBER. I e.H.W.WEiiER =^^ Office and Salesrooms, 2146-48 Central Ave. Warehouses, Freeman and Central Aves. not justify and established price. Beeswax is steady at 29c cash, or 31c in exchange for goods. Walter S. Pouder. Kansas City, Mo., April 5.— We have nothing new to report on the condition of the honey market, except that we are hav- ing a little better demand for both comb and extracted. We quote: No. 1 white comb. 24 sections, $2.65 per case : No. 2 white and amber. $2.25 to $2.40. Extracted, white, per lb.. 7 to 7 l-2c: amber, 6 to 6 I-2c. Bees- wax, 25 to 28c. C C. Clemons Prod. Co' Zanesville, Ohio, March 30.-There is some demand for honey though the market is still rather inactive. Best white clover comb honey would bring on arrival 13 to 14o. and sells in a wholesale way at 15 to 16 l-2c. Best extracted wholesales at 9 l-2c. For beeswax I offer 'Mc in cash or 32c in ex- change for bee-supplies. Edmund W. Peirce. New York, March 29.-There are no new features whatsoever in regard to comb honey. Some little demand for fancy white stock, but no demand for off grades. As said before, we cannot encourage shipments at this time. Prices are regular. Extracted honey in fairly good demand with sufficient supply. We quote: California white, 8 1-2 to 9c : light amber, 7 l-2c to 8c : amber, 6 1-2 to 7c. Southern and West India, in barrels, 60 to 70c a gallon, according to quality. Bees- wax steady at from 29 to 30c. HILDRETH& SEGELKEN. Denver, March 31. -We quote our local market as follows : No. 1 white comb honey, strictly fancy stock, per case of 24 sections. $3.25: No. 1 light amber. $3.00 per case; No- 2, $2.75 per case. Partly granulated comb honey sells from $2.40per case down, accord- ing to its condition. Extracted, white, 8'i to 9c per lb.: light amber, 7 1-2 to 8c: strained amber, 6 1-2 to 7c. Our market is over- stocked, and in all probability some honey will be carried over. We pay 2,5c per pound for average yellow beeswax, delivered here. The Colo. Honey Producers' Ass'n. HONEY *^ BEESWAX When consigning, buying, or selling, consult R. A. BURNETT & CO. 199 South Water St, Chloatfo, III .Mention Dee Joornnl nheB irrKIn^ ^ii!^^^S!S3«{!i«iiJim^ i We will Buy and I Sell i HONEY ij^ of the diSerent gradea and kinds. If you have any to dispose of, or if you intend to buy, correspond with us. We are always in the market for Beeswax at highest market prices. Hildreth & Segelken 265 & 367 Qreenwlcli Street NEW YORK, N. V. mention Bee Journal when writing.. IPm> .Slfilo By the executors of thees * "r k3 > H f^ 0 c z 0 > H mm 0 z DADANT'S FOUNDATION "If goods are tvanted quick, send to Pouder. " To the Man Who Buys Bee-Supphes A pleased cutsomer is my best adver- tisement. I have verified this fact for just twenty years. I treat each order with as much care as if it were the only one in the house. Do not measure your distance from me in miles, but in the time it takes to get results. Modern transportation facilities have annihilated distance. Indianapolis is the "Pivot City." I handle Root's goods and sell at the fact- ory schedule. I carry a full line of their standard goods, and when your order reach- es me the goods are shipped promptly, and I do not have to go out and buy the goods with which to fill your order. A stock of several car loads is right here ready for immediate shipment at all times. Why does Pouder service excel? Be- cause it represents twenty years of study and experience, aided by the most capable men as helpers and the finest goods that money can buy. My new store room, built for the exclusive use of the supply business, is a wonderful aid for the progressive methods now required in handling my growing business. The building has every modern convenience and equipment for handling the business and for giving proper care to the storage of goods in stock. The building too. speaks for itself, indicating the kind and co-operative spirit that has been shown by the fraternity since the beginning of my business as a supply-dealer. Bee-keep- ers, in passing through the "Pivot City," are earnestly requested to visit my new store-room and see for themselves the stock of nice, clean goods that are required in an up-to-date bee-supply house. I!am located in the business district and four car-lines pass my door. My prices are just right. It is all right and proper to send to different dealers for competitive prices on the goods that [you will want, and you may get some figures that seem lower than mine, but do not fail to take quality into consideration, and also the details which I include to make everything complete. I would like to place my catalog in the hands of every reader of the American Bee Journal. It is free. Write for it and expect an immediate reply. WALTER S. POUDER, 839 Massachusetts Ave., INDIANAPOLIS, IND. Established 18 8 9 4gth Year No. 5 y\ May, 1909 I^IBR. 75c. a Year lOc. a Copy "The Golden Apiary," at Dodge City. Kan.- (See page 168.) Apiary of C. H. Voigt, of Tisch Mills. Wis, -(See pas^e Im.i May, ipop. American Hee Journal PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY 6E0RGE W. YORK S COMPANY 116 W.Jackson Blvd., Ghicaoo, 111. IMPORTANT NOTICE. THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE of this Journal is 75 cents a year, in the United States of America, (except Chicago, where it is $1.00), and Meiico; In Canada 85 cents; and in all other countries in the Postal Union, 25 cents a year extra for post- Age. Sample copy free. THE WRAPPER-LABEL DATE indicates the end of the month to which your subscription is paid. For instance, " dec09 " on your label shows that it is paid to the end of December, 1909. SUBSCRIPTION RECEIPTS.-We do not send a receipt for money sent us to pay subscription, but change the date on j-our wrapper-label, which gbows that the money has been received and credited. Advertising Rate, per flgate Line, l5c. 14 lines make one inch. Nothine less than 4 lines accepted. Discounts: 3 times 14c a line 9 times lie a line 6 •• 12c" " 12 '■ (lyr.) lOcaline Reading Notices, 25 cents, count line. Goes to press the 6th of each month. National Bee Keepers' Association Objects of the Association. IBt.— To promote the interests of its members. 2d.— To protect and defend its members in their awful riKbta. Sd.— To enforce laws against the adulteration of honey. ^ Annual Membership Dues, $i.oo. General Manager and Treasurer- N. E. France, Platteville, Wis. tW If more convenient. Dues may be sent to the publishers of the American Bee Journal. "Songs of Beedom" This is a pamphlet, 6x9 inches, con- taining 10 songs (words and music) written specially for bee-keepers, by Hon. Eugene Secor, Dr. C. C. Miller, and others. They are arranged for either srgan or piano. The list includes the following : " Bee - Keepers' Reunion Song;" "The Bee-Keeper's Lullaby;" "The Hum of the Bees in the Apple- Bloom;" "The Humming of the Bees;" "Buckwheat Cakes and Honey;" "Dot Happy Bee-Man;" "Bee-Keepers' Con- vention Song;" "The Busy, Buzzing Bees:" "Spring-Time Joys;" and "Con- vention Song." The pamphlet is mailed for 25 cents, or sent with the American Bee Journal one year — ^both for only 90 centa. Send all orders to the Ameri- can Bee Journal, 118 W. Jackson, Chi- cago, III. WE ARE NOW Booking Queen-Orders for 1909 $4.00 for 6 queens; $2.10 for 3; or 75c for" *^miaiian Qu66n-B66 For a number of ytm we have been Bending out to bee-keep- ers exceptionally fine Untested Italian Queens, purely mated, and all right in every respect. Here is what a few of those who re- ceived our Queens have to say about them : Wliat Tliey Say of Our Qiueens GEORGE W. York 4 Co.:— The two queens received of you some time ago are fine. They are good breeders, and the workers are showing up fine. I introduced them among black bees, and the bees are nearly yellow now, and are doing good work. A. W. Swan, Nemaha, Co., Kan.. July 15, 1905. ♦** George W. York & Co.:— After importing queens for 15 years you have sent me the best. She beeps 9)i Langstroth frames fully occupied to date, and, although I kept the hive well contracted, to force them to swarm, they have never built a queen-cell, and will put up 100 pounds of honey if the flow lasts this week. CHA8. MITCHELL. Ontario, Canada, July 22, 1905. ♦♦+ George W. York & Co.:— The queen I bought of yon has proven a good one, and has given me some of my best colonies. N. P. 0GLX8BT. Washington Co., Va., July 22, 1905. ♦♦♦ George W. York & Co.:— The queen I recelvjd of you a few days ago came through O.K., and I want to say that she is a beauty. I Immediately introduced ner into a colony which had been queenless for 20 days. She was accepted by them, and has gone to work nicely. 1 am highly pleased with her and your promptness in filling my order. My father, who is an old bee-keeper, pronounced her very fine. You will hear from me again when I am in need of something in the bee-line. B. B. MCCOLM. Marion Co., 111., July 13. We usually begin mailing Queens- in May, and continue there- after, on the plan of " first come first served." The price of one of our Untested Queens alone is 75 cents, or with the monthly American Bee Journal one year— both for $1.20. Three Queens (without Journal) would be J!3.10, or 6 for $4.00. Full instructions for introducing are sent with each Queen, being printed on the underside of the address-card on the mailing-cage. You cannot do better than to get one or more of oxu* fine Standard-Bred Queens. Address, GEORGE W. YORK nuclei, no queen.. Three-comb nuclei Full colonies on eight frames 1 6 $1 00 $5 00 1 50 800 2 00 10 00 4 00 6 00 2 50 14 00 3 SO 20 00 6 00 30 00 12 $9 00 15 00 18 00 25 00 33 00 Add the price of whatever queen is wanted with nuclei or colonies. Queens ready April 1st, bees May 10th. Safe arrival and pure mating guaranteed. Circular and testimonials free. Quirin-the-Queen-Breeder, Bellevue, 0. Uentlon Bee Joomal when wrttlnc. DON'T BUY QUEENS UNTIL YOU SEE MY FREE OFFER NOT CHEAP QUEENS, BUT QUEENS CHEAP. Reared from the best selected red-clover mothers. My queens are all reared by the bees, as they far better understand the job than I. I use no artificial plan. All queens large and well developed, such as will, with proper management, fill an ordinary hive full of eggs and brood in ten days. Directions for building up weak colonies with my queens, 10c. Prices ol Eilra Selected Three-Band Bees md Queens. Untested ousens 1, $ "5 ; fi, $ 4.20 Tested " 1, 1.00; 6, 6.70 Breeder 1, 5.00 ; 3, 12.00 1-frame nucleus with untested q'n.l, 1.75 ; 6, 10.20 3-frame nucleus with untested Q'n.l, 2.25 ; 6, 13.20 l-frame uncleus withtested queen. 1, 2.00 : 6, 11.70 2-frame nucleus with tested queen. 1, 2.50 ; 6, 14.70 Pull colonies, untested queen 4.75 Pull cplonies, tested queen 5.00 Prins of Eilra Selected Five-Band or Golden Italian Queens. Untested queens 1, $ 1.00 ; 6, » 5.78 Tested " 1. 1.50 ; 6, 8.70 Breeder 1, 10.00 ; 3, 24.00 If queens are wanted in large quantity, write for price list. 3Atf W. 1. LITTLEFIELD, Little Rock. Ark.. Rt 3. 6 Percent Off rerfy.^o^rs^'lTc'. Send for price-list. Manufactured by 3A3t J. J. BRADXER, Harion, Ind. 6 $5.00 6.75 8.00 Breeders, $3.00 to J4.00 each. 12 $ 9.00 12.00 15.00 5Atf CHAS. KOEPPEN, Fredericksburg, Va. ,L^ LAWN FENCE Many designs. Cheap as wood. 32 page Catalogue free. Special Prices to Churches and Cemeteries. Coiled Spring Fence Co. Box 318 Winchester Ind. Mention Bee Journal wtien ^rrltlngg. Send 10c for four sample issues of our big fruit magazine and we will send you any one of the following highly popular songs: "My Rancho Girl," " borne Time in After Years," " A Boy and a Girl," " Molly Dear," " Falling Leaf," free. Don't wait, send today to the Fruit Belt Pub- lishing Co., 187 E. Fulton St.. Grand Rapids, Mich. (I'll' ii>ioio!i»:»:osi. "iivciw Big Song Hits FREE Are You Interested Months Trial SobscriptioD 10 cents in raising poultry, live stock, produce, fruit, hon- ey, or other farm products? If so, send ten cents for a 3-months' trial subscrip- tion to the "RURAL FARMER." It Tells You all about farm cultivation, orcharding, live stock and poultrv breeding". How to market crops successfully, informs you how to ship, pact, crate, bill and get returns. "RURAL FARMER" columns are rich in things you should know. Three Months for 10 cents. Published weekly— 50 cents per year; 3 years for $1.00, or$1.00 per year for club of 3 persons. "RURAL FARMER/' 44 S. 3rd Street, - Philadelphia, Pa. Mention Bee Journal when vrritlna;. ITALIAN QVEENS Golden and R.ed Clover Stock The late E. L. Pratt (Swarthmore) used 50 of myGoldens in 1908, and wanted several hundred this season, jly clover stock origi- nated from the leather-colored Italian bee of Northern Italy, and has never been sur- passed in the production of honey and its many other good qualities. Price of Queens: 75 cents each ; 3 for $2.00 : 6 for $3.75 ; $7.00 per doz. Tested $1.25 each. Nucleus with young queen on 2 frames, $2.50, June 1st. All queens guaran- teed to reach buyer in good condition. Circular free. 5Atf GEO. W. BARNES. Box 340 Norwalk, Ohio TEXAS FAMOUS QUEENS The Blue-Ribbon Winners Will be ready early in April. ■> Let me book your order now for April, May and June delivery. -PRICES- Untested, each, 75 cts.; per doz., $ 8. Tested, •' $1.25 12. Italians, Banats, and Carniolans — all blue-ribbon winners, and free from dis- ease. Write for Circular. ' 3Atf GRANT ANDERSON^ Sabinal, Texas Hentlom Bee Joarval vrhea wrtttec* GEO. S. GRAFFAM & BRO. .■\RE LOCATED AT 105 Third Street, Bangor, Maine They have there yards for the production of comb and extracted honey, a yard by it- self for the breeding of their Black Diamond Bees, a large warehouse filled with Root Supplies Black Diamond Brand Honey, and honey- packages of all descriptions. Their office is at the same address, and here they are fitted to receive bee-keepers or their orders, enter- taining the one and handling the other with a service that cannot be surpassed. If you are interested in bees, live in New England, and have not their catalog and circulars, drop them a postal. You will be well re- paid. 5A6t MeBtton Bee .Toaroiil wtaea ^nitlas. EXTRACTING MADE EASY by using MILLER AUTOMATIC DECAPPFRS $5 to $35. Catalog Free APICULTURAL MANUFACTURING CO., Providence, R. I. Do You Need Queens? We can furnish Tested Queens by retarn mall. Vigorous and prolific queens reared last fall and wintered in 4-frame nuclei, $1.00 each. Our 3-band strain of Italians will not disappoint you. 3Atf J. W, K. SHAW & CO,, Loreauville, Iberia Par., La. MeatloB Bee Journal whcB irrltlas. D rL^r^v ^li; iil^/^X -^^^^ 1 some pollen in these combs, or no brood- rearing will be started in spring until a supply of pollen can be brought in from outside. Wm. McEvoy seems quite enthusiastic in the matter, and says this in the Cana- dian Bee Journal : This fall treatment of mine is the simplest, cheapest and by far the best ever offered to the public. I have followed it since 1875, and made perfect cures in every case, and never in all my long experience did I have a single failure. I have treated hundreds of colonies in my time by shaking the bees off diseased combs and giving all-capped stores in the fall. Mr. Byer says that it is very difEcult to get all capped combs. Oh, my, no! It won't be if people will only follow my in- structions— and this they should do — and get the combs all nicely capped right down to the bottom of the frames — a thing that any man can do for very little cost by placing Miller feeders with sugar syrup in on brood- chambers about the last of August, when the hives are pretty full of brood and the outside combs pretty well filled with honey, the bees will rush the syrup into the remaining space in the outside combs and will cap every cell right down to the bottom of the combs, and when this is done each of the fed colo- nies can spare the outside combs, and in evenings in October fine cures can be made by shaking the bees off diseased combs and put- ting in six combs all sealed, which have been fed up for this purpose, and then put in the division-boards, and in the spring take out the division-boards and put in the full set of brood-combs. These colonies with choice stores and plenty of pollen in their combs to keep up brood- rearing will come into spring in booming condition. ■♦ ■ National Membership Over 3000 The last report from General N. E. France, of Platteville, Wis., shows that there were 3225 members in the National Bee- Keepers' Association, on April i, 1909. That looks good. There is prob- ably no other bee-keepers' association on this continent that has even one-tenth as many members as the National. On the Information leaflet sent out by Mr. France April i, he said the pros- pects for honey this year are fairly good; bees wintering well generally; and white clover was reported as look- ing good. In some places there are big prospects for honey, such as California, Colorado, and Texas. The North Cen- tral States have good clover prospects. This information he gleans from his general correspondence. Stimulative Feeding Not Approved During the past two trying springs it has been my privilege to visit a good many apiaries, many in which stimulative feeding in the hands of expert men had been faith- fully carried on, yet I am bound to say that in every case where the bees were found to be in real good condition they had been heavy in stores, and had been well protected and left alone, without any stimulating whatever. — J. L. Ever, in Canadian Bee Journal. However it may be with the experi- enced (and many of them never prac- tise stimulative feeding in spring) there is no doubt that stimulative feeding is a pretty safe thing for beginners to let alone. Souvenir Honey-Recipe Cards The Colorado Honey- Producers' As- sociation, Mr. Frank Rauchfuss, Man- ager, has gotten up a series of souvenir postal-cards, showing a State flower on each card, in natural colors, also a stanza of poetry, and an interesting picture, in some cases the State Capital Building. The foregoing is all on one side of the card. On the other side is a place for the address, and at the left is printed the name of the Colorado Association, and also a honey-recipe. They are beau- tiful, but interesting as souvenirs, as well. •'^ The New Bachmann Super We have received the following illus- trations showing some manipulations of the Bachmann Comb-Honey Super, as done by its inventor, Mr. C. H. Bach- mann of Gueph, Ont., Canada: Hamlet — Modernized. The Bachmann Super. No. 1. — Drawing lock-pin out of super. No. 2. — Opening super and releasing entire body of sections at once. No. 3. — Taking cover-slats off sections. No. 4. — Separating sections. No. T). — Refilling super, putting in 4 sec- tions at a time with one separator. No. 0. Replacing cover-slats, and locking same in. To bee or not to bee: that is the question. Whether 'tis better, in the mind, to suffer The stings and terrors of indocile workers Or to lay hold with vigor and discretion. And by design, use them? To die: to sleep In ignorance of what real honey is? Yea, more : to sleep with taste of "silver drips," (That glucose fraud) forever on the lips, And end life's little day? To die: to sleep: Perchance to dream of blooming fields teem- ing With honied wealth and never know the taste Of the pure quill? O, 'tis a consummation Ne'er to be thought of while the silly bees Work all the golden hours and never strike! When we have shuffled off this mortal coil What odds to us if one barb more or less Be left in our tough hides ? Shall we not feed Our babes with God's ambrosial nectar when Bees toil for nought and earn their board be- sides? 'Tig wicked waste to raise all corn and trade The same for stuff the skillful chemist makes, When willing wings explore the coaxing blos- soms And grunt and sweat under a precious load Of pancake sweet'ner none can fabricate I If they do not complain, then in the name Of thrift and luxury let them toil on. That late-discover'd posy-bed from which These laden travelers return oft-soon Conspires to feed our erst-while waning hope And makes us rather bear the little stings We suffer, balmed by peace 'mid rural scenes. Than fly to those arrow'd by urban greed. Forest City, Iowa. Eugene Secor. "Something About Alsike Clover" This is the name of a 16-page pamph- let, about envelope size, which gives the opinion of a number of experts, col- lected from various sources, showing how to grow alsike clover for profit, either for hay or for seed. Incidentally, of course, the bee-keeper will get the benefit also, through the bees' working on the rich nectar-laden blossoms. The pamphlet is published by the A. I. Root Co., of Medina, Ohio, who mail it free on request to any one interested in the subject. -♦^ Some Appreciated Congratulations We have received a number of very nice letters referring to the American Bee Journal and our 25 years' connec- tion with it, for which we wish to ex- tend our sincerest thanks. Among them we are taking the liberty to present the following as samples : l'*RiEND York: — I think the last number of the "Old Reliable" is the cap sheaf of them all, both as to quantity and quality. You may well be proud of it. And that pic- ture of the editor is so lifelike it reminds me of the pleasant trip we had to San An- tonio, to the National. Long may you live, and happy may you be in your life's chosen work. C. A. Hatch. Richland Center, Wis., April 19. Friend York: — The April number of the American Bee Journal is at hand, and with- out fear of being accused of flattery — I be- lieve I'm known to say what I think, too well, to be charged with that — I wish to say that the editorials in the Journal are invalua- ble to the beginner in bee-keeping; but most especially so in the current number. The comments on "Equalizing Colonies," and "Get- ting Good Oucen-Cells," are worth, to the inexpcricnccfC tt-n times the price of subscrip- tion, for by a single blunder he might lose much more than that amount. It is attention to minute details nf instruction to the be- ginner in almost any line of study, and es- pecially so in bce-kccping, that counts. This fact is one of the reasons which makes "Forty Years Among the Bees" so valuable to the uninitiated. I imagine I see Dr. Miller, as a school-master — standing in his yard during May, I pop. American Vee Journal a hot day, perspiration dripping from his brow, a smile on his face — giving instruction to a class of students in bee-keeping. His book should be in the hands of every person contemplating commencing the business of bee- keeping. Allow me to congratulate you, and the com- munitv in which you live, as well, on the sensible view you take of life and its respon- sibilities. There is something more than mere money-getting that makes success in life. Wm. M. Whitney. Evanston, III., April 18. Dear Mr. York: — I beg to congratulate you on the 25th anniversary of your connec- tion with the American Bee Journal. The sentiments expressed in your April is- sue confirm an impression that I have had with respect to its Editor, and help to in- crease the belief that that Journal, which oc- cupies a place all its own, will sooner or later find its way to the homes of many more bee-keepers. The really great in this world are always humble, and the American Bee Journal show;s its greatness through a spirit that it is difS- cult to define, but which is felt by those that deal with it to any extent. May it and its Editor be blessed with in- creasing prosperity. James A. Smith. Hartford, Conn., April 20. lo-frame size with Colorado covers and 7-^-inch reversible bottom-boards. The strain of bees that are kept in this apiary are Golden Italians, and all bees Editor York: — Your statement in the last Bee Journal, wherein you tell of your 25 years' work with the paper, was read, and greatly affected me, so much so that I here- with send you ray sincerest congratulations and best wishes for the future. It is indeed, a great thing to be connected with one work for 25 years, and especially so to work with a paper, always trying to make the last number better than the previous one. I have only 3 colonies of bees, very little time to devote to them as all gardeners are always busy, and I thought I would do with- out the American Bee Journal, but I have changed my mind. I will remit for one year a little later. Chas. Purzner. Jefferson City, Mo., April 20. It is very gratifying to us to feel that our efforts to publish a good, clean, independent bee-paper are recognized and appreciated. The American Bee Journal is not in any way connected with the bee-supply business, but it is entirely independent, so that whenever it e.xpresses an opinion along bee-ap- pliance lines it is free from even an unconscious bias. It has been so for many years. When, some years ago, its editor was interested in the sale of bee-supplies and honey, its advertising columns even were not used by us to push our bee-supply sales. We had a catalog for that purpose. In no sense can the American Bee Journal be called a "house organ," or manufacturers' catalog. We believe that nearly all bee-keepers, whether they are our subscibers or not, appreciate a bee-paper that is indepena- ent, and that believes in fair play and a square deal all around. It is our earnest endeavor to edit and conduct the American Bee Journal in such a manner that it will commend itself even to those who may see only a sample copy of it. The Golden Apiary in Kansas I am herewith sending a number of pictures which were taken mostly by myself. No. i [see first page] is a general view of The Golden Apiary, as it appeared in the fall of 1908, at Lyons, Kans., and now located at Dodge City, Kans., Mr. P. R. Hobble being president, and the writer, who appears in the pict- ure, general manager. All hives are of the Langstroth or dovetailed pattern, No. 2 -Mr. Frank Ki-au\ for Bee-Work in the neighborhood are of the same strain. The hives are all in straight rows and in pairs, each pair being one foot apart. The pairs in each row are 6 feet apart, and the rows 12 feet apart. No. 2 is the writer as he appears in his bee-dress, with a suit of white duck- ing, Ale.xander bee-veil, and Jumbo 4- inch smoker. No. 3 is the writer as he appears with his "automobile" ready to start for the out-apiary. J. C. Frank. Dodge City, Kans., March 29. A Cheap Uncapping Box In answer to question of J. R. Bo- gart, on page 373 C1908). I send the following description of a very con- No. 3.— Mr. Frank and His "Auto." venient and cheap capping-box, which ought to satisfy his purpose: Have a tinsmith make a galvanized- iron tank of the inside dimensions of an ordinary lo-frame extracting super, with a shoulder ^-ineh wide, but i/2-inch high. This is readily seen at A and B in the diagram. Also have a small net- ting of about i^-inch mesh on bottom of super. Then place the super within the projections of the tank and drop the cappings upon the mesh. The hon- ey runs readily in hot weather, leaving the cappings practically free, when they can be removed to the wax-tub or press. The tank described costs $1.50, and was used by a bee-man who extracted from 2 to 3 tons each season. Redlands, Calif. Chas. Trout. Apiary of C. H. Voigt The photograph I send you is part of my apiary, which is located in the northeastern part of the State of Wis- consin, 5 miles west of Lake Michigan, and one mile north of the southern boundary line, in Kewaunee county, and was started with one colony, which I bought in the fall of 1894, from a neigh- bor then selling out and moving away. I knew nothing about bees at that time, but a friend, Mr. Fred Trapp, gave me a volume of the American Bee Journal; I think it was of the year 1892. Then 10 F. SUPER «-i/a J -honey gate Cheap Uncapping-Box. I went to studying, aUhough I was 50 years old in February. So you see I >vas quite a young scholar, but I was determined to make a success of bee- keeping. In that volume of the American Bee Journal I found that there was a book called the " A B C of Bee-Culture." In 189s I sent for the book and Gleanings. After reading the advertisements there I found the address of the American Bee Journal and sent for it in 189S, and have been a reader of it ever since that time. It has been a great help to me, especially the "Question-Box" by Dr. C. C. Miller. So I went on slowly and increased ray bees as I gained knowledge in bee- keeping. I got more books so that now I have a little library on bees, and so far I consider my bee-keeping a success, although I had my ups and downs as well as others. My apiary had 90 colonies at the time the picture was taken — the latter part of August, 1908. I call that all right for an old boy of 64 years now. The apiary is in an orchard on a north- May, 1909. American ^ee Journal ern slope. The hives are mostly the iG-frame Langstroth size, and home- made, with the exception of 10 which are factory-made, and facing to the south. The picture was taken from the southwest. The people are: Myself standing by the section-cases ; the lady standing farthest at my left is my wife; the one holding the frame of honey is my grand- daughter ; the boy in front is my grand- son— and his dog. The lady at my right is my daughter, Mrs. Mueller, and the gentleman at the right is my son-in- law, Mr. Mueller, and all enjoy the bees and especially the honey, but don't care for the stings, and try to avoid them as much as possible. I run my bees mostly for extracted honey, but a few of them are run for comb, and it is sold in the home market. Tisch Mills, Wis. C. H., Voigt. in every way possible to clean up the bee-diseases of their State. To Connecticut Bee-Keepers In this number will be found the re- port of the last Connecticut conven- tion of bee-keepers, and also an article by its able president, Mr. Allen Latham, on "Colony-Diagnosis in Spring." If there are still any bee-keepers in Con- necticut that are not regular readers of the American Bee Journal, we wish to give them a cordial invitation to sub- scribe at once. Surely, they will find this copy alone w'orth the subscription price of 75 cents a year. Of course, all other bee-keepers any- where and everywhere not now on our mailing list, are also requested to be- come subscribers, and thus from month to month get the benefit of the helpful things found in these columns. To South Dakota Bee-Keepers As has already been announced. South Dakota bee-keepers have secured their foul-brood law, and L. A. Syverud, of Canton, S. D., has been appointed in- spector for the eastern half of that btate. All bee-keepers residing in that part of the State, should notify Mr. Syverud, if they discover any suspicious cases in their bee-yards. The Iowa Foul Brood haw We have received the following from Edward G. Brown, of Sergeant BluflF, Iowa : Editob York: — The Iowa legislature passed the foul brood law which was presented to it this spring, and we hope to have an inspector appointed soon. The Iowa bee-keepers are greatly indebted to N. E. France, of the National Bee-Keep- ers' Association, and Dr. E. F. Phillips, of the Bureau of Entomology at Washington, D. C, for their help in getting the law passed. And I wish to thank the editors of the American Bee Journal and Glcanmgs for their help in calling out the support of the Iowa bee-keepers. Credit is also due the large numbers of men who secured signatures to the petitions we sent them, and then forwarded them to their representatives. Reprcsenatives B. F. Stoddard, of Jesup, Iowa, and W. L. Harding, of Sioux City, had charge of the bill. Edward G. Brown. We have received a copy of the Iowa foul brood law, but just now our col- umns are too crowded to publish it. Suffice it to say, that it should accomplish what is desired if it is properly applied. Bee-keepers of Iowa should co-operate Mr. Dickson and His Apiary I am sending you a picture of myself and some of the honey 1 produced. I have been keeping bees two years. I got my first swarm in June, 1907, and have been reading the American Bee Journal and Gleanings to keep up with the more experienced bee-keepers. My crop for 1908 was over 500 pounds, mostly comb, from 8 colonies. I would have had more, but I was not at home to change the supers, and lots of honey went into bur and brace comb, because the bees did not have room to store it. But I was pleased with what I got. I think I did fine for a beginner. I L. S. Dickson and Honey. like to handle 1)ces very much. I do not mind the stings, and think I can make a success of the buisness, as I like very much to try new things with the bees. I have 9 colonies now, all wintered on the summer stands. Upon looking into the hives Feb. 28, I found all with plenty of stores and brood in .3-frames in some hives and in 4 frames in others. I use 8-frame hives, mostly, as they are not so heavy to handle, and I can get good results from them. Princeton, Ky. L. S. Dickson. Bee-Stings a Cure for Rheumatism The daily newspapers have been pub- lishing consideral)le lately about the bee- sting cure for rheumatism. It seems that Dr. Arthur W. Swann, a surgeon at the Roosevelt Hospital in New York City, has been experimenting on rheu- matic patients. It seems there are quite a number in that Hospital suffering from rheumatism. This led the Doctor to remember that for many years he had heard that bee-stings were a cure for the malady. Dr. Swann reported in the New York Times of March 23, that he had so far tried the bee-sting treament on 4 ob- stinate cases, and it had resulted in at least a temporary improvement in each case. He based his belief in its ef- ficacy on the fact that the sting causes a counter-irritant, or that the peculiar poison of the bee-sting acts as an anti- dote to the uric acid, which, it is said, causes rheumatism. Just how Dr. Swann applied the bee-sting remedy is described in the following paragraphs : "I picked out 4 of the worst sufferers from rheumatism — those whose joints and limbs were stiffened by the disease. After washing the afflicted parts with alcohol, so as to insure perfect cleanliness, I put 2 or 3 bees into a glass and then inverted the glass over the limb, which I had covered with a piece of thin gauze. "After a while the bees got busy, and when the patient had been stung once or twice, they were removed. The patient is watched very closely, and the treatment is renewed daily, the number of bees being increased until I have had as many as 10 bees under the glass at a time. "As I said, the results have been most satis- factory, but it is too early yet to say anything about the ultimate result of my experiments. I hope to try it out on some 60 or 70 patients before I come to any definite conclusion, but so far as it has gone, I am well satisfied with the experiment." Of course, the bee-sting cure for rheu- matism is not at all a new one to bee- keepers. For many years practically all the bee-papers have recorded cures of rheumatism as a result of the ap- plication of bee-stings. We remember very distinctly being told by the late Dr. A. B. Mason, of Toledo, Ohio, who for a number of years was secretary of the National Bee-Keepers' Association, as well as one of its ex-presidents, that he had suffered from rheumatism in his ankles. He decided to try the bee-sting cure.. He put on slippers 'and went to the entrance of one of his bee-hives, and then jarred the hive so that the bees came out and stung him plenti- fully on the ankle, through his black socks. He told us that the cure was complete and permanent. Surely it is a very simple remedy, and most easily applied by bee-keepers, although it is doubtful if very many of those who keep bees are affected with rheumatism. Per- haps they get just enough stings during the working season with the bees to prevent rheumatism getting hold of them. The newspapers have also recently re- ported the application of bee-stings to the anatomy of a man who was com- pletely ossified. It seems that after two or three applications of the bee- sting remedy, he was able to "get a move on him," at least to some extent. It was thought that by repeated applica- tions of the remedy he might become quite natural again. It has also been reported that Pa- derewski, the famous Polish pianist, has been suffering from rheumatism in his Iiands, so that he was not able to per- form as usual. The bee-sting cure was recommended to him, but it seems he declined to submit to its application. If any one prefers to suffer much and for a long time from rheumatism, instead of suffering a few minutes from the ap- plication of the "business end" of a few healthy bees, of course, it is his pri- vilege. Personally, we would much rath- er have the bee-stings. _ No doubt, most bee-keepers would "enjoy" the bee- stings much more than the rheumatism. I70 American Hae Journal j May, 1909. Conducted bv J. L. BYER. Mount Joy, Ont. Spring Feeding of Bees. As has already been mentioned, near- ly all reports received as to how the bees have wintered are favorable. How- ever, a number report that the bees are short of stores, and that it is neces- sary for some feeding to be done. In a cold April like the present, a mat- ter of feeding bees is not one of the most pleasant things to contemplate, and as I have "been there" in past years, those who have to feed now have my sympathy. Last fall my bees went into winter quarters very heavy, and one source of comfort during this backward weather, has been the knowledge that the bees are still heavy with stores and in no danger of starvation for some time, even if nothing should come in from the fields. Of the 35 colonies that were wintered in the cellar, two were marked light when they were put out, but they have sufficient till May ist, anyway. Of the bees outside, not a single hive has been opened as yet, save the queenless colony mentioned, as well as the small nucleus from which a queen was taken. With us there has really not been a single day fit to ex- pose the brood-nest, as yet this spring. With abundance of stores, there is real- ly nothing to be gained, and possibly a lot to be lost by these early manipula- tions, anyway. Morley Pettit — Ontario Provincial Apiarist. As will be noticed in the April American Bee Journal, the official no- tice of Mr. Pettit's appointment was made after I had sent away copy for the April issue. I do not think that I can add anything more to what the Edi- tor has said, save to endorse his state- ments heartily. No question but that Mr. Pettit is thoroughly qualified for the position, and, in common with many others, the writer of these notes says most heartily, "Here's wishing you all success in your new sphere of labor, Morley." I might, however, add the following from Gleanings in Bee Culture for April IS, written by R. F. Holtermann: Mr. Morley Pettit, of Nixon, Ontario, well known to the bee-keeping fraternity, will be Provincial Apiarist, having charge of the ex- perimental apiary at Jordan Harbor; he will be the lecturer at the Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, and inspector of apiaries in 5 counties. Mr. Pettit is the youngest son of S. T. Pettit, formerly of Belmont, now living re- tired at Aylmer West, Ont. Mr. S. T. Pettit's apicultural activities were mostly car- ried on from Belmont, Ont., and he will be best remembered in connection with that address. Morley Pettit will probably hold the record as to a season's profits from an apiary, having cleared some $1,200 from 69 colonies in one year. He has, therefore, had good apicultural training in his boyhood. He has a first-class certificate as a schoolteacher, and an extensive experience as a bee-keeper himself, all of which, focused upon the work in which he is now to engage, should bring to the apicultural world something worth knowing. It is to be hoped (and I believe it will be the case) that the Ontario govern- ment will not be slack or slow in supplying needed equipment. The Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Duff, represents Simcoe County in the Legislature. This is a county of great apicultural activity, having in it men of progressive ideas. In our gratitude to Mr. Duff, and in hopefully looking forward to the future, it will do no one an injustice to state that the decision to establish the Jordan Apicultural Station Morley Pettit. was one of he last acts of the Hon. Nelson Monteith, and bee-keepers will not be likely to forget that in this act, in the providing of lecturers at county meetings, and in an increase from $600 to $2500 for the stamping out of foul brood, Mr. Monteith has broken away from a rut into which Ontario apicul- ture had fallen. The grant for the year is $2500. Ontario Inspector of Apiaries. The Ontario Department of Agricul- ture has this year appointed 14 Inspec- tors of Apiaries, so there should be no complaint on the part of any bee-keeper this season in not being able to secure the services of an inspector, should they be required. A full list of the inspec- tors, with their post-office addresses, and list of Counties allotted to each, are here appended : 1. J. S. Schrank, Port Elgin, Ont. — coun- ties of Bruce and Huron. 2. D. Chalmers, Pool, Ont.— Perth and Waterloo. 3. W. A. Chrysler, Chatham, Ont— Lamb- ton, Kent, Essex. 4. John Newton, Thamesford, Ont. — Middle- sex, Elgin. 5. James Armstrong, Cheapside — North and South Norfolk, North and South Oxford. 6. Jacob Alpaugh, Eden, Ont. — Wellington, Grey. 7. H. G. Sibbald, Claude, Ont.— Simcoe, Dufferin, Peel. 8. Morley Pettit, Nixon, Ont.- — Brant, Went- worth, Halton, Haldemand, Lincoln, Welland. 9. J. L. Byer, Mt. Joy, Ont.— Ontario, York, Victoria, Durham. 10. Warrington Scott, Wooler, Ont. — Peter- boro, Northumberland, Hastings, Prince Ed- ward. 11. A. A. Ferrier, Renfrew, Ont. — Renfrew, Lanark, Carleton. 12. D. L. McNaughton, St. Raphael, West, Ont.- — Russel, Prescott, Glengarry. 13. M. B. Holmes, Athens, Ont. — Lenox, Addington, Frontenac, Leeds. 14. Homer Burke, Highland Creek, Ont. — Granville, Dundas, Cornwall. Peculiar Winter for Bees. A peculiar winter has just come to a close. Warmer than the average as in most other sections, yet in our locality there was not a single day that the bees could take a cleansing flight, between Nov. 25th and April ist. Many a time the bees would be thoroughly aroused, and indications would be fine for a flight, but in every case, fog or clouds would come along and prevent the bees from getting out. As the bees were pretty much on buckwheat stores, I was a bit uneasy as to the outcome, but when the flight finally came on April 1st, the bees responded in good shape, and I believe we can report successful wintering for this year. Reports received from a number of apiarists in different parts of the Prov- ince are uniformly good, with the one single exception of the case mentioned in a former issue, where a bee-keeper reported disaster from honey-dew in the hives. March and April have been very cool and windy, and with us pollen came in only one day, and then in very limited quantities — this on April i8th. The weather has been so cool that very few bees have been enticed from the hives, and this has been better for them, no doubt, than if there had been more warm, sunny days with cold winds ; as this latter condition is worse for spring dwindling than any other kind of weather combination. Dairying and White Clover. The word, "locality" is no doubt of- ten abused and made to cover up some- thing when a legitimate argument has failed in its purpose, yet there is no question but that the same word has a lot to do with the differences in man- agement and other things pertaining to apiculture. For instance, only lately Dr. Miller mentioned the fact of the people in his section of country going heavier into dairying each year, and he stated that this meant an increased acreage of white clover each year. Here the people are going into more dairy- ing each year, too, but in our case it means less white clover each year in- stead of more. Why this difference? Well, as I understand the matter, in Dr. Miller's case the people depend more upon pasturage for their herds, while here the soiling system in more in vogue. That is, instead of having a May, 1909. American Vee Journal big acreage of pasture land, the farm- ers find that it pays them best to crop this land and raise corn, etc., for feed purposes, and feed pretty much in the stall all the year around. They claim that it is much more profitable, and while I am not interested in that phase of the question, yet the fact remains that our pasturage acreage is decreas- ing instead of increasing each year. However, it does not make much differ- ence to us, as in my immediate vicinity white clover cuts but a small figure in the honey crop, all of the surplus com- ing from the alsike. Cut out the alsike clover in Ontario, and two-thirds of the bee-keepers might as well go out of business, as we have no other sur- plus to be depended upon with any cer- tainty. Detecting Queenlessness from Out- side Appearances. The question is often asked as to whether it is possible to detect queen- less colonies without opening the hives. For my part, I know of no plan that will be sure at all times. However, in the spring of the year it is a pretty easy matter to pick out such colonies, especially if the day is cool, yet warm enough to bring out bees in search of water for brood-rearing. Yesterday (April 20th), I was at the Cashel apiary doing some work in the honey-house, and although the day was cool, with a damp east wind blowing, yet many bees were carrying water from a trough in the yard sheltered from the wind. Glancing down the rows of hives, I noticed that one colony was not moving at all. Turning back the quilt at the corner, it was seen that there were lots of bees present, and I said to my broth- er-in-law who was with me, that there was no doubt but the colony was queen- less. So sure was I about the matter that we got the smoker and examined the colony, although the day was so cool that I would not have thought of opening a hive where there was any brood. An examination revealed just what we expected, and a queen was taken from a weak nucleus and given to it at once. Of course, the reason that a queen- Icss colony is not moving any on a cool day, is because they have no brood that requires water, and any colonies that fly heavily on such days will al- ways be found to be feeding a lot of brood. Returning to the matter of that queenless colony, I would say that the queen was one purchased in 1907, and last year it was one of my best. As will be seen, although they went into winter quarters very strong, yet the queen played out some time during the winter or early spring. Right here I want to remark that my bees do not seem to be as sensible as Dr. Miller's, for he says that, as a rule, his queens are superseded before the colony becomes weak, and in my case, left to themselves, about 75 percent of the colonies will disappoint me by "go- ing bad" just in a critical time. One of the favorite seasons for my colonies 10 "trot out" a failing queen, is just in fruit-bloom, and of all the provoking things to run against, this finding of failing queens just before the main honey-flow is one of the worst. Why it is I know not, yet the fact remains, that some of my colonies with old queens, that have often wintered ex- tremely strong, will turn up with a superseding queen during the early part of May. Qu _ ee- Keeping Conducted by EMMA M. WILSON, Marengo. 111. Germany's Honey-Cake Town. There are several places in Germany which are almost chiefly famous for producing some variety of cakes which are "christened" after them. Leignitz itself is one, and another is Waldbockel- heini. It stands near Kreuznach and has a population of between 600 and 700, a large percentage of which are engaged in making what are known as "Waldbockel- heim, or honey-cakes," a very tasty form of bakery ware which, in spite of the smallness and out-of-the-way character of the place in which it is manufactured, enjoys a sale among Teutonics in all parts of the globe.— Bakers' Weekly. Raining Flowers. It 13 not raining rain to me. It's raining daffodils, In every dimpled drop I see Wild flowers on the hills. The clouds of gray engulf the day And overwhelm the town; It in not raining rain to me. It's raining roses down. It is not raining rain to me, But fields of clover bloom. Where any buccaneering bee Can find a bed and room. A health unto the happy— A fig for him who frets! It is not raining rain to me It's raining violets! — Selected Sure Way to Prevent Absconding Swarms. Mal=.^^m> I ted; such queens are usually well fed and have the normal vigor if the colony- superseding is fairly well stocked with bees and honey. If you can save such queens and get a nucleus started with a young laying queen in April or May. they are almost certain to make good colonies for the next season, and often if there is an August or late flow they will pay well in surplus that same season and can usually 'be trusted to go through the summer without swarming. In this country I would prefer to make all my increase in April and May, if we could get the necessary bees and pro- duce good queens. As said above, we can rarely rear good queens here before the first main flow in June, then there is usually abundance of queens and great quantities to spare, but then is when we cannot spare the bees to make the in- crease— we must have the greatest num- ber possible in our supers. And while speaking of swarming, and of keeping all the workers at super- work, if comb honey is produced, there is but one successful way in this coun- try to get good results in finish, and that is in very populous colonies. There must be a strong force of bees, for sev- eral reasons. If the nights were hot as well as the days, so that the apiarist would feel like sleeping outdoors with out covers, a comparatively strong col- ony of bees might be e.xpected to keep the super warm and be out at daylight the ne,xt morning; but here the morn- iiigs are quite cool following a cool eve- ning and night, and many times the col- ony does but little fielding before 8 or 9 o'clock. Strong colonies are neces- sary to sufficient heat. You may say that protection, such as an outer case over the super, would help out, and so it would. There is a more serious condition we have to contend with, and that is slow honey-flows, often intermittent besides. If your weaker col- ony had a strong or rapid flow, so as to keep them hard at work all night ripening and storing what was brought in during the day, so that the activity would keep up a high degree of animal heat, to be followed the next day with a like flow, we could expect good super- work from almost any fairly normal colony. But somehow our flows are not regu- lar; they are often slow, and what we would call tedious, so tedious that neither the bees nor the master knows what to do next. There may be 2 or 3 days that encourage to super-work, only to be followed by a lull of a day or two that discourages super-storing, and of- ten even starting at all in the super. To get prompt starting in the super fol- lowed by a continued work there, we must have very strong colonies, so strong that they keep up the necessary heat day and night, so strong that there are a host of fielders sufficient to find some honey when it is to be had at all, and so keep up business in the super. To allow a colony to stop work in the super discourages and brings about lethargy, causes a crowded or honey-logged brOod-nest, and not only cuts off the brood that should be be- ing prepared for later flows, but in- duces swarming. That is why colonies of only normal strength are more likely to swarm than the very strong ones. 'l)6cfor Miller^ Send Questions either to the office of the American Bee Journal or to DR. C. C. MILLER. Marengro. 111. Dr. Miller does not answer Questions by mail. Using Combs that Bees Died On. Are combs of honey that bees died on fit to put bees on again? Indiana. Answer. — Yes. it's all right. Sometimes the top-bars will be badly daubed with the feces of the bees; if so, scrape them off. Eight- Frame or lo-Frame Hive? 1. I am a beginner in bee-keeping, and don't just know what size of hive to use, whether an 8 or 10 frame. I expect to run mostly for extracted honey. Which is best? 2. Will a 10-frame hive prevent swarming more than an S-frame? 3. Do you think the bees will gather more honey in a 10-frarae hive than they will in an 8-franie? Iowa. Answers. — 1. A 10-frame is probably better for you; especially for extracted honey. 2. Yes, the larger size is of some effect in preventing swarming. 3. Not necessarily. Of course a stronger colony ought to get more honey, but just as strong a colony can be in an 8-frarae hive as in a 10-frame, for 2 stories of the 8-frame can be used if need be. Italianizing — Rearing Queens — Loose vs. Nailed Bottoms. 1. Would it be all right to send for an Italian queen, and when she arrives look in the hive, catch the black queen, and then put the new queen in ? 2. How long after the queen lays eggs, and they are capped, will the bees build queen- cells? 3. Which 13 better, to have the bottoms loose on the hives or have them nailed on? California. Answers. — 1. Yes, many prefer that way. 2. Not sure I understand. If you mean to cage the queen in the hive, queen-cells may be started by the bees in a day, or not for several days. If you remove the queen, cells will generally be started in 24 hours or less. 3. The best way is to have the bottom fnstcned to the hive by means of staples, so that you can remove it at any time you like. I wouldn't have a bottom that could not be fastened on, and a bottom that couldn't be taken off would be worse still. Wire Excluders and Honey- Boards. Have you tried the new queen and drone excluders, or honey-boards, made of wire? Have they any claim to be classed as an im- provement on tlie Tinker perforated zinc, or i:i it only a scheme of the manufacturers? Thanks for the lift you gave the T-super. I think it has no fault other than that it is too simple for the manufacturer to charge three prices for. Washington. Answers. — I do not use excluders under supers, so I don't use many excluders, although for some purposes they are indispensable. Having quite a stock of the old kind of ex- cluders on hand, I have never tried the wire excluders. I don't suppose there is a great deal of difference, but one would suppose that the bees would like the smooth wires better than the sharp edge left by the punch- ing of the metal for the perforations. Don't be too hard on the manufacturers. If there in very little call for an article, they are hardly to blame for not pushing such an article. One trouble, perhaps, is that intelli- gent men have condemned the T-super because they did not use it in the right way. If used correctly, I don't believe there is a better section-super in existence. An unfortunate thing is that one of the leading manufacturers has represented the T-super in a catalog in such a blundering way as utterly to misrepre- sent it. I don't think there is any malicious- ness in the case — merely ignorance. Foundation Fastening — Wiring Foundation — Compression for T-Super. 1. Please give directions for using a Parker Foundation-Fastener. 2. Can it be used for fastening full sheets of foundation? 3. Is it necessary to wire foundation in brood-frames where the hives will not be moved very much? 4. Do you use any kind of compression in the Miller T-super? Minnesota. Answers. — 1. Didn't you get directions for using with your fastener? Put the section upside-down under the fastener, lay the foun- dation edge upon the middle of the section top-bar, raise the lever so as to press pretty hard upon the foundation, draw back the lever so as to slide the presser off the founda- tion, at least partly, lower the lever and re- move the section. 2. I hardly think so. 3. Yes, unless foundation-splints are used. 4. There is no "Miller" T-sui>er. The T-super is not my invention. I got it from D. A. Jones, of Canada, and I never could find out where he got it. I use a single super-spring in each super. It is crowded between the follower and the side of the super, at the middle. Golden Italians. 1. What is the difference in appearance between the golden Italian and the Italian? 2. Are they a larger bee than the Italian? 3. Are they j ust as good honey-gatherers, and are they just as good in every respect as the regular Italians? 4. I have 14 colonies of bees taken from the cellar on April 3, and I never saw the hives so full of dirt in front before, and now where they fly out, close around the hives, everything is covered with black-yellow spots. Is this a disease in my bees? If so, what is it, and what can I do for them ? Other- wise they seem to be all right, and have plenty of bees in the hives. I never fed them in fall. They had plenty of their own gathered honey — from 56 to 78 pounds in each hive. loWA. Answers. — 1. Italians, as they come from Italy, have 3 yellow bands, the first band (toward the head) being not very conspicuous. Goldens have 5 yellow bands. 2. No. 3. That question can not be answered by yes or no. There are Goldens and Golden s. Whether they are as good as the regular Italians, taken as a whole, is a question. 4. Don't worry. The bees are probably all right. Those spots are merely the droppings of the bees that have emptied themselves. What Ailed the Bees? The other day I found I had lost 3 more colonies of bees, one old and one new. The new one was full of honey and some dead brood. The brood-cclls were all capped except one. The dead brood appeared natural. The old colony's hive was also full of honey, and on one of the combs there were a few bees. Half of them were dead, and the other half were able to crawl some, but could not fiy. On another comb were a few more dead bees, American Hee Journal but no brood. The honey I took out of the new colony hag a dark, yellowish-colored sub- stance in some of the cells scattered through it ; pollen, I suppose. Some people here call it bee-bread. What brood I found was not black, and did not smell offensive, and what few sick bees I found could move about some, and their bodies were not swelled, neither were the bodies of the uead bees, so I con- cluded that it was neither foul brood nor paralysis. If you know the cause, please explain. There is a weed that grows here called aster, that yields honey in the fall, and there is always an abundance of white clover. The wintera are mild, and last winter unusually so. Kentucky. Answer. — I am puzzled to know what is the trouble. Aster honey would not account for it. It is possible that there is no disease present, the colonies dying off chiefly from weakness. Many colonies are lost in that way. Introducing and Rearing Queens. Last summer I had a good, strong colony in 3 10-frame brood-chambers, one on top of the other. I moved one hive with the brood- chamber and 2-3 of the bees to another place, contracted the entrance, but did not close it, and put a queen in a cage on the top- bars. A few days later I raised the cover and removed the empty cage. I reason that the old bees would return to the old stand and the young bees would accept the new queen. I was so sure that the plan would work that I did not open the hive again for 2 or 3 weeks. Then I found it queenless, and, as I had no queen, I put it back on top of the other hive, and it is still there. Now, when the weather becomes settled, I want to separate those 3 hives and make 2 colonies. How shall I do it ? I understand that under favorable circum- stances the queenless part should rear a queen of their own. but they did not do it. Any- way it would take too long. Illinois. Answer. — Introducing queens and rearing queens are among the uncertain things. Even the most experienced have occasional failures. On the face of it, one would judge your queen ought to have been accepted. And if not, a young queen ought to have been reared. Perhaps a young queen was reared and lost. You can hardly do any better than to try the same plan again. The next 20 times it may be a success. If you wish to have the bees rear their own queen, you might vary the plan a little. At the beginning of swarming time, take two of the poorest frames of brood with the queen and adhering bees, and put thera in a hive on a new stand. A week later there ought to be the best kind of queen- cells started in the queenless colony. Now let the two hives swap places, leaving, how- ever, only one frame of brood with the queen, and that the poorest. That gives you all the flying force with the queen on the old stand — practically a shaken swarm, ready for fine super work, and the queenless part, being suddenly weakened by the loss of its flying force, ought to give up any notion of swarm- ing, which it would have if not thus weakened. Loss of Bees in Winter. Out of 23 colonies of bees I have lost 12 this winter. They are in double- walled hives J4-inch air-space. Some of the frames are liyi inches deep, and some 9%. Last fall I took some J^-inch and ^-inch boards and made what I called a cap just large enough to cover the frames on top. I had ^-inch bee- space so that the bees could crawl over the top-bars from one frame to the other. Of course they glued that down air-tight. They died in a cluster, and the combs were damp and mostly covered with green and yellow mold. The entrance is 5^ by 6 inches, and I had that space reduced down most of the time to 3 to 4 inches. Did I fix them too warm? I think now that I missed it by not having an air-hole up through that cover. Of course, the hive cap went on over that cover. What did I do wrong, or what killed the bees ? The other ones, fixed the same way, seem all right at present. They all left enough honey to have run them until clover time, and they were all left on the summer stands. I also had the hives all covered with tar-paper to keep the hives dry, and had boards to lean up over the entrance when it snowed or was bad, cold, windy weather. I am an old Union soldier and not able to work any more, so I thought I would try to keep a few bees to help out a little. This 19 my third year with them, and I have lots to learn yet. I take the American Bee Journal, and also have "Forty Years Among the Bees," by Dr. C. C. Miller, and Root's "A B C" book, and "Langstroth on the Honey- Bee," by Dadant. The outlook for white clover at the present time here is not very bright. Indiana. AnsweK. — It is not always easy for a coroner's jury to decide the cause of death, especially at a long distance from the dead body. It can only be guessing, at best. It is not entirely clear from your description just what was on top. It seems there was a sealed board cover with a ^-inch space over the top-bars, but it is not certain whether there was the proper packing over that sealed cover. Some sort of packing should have been over that sealed cover to keep it warm enough so moisture would not settle upon it to drip down upon the bees. Possibly sucli packing was present. The 6-inch entrance was closed down to 3 to 4 inches most of the time. An entrance H x 3 inches, making only ^ of a square inch, may not have furnished suffi- cient air for a strona: colony, especially if that entrance was at any time clogged by dead bees. If any one has a better guess, I yield the floor. Signs of Queenlessness — Entrance Ventilation, 1. What is the best sign of a queenless colony in the spring ? 2. In Gleanings of November 1, 1908, on page 1327, under the heading, "An Adjustable Storm Door," I do not fully understand how ventilation is secured. 3. And do those who winter bees on the summer stands need to scrape out the dead bees? Wisconsin. Answers. — 1. The best sign is to find no brood present when all other colonies have started brood. Even by looking at the out- side, you may be suspicious if you find the bees of a colony carrying no pollen, or very little pellets, when other colonies are carrying in great loads of it. 2. I do not quite see what your difficulty is. The ventilation is just the same as at any entrance, the sliding door merely making the entrance larger or smaller. Not many bee- keepers, probably, would want to take the pains to be constantly changing the size of the entrance. If they should, the old Lang- stroth entrance-blocks are simpler. Merely two triangular blocks, one side of each block perhaps 3 inches, another side longer, and the third side of such size that the two blocks close the entrance all but half an inch. 3. It is better, of course, to have the dead bees cleaned out. With the usual shallow entrance, and shallow space under bottom- bars, it may be absolutely necessary ; for the entrance, otherwise, may become entirely clogged with dead bees. With a deeper space under the bottom-bars, and entrance at the upper part of the space, cleaning out the dead bees is not so important. A Dozen Interesting Questions. 1. I have 2 colonics of bees. I would like to increase 3 or 3. Would you advise me to make artificial swarms, or wait for natural swarms? 2. Can I do this and get a small crop of honey, by using full sheets of foundation both below and above? 3. Does it pay to feed bees sugar syrup before fruit-bloom ? 4. Will bees work as well for a beginner as an expert bee-keeper, if properly cared for? 5. What is the average crop of honey from a colony the first season ? 6. If a bee-keeper's cost overruns the profit, which is to be introduced — a new bee-keeper or new queens? 7. Is fruit-bloom a good time to make artificial swarms? 8. How far apart should a "shook" swarm be set from the parent hive ? 9. I have a nice hollow log that I would like to put bee3 in for amusement. Is it best to lay it down or stand it up? 10. Would they be likely to work in a super if set on the end ? 11. If I run a swarm into another colony, is there any certainty which queen will be killed? 12. Does it pay to buy queens for "shook" swarms when you have good stock to rear from? Virginia. Answers. — 1. If you have not had much experience it may be as well for you to have natural swarming. 2. Yes, you ought to be able in a good season to get quite a crop of honey if you get a swarm from each colony and have no afterswarms. 3. Yes, if there is any danger of bees running short of stores. 4. Yes, with the same care there will be no difference in results. 5. I don't know. It may run anywhere from nothing up to 200 pounds or more. 6. It may be either way; it may be neither way. The best bee-keeper with the best queen may make a failure in a bad location or in a bad year. 7. No; it's better to wait till the usual time for natural swarms. 8. A shaken swarm is left on the old stand. 9. Saw off square at each end and set it on end. 10. Yes. 11. No. 12. With shaken swarms there is generally no change of queens, the old queen being left with the bees. In general it does not pay to buy queens, unless you expect to improve your stock by it. Still, M. A. Gill, one of our best bee-keepers thinks it pays him to buy queens rather than to rear them. Moths in Combs — Banats or Gar- ni olans? 1. I have a few colonies of black bees in movable-frame hives, and the moth- worms are getting into some of them. If I should intro- duce pure Italian blood of the 3-band type, would it kill out and keep out the moth? 2. How would the Banats or Carniolans be for keeping out the moth, or would a cross be- tween one of the above-named bees and the Italians be better? California. Answers. — 1. Yes, even a little Italian blood worked in will help to keep the moth at bay. Even blacks will hold their own pretty well, if strong, but Italians, even when quite weak, will conquer the moth. 3. I'm not sure about it, but I think either of these bloods, or their cross with Italians, would fight moths better than blacks. Profits on Bees and Chickens — When White Clover Blooms. 1. I own a J4 share in a farm valued at $12,000. Do you think I could buy the rest of it and pay out on 200 colonies of bees and 500 chickens? The rent of the place will pay the interest and taxes. 3. What time of the year does white clover bloom in this State? Illinois. Answers. — 1. I don't know. Doubtful. Of course, however, one might clear $9,000 on 300 colonies of bees and 300 chickens, but he would need to be pretty well up in bees and ctnckens, and to live quite a few years. 3. In the northern tier of counties it opens its first blossoms in the last of May or first of June, and earlier as you go south. Bees Deserting Their Own Hives. I had 32 colonies of bees, and I have lost 5 of them. They will swarm and come out of their own hive and settle on the outside of some of the other hives, and leave their own hive empty, with lots of honey in them. When they settle on the other hives, it causes them to get into the fight and kill almost all of them. What causes the bees to do this? Kentucky. Answers. — Bees sometimes seem to have a mania for deserting their hives in spring and trying to force their way into other hives, and it isn't easy to say just why. Some think because they are weak and discouraged. Some think because they have started a lot of brood, and then the old bees have died off so rapidly that enough are not left to cover the brood. In any cases the advice given is to have only strong colonies in the fall. This is sound ad- vice on general principles, even if there should be some absconding the following spring in spite of strong colonies. Controlling Swarming — What Ails the Queen? 1. I have about 10 good colonies of bees, and have a word to say that might interest some of the readers of the American Bee Journal. It is that this year is the best that ever has been known for honey unless it changes very much before midsummer. I put my first supers on Fe*)ruary 29, 1908 — the ear- liest I ever knew that bees would store honey. Today I put the second ones on some of the May, 1909. American Vee Journal hives. Do you not think it is rather early for so much honey? The prune blossoms are just out this week, and where they get the honey from is more than I can tell, with very few wild flowers yet. Sage will not be in bloom until May. At this rate they ought to store a large amount of honey. Is there any other way to control swarms besides cut- ting out queen-cells? 2. I have one colony that was hived late last year. I looked at it today. I thought it was queenless, as there were scarcely any bees at work, but I found a large, black-look- ing thing. After going all through I found her on the ground and she could not fly; and hardly walk. The colony has plenty of honey and hardly any brood, so I got a frame of good brood from another strong colony and put it in place of some empty. What is the mat- ter with this queen? \» by should she have lots of feed and no brood to hatch more young bees? What shall I do with her and her friends ? California. Answers. — 1. If you are running for ex- tracted honey, here is a plan that wita some is quite successful in preventing swarming. Just before there is danger of swarminc, put the queen with frames of foundation or empty combs in the lower story, and all the brood in the second story, with an excluder be- tween the 2 stories. No matter in which story the bees are. If running for comb honey, instead of putting the brood in the second story, take it away entirely, giving it to weak colonies or making a pile of it to make a new colony. It may not be out of place to say that you can not prevent swarming by merely cutting out queen-cells. 2. It may be the queen is old. Sometimes there are poor queens which are not old, and no one can tell just why they are poor. Better kill the poor queen and give the colony a better one. Likely, however, it will be bet- ter to break the colony, distributing the combs with adhering uees among other colonies. Redwood as Hive-Lumber. Will redwood, if used in making bee-hives, cause the honey to partake of the flavor of that wood, if a coating of linseed oil is used on the insiae? That is the cheapest lumber here. California. Answers. — I think redwood is used a good deal for hives, and I never heard of its harming the honey at all, I don't think you need any inside coating. The bees can do their own coating. Queen and Drone Excluding Bottom- Slats. I am a beginner in bee-keeping, and my aim is to produce comb honey. I would like to know if it would not be a good idea to make the bottom slats of the first supers on the hive, queen and drone excluding. How far apart should the bottom slats be in order to be queen and drone excluding? By this plan I would save the expense of buying honey-boards. Minnesota. Answer. — Don't think for a minute of trying such a plan. The space to exclude a queen is about 1-6 of an inch; but it must be ex- ceedingly exact. A very little more will let a queen through, and a very little less will bar a worker. Besides, with full sheets of worker- foundation in your sections, the queen will very seldom go up. I've produced tons of sec- tion honey without using any excluders. An Octette of Questions. 1. Did you ever try 2 queens in one hive? 2. Why is the T-super better than others, and why are they so short? 3. Are the drones from one queen any better than from another? 4. How could I get the queen that X want, to lay drone-eggs? If I give drone-comb they rear workers just the same. 5. Why is it that the more honey the bees eat the warmer it gets? 6. Do the bees ever kill the queen after her wings are clipped? 7. If the queen be clipped and they swarm and the queen is lost, will they not swarm again as often as they have nueen-cells left? 8. Docs it pay to have full starters in su- pers? Oregon. Answers. — 1. Yes; a good many times I've had colonics with 2 queens, mother and daugh- ter, and a few times I've put 2 queens, that were not related in the same hive, but they were old <\UCf:n9. 2. For several reasons; easier to fill, easier to empty, easier to clean the sections, etc. It is shorter than other supers because simpler, with no frames or holders to make it longer. That gives it the advantage that when de- sired a space for ventilation can be left at the back end. 3. bure; just as much difference in drones as in queens. 4. A little before harvest time, strengthen the colony by giving it additional sealed brood from other colonies, and if tnere is drone- comb in the brood-nest she'll lay in it. 5. For the same reason that the more fuel you put in a stove the hotter the fire. Al- though it is slower, the combustion of honey in the bees is much the same as combustion of fuel in the stove. 6. In very rare cases. But they might kill her just the same if you caught her and put her back without clipping her. 7. Ves, in about 8 days afterswarming will begin, just as if the queen had not been lost; only the colony being stronger the after- swarming will be more certain. 8. Ves; for many years I've used them along with many others, and wouldn't think of doing otherwise. Reversible Bottom - Board — Decoy Hives. Etc. 1. In July of the previous summer we se- cured a swarm of bees in a barrel. In the au- tumn a neighbor about half a mile from these bees began to make cane syrup. I did not no- tice that the bees came to bother at the syrup cookery then. But, anyway, if I have one, 2 or more full colonies, is it probable that the bees then will come and bother at the syrup cookery? 2. If one uses the reversible bottom-board, one side making a narrow entrance, for win- ter use, and the other side a wide entrance, for summer use, how can there then in both instances be a proper bee-space between bot- tom-board and bottom-bars of the frames? 3. How do the bees enter from the bot- tom-board to the brood-frames? Do they only craw], or do they both crawl and fly, as the case may be? 4. I believe somebody said that bees never fly within a dark apartment. Is that so? 5. Is it somewhat bad to reverse the posi- tion of a brood-frame in the hive, so that the end having been toward the front, thereafter will be toward the rear? 6. How would it be to use insect powder, and a little "insect powder gun" for the sake of keeping extracting-frames — either those full of honey, or the empty combs — free from moth and wax-worms? 7. Regarding decoy hives, would they not be much more inviting to the bees if there were also foundation-starters, or one of the frames having a full sheet of foundation. Wisconsin. Answers. — 1. les, there is danger. 2. Usually it is the other way, the shallow space being used in summer, and the deep space in winter, a deeper space being desired in winter than in summer. However, I use a 2-inch space summer and winter, in summer putting in a bottom-rack to prevent building down. 3. They do both ways, if the space is deep enough. 4. I don't know; I don't believe they often fly in the dark. 5. It isn*t likely to make any difference. 6. I doubt if it would work. 7. Foundation would not be likely to prove attractive to the bees, but the old combs would. Increase Not Wanted — Frames and Splints — Italianizing Natural Swarms. 1. I don't want to increase the number of my colonies of bees any more than I will have to by natural swarming, as I will not have the time or money to take care of them. If I get a new queen, could I not do some requecning instead of working for increase? 2. I had thought of working into your kind of frames. Would not the metal-spaced frame (Hoffman) with the bottom bar in 2 pieces to receive the foundation, work nearly as well, by using your splints? The bottom-bar of the Hoffman frame I suppose would have to be made heavier. 3. I have finished reading your book. When I came to Italianizing natural swarms I thought that would be just the thing for a farmer like myself, but, come to think of it, our best colon ien do not always swarm first, and sometimes not at all. H, C, or D might be the first to swarm. In other words the bees might take a fool notion not to carry out their part of the program. I suppose A might be stimulated enough to make every- thing work out nearly, if not quite, up to the program. Ohio. Answers. — 1. Certainly. You can introduce a queen of the new stock into any one of your colonies. Also, when a colony swarms, any time within a week you can destroy all the queen-cells in the mother colony and give it a queen-cell of the new stock. 2. You can use foundation-splints in any kind of a frame. Neither is it necessary to have the bottom-bar in 3 pieces, nor to have it heavy. If the bottom-bar is in one piece, let the foundation come down to it, being cut true so as to make a close fit, and then run melted wax along the edge of the foundation so as to fasten it to the center of the bottom- bar. 3. Now look here, you're not going to let the bees beat you in a little thing like that, are you ? Suppose you have a colony with your best queen, and it is the weakest one in the yard, and yet you want it to swarm first. Don't go to stimulating. Just give it a frame of well sealed brood perhaps 2 weeks or longer before there's any danger of any colony swarming. In a day or two you can give it another frame or two, and again after another interval, and keep on until it is the strongest colony you have. Take the brood from the strongest colonies, and that will stop them from swarming, while it will turn your best colony toward swarming. You can also help matters after you have the hive full of brood, by taking away combs that are not well filled with brood, or that have young brood unsealed, and swapping them for combs that have mostly sealed brood. Thus weakening your strongest of the other colonies, and strengthening this one colony, why should it not swarm first ? Then as often as it swarmed, you could each time set it in place of a strong colony, thus strengthening it to swarm again, and each time it swarmed setting it again in place of another colony, thus keeping it strong for swarming so long as its queen-cells last. Why So Small a Swarm? 1. I got a queen July 18, 1908. I gave her to a weak colony and on August 30 I changed her to a stronger colony. This last colony showed quite a few yellow bees last fall. I have been watching them pretty closely to see the black bees disappear, but to my surprise the yellow bees began to disappear. I opened the hive yesterday and found the frames full of brood, but all black bees. What became of the yellow queen? 2. Why were the bees so black? They don't look like hybrids. 3. After I looked in the hive yesterday (April 25), say 10 a. m., a small swarm came out. Maybe there was a pint of them. They flew in the air pretty badly scattered. I fol- lowed them. They went to a neighbor's about a quarter of a mile away, who had bees, and they mixed with his bees. I suppose they killed them. They were in front of one of his hives fighting, and some were in the air. What caused them to cast such a small swarm? Kansas. Answers — 1. You don't say whether you gave the queen without any bees to the strong- er colony, or united the weak colony, queen and all, with the stronger. I suspect the latter, and that there never were any yellow bees in the stronger colony except those you gave with the queen; and the queen was killed as soon as given. 2. The probability is that there was a black queen in the hive at the time you gave the yellow queen, or else the bees reared a young black queen, whose workers would be black and not hybrid. 3. You don't say what was left in the hive, whether all the bees went or not. If all or most of the bees went, it was a case of discour- aged bees deserting their hive, not an unusual thing in spring. Queen-Rearing — Reversible Bottom- Boards. 1. If I put an empty hive-body under a colony of bees to give them plenty of room, and then when I want to, reduce to one hive, if I should put one hive-body on a new stand, would the colony without a queen rear one for itself? If I understand it right, bees can rear a queen if they have all stages of brood to choose from. 2. I have bottom-boards that can be put upside down and there will be a larger en- May, ipop. American Hee Journal trance. When should I change them? I have them on the smallest way now. Iowa. Answers. — 1. Yes, if at any time you put on a new stand one or more frames of brood in all stages with adhering bees, the bees will rear a queen. But if too weak they may desert. Even if quite strong, you may not get a good queen, for there will be no field-bees, no honey coming in, the bees will feel dis- couraged, and a discouraged lot of bees is not the thing to rear a first-class queen. If vou vary the matter a little, you will have a good queen. When the colony is strong and honey is yielding well, take 2 frames of brood with the queen and aohering bees, and put them in a hive on a new stand. The bees in the old hive will be in the best condition to start good cells. About a week after taking the queen away, take away the hive with the queen, and put on the stand a story filled -with brood and bees (or as many frames as you like), of course taking queen-cells with them, from the old hive. Put the queen with her 2 frames of brood back in the old hive, and the bees will do the rest. 2. The shallow part of the bottom-board should be put uppermost as soon as honey begins to yield, or even as soon as bees fly in spring, and reversed again after the fall harvest is over. The deep space is for advan- tage in wintering. Tough Spring on Bees. This has been a tough spring on bees here. The bees have got almost nothing. The peach- bloom is j ust passing with not much to the bees. Today it is windy and cold. No swarms yet. R. B. Perry. Greenfield, Tenn., April 1?. Bees Wintered Well. Out of 125 colonies and nuclei of bees put into the bee-cellar last fall, 124 were taken out alive and in good shape this spring. The 125th one starved through the carelessness of their keeper. Yet it is said that the golden Italians do not winter well! G. M. DOOLITTLE. Borodino, N. Y., April 11. Bees Wintered Well. Bees have wintered well. They have not gathered much honey yet. It has been so cold that the fruit has not bloomed yet. I wish that the next meeting of the National Bee-Keepers' Association would be held at Kansas City, so that the members who live in Kansas could attend. J. L. Young. Manhattan, Kans., April 20. No Loss in Wintering. Bees came out of the cellar in good order — 50 colonies without any loss. I run for comb honey altogether. I have my hives and foundation, everything but sections. This makes 78 years without any vacation, but i don't keep so many as I formerly have kept. John Cline. Darlington, Wis., April 24. Bees Wintered All Right. I put my bees into the cellar October 15, 1908, and took them out to fly March 31, 1909, at which time they appeared to be all right, although the temperature in the cellar stayed at about 35 degrees, Fahrenheit, all winter. It was very damp and some of the combs were a little moldy. David E. Dobbs. Indus, Minn., April 16. "Taming," Bees, Etc. After reading the American Bee Journal, I am struck forcibly by the difference' in my knowledge of bees now from when I tried to handle bees before reading a word about them. In 1883 I first tried my hand at "taming" bees. I put on a heavy pair of fur gloves. took a pail of water and molasses, equal parts, and I sprinkled the hive or box, then sprinkled the swarm like a woman sprinkles clothes to iron, etc, but before I got my bees "put," I had a quart of them crawling in the fur of the gloves, all stinging and roaring. I put the colony in a frame-building to winter. In the course of a few months I went back and found most of the bees in a window, dead, and the hive empty. I would know better now. I would like to see a law passed to com- pell a man to pass an examination before being allowed to keep bees. I*. W. Benson. Liberty, Nebr. Bad Spring Weather. We have had some bad weather here since the evening of April 28. It snowed about 5 or 6 inches, then a long warm rain for a few days, which melted the snow. This made a big flood. We have had just a day now and then that the bees could fly. Saturday and Sunday were very bad. I have 21 colonies of bees. They wintered well — just one weak one. They have been gathering some pollen. Ralph E. Stevens. Scio, N. y.. May 3. Cold and Backward Spring. Though the bees wintered splendidly, and are in fair condition still, there have been periods of long duration this spring with icy winds. I never saw the old bees taken away so rapidly before. Searching for pollen they get chilled never to return. Tonight, as I write, the ground is white with 2 inches or so of snow, a steady fall of snow having been in progress some 3 hours. Allen Latham. Norwichtown, Conn., April 29. Swarms on April 6. I have 24 colonies of fine Italian and hy- brid bees in lO-frarae Jumbo, double-wall hives. I have had 2 large swarms — one on April 6 and the other April 11. Other hives are run- ning over with bees and will swarm soon. White clover is beginning to bloom. Fruit- bloom is almost gone. Then comes black- berry bloom, poplar, etc., and cotton later. J. W. Lewis. Charlotte, N. C, April 13. Likes This Journal— Wintered Well. Out of 8 to 10 periodicals that come into my home, the American Bee Journal to me is the most interesting. I have taken it but one year, but so tightly has it gripped my interest, that I belive I am safe in saying I will continue on its list of subscribers as long as I live and keep bees. I am practically a beginner with bees, but have 23 colonies which have been win- tered on the summer stands without the loss of a colony, and what is still more remark- able, without the loss of one queen. George W. Fuller. Cattaraugus, N. Y., April 1. Moving Bees a Long Distance. The moving season is doubtless well over. All have been seeking the Eldorado, and have yet to find that they have reached the de- sired place. I am one of the movers, having come to Southern Illinois from Central Louis- iana. I stopped short of Eldorado by 8 miles, and so I suppose that I may expect some disappointments and failures. My move up here was a disappointment so far as the manner in which my car was knocked and brought up short with a jerk at some places, was concerned. It was a fail- ure as to my success in shipping my bees. My experience may be helpful to others, and so I will give it to you. I wired the bees in with galvanized screen- ing, nailing a wooden strip the length of the front of the hive to the body, and one on the alighting-board. I used hive staples to fasten the bottom to the bodies, driving them in full depth, and so set that the staples if con- tinued would form the sides of a triangle. This held the bottoms rigid and all right. I also used staples to fasten supers and tops to the bodies until my store was all used. Then I went to the tinner and bought some light-gauge galvanized strips, one by 6 inches. I nailed the remainder of the hives with these, using one-inch brood-frame nails. I placed all of the hives in the car with the frames running with the length of the car. excepting one hive, which was crosswise. This one exception was in the best condition upon my arrival here. Many of the hives were fairly \yeU stored with honey and plenty of bees. Some were well stocked with bees. Now the result: The hives having J^-inch en- trance and the most honey fared worst. The bees clogged the entrance and suffocated. The heavy handling on the car broke down all of the full combs, crushing and drowning a great many bees. The hives having the least bees and stores came through all right. Every frame that was not wired had the combs broken. All frames which had been wired on the diagonal plan were also, and only one frame that had been wired in the standard method was broken. I estimate that I lost at least two-thirds of my bees. Some hives which had been full stapled were broken open. These hives, of course, lost all of the bees by straying on the road. Now, if I were going to make another long move, I would use staples only on the bot- toms, and galvanized strips for the supers and covers. I would extract all of the honey, and place candy in two full frames for the bees to feed upon. I would have every frame wired in the standard way (I shall not use the diagonal wire plan again) , and I would sell my bees before starting if I could get half of their value. This I could not do. I could have very easily given them away, or what is next to it, by accepting about 14 their value. This I would not do, hence this experience. I trust that this may help some brother who feels that he must move. H. F. Hitch. Harrisburg, 111., April 16. Eastern New York Convention. The Eastern New York Bee-Keepers* Asso- ciation will hold its second semi-annual con- vention at the Court House, in Catskill, N. Y., Saturday, May 15, 1909. Sessions at 10:30 a. m., and 1:30 p. m. Bee-keepers' headquar- ters at Bell's Commercial Hotel. We desire the attendance of all who are interested, as there will be special matters for attention. We will also have discussion on seasonable topics, question-box, etc. N. D. West and other inspectors are expected to be present. Come and get the benefits of co- operation, some of which are reduced prices on bee-supplies and periodicals. Ladies espec- ially invited. D. A. Frazier, Sec. 440 Second Ave., Albany, N, Y. Safe Introduction of Queens — Wiring Frames, Etc. In answer to Louis Macey (page 151) there is a way to have a queen lay during her in- troduction, and a very good way, too. Take a piece of wire screen about 5x5 inches, ravel out all around the edges for about one inch, turn the ravelled ends down at right angles to form a sort of box. Now get a comb of hatching-brood, shake the bees off and bring it in the house, and select a spot where the cage will cover some hatching brood and also some honey. You must have enough honey to last the queen and hatching bees several days. An old, tough comb is best, as the bees do not gnaw around the cage so readily. Drop the queen on just where you want her and press the wire points into the comb till the points come to the mid-rib of the comb, and replace the comb in the hive. The hatch- ing bees will never harm the queen, and if your work is well done so that the outside bees can not get in she will soon be laying. In 4 or 5 days, if all is well, and bees are not offering to molest her through the screen, remove the screen, and after noting the be- havior of the bees to her, close the hive up and let alone a few days, as too much tinker- ing often causes the bees to attack their queen. Now a word to Wm. M. Whitney and "Bach- elor Bee-Keeper," in regard to wiring: I would not think of saying that Mr. Whit- ney's plan is "an absolute failure," for no doubt he makes it work, but I failed utterly, as the combs would be wavy. My plan is to use 3 horizontal wires in the Hoffman frames, and I get beautiful combs. I put the wire in fairly tight and when I pick a wired frame up to put in foundation, I put my left hand against all the wires at once and press in such a way that the upper wire is slightly slacked, the middle one a little more out and the bottom one still more ; this is to allow for stretching of the foundation. As I imbed the wires, I place them so they "sag up" instead of down, and then the founda- May, 1909. American IBae Journal tion never buckles. I use Dadant's thin-brood foundation, and it never stretches enough to show on the finished combs. I extract all my honey, and sometimes have as much as 4 tons, and am not at all careful with the combs, but the 3 slack wires always hold them in. In regard to the Illinois bee-keepers who are objecting to the toul-brood law, if Mr. Stone is positive that their bees have foul brood, would it be any injustice to them, or would it place him liable in any way, if he gave their names? As it stands, it reflects on all bee- men in north or south of the State, no mat- ter how clean their apiaries may be, or how careful they may be about spreading disease. Many bee-keepers all over the country, when they order queens, would naturally steer clear of these two neighborhoods, and as there are several honest queen-breeders in this State, it reflects injustice on all alike. S. F. Trego. Swedona, 111. Wintering Bees in a Warm Room. Wintering in a warm room, bees fly every day in winter. June 4, 1908, a colony swarmed. Ten days after swarming, they were looked over and 7 queen-cells found. Four were cut out and one left. One frame containing 2 queen-cells, well filled with brood and voung bees, was removed and placed in an o'bser\'ation hive, to form a single-frame colony. On June 19, one queen hatched, and began laying June 30. The bees of the original brood had become somewhat reduced when the young brood began hatching on July 20. Since then the colony has been very strong. August 22 I began feeding sugar syrup for winter stores, 3 parts sugar to one of water. They filled the frame about 3-4 full by September 1, when feeding was discontinued. October 29 they were brought inside and placed on a table, with the en- trance of the hive opening into a flying- cage. The cage is 2 feet square, made of 3-4-inch pine strips for the frame-work, covered with wire netting on all sides, with a door half the size of one side, for the purpose of clean- ing the cage, and setting in potted plants. Blooming plants, such as mignonette, ciner- aria, etc., have been kept in the cage at all times, also fresh water. After 4 or 5 days the bee3 appeared to have become accustomed to confinement, and every day during the win- ter they would come out into the cage, often- times flying about and returning to the hive without alighting. The temperature of the room has ranged from 50 to 70 degrees. On January 26, the queen began laying^ and continued until a space of 5 inches in diameter on each side of the frame was filled with brood. February 8, rye flour was given them. They did not readily take this from a dish, but when sprinkled on the -flowers, they would take the flour as readily as the original pol- len. At this time winter stores were getting low, and the queen stopped laying. March 27, I began feeding honey instead of sugar syrup. Thia will be continued until the outside supply is available. The queen began laying again ag soon as feeding was commenced. One very interesting feature which the fly- ing-cage has made possible has been the ac- curate noting of the number of bees that have died from day to day during their confinement. During November, 93 died ; in December, 60 ; in January, 154; in February, 201 ; in March, 361. April has averaged about the same as in February thus far, while the hatchfcg of the new brood appears to have kept the total number in the colony nearly uniform. Since the warm weather, the young bees appear more restless, and try to get outside. I shall let them pass out through the cage soon. G. T. Whitten. School of Horticulture, Hartfo'rd, Conn., April 8. MILLER AUTOMATIC DECAPPERS For all Frames and Sections. $5 to $3S. Send for descriptive Catalog. APICULTUR&l MANUFACTURING 60.. Providence, R. 1. Bee-Keeper Visits Manufacturers. The production and marketing of honey has always been one of my hobbies. I derive a great deal of pleasure in caring for my bees, and the busy workers net me a nice income each season. During the past 10 years I have of the modern machinery which turns out sec- tions and other bee-supplies in large quantities, and the systematic handling of the material by the experienced employees, gave me the impression that this plant was a very busy bee-hive. The next day I took the train and paid a Minneapolis Plant of the Minnesota Bee-Supply Co. used a good many bee-supplies for the proper care of my bees and the marketing of their honey. The majority of these supplies I have purchased from the Minnesota Bee Supply Co., 152 Nicollet Island, Minneapolis, Minn. Hav- ing always had a desire to go through a plant of this kind, I called on this firm while on a visit for a few days in Minneapolis. This concern has a modern 3-story factory which is situated on Nicollet Island and the horse-power for operating its machinery is fur- nished by the water of the famous St. An- visit to their new branch factory at Buffalo, Minn., which is about 37 miles from Min- neapolis. Built of brick and cement, this plant is practically hre-proof, and the floor-space, in- cluding the additions, is about 100 feet wide by 140 feet long. At this factory the lumber is cut direct from the logs,, which is then run into the two large kilns to dry. The crude ma- terial when properly dried goes into the fac- tory, and with the exception of abput 12 opera- tions by hand, the modern machinery turns out tne finished product. In the yards there is at Buffalo. Minn., Branch Plant of the Minnesota Bee-Supply Co. thony Falls. Their factory, including the ware- houses, gives them about 15,000 feet of floor space for the manufacture and storing of goods. The warehouses arc arranged so as to store the different kinds of bee-supplies in proner order so they can be easily handled for prompt shipments. The lumber yards are situated in the rear of the plant, and run along the banks of the Mississippi River. The whirl present about V/i million feet of logs which is to be worked into bee-keepers' supplies and berry-boxes. The many different modern ma- chines for the manufacture of the various sup- plies; the Corliss engine which develops 135 horse-power, the 2 steam boilers ; the 150 feet of shafting, the miniature railroad and cars for transporting material to the different parts of the factory and yards; the electric light plant for furnishing light for the factory and yards; the side-tracks from the railroad, and the perfect arrangement of the plant as a whole, established the fact in my mind that this concern has the facilities for turning American Vae Journal to be congratulated on their equipment, and the facilities at their disnosal to supply the needs of the bee-keeper. Their goods are of the high- est standard and aside from this fact, they are entitled to the patronage of the purchasing quantity of native basswood in the vicinity of River Falls, and that Mr. Putnam is installing a new equipment for the manufacture of bet- ter and more perfect sections than are usually found on the market. W. H. Putnam Sawing Basswood Bolts for Sections at River Falls. Wis. out first-class goods in the shortest possible time. Employing 60 men, the plants have a capac- ity of about 60,000 sections, 2,000 shipping- cases, and 300 hives, per day, as well as numer- ous other lines of supplies, berry-boxes and crates. Car-load orders are filled at either plant, but orders for smaller quantities are filled from the warehouses in Minneapolis. The facilities for prompt shipment over the many railroads, and the advantages in purchas- ing lumber from the great lumbering center, makes Minneapolis an ideal spot for the home of a bee-supply and berry-box manufacturing industry. The Minnesota Bee-Supply Co., are public for the many courtesies extended to their customers at aii times. Progressive Bee-Keeper. Putnam's Bee-Supply Factory. We show our readers herewith a picture of one of the familiar scenes at the bee-supply factory of W. H. Putnam, of River Falls, Wis. The question of sections is one that concerns every honey-producer. Basswood is about the only material that has proven en- tirely satisfactory for making sections. We are informed that there is still a considerable We remember Mr. W. H. Putnam as one of the jolly crowd that went in the snecial car to attend the 'National convention at San An- tonio, Tex., in November, 1906. He has de- veloped some skill as a public demonstrator with live bees. His colonies have taken first premium at a number of State Fairs, and nis method of dealing direct with the consumer, is, in a way, an innovation from the estab- lished custom. We have met Mr. Putnam per- sonally several times, and take pleasure in call- ing attention to his growing and deserving institution. Its advertisement will be found on another page. Tennessee- Bred Queens 37 Years Experience, breed 3-band Italians only. November 1st to July 1st | July 1st to Nov. 1st 1 6 IS 1 6 18 Untested $1.00 $5.00 $900 $ .75 $4.00 $750 Select Untested 1.25 6.50 1200 1.00 500 9 CO Tested 1.75 9.00 17.00 1.50 8. 00 15. 00 Select Tested 2.50 13.50 25. 00 2.00 1000 18 00 Breeders $4.00. Add twenty percent for queens to be exported. Nuclei, without queens: 1-frame, $2.50: 2-frame. $3.50: 3-frame. $4.50. 1 Full Colony. 8-frame, $9.00. Select the queen wanted and add to the above prices. NOTE I have transferred to my son, Benj. G. Davis, my atraipht 5-hand and Golden depart- ment, and in order to receive the promptest attention, all correspondence for these should be sent direct to him. He practically grew up in my queen yards, rears queens by my methods, has had charge of this department for years, and understands his business. Prices same as above except Breeders, which are fl.oo to $10.00. No disease. JOHN M. DAVIS, Spring Hill, Tennessee, U. S. A. "A Year's Work in an Out-Apiary" This is the title of a 6o-page, paper- bound book, 6x9 inches in size, vi^ritten by G. M. DooHttle, of New York State, vifho is so vjeU known to our readers. It tells how an average of 114^^ pounds of comb honey per colony was secured in a poor season. Mr. Doolittle's over 35- years' experience in producing comb honey gives the weight of authority to what he says on the subject of bees and bee-keeping. The book is sent postpaid for 50 cents ; or with the American Bee Journal one year — . both for $1.10. Send all orders to the American Bee Journal, 118 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, 111. Books for Bee-Keepers Have you a good bee-book? Many bee-keepers do not have. And that is where they make a big mistake. A bee- paper cannot take the place of a good bee-book. The paper is a splendid thing to read in connection ivith the book. On another page we make some generous clubbing offers of bee-books with the American Bee Journal. Why not order a book when renewing your subscrip- tion? You will find the book and the Journal a great combination. You should have both of them. May, 1909. American l^ee Journal Laiv^stroth Honey- Bee on the Revised by Dadant— Latest Edition This is one of the standard books on bee-culture, and ought to be in the library of every bee-keeper. It is bound substantially in cloth and contains nearly 600 pages, being revised by that large, practical bee-keeper, so well-known to all the readers of the American Bee Journal— Mr. C. P. Dadant. Each sub- ject is clearly and thoroughly explained, so that by following the instructions of this book one cannot fail to be wonder- fully helped on the way to success with bees. The book we mail for $1.20, or club it with the American Bee Journal for one year — both for il.70 or, we will mail it as a premium for sending us FIVE NEW subscribers to the Bee Jour- nal for one year, with $3.75. This is a splendid chance to get a grand bee-book for a very little money or work. Address, GEORGE W. YORK (& CO., 118 W. -Tackson Blvd.. CHICAGO, UX. UNCAP your combs with MILLER AUTOMATIC DECAPPERS For Frames and Sections. $5 to $35. Free Catalog. APICULTURAL MANUFACTURING CO . Providence, R. I. DOOLITTLE & CLARK Have just taken from their beecel- lars some of the finest Italian breed- ers ever seen. Prices, $2.50. $5.00. and $10.00. Ready for delivery May 1st. 5Atf BORODINO, ONONDAGA CO., N. Y. Mention Be« Journal when wi-lttnv ITALIAN QUEENS Reared under supersedure conditions, un- tested at $1.00 each until after July 10th, when the price will be 75c. Queens ready after May 25th. Send for price list. 5A4t O.F.Fuller.R.F.D..BIackstone,Mass. Reference. Arthur C.Miller. Providence. R.I. McBtloB Bc« JonruJ wkca wrltlas. A New Honey-Spoon. Over in England they have a handy new honey-spoon — or at least a device in its handle that will prevent it from get- ting down into the jar of honey on the dining table, thus avoiding sticky fingers and spoilt table-cloths. It is a very in- genious contrivance, and should have a large sale among honey-consumers, es- pecially bee-keepers. It is well plated on high-class nickel. We have secured some of these very unique spoons, and will mail them at 90 cents each. Or, we will send a spoon and the American Bee Journal one year — both for $1.50. It would make a fine gift. " // Goods are Wanted Quick Send to Pouder. " ESTABLISHED 1889 Bee-Supplies. Root's Goods in Indiana standard Hives with latest improvements, Danzenbaker Hives, Honey-Boxes. Comb Foundation and everythma that is used in the bee-yard. Large illustrated catalog mailed free. Finest White Clover Extracted Honey for sale in any quantity desired. WALTER S. POUDER, 859 MassachuseHs Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. Bee-Xalk BEE-TALK is the title o£ my Educational Catalog of Bee-Keepers' Supplies. A val- uable pamphlet touching upon many of the phases of practical Bee-Keeping. Price 10 cents. In part as follows : _. „u . ». .,. J I Insure an increase of 25 percent in Honey. The Chantrj^Methods . Insure every comb fancy. For the l-xpert ( No unfinished sections. Instructions for beginners direct the novice, step by step, through all the year. " Heat Preservatives " covers some of the vital points in spring management. " The Bargain Counter " will be of interest to all. In fact. ■' Bee-Talk " is a combination of bee-journal and price-list of bee-keepers sup- plies It will be worth many dollars to any bee-keeper who will follow its instructions. Because " Bee-Talk " is valuable to so many bee-keepers who might not become cus- tomers, it is proposed to ask for 10 cents in stamps to accompany request. Same to be credited on any order during the year from person sending the lO.cents. Why do I charge 10 cents for it? 1st.— Because it is different from all other bee-supply catalogs. There is information in " BEE-TALK " that no other catalog can contain. "BEE-TALK" is the product of 25 years' personal experience with bees, of two schoolmasters, extending over the western half of the United States. 2d. -Bee-supply catalogs which are free contain little or no practical instruction to bee-keepers. . , .. , , . , 3d. —Some of our lists are getting old. Many people who were bee-keepers years ago have died, some have moved away, and many no longer keep bees. None of these people will care to receive a supply catalog, and it is a waste of money. Many supply firms print 100.000 catalogs. This involves four items of expense : (a) Getting the names. ( My Prices to the Consumer (b) Cost of printing and editing the catalog. .1 are Actually Less Thau (c) The postage. ) Other Firms Charge in (d) Clerk hire. < Car-Load Lots. The consequence is that the business must pay these expenses in addition to all others, or stop : therefore the supply-dealer must add these expenses to the cost of his goods, and the bee-keeper wonders why supplies cost so much. The prices listed in " BEE-TALK " on the articles which I make are lower than the same class of goods can be bought anywhere else. To illustrate : Gviaranteed Best Quality In Flat-Including Nails. 1 Hive. 5 Hives. 10 Hives. 25 Hives. Other Dealers-IH-Story 8-Frame Hive (D.T.).. $1.85 $8.50 $15 50 $36.50 My Price-l!/>-Story 8-Frame Hive " .••• 1.40 6.75 13.00 3L50 You Save When You Buy of Me $.45 $1.75 $2.50 $5.00 4th. -Fall of 1307 the Minnesota State Fair paid me $50 to demonstrate with live bees at the Fair: Wisconsin State Fair paid me $-50 for same. , ,. . ,„ Fallot iy08 .Minnesota State Fair paid me $110.00 in premiums for display of Bees Fall of 1908 Wisconsin State Fair paid me $70.50 inpremiums for display of Bees I mention these facts to show you that I can and wish to be of real service to those who want it. but I do not care to force myself on any one who does not desire my services. I therefore charge 10 cents for " BEE-TALK.'' and enclose a slip with each catalog which counts as cash when purchasing any goods from me. Recent Voluntary Testimonials STORY CITY low.-i. Dec. 22. 1908.— I am just tickled to death almost over the fine material and workmanship in the 100 hives just received. Beats Co. so badly there is no comparison. John Egenes. HALSEY Oreeon. Dec. 20. 1908.-The goods recently ordered from you have arrived. THINK THEY ARE FINE. Enclosed find a second order and S33.31 to cover. N.I.Sneed. ST CROIX FALLS. Wis.. Auk. 15. 1908.-VVc have put together the 1000 sections just received from you. and NOT ONE broke in putting them up. R. D. McClane. TURTLE LAKE Wis.. March 24. 1909.-I received yourcard announcine your " BEE-TALK" for 10 cents I would gladly pay you Sl.OO if you asked it. I learned more from your Catalog last year than I did from 12 numbers of You shall have my order for supplies this year. ' J. O. Aase. BOSCOBEL. Wis . Feb. 27. I909.-Some time ago I received your pamphlet called "BEE- TALK." I have read it. and I find no good reason why I shall not order my supplies of you this year, as I believe they are up to the minute; in fact. I want you to start me m the bee-busmessjje; cause you can start me right. J- R- Kennedy. .__-, VIRGINIA. III.. April 19. 1009.-Mr. W. W. Bishop sent his third order this year, and said. " Wish to say I never had better or nicer hives than yours." L.^ter.- April 23. 1909.-I want to say: Nailed up the first of your hives this morning. I have had hives from 4 other parties but yours are the hest of the bunch in material, finish, and say. they go together so nice. I hope you are enjoying a good trade. I have only 10 colonics of bees, and work them forinyown use and amusement, as I am 62 years old and cannot do hard work." W. W. HisHop. TWO CAR-LOADS of Bee-Hives and Supplies on hand. Two competent foremen, electric-lighted, water- power plant. ALL at your service. Continuous run. day and night, when necessary. I expect manufacturer's profit only. Write today and enclose 10 cents for " BEE-TALK. ' W. H. PUTNAM. River Falls, Wis. May, 1909. American Vee'Jonrnal Bees and Queens FOR SALE Full colony in 2-story 8-frame L. $7.00 ; price of queen to be added. hives, NUCLEI One3-frame Nucleus, $2.75 ; price of queen to be added. QUEENS Tested Queen in April and May, $1.25. War- ranted, in May. 75 cts.: $7.50 per dozen. Italian, Carniolan. or Caucasian, at the above prices. Virgin Queens of the above strains, 25 cts. each; dozen, $2.50, 4Atf ARTHUR STANLEY, Dixon, Illinois Mention Bee Jonrnal when vrritlns. BEE-KEEPERS Write us now for our Catalog and get low prices on good, honest, BEE-KEEPERS' SUPPLIES Our epecialtj is making Sections. All other eoodi up-to-date. AUa. LOTZ & SON, Cadott, Wis. 10A34t Please mention tbe Bee Jonrnal. PRIZE TAKERS Pharr's Goldens took first prize at 3 ex- hibits in Texas in 1907. We will furnish Golden, Carniolan, Caucasian, and 3-band Italian Queens, untested. $1.00 till June 1, then 75 cents. Tested, $1.25 till June 1. then $1.00. For large quantities, write. Our 3- band Breeders from W. O. Victor and Grant Anderson strains; other races from the best obtainable. "Prompt service and satisfac- tion." is our motto. Address, 3Atf NEWCENTURYQUEEN-REARINGCO., or JOHN W. PHARR, Berclair, : : : Texas Mention Bee Jonmal when wrlttns- MR. BEE'MANf We handle the well-known Lewis Bee-Ware at factory itrlces, such as Dovetail Wis- consin Hives. Sections, and everything that is needed by bee-keepers. Also. Dadani Foundation and Bingltam Smoirers Illustrated catalog free. The G. M. SCOTT CO., 1009 £. Washington St., Indianapolis, Ind, FOR SALE Hoffman Self-Spacing Frames, in the fiat— 2 cents apiece. MRS. AUG. JOSEPHSON. Box 121 Granville. 111. Insure Your Comb Honey Against Breakage You cannot afford to buy packing-cases for your comb honey till you have investigated the nevp Crane Cellular Comb Honey Ship- ping-Case. See the description in April 15th Gleanings or in June American Bee Journal. Why not send 25c for a sample case and see for yourself ? The price of sample case will be credited on your first order. At least send for a circular. J. E. CRANE & SON, - - Middlebury, Vermont CHOICE ITALIAN QUEENS are the result of careful selection and breeding from the best honey-gathering strains of superior long-tongue Italians. Our methods will produce perfectly-developed, long-lived and prolific queens. If you want bees that will winter well, build up rapidly in the Spring, and roll in the honey, our queens will produce them. We are now booking orders which will be filled in regular rotation, beginning May 1st. You should get in line by placing your orders early. Single queens— golden or three-banded— $1.00; 6, $5.00; 12, $9.00. Safe delivery and satisfaction guaranteed . Send forci rcular— it's an eye-opener. 4Atf THE GOLDEN APIARY, Dodge City, Kansas. U. S. A. Three Millions The magic initials A. Y. P. E. are emblazoned on the Horizon of the Occident. They stand for Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, which means the World's Fair at Seattle that opens June 1st and closes October 16, 1909. Sis great transcontinental railroads will bring the people of the earth to this wonder- ful show, viz : Canadian Pacific ; Great Northern ; Chicago Milwaukee &. St. Paul, North- ern Pacific, Union Pacific, and Southern Pacitic lines. Hundreds of steamships will aug- ment the throng. Tiie Northwest Farm and Home— the oldest descriptive and agricultural magazine in the world— will distribute free at the Exposition several million copies elaborately illustrated and containing articles by well-known authors which will make the periodical invaluable. Send for rate cards and sample copies. Northwest Farm and Home North Yakima, Wash. J. E. HAND will begin the season of 1909 with improved facilities for rearing the CHOICEST QUEENS He has develope'l a syslem of queen-rearing th at contains all the best points of other methods with none of the defects, in- eluding some valuable improvements of his own — in short, a system through which the highest queen development is reached by correct and scientific principles, which means that he is now in position to oiTer to the bee-keeping public a higher grade of queens than is usually offered in the common utility classes, owing to scientific methods which pro- fhice queens of ,i higher development than can be reared by the ordinary method? in vogue, and also to an improved method ot classifying queens which strikes the word select from our list, and gives a square deal to all. No selects means no culls, and the Iiighest grade of queens in the untested and tested classes. These queens will be reared from a superior strain of hardy Northern-bred red clover Italians, "the very best," and will be safely delivered to any address in the United States. Cuba. Canada or Mexico, atihe following prices; Untested, $1.25: 3. j:?.00. Warranted. $1.50r 3, $4.00. Tested. $2.00: 3, $5.00. Special prices on large ordeis. Valuable information free. Send for it to-day. J. E. HAND^ BIRMINGHAM^ OHIO, ERIE CO. Red Clover & Golden Italian Queens Combined As honey-gatherers, color, etc., mystrainhave nosuperiors. Orders booked for July delivery. Untested, $1.00. Select Untested, $1.25. Tested, $2.00. I guarantee a vpell-pleased customer. Send for circular. 5Atf W. M. PARRISH, Lawrence, Kan. Covert. Kan., Sept. 12, 1907. W. M. Parrish, Lawrence. Kan. Dear Sir .-—'Vhe queen I received of you in 1906 yielded, this year, twice as much sur- plus as any other one colony 1 have. Clarence A. Hall. May, 1909. American Vae Journal I WANT YOU to ^et my new, handsome H ^l^r ^^^P Fashion Book, ^mSm^h HUNDREDS OF LATEST STYLES "With illustrated lesions on Cutting and Dress- making, FREE, and I will sell yua all the pat- terns you want for live cts, each. — "^ They are the same patterns Tou nave ahvavs paid ICc & 15c lor at the stores, made by the same people, and correct iu every detail. I publish the FARMER'S CALL, a weekly paper for every memitt'r of the family. An especiallv interesting fea- ture each week are the chil- c— Ic and 2c stamps taken, but a quarter almost always goes safe: John M. STAHL— Enclosed 25c for Fanner's Call for one year, your book oi patterns, pustpaid. and privilege of buy- lag paiteros at 5c eacli. Name... <■•■••■• State 18 Very Special Offer Send me 50c and I will send you the Farmer's Call for one year, the Illinois Farmer for two years, the Fasnion Book prepaid, with privilege of buying patterns at 5c each. Use above coupon, but enclose 50c and write I. F. in the corner. Cut out the coupon right now, fill out, and send to UOHN M. STAHL, J. P.Sta., Chicago, III. (Prop. Farmer's Call for past 25 years. J IF YOU WANT THE BEE-BOOK That;coversjthe whole Apicultural Field more completely than any other pub- lished, send 11.20 to Prof. A. J. Cook, Claremont, Cal., — FOR HIS— "BEE-KEEPER'S GUIDE" Liberal DisconntBto the Trade. Mention Bee Joomal when vrrKfny. n A n M r 0 ' Foot-Power DAnllCO Machinery Ite«d what J. I. I'arkkt. of Charl- ton, N- Y., sayp; "We cut with on© of your Combined Mftchlnen, last winter. 50 chaff hives with 7-1il cap, 100 honey-racka, 600 brood-framea. 2.000 honey-bozee, and a great deal of other work. This winter we hav« double theamonot of be«>-hlTe«,eto., to make, and we expect to do It with this Saw. It will do all yon say It will." Catalog and price-list free. Addrem, W. P. ft JOHN BARNES. »06 Baby St., Roekfbrd, 111. Mention Be« Joamnl vrben vrrltlBS* Western Bee- Keepers s^ow^ou how to Ml Te moiey. Send for our new c»t»- log of the best Bee-ware made. ni CKOUDO HOIKT-rtODCCEU' IM'I. liiTcr. C*l«. SATISFACTION is what I guarantee to those who buy my leather-colored Italian queens. Untested. June. Wc: .3 for J2.50: 6 for $4.75 ; doz.. $9.00: 20 or more at 60c each. Later. 70c ; 6 for $3.75 : doz., $6.50 : 20 or more at 50c each. llAtf S. F. TBEGO, Swedona, III. "Forty Years Amon^ the Bees 95 Sy Dr. C. C. Miller One of the Best -Known Honey - Producers in all the World THIS bool; of over 340 pages tells just how Dr. Miller manages his apiaries to produce the most honey, which, in turn, brings the most money. Dr. Miller has been "at it" some 45 years, and so is competent to tell others the best way to be success- ful with bees. la 1903 his crop of comb honey was over 18,000 pounds, and he is not located in the best honey- producing part of the United States, either Northwest- ern Illinois. The book is bound in substantial cloth, gold-lettered, and is sent post- paid for only $1.00; or with the American Bee Journal one year for $1.50. (Or send us 4 new subscriptions to the Bee Journal— with $3.00 -and we will mail you the book free as a premium.) Every bee-keeper ought to have both the book and the Bee Journal, if not already possessors of them. As X)r. Miller gets a royalty on his book— so many cents on each copy sold— every bee-keeper who buys it is thus helping a little to repay him for his effort to lead others to success through his writings on bee-culture. As we have a good stock of these books on hand, we can fill all orders by return mail. This is the time of year to read up on bee- keeping. Better send us your order at once for Dr. Miller's book, and study it carefully so as to make the most of the bee-season. Address, GEORGE W. YORK (H CO.."«^k'icSlS?iLl^''"- Chick Culture is a new book by A. A. Brigham, Ph. D. It contains no fool theories, no crazy systems- just common-sense. It starts with the mat- ing of the stock birds and the setting of the eggs, and carries the reader straight through to the mature fowl. One chapter for each month— 80 pages: fully illustrated. Price, 50c with a year's subscription to " Poultry Husbandry." POULTRY HUSBANDRY, Watervllle. N, Y. Stop-Look-Listen! If you want to improve your bees you should try at least H doz. of our famous long-tongued Italian Red Clover Queens, bred for business only. Will guarantee them to be equal to the very best queens bred in the U. S. Have been a queen- breeder for 20 years. Untested queens, after May ID. 75 cts each : hi doz., $4.00. Tested, $125 each; H doz., $7.00. Nuclei and full colonies in the season. Send for free catalog of Bees and Queens. 4Atf FRED LEININGER & SON, Delphos, Ohio BINGHAM CLEAN BEE SMOKER HAND-MADE SMOKERS Extracts from Catalojfs — 1907: Chas. Dadant & Son, Hamilton, 111. — This is the ^ a 1 c u- recommend abOTe all others. u. B. Lewis Co., Watertown, Wis. — We have sold those Smok- ers for a good man; years and aever received a single complaint. A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. — The cone fits inside of theloup so that the liquid creosote runs down inside of the smoker. All Bingham Smokers are stamped on the tin, " Patented 1878, 1892, and 1903," and have all the new improvements. Smoke Engine — largest smoker made $1.60 — 4 Inch stOTe Doctor- cheapest made to use 1.10 — 3J^ " Conqueror— right for most apiaries 1.00—3 " Large — lasts longer than any other 90 — 2J^ " Little Wonder — as its name implies 65—2 " The above prices deliver Smoker at your post-ofBee free. We send circular if requested. Original Bingham & Hetberington Uncapping-Knife. T. F. BINGHAM, Farwell, MlGll Patented, May.20,'.1879. BEST ON EARTH. American Bee JoarnaJj May, igop. Now Ready The 97th edition of our catalog is now ready. If you have not received a copy and are ready to place an order for any supplies write for a copy. Our mailing list has over 400,000 names, so time is required to get the entire edition mailed. We explain this so any one may under- stand why a catalog may not reach him early. The A B C of Bee Culture When we announced the completion of the new edition late in 1907 there was a good dtal of satisfaction to notice the big buncb of orders on hand, although we did regret the unavoidaL delay in getting the books to some customers who had waited patiently for months. Over two thousand copies of this edition have already been sent out. We be- lieve all urgent orders have been filled. We felt that the change of price to $1.50 postpaid might cause a little slackening in the demand Not so, however, for in all our experience the orders never came faster. We have alio of the English edition a half leather ^t $2.00 and full leather at $2.50, postpaid. German Edition, A B C der Bienenzucht in paper cov- ers, $2.00. Cloth-bound at $2.50, postpaid, to any country. French Edition, A B C de L' Apiculture, cloth-bound, at $2.00, postpaid, to any country. Gleanings in Bee Culture If you haven't seen a late copy of Gleanings you can't tell from any brief description how really magnificent it is. There are many valuable departments, and our subscribers just at this season of the year are telling how much they appreciate the paper. Each issue is very fully illustrated. The covers are done by the finest engravers in Chicago, and our writers are the best in the land. Besides dozens of writers of prominence whose names we can't even mention for lack of space, we have such men as Dr. E. F. Phillips, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture; Dr. Edward F. Bigelow, Associate Editor St. Nicholas; F. Dundas Todd, former Editor Photo-Bea- con; Allen Latham, Connecticut, etc. A trial of six nonths (12 numbers) costs 2Sc. If in addition to your own subscription you secure others for six months keep loc on each one for your trouble. A liberal cash commission to those who do canvassing for us. Gasoline Engines and Power Honey Extractors For large apiaries, or where the honey comes with a rush and labor is scarce, you should investigate our power machines. A circular of these will be sent on request. THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, MEDINA, OHIO Bee-Supplies Distributor o£ Lewis and Root Bee-Sup- plies. We are now prepared to furnish promptly a full line of Supplies and Berry Boxes. Choice new stock just from factory. Beeswa.x wanted. Send fur Catalog. W. 3. McCARTY. Emmetfsburg. Iowa Mention Bee Journal vrhen vrrltlns. BEE-SUPPLIES. yoD In every way. 10-page catalog free. Brimful of the latest make of hives, etc. Our supplies will please Prices are right. We can make prompt shipments as we carry a full line of A. I. Root Co. '8 supplies in stock. Don't fail to write OS if you are in need of supplies. 8Atf JOHN NEBEL & SON SUPPLY CO., High Hill, Montg. Co., Mo Mention Bee Jonrnal when vrrltlaix* Souvenir Post Cards for Bee-Keepers Twentv beautiful Souvenir Cards, illustrating the Stat'e Flowers of 20 States; on space reserved for correspondence is a well-tried honey-cook- ing recipe and our name. There are 20 different recipes, Thev will make a nice present to any Lady. Send in 30c in stamps and we will mail you a net of cards. r>.A.:it THE COLORADO HONEY PRODUCERS' ASSN.. Denver. Colo. ItaHan Bees for Sale 1 colony, $5 ; 2 for $9 ; S for $20. Queens — Untested, 7Sc each ; 6 for $4 ; Tested, $1 each; 6 for $5. Will put swarms into any style hive to suit pur- chaser. 5Atf I,. BOOMHOWEK. Freehold, Greene Co., N. Y. Mention Bee Journal when vrrltlnc MARSHFIELD BEE-GOODS FRIEND BEE-KEEPER— We are prepared to fill your orders for Sections. A large stock on hand. Also a Full Line of Bee-SuppJies. We make prompt shipments. MARSHFIELD MFG. CO., Marshfield, Wis. lOWA-J. W. Bittenbender, Knoxville. Gregfory & .Son. Ottumwa. KANSAS— S. C. Walker & Son, Smith Center. MICHItJAN-Lengst&Koenisr. 127 South 13th St.. Saginaw. E. S. S. D. Buell. Union Citv. NEBRASKA— Collier Bee-Supply Co.. Fairbury. CANADA- N. H. Smith. Tilbury, Ont. ARIZONA— H. W. Ryder, Phoenix. MINNESOTA-Northwestem Bee-Sup- ply Co., Harmony. ILLINOIS-D. L. Durham. Kankakee. OHIO-F. M. Hollowell Harrison. TE.XAS-White Mfg-. Co.. Blossom. WISCONSIN— S. W. Hines Mercantile Co., Cumberland. J. Gobeli, Glenwood. Westwood Red-Clover Queens ! FOR SAl;E a Hammond Type- ^ J. \-»m». u.(-«.Mj*_i writer in the best working condition. It will be a bargain at the price at which I am going to sell it. Write me at once before it is sold. F.A. STROSCHEIN, WestBloomfield, Wis. Mention Bee Jtmrwml vrtaen irrltlnc. A New York customer writes. " I have tried queens from a good many breeders, but yours are far ahead of them all." 4A4t HENHYSHilFFER, 28t0 Harrison Aie., Sta. L., Cincinnati, 0. Mention nee Jenrnal irhen nrltlns. May, 1909. 101 American Me -Journal "FALCON" Air-Spaced Hives are the best all-the- year hives for the bee- keeper who uses no bee- cellar. Can be packed with chaff if desired. "Sections" Foundation Of the highest quality, a trial order will convince. BEESWAX WANTED Highest price in cash or supplies. Write for Cata- log of full line of our Bee- Keepers' Supplies. Feb. discount, 3 percent. W. T. FALCONER MFG. CO., Jamestown, N. Y. Chicago. April 28.-The market is dull, few sales of comb honey being made, witb best erades ranging from 11 to 12c ; off grades from 1 to 3c less, with occasional sales of small quantities at 12 1-2 to 13c for the fancy. Extracted, white. 7 to 8c-the latter price for basswood ; ambers 6 to 7c. Beeswax, 30c. R. A. Buknett & Co. Cincinnati, April 29.— The market on comb honey is about over. There is no fancy goods in stock. Low grades are still abundant, but they cannot be sold at any sacrifice. Extracted honey fair : white sage selling at 9c ; amber in barrels at 6 1-4 to 6 l-2c. Beeswax is selling slowly at $33 per 100 lbs. C. H. W. Weber & Co. Toledo, April 28. -There is practically no demand for comb honey. We are making sales in a small way at 14 1-2 to 15c, with no demand for lower grades. White clover in barrels or cans is worth 7 ]-2to 8c in a retail way. Amber, extracted, Calfornia. 6 1-2 to 7c. Beeswax 28c cash and 30c in trade. The Griggs Bros. Co. Denver. April 29.— Demand for honey is light. We quote : No. 1 white, per case of 24 sections, $3.00: No. 1 light amber. $2.75: partly granulated comb honey. $1.75 to $2.40 per case, according to condition. White ex- tracted honey, 8',ii to9cperpound: light am- ber, Tri UiUHc : strained, 6 to 7c. We pay 25 to 26c for clean yellow beeswax delivered here. The Colo. Honey Producers' Ass n. Zanesville, Ohio, April 30.-There is some demand for honey though the market is still rather inactive. Best white clover comb honey would bring on arrival 13 to I4c., and sells in a wholesale way at 15 to 16 l-2c. Best extracted wholesales at 9 l-2c. For beeswax I offer 30c in cash or 32c in ex- change for bee-supplies. Edmund W. Peirce. San Francisco. April 12. — Replying to your favor of the 27th ult. relative to market quotations on honey, would say as far as we know there is not a car of honey left either in Southern California or the San Joaquin Headquarters for Bee-Supplies ^ Please Rush My Order g We can, as we have several carloads of hives, sections, foundation and all other bee-supplies. Give Us A Trial Shipments are made the same day order is received. We can supply Red Clover and Golden Yellow Queens. C. H.W. WEBER ^=' Office ind Salesrooms, 2146-48 Central Ave. Warehouses. Freeman and Central A»es. Valley. There is a limited quantity in the northern section of the State of inferior quality, but outside of this it is our opinion the market is absolutely bare. The indica- tions for the coming crop are excellent, and there is a general opinion there will be a very good crop of honey the coming season. Guggenhime & Co. Boston, May 1.— We quote : Fancy white comb honey, 15c : No. 1, 14c : white extract- ed, 8 l-2c ; light amber, 7 l-2c. Beeswax. 30c. Blake, Lee Co. Philadelphia, April 29. — Fancy white comb honey, 18c : No. 1, 16 to 16 l-2c : amber. 14 to 14 l-2c. Extracted honey, fancy, 9 l-2c in 60 lb. cans : amber, 7 l-2c. Wm. A. Selser. Los Angeles, May 3. — Water-white ex- tracted, 8c: white, 7 1-2c: light amber, 7c: amber, 5c. Fancy white comb, 16c ; No. 1 white. 15c: fancy light amber, 14c: No. 1 light amber. 12 l-2c. H. J. Mercer. Kansas City, Mo., May 8.— There is no special change in the honey market since our last quotations. The demand for ex- tracted is light while the supply is fairly good. We quote : No. 1 white comb. 24 sec- tions, $2.50 to $2.60: No. 2 white and amber, $2.25: extracted, white, per pound. 6 1-2 to 7c: extracted, amber, 6c. Beeswax, 25 to 28c. C. C. Clemons Prod. Co. New York, April 29.— There are no new features whatsoever in regard to comb honey. Extracted is in fairly good demand. The old crop is fairly well cleaned up and the stocks on the market are not heavy. We hope for an increased demand during the next 3 months. Prices are ruling about the same. California extracted is selling at from 6 1-2 to 8 l-2c. Southern and West In- dia at from 58 to 6.5c per gallon, according to quality. Beeswax steady at from 29 to 30c. HILDRETH& Seoelken. Indianapolis, April 28.— There is a very favorable demand for best grades of both comb and extracted honey: and while job- bing houses are fairly well stocked, very little honey is now being offered by pro- HONEY FOR SALE We are producers and shippers of ex- tracted alfalfa honey, in car lots, put up in 5-gal. cans, two cans to the case. Every can is inspected betore leaving our warehouse, and all shipments are guaranteed equal to sample in quality. .Sample and i>rice on application. 5.\3t IMPERIAL VALLEY BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATON, El Centro, California ducers. Jobbers are making sales at the following prices ; Fancy white comb, 14 to 15c : No. 1 white, 12c. White clover ex- tracted, in 5-gallon cans, 8 1-2 to 9c. Amber honey is in poor demand, and prices not es- tablished. Bee-keepers are being paid 29 to 31c for beeswax. Walter S.PouDERlij We will Buy and Sell HONEY ^T^ of the different grades and kinds. If you have any to dispose of, or if you intend to buy, correspond with us. We are always in the market for Beeswax at highest market prices. Hildreth & Segelken 265 & 367 Greenwich Street NEW YORK, N.Y. HONEY *-!!? BEESWAX When consigning, buying, or selling, consult R. A. BURNETT & CO. 199 South Water St. Chloaeo, III Mention De« Journal when Trrttlmt^ DADANT'S FOUNDATION 0 *m < Q Z ;? 0 CO H Z < Q 0 > •z H « 0 c z a > H N^ 0 2 DADANT'S FOUNDATION Bee-Supplies for Season of 1909 Complete stock on hand, as our plant has been running steadily so as to take care of the demand for Bee-Supplies the early part of the coming sea- son. We are practically overstocked at this time and advise those in need of Bee-Supplies to order now (shipments may be delayed until you want the goods) before the contemplated advance in prices all along the line. Lumber is dearer and labor has never been so high, but we agree to protect our pa- trons at present prices upon receipt of their orders at this time. It will cost you only one cent for a postal card to get our delivered prices on Dovetailed Hives. Sections, Section-holders, Separators, Brood-frames, Foundation, Smokers, Extractors, Shipping-cases, etc. It may mean a sav- ing to you of many dollars. It is the natural advantage we have over others that enables us to make you the Best Price. There are no better goods than ours, and we GUARANTEE SATISFACTION or REFUND your MONEY. Being manufacturers we buy lumber to advantage, have lowest freight- rates, and sell on manufacturer's' profit basis. Let us quote you prices. Prompt shipment guaranteed. MINNESOTA BEE-SUPPLY COMPANY^ 152 Nicollet Island, Minneapolis, Rllnn. 75c and $1.00 Queens on Approval By return mail. If not satisfactory leave in Post-Office. Write for special prices on Bees and Supplies. A. M. APPLEGATE, Reynoldsville. Pa. 1878 Ninety and Nine 1909 percent of my queens are purely mated, and they cost no more than queens you think are pure. My 12-page circular is fit for a place on the Library Table, and tells about the two best races of bees in the world. Free for a postal. 4Atf A. D. D. WOOD, Box 61, Lansing, Mich. ^U CAPONS briiiKtlie largest profits -luO per cent more than other poul- try. CapoDizlng is easy and sood learned. Progressive poultrymen use PILLING pN*o'*°s'k'li Postpaid $2-50 per set with freelnstruc- ) tions. The convenient, durable, ready- f or-use kind. Best material. We also make | Poultry Marker 25c, Qape Worm Extractor 25o ' [ French Killing Knife 50c. Capon Book Free. 6. P. Pilling & Son. Arch St.. Philad0tphla,>a. QUEENS Of myh Quality Our queens are reared by the most ap- proved methods by a queen specialist of 30 years' experience. We breed the Leather-Colored, Red Clover, and Golden Italians. We solicit the trade of all bee-keepers wishing to secure a hardy, prolific race of Italians, whose honey-getting qualities have been proven superior. Select untested $1.00 lo doz. $5.00 1 doz. $ 9.50 Tested 1.50 " " 8.00 " " 14.00 Select tested 2.00 " " 9.25 " " 16.25 Queens by return mail. Prices for large quantities on application. Circular free. SIRES BROS. £k CO.. North Yakima, Wash. FOR SALE CHEAP ifUVi^At with frames— new, never been used. Also 50 colonies of bees in 8-frame hives— in any quantity desired. J. £. LINDER. Rt. 1, Stockholm, Wis. 49th Year No. 6 June, 1909 ^Srir /"**^*« 75c. a Year 10c. a Copy A E Home Apiary of V. Asprea, not injured by fall of house near-by, June. ipog. American Hee Journal PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY GEORGE W. YORK 8 COMPANY 118 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, 111. IMPORTANT NOTICE. THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE of this Journal ia 71 cents a year, In the United States of America, (except Chicago, where it is $1.00), and Mexico; In Canada 80 cents; and in all other countries in the Postal Union, 25 cents a year extra for post- Age. Sample copy free. THE WRAPPER-LABEL DATE indicates the end of the month to which your subscription ia paid. For instance, " dec09 " on your label shows that it is paid to the end of December, 1909. SUBSCRIPTION RECEIPTS.-We do not send a receipt for money sent us to pay subscription, bat change the date on your wrapper-label, which shows that the money has been received and credited. fldvertlsInQ Rate, per flgate Line, I5c. 14 lines make one inch. Nothing less than 4 lines accepted. Discounts: 3 times 14c a line 9 times lie a line 6 " 12c" " 12 " (lyr.)lOcaline Reading Notices, 25 cents, count line. Goes to press the 6th of each month. National Bee Keepers' Association Objects of the Association. iBt.— To promote the interests of its members. 2d.— To protect and defend its members in their awful riehts. 3d.— To enforce laws against the adulteration of honey. Annual Membership Dues, $1.00. General Manager and Treaaurer- N. E. France, Platteville, Wis. |^~ If more convenient. Dues may be sent to the publiaberB of the American Bee Journal. c ]*2triC are bound to HI take the lead UI<»r for shipping n ^Ao comb honey flighter They are stronger I safer The freight is less UcaLlera prefer them Send for circular J. E. Crane €* Son Mlddlebury, V«. Untested Italian Queen-Bees $4.00 for 6 queens; $2.10 for 3; or 73c for ^%y Italian Q»66n-B66 For a number of years we have been sending out to beekeep- era exceptionally line Untested Italian Queens, purely mated, and all right in every respect. Here is what a few of those who re- ceived our Queens have to say about them : What They Say of Our Queens George W. York & Co. :— The two queens received of you some time ago are fine. They are good breeders, and the workers are showing up fine. I introduced them among black bees, and the bees are nearly yellow nowi and are doing good work. A. W. Swan. Nemaha, Co., Kan., July 15, 1905. George W. Yohe & Co.:— After importing queens for 15 years you have sent me the beat. She keeps 9X Langstroth frames fully occupied to date, and, although I kept the hive well contracted, to force them to swarm, they have never built a queen-cell, and will put up 100 pounds of honey if the flow lasts this week. CHAS. MITCHELL. Ontario, Canada, July 22, 1905. George W. Yobk & Co.:— The queen I bought of you has proven a good ODe, and has given me some of my best colonies. N. P. 06LS8BY. Washington Co., Va., July 22, 1905. Georgb W.York & Co.:— The queen I received of you a few days ago came througli O.K., and 1 want to say that she is a beauty. I immediately introduced ber into a colony which had beeu queenless for 20 days. She was accepted by them, and has gone to work nicely. I am highly pleased with her and your promptness in filling my order. My father, who is an old bee-keeper, pronounced her very fine. You will hear from me again when ] am in need of something in the bee-line. E. B. MCCOLM. Marion Co., III., July 13. We usually begin mailing Queens in May, and continue there- after, on the plan of '^ first come first served." The price of one of our Untested Queens alone is 75 cents, or with the monthly American Bee Journal one year — both for $1.20, Three Queens (without Journal) would be $2.10, or 6 for $4.00. Full instructions for introducing are sent with each Queen, being printed on the underside of the address-card on the mailing-cage. You lannot do better than to get one or more of our fine Standard-Bred Queens. Address, GEORGE W. YORK 01 CO.. 118 W. Jackson. Chicago. III. Lewis Bee- ware Shipped Promptly Send J- or Catalog Pure Italian Bees, in Up-lo-date Hives, and Queens, For Sale. ARND HONEY & BEE-SLPPLY CO. (Not inc.) H. M. Arn.l, Proprietor, Successors to York Honey & Bee-Supply Co., 191-193 E. Superior St., Chicago, 111. Long Distance Telephone, North 15511 Dittmer's Comb Foundation Is the Best. Not because we say so, but because the Bees prefer it to other makes. Dittmer's Process is Dittmer's It has built its Reputation and established its Merits, on its own Foundation and its own Name. We make a Specialty of Working Wax into Founda- tion for Cash. Write for free catalog and prices on full Line of Supplies. GUS DITTMER CO.. Augusta, Wit. June, 1909. 195 ROOT'S GOODS Are money-savers. We have a full line of Supplies, |Bees, Queens, etc., and can supply you with anything in the BEE-LINE Queens any quantity. Untested, 75c each. Tested, $1.00; 4Atf 50 Rea Bee & Honey Co.^ Reynoldsville. Pa. GOLDEN BREEDERS Bred from superior golden stock last sea- son; now ready to mail. Their bees are hustlers and beauties These breeders are as good as money can buy. They are simply fine. Their bees are very gentle to handle— $5.00 to $10.00 each : untested queens ready to mail after April 15. Golden and leather or three-banded stock. Our long experience as a queen-breeder is a guarantee that our queens are as good as the best. Untested. $1.00: 6 for $5.00: 12 for $9.00: tested, $1.50: select tested. $2.50: best. $5.00. This season's rearing. Write for prices on a large number. T. S. HALL, ^^'f Jasper, Pickens Co., Ga. Italian Queens DIRECT FROM ITALY The Best in the World EXTENSIVE APIARIES Address, ENRICO PENNA. Bologna (Italy) Price-List for America i1909) Of If '^t'lfftMil ft-rtilizetl Italian Quet-n, warranl<-il pare and riK'lit niattnl. in May, ♦1.41) ; in Junt*. July, Aujmst ant*?niber. il.30, 1^ Queens, in May, U.OO; in Jane, July, Aujcust and Sfptemlier, $12.00. One extra-selected Italian Breenrn.ll when writing. Western Headquarters FOR ROOT GOODS My stock of goods is the largest and most complete carried in the West, and with car-loads continually being added, I am in position to meet every want of the bee-keeper with promptness and satisfaction. We sell Root's Goods here at Des Moines, Iowa, at Root's factory prices, wholesale and retail. Send for catalog to-day, or send us a list of the goods you need and we will name you prices according to quantity, by letter. Address, 4A3t Joseph Nysewander^ 665 & 567 W. 7th Street, DES MOINES, IOWA. Mott's Strain of Italians Work red clover and other deep blooms. Hardy and gentle. Untested. 75c. Guaran- teed. $1.00. Tested, $1.^5. Golden Queens for the same price. Leaflet. " Safe Plans of Introduction," 15c. Also " Rapid Increase." 15c. Or copy of each. 25c. 4A6t E. E. MOTT. Glenwood, Mich. T'k asc mention Am. I'cc Journal when writing. )>=^^^^ 1 -ITALIAN BEES- Full Colonies and Nuclei FOR SALE We offer for delivery any time after April 15, full colonies of Italian Bees, in 8-frame hives, at $7.00 per colony, including queen : or in lots of 5 or more colonies, at $6.50 each. Nuclei— 3-frame, with queen, at $3.50 each : or in lots of 5 or more, $3.25 each. Nucleus orders to be filled about May 10. The above prices are f . o b. express, ship- ping point 100 miles west of Chicago. Or- ders filled in rotation. Satisfaction guaran- teed. Address, GEORGE W. YORK & CO., 118 W. Jackson Blvd., - Chicago, ill. MILLER'S SuDorlor Italian Qu66ns By return mail after June 1st or your money back. Bred from best Red Clover working strains in U. S. No better liustlers, gentle, and winter ex- cellent. Untested, from my three- banded Superior Breeder— 1, $1.00; 6, $5.00; 12, $9.00; after July 1st, 1, 7Sc; 6, $4.00; 12, $7.50. Special price on SO or more. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaran- teed. Circulars free. 4Atf Isaac F. Miller. Reynoldsville, Pa. THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY Has the latest report of all the best work in practical entomology. Articles upon apicul- ture by national authorities appear in it. If you wish the best entomological journal foi the practical man, subscribe for it. $2 a year. E. DWIGUT SANOERSON, Knsiness MgT., DUKHAM, N. H. BIG BARGAIN SALE on Bee-Supplies I have bouirht all the bee-supplies and machines of the Minneapolis wood and Machinery Co. Send me a list of what you need, and eet the right price. Also Adel, Carniolan, Italian, and Caucasian Queens. CHAS. MONDENG, 4Atf 160 Newton Ave. N., Minneapolis, Minn. My Beautiful Twelve-page Circular in colors is taking like hot-cakes. If you have failed to get one, your library table is incomplete, and you have not learned of the two best races of bees on earth, the Pioneer Ranch of im- ported Italian and Caucasian bees. Just a postal gets it. A. D. D. WOOD. Box 61, Lansing, Mich. <*f my Famous Ked 1 'lover and Uolden btock. Untested, 50c eacli: .Seii ' TJntest- ed, 75c each. Tested, $1 each. Nitcl'jr-Jl per frame, without queen. lA5t B. A. ROSS, 1709 Upper 2d St., Evansvillc, l,.J. Carniolan Queens One tested, $1.00. Write fur prices on dozen lots. 300 Carniolan colonies back o£ the queen rearing. 6A4t WM. KER.NAN. DusKore. Pa. Queens SOME GOOD PREMIUM AND CLUBBING OFFERS Capacity, 24 Pounds by Ounces The NEW FAMILY SCALE Latest Idea in Scales— Terfection Slanting Dial Scales A scale is invaluable for check- ing: up all purchases made. There is a long: felt want in every family for a reliable, accurate, good weighing: pair of scales that is sold at a moderate price. In preserving, cookings and baking, a pair of scales is necessary in weighing the proper proportion of fruit, sugar, etc.. as all recipes are now prescribed by ounces and pounds, instead of the old method of using cups, which were found to differ very materially size. When the bntcher brings a roast or leaves a steak, or "grocery boy delivers your order, it's a mighty good 'lea to weigh it. Suppose a roll of butter ia porchasod. Place a late upon the platform and turn the screw Liwards the left until the hand is brought back again to zero. Then the butter is placed on the plate and the actual weight of the butter is indicated on the dial. Warranted absolutely accurate and will last a life-time. Each scale packed in an individual bnx. It is entirely different trom any scale ever offered. It is built entirely of steel, except the dial, which is niiide ot aluTninum with the marks and figures large enough to t>e seen easily. The back -ground is finished in black. The platfurm is made oi a heavy glazed tile, supported on double stet-l uprights. This is entirely new and never seen on any scale belore. The scale is beautiiully finished in Alumin- _ um Bronze, artistically decorated. It can be instantly adjusted to be used with a basket, plate or any other vessel. Price. S 1 .40, b; express, not prepaid; or with (he American ^ee Journal one year— bolb for $ 1 .90; or ^iveo free as a prem- ium for seadiQit us 5 new subscribers a( 75c each. EUREKA CARPET SWEEPER Case is made of cold rolled sheet steel, finished in a high grade dark green bicycle enamelj baked on. The broom acc- tion is constructed so that while it is a very sensitive action, yet the wheels are always in perfect frictionai contact with the brush roll. The sweeper will not get out of order in any way as the const ructii'n is simple, there being but two sprines used and they are the springs that ht)ld the dust pans firmly in place. The wheels are also made of cold rolled pressed steel, with long cone bearings, fitted ,vith best grade of rubber tires. The sweeper has an anti-tipping attachment, so that no matter how quickly it is drawn over the carpet it will not tip up. The brushes are of the best grade imported Chinese bristles, and in ordinary service are guaranteed to last from H to 10 years. No better brush is made no matter what price the sweeper sells for. On account of the all-steel con- struction the length of the sweeper is about 1 1-2 inches less than other sweepers, alt ht^'Ueh the length of brush is just the For this reasnn it will sweep closer to oase-boards or furniture— a fact which every housewife will appreciate. Price, by express, not prepaid, $2.00; or with the American "Bee Journal a year— both for $2.50; or free as a premium for seadioif us 6 oew yearly subscriptions at 75c a year. s madeothand-Iorged. S'-ltaed Sheffield steel and fully warranted. Extra hollow ground, "e-inch blade, nicely finished and ready use. There is a written guarantee with every nzor, and it It d^es not give perfect satisfaction it will be exchanged. free of charge. Price, postpaid, $1.00; or with a year's subscription to the American See Journal— holhior $1.50; or free as a premium, forseDdin){us3 new yearly subscriptions at 75c each. SELF-SHARPENING SHEARS These shears make a straight clean cut the full length o£ the blades. They never get loose at the joints and these are the only shears that do not. ' These shears are adjustable, self-sharpening and ever ready. The tension spring attachment does away with sharpening entirely and enables the user to set I _ the tension on the rivet so that any kind of material in- (],_ I tended to be cut with the shears may be cut with per- ^^l feet ease. No straining or twisting of the wrist, or forcing the blades together with the thumb and finger, as is required with the old-time shears. K's all in the spring tension. It has a marvelous power and is absolutely inde- structible. You should get one of the self-sharpening spring tension shears while the supply lasts. They are made of car- bon steel, with a keen cutting edge and will cut better and wear longer than any other shears made. They are posi- tively guaranteed and you will never be troubled with dull shears when you get one of these. Price, postpaid, 50c, or with a year's subscription to (be A mertcan "Bee Journal— botb for SI . I 5 ! or sead us 2 new yearly subscriptions at 75c eacb, and we will mail it Iree as a premium. SEND ALL ORDERS TO THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 118 W. JACKSON BLVD.. CHICAGO. ILL. lEntered as second-class matter July 30, 1907, at the Post-Office at Chicago, 111., under Act or March ;i, 1S79.) Published Monthly at 75 cents a Year, by George W. York & Co., 118 West Jackson Boulevard. GEORGE W. YORK. Editor CHICAGO, ILL,, JUNE, 1909 Vol. XLIX— No, 6 CdifoHaf ^o(es and Comment Shipping-Cases of Corrugated Paper On another page Mr. J. E. Crane gives particulars and illustrations of a shipping-case that he has been us- ing with great satisfaction for 3 years. It is said to be lighter, strong- er, and cheaper than a wooden case. One hesitates to believe that it is stronger than a wooden case, but it bears the weight of a man standing on it, which a wooden case would hardly do. However, it is not so hard to understand its greater strength when its construction is un- derstood. It is the upright parti- tions in the case that give such strength as to allow a man to stand with his full weight on a case. Still more important is the fact that the construction practically makes the sections several times stronger. That is, the sections in one of these cases will come unharmed out of a tumble which would ruin thcni in the ordinary case. A wooden case filled with combs fell i8 inches, and every comb but 2 was broken. A paper case fell nearly 3 feet, and not a comb was broken. That is ex- plained by the fact that each section has a separate compartment, and is surrounded on all sides by a cush- ioned wall. Dr. C. C. Miller received one of these paper cases, and sums up the arguments for and against it in a Stray Straw: That Crane shipping-case of paper — doesn't look so pretty as the old case. You can't make as fine a show with such cases piled up as you can with wood-and-glass cases. In making a big pile, or loading a car, it is not quite so easily handled, and won't pack quite «o smoothly; will take more time to fill sec- tions into the little compartments. After a ra«/- i« filled it will take longer to tie up tli.in to tack on a wooden cover. Those are the objections that seem possible. No other objection occurs. On the other hand, we have "a lighter, stronger, cheaper case." Then the item of safety. That is a big item; for those who have not been able to ship without much breakage, an immense item. A single case or any number of cases may be shipped without fastening in a car, and without the heavy expense of carriers. Some may pack a car- Mad of the old kind so as to travel in safety. Kven then, it must be handled in smaller lots when it comes into the hands of the jobber, and then the greater safety of the paper comes into play. We have examined a sample case, and, judging from the extensive experi- ence we have had in shipping comb honey, we think the new Crane ship- ping-case is all right. It is very strnnj,', light in weight, and certainly should answer every purpose for which it is intended. We hope bee-keepers will give it a thorough trial, as we are sure they will like it very much. Laying-Worker Colonies It happens only too often at this time of year that a colony will be found with no brood except drone-brood. There may be a dronc-layiiii; queen, or there may be laying workers. In eith- er case the probability is that most of the bees present are too old to be of much value, and the experienced bee- keeper will generally think that the most profitable thing he can do is to break up the colony unceremoniously, distrib- uting to other colonics the combs with adhering bees. At a time when bees are gathering, these will be kindly re- ceived anywhere. But it is hard to make the begin- ner feel that there is any gain in hav- ing one less hive with bees in. If he has 6 colonies, one of them infested with laying workers, the breaking up of that one colony will leave him the possessor of only 5 colonies. Such a thought is not to be endured. He says, "It's a very simple thing to give that colony a frame of brood from another colony, and it will rear a queen. If you, gentle reader, happen to be that beginner, it may be worth while to say to you that a colony tliat has been queenless for a considerable length of time is not in the best condi- tion to rear a good queen, if indeed it rears one at all. But you will not be persuaded. You'd rather have a poor queen than none at all. You, who are the proud possessor of 6 colonies, have no notion of being reduced to the ranks of those who possess only 5 colonies each. Perish the thought! Well, if you will not be persuaded to break up the colony, at least you can make your chances a little better — a good deal better. Swap brood and bees with other colonies. Go to a good col- ony, take from it a frame or two of brood with adhering bees — be careful you don't take the queen — and give this colony a like number of combs with ad- hering bees from the faulty colony. Do this until you have disposed of all tlie contents of the hive containing the queenless colony, putting into said hive the good brood and bees you have taken from the other colonies. Now you have in this hive a stock of young bees with an outfit of brood in all stages, and if the colony is strong enough, and if hon- ey is yielding well, a good queen may be reared. Of course it will hasten mat- ters if a sealed queen-cell is given to the colony. Still better, if you can give a laying queen. Some of the field-bees will return to this hive, and that will be a good thing. Abundant Ventilation Never was there a time when so much importance was paid as to the importance of plenty of good air for man and bee. It is easy to have a deep space under bottom-bars in win- ter; but in summer the bees may build down combs. J. P. Blunk, in Clean- ings, overcomes this ditificulty by hav- ing an opening at the I)ack as well as at the front of the bottom-board and with this chance for a passage clear June, 1909. American "Bee Journal through, he says there is no building down. On the same page, Dr. C. C. Miller, while commending the plan, points out that it is better suited for hives stand- ing singly than for those standing in groups of 4. In the latter case there is likely to be some mixing of bees. But can any great harm come from mixing? He says that at one time he had his hives raised by means of a block at each corner. There was no building down, but it was unpleasant to work sitting beside such a hive, as the bees would come out at the side and sting his legs. But why didn't he ' set a board against the side of the hive while sitting there? If there can be an abundant open- ing without having the bees build down- it ought to be quite a factor in pre- venting swarming. Destroying Queen-Cells and Swarm- ing Sometimes the beginner thinks he is pretty much master of the situation be- cause he can take out the combs of a colony and kill all queen-cells that have been started. He reasons : "Bees al- ways start queen-cells before swarm- ing, and the first swarm issues when the first cell is sealed, or about 8 days after the egg is laid in the cell. So if I kill all cells once every 8 days, there will be no chance for a swarm to is- sue. Good scheme, and easy." But it is not so good as he thinks. In one case it may be that when the cells are killed once, there may be 110 further attempt at swarming. But in another case there may be cells started again within a day or so. If these are again killed, it only seems to make the bees more determined, and finally the bees may conclude to swarm with queen-cells only slightly advanced, or indeed with none started at all. It may as well be fully understood that destruc- tion of queen-cells is not to be depended on as a preventive of swarming. The exception to this is in the case of afterswarms. When the prime swarm issues, the old queen goes with it, and under ordinary circumstances a second swarm may issue about 8 days later. If, however, a day or two be- fore this time all queen-cells but one are killed, there will be no more swarm- ing. That sounds easy ; and yet the ex- perienced bee-keeper is not likely to practice nor to advise killing queen-cells to prevent afterswarms. There is an easier and better way. It has been giv- en a number of times in these columns. When the prime, or first, swarm issues, set the hive containing the swarm on the old stand and set the old hive close beside it. A week later move the old hive to a new stand 10 feet or more distant. That's all; the bees will do the rest. No need to open the hive at all. ^Moving it that short distance is easier than to open the hive and hunt the cells. Besides that, it is surer. You may miss a cell; the bees will not. Some beginner may say. "I think I'll make the matter still easier by setting the old hive at once at a distance where it is finally to remain." That may be easier, but by no means so sure. For if set at once where it is finally to re- main, the old colony will during the next 7 or 8 days have a large number of young bees emerging from their cells and will feel fully competent to send out another swarm. The case is utterly different if the old hive be placed beside the swarm and not moved to a new place for a week. When then moved, all the field-bees will, upon return from foraging, go straight to the old place and join the swarm. This will greatly deplete the mother col- ony. Not only that, for a day or so nothing will be brought into the hive from the fields. Even if there were no depletion in numbers, this sudden dearth coming suddenly upon them would be enough to drive out all thought of swarming. Don't think of depending on the kill- ing of cells to prevent either prime swarms or afterswarms. Gettmg Many Queen-Cells A new way of getting queen-cells in quan- tity is given by Hans Pechaczek, Bienen- Vater, 247. Let the best queen fill a frame with eggs. When the oldest larvae are a day old. cut the cells into strips somewhat .Alley fafhinn, only don't cut through the septum. With a narrow chisel scrape away between the strips, making sure to leave no eggs or larvae. Destroy eggs or larva in every alter- nate cell in each strip. Put this frame fiat- wise over a strong colony having no queen or open brood. Let it be raised just enough above the top-bars so that there shall be room to build down queen-cells, not allowing the bees to get at the upperside of comb. — Stray Straw in Gleanings. The question may be raised whether the quality of the product will be all right if the quantity be as great as one might suppose with the foregoing plan. It has been claimed that not more than 10 to 12 cells should be pro- duced at one time if they are to be good. It is doubtful, however, wheth- er we have any very positive knowl- edge on this point, although it is very desirable that we should have. Some colonies, notably Cyprians, start 50 cells or more at a time, and so far as reported they are as good as in cases where only 5 or 10 are started. Naturally, one would suppose that in- stinct would hardly lead the bees astray. Moreover, at the time when bees are preparing to swarm there is a great falling oflf in the laying of the queen, and consequently a smaller number of worker-larvse to be fed. That, surely, ought to leave an abundance of extra food for the royal youngsters. When a colony is made queenless, there is an entire cessation of egg-lay- ing. That will make no difference in the number of mouths to feed until the end of about 3 days. Then, sup- posing the queen had been laying at the rate of 2,000 eggs a day, there will be a daily falling off of 2,000 boarders. That ought to leave a pretty good chance for a big lot of queen-cells. "But," asks some one, "how about that first 3 days when there is as yet no diminution in the number of the regular boarders?" Well, in the first 3 days we are told the food given to royal larvae is the same as that given to worker-larvse, and the probability is that in the first 3 days of its exis- tence the quantity of food consumed by a royal larvae does not differ much from that consumed by a worker-larvje. To be sure, a royal larva is fed very lavishly, but it does not consume all it is fed. IIeiK)5 - Items **''•»•''•-■»■ ^'"^"^^ The Iowa Bee-Inspector Law It seems that the legislature of Iowa passed a Bee-Inspector bill a short time ago, but it carried with it no appropria- tion of funds. Consequently the Gov- ernor will make no appointment of in- spector, there being no funds available for paying the expenses. This looks very much af if the law- makers of Iowa had handed the bee- keepers a gold-brick. It seems very strange that a bill should be passed that required funds in order to make it ef- fective, and then no funds provided for such use. What's the matter with Iowa's law-makers? The bee-keepers there ought to get the business end of the bee after them ! ^ Bee-Keeping and Italian Earthquake On page 121 of the April American Bee Journal, we published something about Signer Vincenzo Asprea, an Itali- an queen-breeder, who lived near the scene of the great earthquake which occurred in December, 1908. Since that item was published we have received two pictures from Mr. Asprea, accompanied ijy the following letter : Mr. George W. Yobk, Chicago — Dear Sir: — I thank you for the kind words in the American Bee Journal for April, 1909. I send you the photographs of my home and home apiary. As you can see, my home was half ruined by the earthquake of December 28, 1908. I am demolishing it, as it is un- inhabitable. The ruins that can be noticed near the apiary belong to another house, and not a hive was injured by the fall. But I lost the bee-laboratory and some tools. Unfortunately enough, my sister and brother- in-law were killed bv the earthquake in Reg- gio. There were about 120,000 dead in Reggio and iVIessina. Yours truly, Vincent Asprea. Gallina, Calabria, Italy, May 11. We were pleased to receive the pic- tures shown on the first page, which June. 1009. American Hee Jfonrnal 199 Signer Asprea so kindly sent to us. They are very interesting. A Report from Austria ilr. Alex. Schroeder, of Trieste, Aus- tria, wrote us May 5, as follows : Dear Mr. York: — I beg you to accept my best congratulations and good wishes for many more ytars to come in connection with the American Bee Journal. Tliis is in response to your Twenty-fifth Anniversary editorial, in the April number. I have been ill now for about 4 weeks, with a big anthrax that has weakened me materially, but now I can get up and walk about, and hope that within a week or so to be able to attend to my business again. April was fine, but May up to this time has been cold and rainy. With best wishes and greetings from Mrs. Schrceder and myself, I am. Yours faithfully Alex. Schroeder. Our readers will remember that Mr. and Mrs. Schroeder made a short but very pleasant visit to the United States last year. We mentioned their call on us at the time. Australian Honey Everyone thinks his own baby pretti- est. In the Northern States there is a general preference for white-clover hon- ' ey. In California, nothing equals the flavor of sage honey. In .\ustralia is to be found the delightful honey from the eucalyptus. Yet the London mar- ket will have none of this eucalyptus honey in spite of earnest efforts to in- troduce it there as a superior table lion- ey. That bright Australian, R. Beuhne, after interviewing the leading markets of England, Germany, and .\merica, thus sensibly sizes up the situation, in The Federal Independent Bee-keeper : ''Taking all these facts into consideration, it cannot be doubted any longer that the honey gathered from our eucalypts possesses a dis- tinct flavor, not noticeable to Australians, who are used . to it, but very evident to people in other countries. This flavor is not necessarily that of the essential oil of the eucalypt, and the term eucalyptus flavor does not imply more than a description of the characteristics of hon- ey gathered from these trees." ter an illness of 3 months. The latter part of January he fell 12 feet and re- ceived injuries, which, complicated with a severe attack of grippe, resulted fa- tally. Mr. Russell was born in CuUen, Scot- ings with !Mr. Russell, and everything was always entirely satisfactory. His wife will have the tender sym- pathy of all bee-keeping friends in her bereavement. No. 2-Fergi'.son Uncapping Machine— Simpler Adju.stment. land, .-Kpril 4, 1850. He went to Min- neapolis in 1884, and located at Minne- haha Falls, where he remained. In 1890 Mr. Russell began bee-keeping as a business, and devoted much time and study to this work, which he found very congenial. When the office of State bee-inspector was created. Governor Johnson honored him by the appoint- ment, and he was reappointed thereaf- ter. In the death of Mr. Russell, Min- nesota loses one of its most entlnisiastic workers for the interest of bee-culture. It was our good fortune to have a per- sonal acquaintance with Mr. Russell, hav- ing met him at a number of liee-keep- ers' conventions. He was a very genial No. 1-Fergi'si)N L.ncappixi. Machine in Actial operatio.n. Death of William Russell William Ru.-.sell, State fiee-Inspector of Minnesota, died Sunday, May 16, 1909, at the Thomas Hospital, Minneapolis, af- and interesting man, and always ready to do his part in any line of work in which he became interested. Some years ago, we had consideralile business deal- The Ferguson Uncapping Machine Some time last fall we mentioned this machine in an indirect way, as Mr. Ferguson was not quite ready at that time, to have it announced under his name. Even now he is not prepared to offer it for sale, but has completed several of the machines for use in ex- perimenting in a few of the large ex- tracted-honey apiaries. For simplicity and inexpensiveness we believe it will lead all others for the present. In fact. we can scarcely imagine how a machine could be invented for the purpose of uncapping honey tliat would be any sim- pler in its mechanism, and cheaper in its production, and yet do the work properly. It is light in weight and very compact, not weighing over about 25 pounds so that it can easily be carried in one hand. There is practically noth- ing about it to get out of order, and for rapidity of uncapping we don't see that anything further could be desired. In trying it with Mr. Ferguson, we found that combs could be run through it and satisfactorily uncapped at the rate of about 6 a minute, and that surely is "going some. " It is easily adjustable for different thicknesses of combs, and also for vari- ous depths of frames. Neither heat nor any outside power other than that of the hand is necessary to do the work with tliis machine. In introducing and withdrawing the comb it is not neces- sary to touch anytliing but the frame. The cappings drop where wanted away from the knives so that it is also clean to manipulate. Fig. I represents a regular Lang- stroth extracting-framc which helps to get an idea of the size of the machine. Wlien introducing a frame it is set in a l)ottom guide and is then pushed be- tween the two sets of uncapping-knives until the nearest frame end-bar is about 200 American line Journal even with the uprights of the machine, when a dog or catch falls back of the end-bar, which with a further push sends the comb clear through the ma- chine, completing the uncapping. Mr. Ferguson has two styles of this machine, one of which can be adjusted to different thicknesses of comb and frame by simply moving the part show- ing the knob at the top. The other style is adjusted with set-screws. This latter style is preferred, as it is some- what simpler and stronger than the other. The combs shown are some that were filled last season, and had from one- fourth to one-half granulated honey, but this did not prevent doing a good job of uncapping. Undoubtedly this machine will uncap satisfactorily any honey that can be extracted. Mr. Ferguson arranged to secure patents protecting his invention, and, as above noted, has planned with some large honey-producers in various parts of the country for making a thorough test of his machine this season, and until it has had a satisfactory tri^l and proved to be in every way what such a machine should be, none of them will be for sale. Mr. Ferguson has been working on liis machine for a number of years, making several models, and believes tliat he has finally produced one that will be a complete success. No doubt when he is ready to put it on the mar- ket he will have literature that will de- scribe the machine and its manipula- tion in detail so that any bee-keeper who does enough extracting to be worth while can easily understand how to use it properly. By another season Mr. Ferguson expects to have arranged for its manufacture, and be able to fur- nish it to all who want it. in New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, Southern New York, and Connecticut are invited to attend. The Philadelphia Bee-Keepers' Association will attend as invited guests. Mt. Holly is on the Pennsylvania Rail- road, and can be reached from all points on that line and connecting lines. It can also be reached by trolley line from Philadelphia and Camden, N. J. Bring any samples of 1909 crop comb and extracted honey; also of com- mon and rare honey-plants in your lo- cality for identification and classifica- tion. One or more expert* botanists will be present. We would like to have those who ex- pect to attend, to drop us a postal in advance. It will be an advantage to know in advance what provision to make in the way of lunch and refreshments. Albert G. Hann, Sec. Pittstown, N. J. the bees. It is sent postpaid for 50 cents, or we club it with the American Bee Journal for one year— both for $1.15. Address all orders to the office of the American Bee Journal. Moving Bees Short Distances in Sum- mer "The New-Mexico Chap" seems to have had a good deal of experience in moving bees short distances in warm weather, and he says, in Gleanings, that if they can be moved at any time when they have found no honey for 2 weeks, they may be moved without precaution, and few or no bees will return to the old location. ■♦^ Field-Meeting of New Jersey Bee- keepers The Mew Jersey Bee-Keepers' Asso- ciation will hold a field-meeting in Mr. Harold Hornor's apiary, neat Mt. Holly, Burlington, N. J., Saturday, June 26, 1909. An interesting program of talks and demonstrations will be given. All ar- rangements are not made yet, but will include as follows : "Treating Foul Brood, and Getting a Honey Crop at the Same Time," by W. W. Case, President of the New Jersey Association ; Miller's " Automatic De- capper" will be demonstrated by Mr. Miller or representative; transferring from box-hive to frame-hive ; queen- hunting contests by experts; requeening; Pratt's Swarm-Box to start queen-cells ; observation hives, etc. All bee-keepers and others interested Honey Imported Into the United States Bee-keepers are sometimes inclined to be alarmed about the amount of honey imported into this country. D. Steen- grafe, in Gleanings, shows that the large amount is more apparent than real. The year 1908 shows the largest imports for many years back. In that year, the total arrivals at New York were 985,620 gal- lons. But of this amount Mr. Steen- grafe says 712,800 gallons were in tran- sit for Europe, leaving only 272,820 gal- lons for consumption in this country. If we figure that at 12 pounds to the gallon, and 6 cents a pound, the value will be $196,430. Dr. Phillips estimates the annual production of honey in the United States at somewhere about $20,- 000,000 in value. The value of the im- ported honey consumed in this country will be seen to be less than i percent of that. The price of honey, therefore, can not be so very greatly affected by the imported article. Recipe for Paste Work 4 pounds of soft wheat flour into a batter (free from lumps) with 2 quarts of cold water. Dissolve 2 ounces of alum, in one-half pint of hot water. Take 2 gallons of boiling water and stir the batter into it. If necessary, continue boiling until the paste thickens into a semi-transparent mucilage, then stir in the alum solution. As a preservative, add a few drops of oil of cloves. — A. T. S., in Practical Printer. Alexander's Practical Bee-Culture We have received a copy of "Alex- ander's Writings on Practical Bee-Cul- ture," edited and compiled by H. H. Root, Associate Editor of Gleanings in Bee-Culture. It is a 96-page pamphlet, 6 by 9 inches in size, and contains prac- tically all of the splendid articles on bee-keeping written by the late E. W. Alexander, who was perhaps the most extensive as well as one of the most practical bee-keepers in New York State. For nearly 40 years he had kept bees in a large way, producing honey by the carload. In this pamphlet he gives the cream of his long and success- ful experience with bees. Some of the chapters are as follows: "Bee-keeping as a Business," "Profits in Bee-Keep- ing," "Spring Management," "Building up Weak Colonies," "Spring Feeding," "Transferring Bees," "Honey Produc- tion," "Comb vs. Extracted Honey," "Disposing of the Honey Crop," "Bet- ter Prices on Honey," "Queens and Queen-Rearing;" "Wintering Bees," "Bee-Disease," etc. It is a very com- prehensive book, and ought to be in the hands of every bee-keeper who desires to have the largest success possible with To New Jersey Bee-Keepers Our foul brood bill failed to pass. It was introduced into the Senate by Senator Gebhardt, of Hunterdon coun- ty, and was defeated by one vote. Of course, it did not get to the Assembly, so we do not know how they stood. It was supported by the Senators from the agricultural counties and objected to by the Senators from the cities. We asked for an appropriation of $500, and that was the chief objection to the bill. There is a threatened deficit in the State treasury of over $500,000, so all new legislation that included appropriations was objected to. All appropriations in the State were cut down. We were disappointed but not dis- couraged. We will try again next year. The finances of the State will be in bet- ter shape, and the matter will be bet- ter understood, hence we will stand a better chance to get our law. In the meantime, we would like to be kept informed about the extent of foul brood in the various parts of the State, and to have more bee-keepers to join our Association, The better we are informed on the extent and injury of foul brood in the State, and the stronger our State Association, the more effective we can argue with the legis- lature. Albert G. Hann, Sec. Pittstown, N. J. "The Honey-Money Stories" This is a 64-page and cover book- let SJ4 by 854 inches in size. Printed on enameled paper. It contains a variety of short, bright stories, mixed with facts and interesting items about honey and its use. It has 31 half-tone pictures, mostly of apiaries or apiarian scenes. It has 3 bee-songs, namely : "The Hum of the Bees in the Apple-Tree Bloom," "Buckwheat Cakes and Honey," and "The Bee-Keeper's Lullaby." It ought to be in the hands of every one not familiar with the food value of honey. Its object is to create a larger demand for honey. It is sent postpaid for 25 cents, but we will mail a single copy as a sample for 15 cents, 5 copies for 60 cents, or 10 copies for $1.00. A copy with the American Bee Journal one year — both for 80 cents. Send all orders to George W. York & Co., 118 W. Jackson, Chicago, III. June. 1909. 201 American Hee Journal Diir 'Bee -Keeping ijiiaiucted ov K ^l M-\ M. WiLSoN. Marent:u. ili. Diseased Bees and How to Treat Them. Dear Miss Wilson: — I have discovered dead brood in considerable quantity in 2 of my colonies, and do not know if it is foul brood or not. The brood apnarently all died at the same age, just as the larva becomes up- right in the cell. Some .of the cells are capped, and the caps broken and sunken. The dead brood does not smell, nor does it rope. Still I fear foul brood or some other brood- disease. 1. Can I do better than employ the Mc- Evoy method? 2. I have discovered the dead brood in 2 colonies. I have 10 other colonies apparent- ly healthy, but there has been great exposure, exchange of combs, honey dropped, etc. _ Do you advise treating all colonies as the wisest plan? 3. As I understand the McEvoy plan, the ■bees are first shaken onto foundation-starters, then after 4 days of comb-building, given full sheets of foundation. Will it be necessary to destroy the frames given with the start- ers? 4. Would it be possible to disinfect all frames, even those having the dead brood, by repeatedly boiling the frames, but destroy- ing the old combs? 5. Can the queen-excluders, hives, fixtures, etc., be disinfected and used again? If so, how? 6. It will be a month before I hear from you: at least a month before T can get sup- plies for New York, bringing us to .Tuly. By that time there will be only a very light honey-flow. Can the treatment be employed then? 7. Is there any one to whom I could send a sample of the dead brood to learn positively if it is diseased brood? Please give his ad- dress and state charges. 8. How would it do to wait until fall when there i& no brood in th- hives? They would have to be fed when sl>ak'"n on the foundation- start>TS. would they not? If treated when the hive is full of brood, must the brood be destroyed ? (Miss) Kate Beatties. Thibodcaux, La., April 10. It is a very unusual thing for any of the sisters to report anything like foul brood. Is it possible that they have less trouble with it than the brethren ? 1. No; but remember tliat the Mc- Evoy methixl includes treatment in the fall as well as during the honey-flow. 2. It is hardly necessary to treat a colony so long as the brood appears per- fectly healthy. 3. Xo ; merely melt up the contents of the frames. 4. Yes. 5. Mr. McEvoy thinks that hives need not be disinfected. Editor Root, who has had much experience with foul brood, thinks that while that would gen- erally be safe there may he occasional exceptions: and that it is better to dis- infect at all times. Moisten the inside of the hives with kerosene, touch a match to it, and the slight burning out will do the business. Frames, etc., may be treated the same way. 6. Yes. Hut it is possible that it may be even better to use Mr. McEvoy's fall treatment. See last item on page 166 of this Journal. The main point to keep in mind is that you must have combs filled and sealed by healthy colo- nies, and that there must be at least some pollen present. 7. Yes, send sample to Mr. N. E. France, General Manager of the Na- tional Bee-Keepers' Association, Platte- ville, Wis. If you are a member of the Association there will be no charge. If not, send along a dollar to become a member. 8. This is answered in No. 6. If treat- ed when the hive is full of brood, the brood must be destroyed. The Spring and Condition of the Bees. The spring of 1909 was unusual. Not in many years has there been a spring before when there were so few days up to the 4th of May when bees could fly. The blooming of the soft or red maple is usually the signal for taking the bees out of the cellar. The first maple was seen in bloom March 25. But the weather was so forbidding that it was not thought advisable to take out the bees just yet, and very few of the maples were out till April 5, when the bees were taken out. On that day the thermometer went up to 73 degrees, and the bees had a glo- rious flight, after their 129 days' con- finement. But after that day they had little chance to fly. It was cold and wet mi.xcd up with rain, snow, hail, lightning, thunder, and wind (took off a chimney of the house and part of the shop roof), and whenever the bees did have a chance to fly they seemed des- perate in their attempts to rob. May I it snowed a good part of the day, thawing about as soon as it fell, but May 4 it was warm enough for bees to ' fly. and May 3 it seemed to burst nut into summer weather, with the ther- mometer at 84. Then the bees quit tlieir meanness, gave up robbing, and turned their attention to the fine display of dandelions, having had practically no chance at soft maples and elms. We always plan to have the bees sup- plied with abundant stores in the fall, so that there will be no need to open the hives until fine weather comes in spring. But for some reason there will always be an occasional colony rather light when taken out in the spring; possibly because it overeats. There were half a dozen or so of such colonies, and to each of them, as soon as convenient after they were taken from cellar, was given a frame of sealed honey, or else a couple of sections. To give this there was no need to open a hive. We merely pulled off the entrance-board, shoved the honey under the bottom-bars (how han- dy that 2-inch space under the bottom- bars comes at such a time), and then tacked on the entrance-board again, leaving the hive with its cover glued on just as it was in the fall, with its entrance of an inch square or less. Ordinarily no further attention is given to the bees until the weather is warm enough for the first overhauling. But this year, after a month of such beastly weather had passed, we began to feel just a bit uneasy for fear some colonies might be running short. Right here is the place for those sisters who have lo-frame hives to congratulate themselves. With a lo-frame hive you can get in such a stock of stores in the fall that there can be no need to give the matter any thought till the harvest comes again. You cannot do that with 8-frame hives; and we have 8-frame hives. So May 8 all hives were hefted. It's a back-breaking job to lift a lot of hives from their stands when a good share of them are very heavy. But there's no need to lift them all. When a hive feels as if nailed down, just pull on it hard enough to make sure it isn't too light, and let it go at that. The few that were suspiciously light were opened and had a frame of sealed honey given. In reality only one colony of the few was so short of stores as to be in im- mediate danger. That same day we overhauled the first 30 colonies, seeing whether a clipped queen was present in each hive, and noting conditions. When a comb was found nearly empty, it was exchanged for a sealed comb of honey. Tlicn on the following days we kept on tlie same way till we had gone through the whole apiary. Thus you will see that up to May 8 the covers were left sealed on just as they were in the fall. There was no need to open them then, only for the fact that there is always the possi- bility that one or more colonies may be queenless, and it is a pity to have queenless bees wasting their time in spring when they could lielp at rearing brood, either by being distributed among queen-right colonics or by the plan of uniting a queenless colony with a weak queen-right colony. Some young sister may say, "But why don't you give a frame of brood to a queenless colony, and let it rear a queen?" Dear sister, when you're a lit- tle older you'll not think of having a queen reared by a lot of old, queenless bees. Neither will you think of rearing a good queen so early with any kind of bees. There are some who would say that if we didn't allow the colonies to requeen themselves, but requeened each colony before the queen got old we wouldn't have any queenless colonies in spring. The fact is that a colony may be queen- less which had a queen less than a year old. Probably we never had a spring be- fore when near the middle of May there was so little brood in the hives for the amount of bees. There musl. be some hustling if colonies are strong enough for the harvest. But then the harvest is likely to be late, if indeed there be any harvest, for white clover 202 June, 1909. American l^ee Journal doesn't appear to be over-abundant. Will it yield when it does bloom? Left with Farm and Bees. Dear Miss Wilsox: — Two years ago God called my husband home, and I was left with the care and responsibility of a farm. In connection with the farm I have my poultry and bees. This spring I have 32 colonies. I have been very much interested in them, and love them. I commenced with one col- ony. Sometimes when I read the glowing accounts of some of the bee-keepers and re- sults, my experience would be very tame in comparison, for I am a learner. In this lo- cality we have to keep our bees in the cellar so long. Mine winter well, and I guess T have more colonies than any other in this vicinity. I enjoy the American B°e Jour- nal, and think I know many of its cor- respondents, and am proud of our bee-people, who exemplify so many of the characteristics of our fellow-worker. The Bee. Emma S. Lane. Newport, Vt., April 22. Most bee-keepers have years of suc- cess, years of partial failure, and some- times years of total failure, when the bees must be fed to keep them alive. Very likely your experience is much like the rest, and so not so very tame, after all. We all like to report our suc- cesses, and are not so anxious to tell about our failures, but they are usually there, just the same. However, bee- keepers, as a class are a bright, enthu- siastic lot, failures are taken philo- sophically, and they get ready for and expect a big crop next time. tm,,l: <:anadiai -Beedom ^^o Conductedbv J. L. BYER. Backward Spring — AVillow Bloom. The prediction of many that we would Iiave a very cold, backward spring, af- ter such a mild winter, has been ful- filled with a vengeance. Three late springs now in succession, and the pres- ent one leads in that respect. May 26th, and no apple blossom out yet, and dan- delion just at its best. However, the bees are not touching the dandelion during the past few days, because, for- sooth, a more profuse secreter of nec- tar is in bloom — the large willows. Speaking of this tree, reminds me to say that I know of no other source of nectar that a bee-keeper can provide for his bees in so short a time. The willow is a wonderful grower, and in a few years after being planted, it will Ijloom and yield nectar every day it is in bloom, provided the weather is warm enough for the bees to fly. It is a Zi'oiidcrful yielder of nectar too, and while the honey does not come as a surplus, yet it is of immense value in helping to build up the bees for a later flow. Today I have been clipping queens at one of the yards, and the combs were simply crowded with fresh nectar to such an extent that it will be neces- sary to super a great many colonies for the apple-blossom, should the weather be fine. However, it is not apt to be fine, as we usually get rain about this time of the year, more or less — generally more. For some reason — probably because of a very cold spell in latter part of April, as well as a shortage of pollen in the hive.s — brood-rearing came practically to a stop about April 30th, or a little earlier than that date. This was discovered when we started to clip some of the queens about 21 days after that date, and in going through 60 colonies not a single bee was seen emerging from the cells, although a lot of brood in the egg and larval stage w-as present. Bees generally are in good condition after all, and as the clover is late, the chances are that they will come into the harvest in grand condition. Some have report- ed shortage of stores, but in this sec- tion tlie opposite is the rule, and in my own yards I have not found a single colony that would not have had enough to carry tliem to the first of June, even though nothing came in from the fields. Opposed to Karly Spring Feeding in Cold Climate. As most of the readers of the Ameri- can Bee Journal are aware, the writer of these notes is opposed to early feed- ing in our cold climate, and the experi- ence of anotlier bad spring has made me more decided than ever on the ques- tion. Just at present I am asking my- self what could Iiave been gained by feeding even if it would have acted as a stimulant to brood-rearing, as the weath- er has been so cold that our main con- cern has been to see the bees kept in the hives as much as possible, and feeding certainly has a tendency to bring about tlie opposite to that. Then with abund- ance of good stores in the hive the bees simply turned a great quantity of lioney into brood, and at this date, although the bees have liad but a few days to gather pollen and honey, yet as has al- ready been intimated, the majority of the colonies will need supers for the .ipple- blossom yet to come, in fact, some Iiave supers on now and are crowded with bees. Some of these hives, by the wa}', are equal to about 15 Langstroth frames ; and, strange to say, they are ready for the supers before the few 8- frame Langstroth hives are, that I have in the yard. Clover is still looking fine as it was when I reported last month, so, as a consequence, the spirits of the bee-keep- ers are higher than is the case some years at this time. ]May we have no reason to get gloomy later on, is the wish of the writer. Ontario Bee-Keeping Making- Progress. Tlie interest that is being taken in bee-keeping here in Ontario, is well seen by the growth of the local county as- sociations, of which there are a num- ber in the Province. The Department of Agriculture is giving more encour- agement to the industry than heretofore, and the bee-keepers are appreciative, as is shown by the number of resolutions passed this spring by these associations, thanking the Department for its good work. It is noticeable, too, that the work of the Committees to gather statistics and suggest prices for the honey, is also coming in for a good deal of praise from the same source, and there is no question but that it is well deserved, as no other single factor has done more for the industry during the past few years than has this same Committee. This organization, as most readers will know, is a product of the Ontario Bee- Keepers' Association, and if that body had never done any other good act, it certainly is to be commended for this one. No question but that it has meant thousands of dollars to the bee-keepers of Ontario, in the matter of getting better prices — prices that are no more than just — for their honey. Spring Loss of Bees by Outdoor Feeding. Yesterday I was inspecting a yard of bees that are to be sold, and I was struck at finding them in a very weak condition — this in a season when there is almost universal good wintering. What puzzled me most, was that the hives were all clean, without a mark of dysentery, and there were no dead bees on the bottom-boards. This proved to me that the loss had not been in the winter, and yet they were all dwindled down to mere nuclei, the most of them not having over 3 frames of brood. Xaturally I began to inquire far the reason of their bad condition, and I could form no conclusion one way or the other, until one of the household remarked that they could not under- stand it, ''because they had fed the bees honey outdoors ever since the snow went away, so that they would not starve." There I had the solution in a nutshell, for the bees had simply been enticed outdoors all this cold spring, only to perish, and, as result, all the old bees were gone, leaving only a few babies in the hives. Long Cellar-AVintering. Three different bee-keepers in On- tario have written me that they did not take their bees out of the cellar till May 5th, after having been inside for about 6 months. That is a long time for bees to be shut in, and as all of June, 1909. American Hee JoarnalJ them say that the bees are 111 good shape, it speaks volumes for the cellar and the nature of the stores in the hives. My own bees that were in the cellar, were taken out April ist, and I have an idea that they were better out than in the cellar so long. Although the weather was cold during April, when I examined them hastily on May 5th, a great lot of young bees were present, and the bees were in good shape. However, I do not pretend to know much about cellar-wintering,- so for ought I can prove to the contrary, perhaps they would have been as well off in the cellar for another 4 weeks. Wintering Bees — Introducing Queens. During the past week I have attended two of the local conventions — York and Victoria counties — and at each there was a fair attendance with a whole lot of enthusiasm. At the latter conven- tion, held at Lindsay, Mr. H. G. Sib- bald was present, being sent by the De- partment of Agriculture. He gave two addresses, one on the wintering of bees, and the other on the introduction of queens. Both subjects were handled well, as might be expected of a bee- keeper of Mr. Sibbald's calibre. Space will not permit to give more than a few words as to what was said, but the main thing, as Mr. Sibbald sees it, that is es- sential for good wintering, is a good queen coupled with abundance of good winter stores. AH who have studied the subject will agree with hiin. On introduction of queens, Mr. Sib- bald gave some of the quick methods as used by him in his apiaries. One of them is as follows : Hunt the queen out that is to be removed and put her in a wire cage on top of the frames. Then the queen that is to be introduced is laid on top of the same frames, too, and all left till evening. Now remove the old queen, and put the new queen in the cage from which the old queen lias just been taken, and over the end of the opening fasten a piece of comb foundation. Place on the frames again, after punching a few small holes with a pin through the foundation over the opening. In a few hours the bees will gnaw through the foundation and re- lease the queen. I forgot to state that in changing the queens, he sometimes rubs the dead Imdy of the old queen that has just lieen killed, over the outside of the cage she just came out of. Mr. Sibbald says it is a sure plan with him ; and I might say that today I tried the scheme with 3 queens, so 1 hope to be able to re- port favorably next montli. outhern Conducted by LOUIS H. SCHOLL. New Braunfels. Tex. Roiintiful Rains in Texas. Tlic Texas bcc-mcn arc rejoicing over the bountiful rains that have fallen in nearly all parts of the South. There lias been a long-continued drouth since last fall, with very little rain, and the usual spring honey crop has been a short one. Everybody is looking forward to a bountiful summer harvest now, and it is very probable that such will come. The first blooming period of mcsquite, in .^pril, was very little. This has given the trees a long resting period. With the good rains the second blooming period, which comes in June or early July, ought to be an extra-heavy one. The bees are in excellent shape in the most apiaries, and it is hoped that they will fill the hives to the full ex- pectations of their keepers. Cactus Blooms Destructive to Bees. The following from .Mr, Otto .Sucltcn- fuss, of San Antonio, is of interest : "Have you ever noticed how destructive the prickly pear blossoms are to the bees? To- day 1 thought I would go and sec if there were many ticcs working on grickly pear blos- soms. I found thcijl working on the blossoms busily. While standing near a large prickly pear bush and watching them I thought I would open a blossom that was already closed up, and through with blooming, and did so out of mere curiosity. And what do you think I found? The closed blossom had a dead bee in its embrace. Then I opened up more blossoms and found more dead bees in- side of them. Then 1 thought I would open up an even 1(»0, and in the 100 blossoms I opened I foimd ' S.*! Ines. Some of the blos- sitms contained 2 bees. Now anybody can easily figure out what an enormous drain that means on the bees in a locality where prickly pears abound." Since receiving the above, several examinations were made of the blos- soms near our apiaries, to ascertain if possible the cause and extent of the trouble. Those of the North who are not fam- iliar with extensive areas in the South- west that are covered with the cactus, commonly known as "prickly pear," on account of the pear-shaped "leaves," which are really the thickened green stems of the plant, covered with very sharp spines, have little idea of the amount. When these arc in bloom there are thousands upon thousands of large yellow flowers into which the bees go eagerly for the nectar which is abun- dant in the lower part of the flower. Often there can l)e found from 5 to 8 bees, all digging down among the sta- mens, of which there is a great cluster, and on account of which the nectar is hard to reach, unless the weather is so favorable that much nectar is secreted and it rises higher up in the blossom. Owing to the long drouth, it may be that the bees which I have observed, could not reach the nectar, and simply wor- ried themselves to death in trying to do so. Many of the bees I found were so worked up about it that they paid no attention to any disturbances from the outside, and were so much fatigued and worried that they ran around as in a frenzy. Right in among these I found dead ones, often 2 in a blossom, long before it closed up. Another observation at nearly sunset showed that in their eagerness to get some of this nectar, which they smell but can not reach, they remain in the blossoms while they close up for the night. Many bees even enter such blos- soms when nearly closed already, and then are caught. I do not think that the nectar from these cacti is poisonous to the bees, although I have many tiines seen them after "loading up," run around in a frenzied manner as if they were in- toxicated. While the mortality in an apiary where these cacti abound may be great, yet as the blooming period comes just in a time when our bees are often near starvation, we may welcome them even if we lose some of the bees. One year cacti were the only thing which saved me from feeding barrels of sugar or letting the bees starve. The honey is not very good, being amber in color and rank flavored. It is what I call "blubbery," very much like the sap of the thick green stems. We do not get enough of it to injure our good honey when we have an early flow, and the bees do not work on the cacti then. .\ Te.\as Foul Brood Bulletin. "The Foul Brood of Bees, and the Texas Foul Brood Law," by Prof. Glenn W. Herrick and E. E, Scholl, is a bul- letin issued by the Department of En- tomology of the Texas Experiment Sta- tion. It should be in the hands of every Texas bee-keeper. While a great number of these bulle- tins have been mailed to bee-keepers, yet, since the mailing list of bee-keepers is incomplete, there are many who may not have received a copy. Such should address a postal to the Department of Entomology, at College Station, for a copy. .Attention to the importance of know- ing about diseases of bees, more especi- ally foul brood, has been called by me several times in these columns. Foul brood is very little thought about so long as it is not in one's apiary, and when it has made its appearance, it is generally too late to study up the sub- ject. The greatest trouble lies in the fact that the disease is not discovered until it has played much havoc in the whole apiary. I'lspecially is this true of the careless bee-keepers or the one with large numbers of colonies. The disease may not be discovered until some of the brood is actually decayed, or the colonies even dead. In many cases such hives are left alone, and robbers carry the Amc^rican ISee Journal June, ipog. disease from them to almost every col- ony in the apiary. Even neighboring apiaries are infected in this way, and an entire locality becomes a regular hot- bed of foul-broody bees. Such is much more serious than most of our bee-keep- ers suppose. It makes bee-keeping quite uncertain and unprofitable, hence the subject should be studied carefully, even if foul brood never shows up. In our inspection work we have learned of all kinds of experiences. Many a bee-keeper has unknowingly spread foul brood throughout his apiar- ies, by exchanging combs and hives of brood, bees and honey, not knowing the trouble existed in the earlier stages. We have seen apiary after apiary infected with foul brood just because the own- ers of the bees were not posted. Just such carelessness has caused the loss of thousands of dollars to the industry, and now, since we are able to learn about bee-diseases, how to avoid them, and how to care for them after they appear, there is no excuse for our not having studied the matter thoroughly. The time is now when every bee-keeper should know how to combat the diseases of his bees as well as the stock-raiser or any others. Bees as Pollinators. That the honey-bees are a great neces- sity for the proper fertilization of fruit and other blossoms, has been expound- ed time and again, and although a good many persons are familiar with this fact, it is quite necessary to call others' at- tention to the matter from time to time. The following is an example: It is quite evident that from the mention made in many of our agricultural journals we are awakening to the importance of bees in the orchard during blooming time. Farm and Kanch says: "Rear bees in connection with the orchard. You get honey and better fruit. Bees help fertilize the blossoms. Give the bees a chance and thev will literally break the boughs of your trees Vith the weight of fruit. In this same connection, I had 4 plum trees that were bearing their second crop of fruit. The trees were well grown, and set a tremendous lot of fruit-buds. At blooming time the bees swarmed over these trees day after day. The result was that the trees set so many plums that the limbs broke to the ground. Consequently 3 of the trees are dead now and the fourth scarcely alive. I have inn colonir-s of bees near this orchard. When I first began bee-keeping I was lo- cated 12 miles from my present home. When I came here there were no bees in the vicin- >'>■■ There was a neighbor with a large or- chard here, but his trees refused to bear fruit to any great extent. When I brought 100 colonies within a mile of the orchard, the trees began to bear. My neighbor told me the bees were a blessing to him, and made his orchard productive. Bartlett, Tex. T. P. Robinson. Scarcity of Pollen and Condition of the Bees. It is surprising what a difference there is in localities for bees only 12 to 14 miles apart, and that, too, with apparent- ly the same honey-plants in each locality. To make it more easily understood what I mean, a visit to one of my out- yards for the purpose of feeding, if ne- cessary, showed the bees to be strong and in good condition with most of them well supplied with old stores. We did some exchanging of combs to equal- ize stores, fed some 75 pounds of sugar syrup, and pronounced the yard safe from starvation until the first of June. This was the latter part of April. But to be sure that none should starve, I visited the yard again on May 15, and to my surprise and disappointment, 11 colonies had died of starvation, and may others were at the point of starva- tion, and at the same time bees near home were gathering enough for a liv- ing, and some new swarms were issu- ing. Of course, I am ashamed of this, but you know it is said, "An open con- fession is good for the soul," etc. Owing to the long-continued drouth, bees have suffered in many localities over the State, and especially here, and a new trouble developed with the bees that I don't remember ever seeing or hearing of at the time of year — that is, a scarcity of pollen in April. I have good evidence that my bees away from the River suffered for pollen, and as a result many colonies that were well supplied with honey are to-day rather weak in bees on this account. Now that generous rains have fallen almost all over the State, we hope for better times, and are sure they will come, but fear, to take the State over, that the honey crop will be below the average. A great many are very much disposed to neglect the bees when these discour- aging times come, and some go so far as to sell their bees for less than the hives themselves cost, and I confess it is one of the very trying things on the nerves of even the veteran to have to feed the bees for weeks, and at times even months, to prevent actual starva- tion; but it has always paid me to do so, in the long run. I have been feeding some of my bees now for nearly 2 months, but we think the feeding a thing of the past now for this year, and I expect some new honey in the near future. I can't expect a full crop, however, owing to the poor condition of the bees, caused from lack of pollen, and starvation. L. B. Smith. Rescue, Tex. Bees Attack a Bee-Hive Hat. If the e-xperience of one young lady may be taken as an example of what is likely to follow from the wearing of the hat known as the "bee-hive shape," the doom of that style of headgear is surely at hand. While sitting in Travis Park this morning Miss Daisy Whitlay of Kansas City, who is a guest at a local hotel, was startled to find her- self beset about the head and face with ^ buzzing storm of bees. The bees had swarmed from a near-by hive and attracted by the shape and appearance of her hat, attempted to gather upon it. Miss Whitlay fought them off and ran from the place. Before she could escape, however, she had been stung in half a dozen places on the face, neck, and hands. — San Antonio Light. Too bad the women will change styles in hats again. These changes are "kind of heavy" on the married bee- men. The late kinds of stylish things to adorn the heads of their better halves are expensive, but since the "bee-hive hat" came into style many a bee-man has partly rejoiced as he saw a future use for the investment made in one of these "head-gears." They can hardly be called hats any more, but the bee- keeper hesitated not to invest in the "bee-hive hat," for the reason that he had "his eye on it," as soon as it was to be discarded. It was then to find a place in his front-yard apiary as an or- nament for displaying his best colony of golden bees. Many a bee-man would fain have a real old-fashioned straw- skep for ornamental purposes if it could be obtained without going across the waters for it. This desire the bee-hive hat might have filled, but it is going out of style again. It is too expensive for the above purpose unless the good wife gets her money's worth out of it first. Perhaps, when they are out of style, "bee-hive hats" will be sold out cheap. Then every one of us can afford at least one old-fashioned straw-skep in our bee-yard ! Cheap Capping Cans. In answer to J. R. Bogart's question propounded in Dr. Miller's Department (page 372, 1908), as to the cheapest and easiest way to care for cappings in a small way by small producers of ex- tracted honey, I will say that one can proceed in this manner and get along very well at small expense : Go to your grocery store and get 3 or 4 so-pound lard cans — compound lard cans are better as they are larger — with both the regular outside cover and the summer cover. Take the suminer cover and trim it down so that it will easily go into the can, and perforate it with 8- penny-nail holes. Now get 4 strong wires and make hooks on one end ; then make 4 holes to fit the wires in the per- forated tin, the holes to be equally dis- tributed around the tin. Run the wires through to the hooks. Next flatten the wires at the other end, and bend them down, making hooks on the other end to fit over the top of the can. Cut the wires long enough to suspend the per- forated summer cover about 5 inches from the bottom of the can, or 6 inches if you wish. The object of flattening the wire to make the top hooks is to ac- commodate the cover proper, which will readily slip down over the whole, elimi- nating robber-bees. The next thing to do is to get a stick — a top-bar of a frame will do — drive an 8-penny nail through the center. Now take some strong twine and tie this stick, nail up, across the top of the can. You can tie it down to the handles of the can. The nail is to set the frame on while uncapping. Now you are ready to uncap. Uncap the can full, set it away to drain, and get a new can. If you wish these cappings to drain extra-well, take a long, sharp knife and cut them down to the perforated tin, some 5 or 6 times, just like slicing a pie, and they will drain out very well into the chamber be- low. When the cappings have drained 5 or 6 days they can be rendered in a solar wax-extractor, or all put out for the bees to clean up; or if you don't care for the remaining honey, wash them in a tub of water, then render into wax. This way is surely a success. Don't fear as to that, but the only trou- ble is that the cans are a little too small, and some of the cappings are likely to drop on the floor while uncapping. By moving the nail nearer one side, and al- lowing the cappings to drop in on the June, 1909. American Hee Journal large side, you will get along very well. I never used any other kind of uncap- ping cans until my annual output was far above 20,000 pounds. As to straining, I have used a very thin cloth, on the order of a bolting cloth, for the purpose. I make a hoop just a little larger than the top of a lard can, as above mentioned, and sew the cloth to the hoop, not too taut. Leave it loose enough so that it will sag about an inch or so in the middle. This strain- er fits over the entire top of the can, and the honey is surely strained when run through it. I strained over 20,000 pounds thus, last season. I mount the extractor and run the honey direct from the gate of the extractor through the strainer and into the can. A person will get along very well with these strainers, if he had 2 or 3 of them, and with frequent washing them in a tub of water. Should you try the cloth strainer, be sure to get a very hard-spun thread, for honey will not run through cloth made from fluffy-spun thread. A better strain- er can be had by having your tinner make you one from very finely perfor- ated tin, with holes about 1-64 in. in di- ameter, or the size of a common needle or an ordinary pin. To fill jars with the honey, clean up the extractor, mount it, and pour it full of honey, and fill jars at the gate. Bartlett, Tex. T. P. Robinson. Non-Swarming Bees BY C. P. DADANT. There is a discussion of this question going on in the bee-papers. In Glean- ings for May ist, Dr. C. C. Miller cites Editor Kramer of the Swiss Bee Jour- nal, as saying that the swarming pro- pensity has been worked out of their strain of bees, in Switzerland, by selec- tion among their native race, but that the Americans can never succeed much in this line "with the hot-blooded Ital- ians." Editor Root did me the honor to ask my opinion in the matter, and I at once replied, stating that I thought the fault was not with the race. Since writing that article I have given the matter some thought, and it struck me that it would be advisable to make an enquiry into the opinion of the leaders as to the comparative tendency of each race of bees to swarm, so that we might ascertain whether one race is positively more prone to swarm than other races, and, if so, which race it is. Personally, I have had a long experi- ence with both common bees and pure Italians, as also with all grades of hy- brids of these two races. Vve have verj few swarms, owing to our management, but I cannot say that I ever noticed any difference between one race and the other, prolificness and management be- ing equal. However, the opinion of the experienced writers ought to settle the matter. Cheshire thinks the common bees "swarm less than the yellow races and adopt sections more readily." But on the other hand he hopes that by se- lection we may secure for them the "greater coolness and fecundity of the Italian." He speaks of the Carniolan as "prolific and industrious, gathers honey in large amount, but it is a free swarmcr." Cowan, the other leading writer among the English authors, states that the Italian "increases more rapidly, is ready for swarming earlier and gath- ers honey from plants which are not frequented by the blacks." Concern- ing the Carniolan he says that "their principal failing is a propensity for ex- cessive swarming." Dzierzon, who was perhaps the most judicious and attentive observer among apiarists .during the Nineteenth Cen- tury, and who cultivated several dif- ferent races, reports that the "Carnio- lan has great propensity to swarm," and that "even the common black or Ger- man bee may be divided into a honey- bee and a swarming-bee. The latter, which is also called the heath bee, in consequence of the management adopted, swarms continually." Among the French writers, De Lay- ens and Bonnier make no statement concerning the relative virtues of the Italian and common bees in swarming propensities, but they assert that "the Carniolan bees are very much disposed towards natural swarming, even when they are kept in very large hives." Bertrand, in the southwestern part of Switzerland, has nothing to say of the Italians, but says that the Carniolans swarm much ("essaimcnt bcauc(iiip" ). In our own country, Quinby, one of the first to handle Italians on a large scale, says, "They begin to swarm 3 weeks before the natives, but gather pollen and rear brood with thrice the energy of the natives." He had not tried the Carniolans. Hutchinson says that "the Carniolans have a tendency to spend tlicir ener- gies in breeding and swarming," but that "in each race there are strains showing different traits." This expres- sion of opinion is confirmed, in a pri- vate letter to me, by Dr. C. C. Miller, in which he says that there are decided- ly some strains in each race that have a greater propensity for swarming. This from his own experience. E. R. Root's opinion, expressed in the "A B C and X Y Z of Bee-Cul- ture," concerns only the Carniolans, and describes them as "excessive swarm- ers." Mr. Root, in his comment of this question, in Gleanings of May ist, shows that he does not believe the ex- cessive tendency to swarm is a trait of the Italians. G. M. Doolittle, in a private letter to me, also picks out the Carniolan as the most prone to swarm above any other races, "especially," he says, "out of sea- son, near the close of the white hon- ey flow and between that and the fall flow." In his experience, taking the Golden Italians as the least inclined to swarm of any bees he has experience with, they grade as follows: Dark Itali- ans, blacks, hybrids of these two races, Syrians, Caucasians, Cyprians, Carnio- lans, all other conditions being equal. But here comes another writer who explains the cause of the excessive swarming of the Carniolans. Frank Benton, in his pamphlet, "The Honey- Bee," published by the U. S. Depart- ment of Agriculture in 1S99, says: "They (the Carniolans) are quite pro- lific, and if kept in small hives, such as have been popularized of late in the U. S., are somewhat more inclined to swarm than the other races introduced here. This tendency becomes more pro- nounced when they are taken into a country whose summers are hot, like ours, and their hives are not well shad- ed, as they have been bred for centur- ies, with only slight introduction of outside blood, in a climate where the summers are short and cool. More- over, the practice in Carniola is to place the long, shallow hives used al- most exclusively there, in bee-houses, and side by side, one above the other, with intervening air-spaces, so that at most only the front ends are exposed to the sun. This management, long-con- tinued, has doubtless tended to develop and fi.x more or less permanently in this race certain characteristics which should be taken into account in their manage- ment elsewhere." Mr. Benton has traveled probably more than any other apiarist, in the in- terest of bee-culture, and is therefore an authority on the races. The foreign authors I have quoted will also aid us in taking a general view of the subject which will be devoid of the partiality which any one of us is more or less im- bued with, on account of judging en- tirely from local conditions. It is evi- dent that we are not all agreed on these matters. Many of my readers who have experiences of their own with races of varying purity probably have also personal opinions on the point. Enough has been said, however, to con- vince any disinterested person that the matter of prevention of swarming does not depend upon any one race of bees. Mr. Ed. Bertrand, of Switzerland, who like many others of the Swiss apiar- ists, does not find in the Italian 'ices as eminent qualities as we ascrili- to this race, has ventured the opinion that each country possesses the race of bees which suits that country best. This is in line with the Darwinian idea of 2o6 June. 1909. American Vee Journal )>=^^^ I the "survival of the fittest," and is plausible. At any rate, Mr. Bertrand is too eminent and too careful an ob- server for us to disregard his opinions. Then we must bear in mind that Ameri- ca did not possess the honey-bee origin- ally, since it came with the settlement by Europeans, and was called by the In- dians "the white man's fly." So we can- not be said to have the honey-bee which suits our country best until we have given fair trial to all existing races. It is quite likely that the American hon- ey-bee, which will perhaps be called "Apis mellifica Americana," will be a mixture of several races. But we can already feel certain that its nature will have to be curbed for several centuries before we can boast of non-swarming bees, long-tongued bees, etc. Swarm- ing is the only method by which the honey-bee can propagate itself in natur- al circumstances, away from the hand of man, and for that reason we may be sure that it will be the last character- istic to become effaced in the race by careful management and selection. Our friends across the Atlantic are producers of extracted honey, like my- self. Like myself they use very large hives, perhaps not universally, but quite generally. They will therefore much more readily succeed in decreasing the swarming impulse than most of our American producers. But it must not be taken for granted that our Swiss friends are the only ones who succeed in preventing swarming". It is almost universal in those countries where large hives, the production of extracted honey, and house-apiaries or slielters, are used. In addition, their climate is much cool- er, in the summer, than ours, as nearly all of Europe is north of the 40th de- gree of latitude, while almost the en- tire United States is south of the 45th. This fact alone would explain the greater success in the prevention of swarming in Europe, by artificial means. .\ CORRECTION. My last article, on page 177, has been made quite unintelligible in the begin- ning by a printer's error. I said, 7th line: "The royal jelly, so-called, is tiozi: known to be the same in compo- sition as that given to the young work- er-larvae". The printer made me say : "The royal jelly, so-called, is not known," etc. Quite a different mean- ing. Hamilton, 111. The Swarming Impulse and Its Control in the Apiary BY RALPH BENTON Assistant Kntomologist^ Ujtiversity of Calif oriiia (Continued from page 176.) Dividing bv Hive- Stories. Division approximately equal, some principles of which I have just been discussing, may be accomplished, I have said, in two ways. One way, and per- haps the simplest way, is to make the line of division between stories. Prepara- tory to such a division the strength of the colony should be assured and the queen permitted to lay in both stories to her fullest capacity. When the queen is found to be laying nicely in the top story a queen-excluding honey- board may be placed between the sto- ries, confining the queen above. This will save time otherwise lost in hav- ing to locate the queen when division takes place. When conditions are such as to war- rant division, and the colony full of bees and brood, the top story with the queen should be raised up, and the lower story removed, and then the top story lowered upon the bottom-board on tlie old stand. This gives, it will be observed, the flight-bees, the orig- inal queen and the younger brood to the new colony on the old stand. The parent colony in the original brood- chamber retains most of the young bees and emerging brood, together with some of the older bees, and should be set up on a new and preferably remote stand in order to retain what old bees it happens to contain. A laying queen may be immediately caged for intro- duction, or the next evening either a virgin queen may be run in at the en- trance, or a ripe cell inserted. Much time will be saved and greater economy gained if division is not made until at least ripe cells are ready for distribution, although the parent and queenless portion of the divided col- ony, if it contains, or is given eggs or young larvae, will provide themselves with a queen in time. Dividing the Brood-Cha.mber. An equal division may be more nearly approximated in the second way of di- viding involving a division of the brood-chamber. As before, the brood- chamber is removed from the old stand and either the top story or an empty story set in its place. The old queen, then, with some of the older bees, to- gether with the younger, unsealed brood, are set over into the new hive which, being placed on the old stand, is destined to receive tlie flight bees. The original brood-chamber with most of the bees in the colony at the time of division, chiefly young bees, and all of the emerging and sealed brood is set up on a remote stand in the apiary, preferably with a distinctive land-mark as a slanted bottom-board before the entrance. It is to be noted that the original queen is left where the old bees are: tliat the working force of the colony is kept together on the old stand; and that there is a lull in the emergence of young bees in the new colony on the old stand in view of the fact that the emerging brood and sealed brood is re- tained in the old colony on the new stand, the effect being to retard and discourage the possibility of swarming where tlie original queen is kept. On the other hand, the old colony on the new stand has the younger bees and is rapidly reinforced from the emerging brood it contains. Further, this por- tion of the original colony being mainly composed of young and queenless bees is in the most ideal condition to re- ceive a young queen or a ripe cell, or in the absence of either of these, to rear and care for queen-cells if it be given larvK of the right age, providing its numbers warrant it, as might pos- sibly be the case if the original colony had been a strong one. I have previ- ously called attention, however, to the economy to be gained from having ripe cells or young queens previously reared, ready to be given the queenless partner to a colony division. Dividing by Nuclei. Another form of division is recog- nized when an equal division is not sought, but a purposeful unequal di- vision accomplislied by simply drawing off a nucleus from the parent colony. The underlying principle of this mode of division is a recognized one in api- cultural practice. I refer to the princi- ple of keeping the working force of a colony together as much as possible for the storing of honey, a principle not only behind this mode of division, but also the lines of procedure in the two final systems of handling the swarming problem to be discussed in the present paper. In dividing on the nucleus plan, the queen and not over 2 frames of emerg- ing brood with adhering bees are drawn off from the colony to be divided and set over into an empty hive to be placed on a new stand and destined to be built up gradually during the season to a full colony, much as any weak colony is built up for the honey harvest by timely and judicious enlarging of the brood-nest. The original colony on the old stand thus made queenless is treated much as previously outlined in the case of more equal dividing. A laying queen should be supplied it as speedily as pos- sible, and plenty of storage - room should be given the bees for work to discourage swarming. This mode of division, in fact, is adaptable to re- queening in the spring of the year, a modification being made in that as soon as the parent colony is supplied suc- cessfully with a laying queen, the old queen in the nucleus is disposed of, and instead of building up the nucleus into a full colony it is kept throughout the season as a full framed nucleus for the mating of additional queens for use in the apiary. This results in final effect to no net increase or but a very slight increase, only attained as several of tlie full-framed nuclei are united to- ward fall to make full colonies for wintering. On the other hand, when young queens are available in large numbers this system may be followed up further and increase be made the main object. If this be the desired end, the colony as a hone}' colony is sacrificed and in- stead of drawing ofT simply one nucleus with the original queen, the parent col- ony say of 10 frames with as many more empty combs is divided into 4 or 5 approximately equal nuclei in full- sized hives, the original queen being left with the flight bees on the old stand. Each nucleus is then given preferably a ripe cell, or a virgin queen may be run in at the entrance toward night. The development of each nu- cleus is then jealously watched, rob- bing being guarded against and judi- cious enlargement of the brood-nest practiced as soon as the young queens June. 1909. American Vee Journal organize sufficient brood to warrant its spread. Should honey not be coming in fast enough in view of a dearth of a source of honey, or commonly because of the weak condition of the nuclei after di- vision, feeding may be practiced, care always being taken to guard against possible robbing. The supplying to such nuclei of frames partly filled with sealed honey will perhaps be found to be a safer form of feeding than by actual feeding with syrup. From time to time such weak nuclei my be profit- ably strengthened with emerging brood in patches of the right size to insure breeding within the cluster, taken from stronger colonies. Sh.\ken Swarms. The securing of increase or tiding bees through the swarming season by making what are called shaken swarms is a system, as I have said, applica- ble when the production of comb honey is sought. Having built one's colonies up to a crowded strength, just prior to the main honey-flow is the time selected for making shaken swarms. The weather should be warm and set- tled and a rapid flow of honey should be on — both desirable conditions for ■ the producing of nice comb honey. The colony to be shaken is set oflf the stand and the empty hive filled with frames containing nothing but narrow starters put in its place on the old stand. Then removing 3 or 4 frames from the center of the empty hive, the combs one after another from the par- ent colony are gently shaken in the empty hive by a jarring motion accom- plished by striking the fleshy portion of the hands onto the end edges of the hive, the hands slipped palm inward along the end-bars to the rests of the top-bar. It is the aim to secure only the older bees. It will be found that the bees that have flown will shake off easily and that the young bees, not hav- ing command of their wings, will ad- here more tenaciously to the combs and so escaping being shaken, will be thus left behind to brood and care for the developing bees of the parent colony, which otherwise might become chilled. The parent colony is then removed and set up on a new stand. .\ super with full sheets of foundation in the sections — full sheets are always to be used in producing a fine grade of comb honey — never starters — or better still drawn sections, may then be placed on the new colony. A strong colony so prepared with no room to store honey below and with full sheets or drawn combs above, will in a good honey-flow fill the supers rapidly and finish sec- tions cleanly in appearance. Under such circumstances usually good work- er-combs will be built below; this will always be true if a young queen of the current year's rearing be in the colony. The working force in this plan of division may be augmented as previ- ously described by shifting the parent colony from one side to the other until entirely depleted in numbers. Where a limited amount of increase is desired, shaking 2 colonies into one may be practiced, thus getting three from two. If this plan is to be followed, one or both of the colonies should be made queenless, and. for a couple of days previous to shaking, should be grad- ually brought close beside each other. Just before shaking, the bees should be smoked thoroughly and jarred se- verely until they become demoralized. Peaceful union will be enhanced if the bees are sprinkled with thin syrup, or, if new honey is in the combs in abund- ance, the desired result is usually ac- complished in shaking without resort- ing to such use of the syrup. If both colonies are queenless after the hive is put together, and before all is quiet, a virgin queen may be run in at the entrance, thus supplying the colony with p. young queen, insuring good comb- building and further removing the pos- sibility of swarming. Thh Prevention of Sw.\rmixg. In the foregoing discussion of the various methods of natural and forced swarming I have alluded to certain methods of preventing swarming indi- rectly in that no increase results ; but always it will be observed tiiat this end has been accomplished through some form of swarming, be it natural or forced. 1 come now to consider a system for th.e prevention of swarming in real- ity, both in process and results. This is something that many bee-keepers who do not desire increase are seeking for, and somctliing which to the bee-master is relatively easy of accomplishment. In the opening of this article, in speaking of the swarming impulse among bees, I presented five conditions tending to incite bees to swarm. With these five conditions in mind the pre- vention of swarming resolves itself into a rigid negation or preclusion of any one of these five conditions arising in any one of our colonies of bees. It must be understood that this statement does not refer to "remedial" swarming, but strictly to "preventive" swarming, namely, that it is not sufficient to ap- ply a remedy to a colony w-hen it be- gins to show active signs of prepara- tion for swarming, but that all meas- ures to be preventive are to be taken prior to any steps on the part of the bees to prepare directly for swarming. The first condition that I named as liable to induce swarming is an over- populous colony. By an over-populous colony I do not mean that the colony is actually too strong, for I never had a honey colony of bees too strong for me ; but I mean that the colony in ques- tion is too populous for the space it occupies, leading to an over-heated con- dition of the hive, resulting in bees hanging out. To prevent this occur- rence in a colony, room— and by room 1 mean empty space — should be given between the brood-chamber and the en- trance. This can be done by raising the l)rood-chamber up and supplying the bees with a half-depth story contain- ing starters or a full story with either starters or full sheets of foundation. The second condition conducive to swarming is a lack of room for the storage of incoming honey. The pre- ventive measure here is another top story, or the removal of honey if it is ripened and ready to come off, by ex- tracting. The third condition is an outgrowth of the second, and I Iiave characterized it as an inhibited tendency to secrete wa.x. In giving the colony a ventilated story below we have provided some space for the building of comb, and further, in giving the bees more room for thes torage of honey, we have re- moved somewhat the factor leading to wa.x-secretion. A further chance for wax-secretion and comb-building may be given the colony by alternating in the top story sheets of foundation with the extracting combs, a system that may be profitably extended also in some in- stances to the brood-chamber. The fourth condition is a restricted queen in ovipositing, which may be due to either an excess of brood in the colony, or a clogging of the brood-nest with honey or pollen, or both. Again, by an excess of brood in the colony I do not wish to be understood to mean actually too much brood in the colony, for a good share of the efforts of every bee-master, when a crop is assured, are directed to devising means for, and bringing about, every favorable condi- tion practicable to promote the rearing of all the brood possible within every honey colony. I wish to be understood to mean an excess of brood for the size of the brood-chamber or space available for the queen to operate in ; and the remedy is manifestly to give the queen more room to operate in — citlicr a larger brood-chamlier. or more room in tlie brood-chamber by setting up frames of unsealed brood, or by giving over to the queen an additional story for a brood apartment. The fifth and last but none the less condition liable to increase the tend- ency to swarm is the presence in the colony of a queen of a previous year's rearing. I advocate the requeening of every honey colony as early in the spring as possible, with a queen of the current year's rearing, to be not only a necessity for the adequate control of swarming, but an essential of prac- tice indigenous to the highest success in keeping bees for profit. Crane's Improved Shipping- Case BV J. E. CR.\NE. Tlic problem of shipping comb honey has always been one of considerable importance, it being one of the heaviest and at the same time one of the most fragile of rural products. I will not stop here to tell of the various devices used to prevent breakage. Suffice it to say, that they have all proved to some extent defective, or too cumbrous or ex- pensive fully to meet the necessities of the case. The packing of 6 or 8 small cases holding say 150 pounds of honey in a heavy crate with straw or other siitiilar material to break the jar, and so ar- ranged with handles as to be readily carried by two men is perhaps the best. .Mow if the freight should be 50 cents per hundred, and this extra crate with packing weighs 30 pounds more, the freiglit on this crate would be 12 cents, while the cost of lumber and the mak- intr of it would be. say 25 cents more, so that our cost of shipping honey 2o8 June, 1909. American ^ec Journall would be from one-half to two-thirds more than in single cases. And add to these facts that these crates are of small value, or no value, for reshipping to the Crane Shipping-Case Open. retail dealer, unless he wants the same number of small cases as in the large crate, so that we find wholesale dealers crating single cases to their retail cus- tomers. And here is where the great- Carrying Crane Case. est amount of breakage comes in when shipped from the wholesale dealer to the retail merchant. After studying over the subject for some months I succeeded in assembling a case of corrugated paper that I thought might help us out somewhat, and later ordered 500 of the pattern made by myself. Now I am free to confess that while it had seemed to me for many years that corrugated paper would be a good material for a ship- ping-case, yet I had never thought one could be made strong enough to answer the purpose. What would happen should they be piled one on top of another, ID or 12 deep, or if a box or other material should come against one and crush it and the honey in it? I found, however, that by the use of partitions a case would, sustain a very heavy weight on top of it, and by using two thicknesses it was not likely to get jammed in at the ends or sides and the honey injured. Each partition also tend- ed to break every jar or jolt, and largely increased the safety of the honey. However much faith I had in my "im- proved case," it required a good deal of bravery on my part to fill the 500 paper cases with honey and think of committing them to the tender mercies of the railroads. An accident as we were filling them, in which a case dropped nearly 3 feet (•(I inches, to be accurate), to the floor without injury to a single comb, lielped to reassure me. Determined to know the best as well as the worst of these paper lY^ inches wide, would support a weight of over 60 pounds. And yet we would not advise the use of paper until it has been fully tested. We know ^ — -^ - W : 1 "1 ._ - - - 1 Crane Case With Glass. cases, we shipped 10 with a lot of wood- en cases to a customer some 200 miles away, where they would without doubt have to be changed from one car to an- other at least 3 times before reaching their destination. Our mind was re- lieved when we heard from our custo- mer that while more or less combs were broken in every wooden case, not a sin- gle comb was broken where packed in our "improved case." Now, I do not wish to be understood that honey will not break in these cases, but that it is much, very much, safer than in wooden cases; so much so that dealers have been very willing to pay extra for the last two years for honey put up in these cases — enough more to reduce very materially the cost of the cases. These cases, as we have used them, consist of a frame a little wider than our sections are tall, with a top and bot- tom that covers the sides and meeting in the middle, while a honey-dripping board goes on the bottom inside, of single-faced corrugated paper, and the inside filled with the partitions that sup- port the top, bottom, sides, and ends, making the case very strong. We have held the top and bottom together with binding twine but are thinkine- of using paper or cloth stickers. I made some experiments last fall that would indicate that paper stickers would answer every purpose. I found that 2 pieces of strong Crane Shipping-Case Closed. that binding twine is entirely satisfac- tory as well as inexpensive. The weight of these cases is only about half that of wooden cases with glass, thus saving freight from factory to bee-keeper, and also from the producer to market. One thing that I fear will prevent Showing Stkkni.th ok Cr.\ne C.^se. the rapid introduction of these cases, is that honey in them is not so attractive as in wooden cases, with one side of glass. No honey shows in them, and many persons will fear that their honey June. 1909. American Hee Journal 209 will not sell unless it shows in the case. While I believe these fears are largely groundless, yet it may at first make some diflference. I may say, however, that we Vermont bee-keepers have not been in the habit of using glass in our shipping-cases, or having any honey in sight for the past 15 or 20 years, and yet have not been able to supply the demand. That carriers may know what these cases contain we have always pasted a label on top, stating contents and asking for careful handling. We have used from one to two thousand of these cases with great satisfaction. We were unable to sell, to one wholesale dealer, honey in any other case the past year. There is reason to believe the use of these cases will largely increase the use of comb honey, as with them it can be cheaply sent to small, out-of-the-way places where it would be impracticable to send the old style of case. So popu- lar have these cases been with bee- keepers and dealers in honey, where known, that there is reason to believe that they will supersede the old style of wooden cases in the near future. Application for a patent has been made. Prices will probably be about the same as for wooden cases with glass. Perhaps I should add that for those who desire glass in their cases of honey, these cases of paper can be made to take glass by cutting out holes in one side and inserting glass between the two layers of paper that make the shell of the case, thus showing all the honey necessary. I send photo of a case as I have made it. This does not appear to weaken the case enough to do harm, and re- moves the objection to a case without glass. How Far Do Bees Go For Honey ? BY G. M. DOOLITTLE. "I am greatly interested in bee-keeping, have 2 books on the subject, and take the American Bee Journal. There is very little pas- turage for my 42 colonies till the bees go a mile from home, then there is plenty of bee- pasturage' for the next 4 or r> miles in either direction. As I am so environed that I must stay where I am, it will be impossible for me to move to another locality. The bees have done quite well here: but I have been reading in one of my bee-books that bees rarely fly more than a mile to IJ/i miles from home in search of honey, and from this I fear, if I increase them beyond what I now have, that I shall overstock my locality and have little or nothing in the way of honey above what the bees consume. I wanted to increase to 100 or 150 colonies, so T write to ask you if you will tell us through the columns of the American Bee Journal what you think I would better do — keep only those I have, or increase as I so much desire to do." This is a subject which I have writ- ten quite a little upon, but as I see the statement again going the rounds of the papers that bees will not go more than i 'A miles to 2 miles from home for honey some even claiming that bees will perish and die for want of food within 3 miles of good pasture, it may not be amiss to say a few words again on the matter, and especially as I am ref|ucsted so to do. If bees went only 2 miles in search of food it would take but a limited conception to see that a very few colo- nies would overstock very many locali- ties where now 100 to 200 colonies are kept. This matter of location used to worry me quite a little when I had from 25 to 40 colonies, and, especially so, as my success with these was so good that first one, then two, and the ne.xt year two more of my neighbors went into bee-keeping. The year the first two commenced they came to see me and asked me to help them start ; and as I had been helped during my first bee-keeping yetrs by Elisha Gallup, Moses Quinby, and N. N. Betsinger, I thought it only right that I should be as free to give, as I had freely received, so I helped them all I could. When the next two wished to start, and asked my help, it came to me that Gallup lived in Iowa, Quinby 100 miles away, and Betsinger 12 miles off, so that by helping me they incurred no loss to themselves through a divided pasturage. But here were four of my neighboVs, all within less than one mile of mv apiary, and one of them joining lands with me, crazy over the bees, from the success I was having, and if I encour- aged them, and helped them, they would without doubt soon have apiaries equal- ing mine as to numbers, and the whole of us would so overstock the pasturage that there would be nothing for any of us, and starvation for the whole lot of bees, unless we fed them, which would be wholly unprofitable for all concerned. It was a sleepless night that I oassed, but with the morning, I re- solved that, come what would, I would not let my neighbors know of mv selfish thoughts, but would help them as others had helped me, even did it prove to my injury. Lest I forget to touch these neighbors again, I will say that they increased their bees till one counted his at 43 colonies, another 70, another 60 odd, and the fourth 97, while 235 was the highest number I ever had. Many and many a time did we visit the apiaries of each other, and often all five of us make the rounds of the whole. Three of them still have bees, numbering their colonies from 20 to 50, while one, through e.xtra cares, allowed his bees to go down and out. Soon after the struggle of that night, as Mrs. D. and myself were starting home from church, which is 2i.< miles from home, I began to see bees that were loaded apparently, flying with diffi- culty facing a quite strong south breeze, the church being north of my apiary. It was in time of teasel blooni^ and the main teasel fields began one-half mile north of the church, and extended on still further north for 6 or more miles. The nearer we approached home, the more bees were slowly passing us, facing the stiff south breeze; and upon going iiito the apiarv I found the bees drop- ping down in front of the hives heav- ily loaded with nectar from the teasel. A bee that works on teasel gets her abdomen covered with a whitish dust at the tip, this dust growing less and less as it nears the thorax, something siinilar to the yellow dust on the bee that works in the blossoms of the pump- kin and squash, so that she is readily distinguished from bees that work on »^^^ I other bloom. And as the teasel com- mences to bloom about a week before basswood, and continues from a week to 10 days after basswood, we have a chance to know by this dust about how the teasel is yielding, and how the bass- wood is doine. When basswood is yielding so the nectar sparkles in the bloom, as is often the case when the air is charged with electricity, and the weather very hot. then very few bees are seen with dust on them. But in cooler weather, with little electricity, the teasel secretes nectar better, and the basswood less, when the majority of the bees entering the hives are covered with this teasel dust. Knowing now that my bees were work- ing at a rapid rate 3 or more miles from home, I felt much relieved as regards overstocking, and secretly chided myself for having thought of making a break with my neighbors because they wished to keep bees on my ( ?) pasturage. Then the next year I had something which dealt a death blow to the i'/- mile theory, and set at rest in m"y mmd all trouble from overstocking. Seven miles to the southeast of my apiary is a hill which is the highest point in our county, it being nearly 800 feet higher than where I reside. After a distance of one mile there is a grad- ual rise till the top of the hill is reached. There is from 10 days to 2 weeks difference in the time of all bloom on this hill (and especially bass- wood) and that at the apiary. After the basswood had been yielding nectar about the apiary for 2 weeks that year, I noticed, that, while the bees were at work as strong as ever, the bloom had all gone from the trees in sight about me, so I began to retrench about put- ting on more sections, as is usually the case when the honey-flow is likely to come to an end soon. But the end did not come, and as the bees soon became crowded for room I had to enlarge their sections again. This state of affairs kept on for a week, when I went to the first high point southeast from the apiary one afternoon when the breeze was from the northwest, I was aston- ished by the swarms of bees which were pressing toward the apiary from the hills with their loads of honey. The next day I drove to the top of the hill and found the bloom on the basswood trees in that fresh, white state which all bee-keepers like to see in hot weather, knowing that when the trees have that whitish appearance they are in the best condition for nectar-secretion that can possibly be. And these trees were musical from the humming of the bees at work on the bloom. On my return home I kept watch of the fading bloom, and at 414 miles from the apiary there was no bloom but what was too far gone for the bees to work on. That year I had 28 days of continuous basswood nectar pouring in- to the hives, and have had other years where the yield was nearly as long drawn out. However, there is one thing I must note, which is, that if a con- tinuous good yield is to be secured at this distance, it is necessary to have continuous good weather, for if 2 or ^ days of rainy weather, accompanied with cold or cool winds, should occur 210 June, 1909. American T^ee Journal when the bloom had receded 4 or 5 miles, thus allowing the bloom to fail for a distance of a mile or so beyond where the bees had last gathered nec- tar, they would never go to the hill- too, be the honey ever so plenty there. The solution seems to be that after the rain they go to the trees where they had last procured nectar, and find- ing" none, nor any near by, conclude that the harvest is over, without going over the strip where the honey has failed to that which is beyond. From this, our correspondent and other readers will see that Doolittle would have no hesi- tancv in increasing bees in the home apiary from 100 to 200 colonies, as the desired number might be; and also that I believe that the i ■/-mile-flight idea is also a fallacy. Borodino, N. Y. N0.6 -Colorado Bee-Keeping BY K. C. AIKIN. I closed article No. 5 with urging strong colonies for comb-honey produc- tion, and will repeat the same to start this one. That means that swarming must be kept down, if possible, and there is where we have to hustle. If the reader has forgotten what I said in No. 3 about swarm control, let him turn to that article and re-read, especially the latter part. There I gave a sure method of swarm control, rather two plans that put the matter under absolute control so that one might know just what he was doing. On pages s; and 58 of the same issue, wherein is printed my No. 3 article will be found one on the subject of swarm control by Mr. Charles Trout. He writes from California. Mr. Trout gives some good ideas, but in very many places they will not work. We have been for about 30 years talking about breeding out the swarming impulse. I got cured of that false idea about 20 years ago. Bees are going to follow instinct, and that elusive thing — or rather unexplainable thing — is influenced by conditions or en- vironment. You can have bees bred for years without so much as a single swarm for many generations, and then just let the proper conditions prevail and they will swarm good and plenty, and dis- gust their owner who thought he had bred out the swarming impulse. The swarming impulse lies in conditions un- der which the colony finds itself, not in the blood of bees that have forgotten how. The same bees rarely ever swarm twice, so it is not a habit or anything learned or forgotten. Mr. Trout speaks of 8 or 9 weeks before the flow having strong colonies, and of the proceeds of 2 queens for nearly 3 weeks, but we cannot have either in very much of Colorado, and I doubt if anywhere in the State. See what I have told along that line in arti- cle No. 5. Mr. Trout tells us that "from 54 colo- nies run for comb honey I removed an average of 150 pounds of fancy comb honey. There were no swarms, and the season was very poor." Mr. T. starts queens 8 or 9 weeks before the flow. That is fine where it can be done and get good queens, and the cells are placed in nursery cages to develop until ripe. Let me quote again from Mr. Trout from the 4th paragraph, first col- umn, on page 58 : "When the virgins are about ready to hatch" [referring to those previously started and now in nursery cages], "I go through the apiary, givincT combs of sealed honey wherever needed, and placing the queen above the excluder. Upon tlte virgins hatching they are allowed to run in at the entrances of the hives. This is about 5 weeks before the honey-flow." Now, if the reader will turn to my article on page 52 of the same issue (Feb.), and see the two plans there given and compare them with this of Mr. Trout, you will see that I advocate much the same thing. If only I could have Mr. Trout's conditions I would change my directions somewhat, but I cannot have those queens to run in 5 weeks before the flow, and many times cannot have enough bees to utilize the queens if I were to buy them. His plan is fine where it can be worked, and he can depend on it almost every time under the conditions he gives as pre- vailing that year. I would warn be- ginners, and all who will be inclined to take too seriously his statements that his locality is a very poor one. I know enough about bees and honev-flows and localities to know that while his plan is a very good one where it can be ap- plied, it does not account fully by any manner of means for that iSO-pound yield of fancy comb honey. It is no or- dinary locality, or season, when such an average as that can be obtained. Notice again that he removes the brood from the brood-chamber, giving instead dry combs or foundation to the young queen and takes away the old one. Not only that, but he puts a su- per over this young queen with her dry coinbs or foundation, then above this the old brood. He does not say, but I infer that he keeps the queen-ex- cluder down below the super just on top of the brood-nest — at least that is what i would do. Why, that would be al- most certain to control swarming in any locality, you can depend on it for a decidedly nvikuble rule. I say "rule" advisedly : there are excentional cases always, but it is my firm conviction that the plan given above will so nearly ap- proach absolute control that it may be taken as a rule to tie to. But \-our location and conditions mav not admit of the full aoplication of those principles (rather, I should say t'lans^. but any reader will do well to get to the bottom of the facts or factors underlying so that you can clearly dis- cern the whys for the results Mr. Trout obtained. I am putting much stress on this problem of swarm-control for it is vital, and when we get the prineil'les un- der our minds' eontrol zve are in posi- tion to control szvarnting in almost any location, or under almost any conditions. Again, about Mr. Trout's putting the super over that young queen with her dry combs or foundation — no doubt it is foundation when he runs for section honey, then the outting the mass of brood the colony has gotten up to this time above the super — this, too, needs analysis for very many readers, and es- pecially for beginners, else they may make a had break and say hard words of Mr. Trout and his plan. He tells us he removes that brood from above the sections when the flow starts, for note that the combination was made several days before the flow started, and the bees having been passing up and down through that super of sections they are ready to, and will, begin work there at once. Now, that would be true with such colonies as he must tiow have as the result of many weeks' breeding with the old queen and supplemented by a young queen for "nearly 3 weeks," as he tells us. I remind you that he has unusually strong colonies, and his bees must of necessity go into that su- per, or get outside the hive to turn around. And not only has he strong colonies beyond what the most of us are able under ordinary conditions to obtain, but he has them of all ages, for note that they have been breeding quite freely for many weeks ; he has simply a host of fielders as well as a superabundance of nurses or inside workers. If there is any honey to be had they get it, and if gotten tliere will surely be work in that super as well as in the brood-chamber. The only thing lacking to make a record-breaking yield and of fancy finish is good weather and abundance of nectar. But suppose we have all these factors except a lack of nectar, then most of what the colony docs get will go into that super all right, and there may be some very fair finished sections. Next take away a lot of his bees, reducing them to normal strength and not much flow — simply a normal colony and a moderate flow, and results will not be so good ; and, again, with rainy days occasional!}', or any other cause that may make the work intermittent, and results are still worse. So we may trace or analyze a little further down, and we may find what thousands upon thou- sands of bee-keepers all over our land are finding — hard to get the bees into the super at all; or, if there, they will not work in them, or they put all the honey into the brood-combs and crowd out the queen from her norinal breed- ing and the forces of bees from their natural occupations. What else could we expect but that they will get in the notion of swarming, aird hunt more con- genial conditions in a new home? Can you grasp these truths? Can you analyze the orinciples and put them into practice? Can you see that if you get results you must have conditions, and if those conditions do not come you must for yourself make them if you can ? Mr. Trout has evidently time and conditions to get a host of bees ready for his flow, then he proceeds to put his colony into a condition — I say he puts them into a condition altogether against swarming by taking away the brood, and increases that condition by having a young queen with them, whereas most natural swarms have an old queen with them. See that the advice I gave in No. 3. on page 52 for February, was. in one case, to remove all brood but one comb, and the queen, too. Such a plan would work fine in Mr. Trout's case. This puts the colony in a condition that the apiarist has absolute control, for he knows just what they will do in the June, 1909. 211 American l^ee Journal matter of swarming for so many days; and then, by removing all cells but one before they begin to hatch, he has mas- tered the situation, for by that time there is no condition whatever to cause swarming until they have a laying queen, and brood in all stages, when the honey- flow is over and we have obtained the crop. The other plan was to remove the queen but leave the brood on the old stand, then in 10 days renjove all but one cell. In the first case the absence of all but one comb of brood would call for a mass of bees such as Mr. Trout had, literally a brood-chamber and one or more supers full of them so that they at once do a big business in storing. I say "at once," for this should not be done until the flow is already started : but such colonies will decrease daily in numbers with no brood hatching to keep up the death rate. But if the colony has not sufficient bees, and all the brood is left that thereby the colony may be gaining strength every day from hatching bees, and that the storage room in the brood-chamber be at a minimum so the super will be used, we are just using the same principle of control, but trying to intensify the storing capacity. The whole thing is to get the great mass of workers and hold them together for honey, and if a single colony does not have enough bees the end must be obtained in one of two ways : We must double up forces from 2 or more hives till we have the neces- sary numbers, or we must contract the brood-chamber so that the weaker col- ony can use the super — or, more prop- erly, are forced to use it if they do business in honey. But, in either case, to leave a queen with these colonies, that is, the big one in a normal brood- chamber, or the smaller one in a con- tracted chamber, brings about swarm conditions, and we lose control. We must absolutely put the colony into a non-swanning condition first, so as to eliminate that difficulty; then the next thing to do is to produce conditions favoring getting the stores where want- ed and in the desired shape. That means work, and intelligent work, too. \ow go again to that page 52, and read the 3d paragraph beginning, "For those producing extracted honey," etc. There is given a third plan, but really first in order of record. It is to put the queen at the bottom with a mini- mum amount of brood, the excluder over her, and on that an extracting super of dry combs (even part combs, or foundation or starters will do), and above this put the bulk of the brood from the entire colony. Here we have the entire working force, queen, brood and all kept together, that is, on the same stand and in the same hive. But while the whole force is there, the brood being clear at the top, and so much space between it and the queen, with but little brood with the queen be- low, produces a condition in which the stores will go into that top chamber as fast as it comes in, or there are empty cells to receive it, and the dry combs next below it will be filled first after the top ones have no more room for foundation or starters worked out .if they have been given) — the last place to receive storage except for temporary or immediate use is the bottom body where the queen has been laying at will, and where the nurses and inside w'ork- ers not needed to ripen, store and build comb above are kept busy. But this plan is for extracted honey, and for reasons that are obvious not so workable in comb-honey production. For extracted it. will get to the front and will give almost perfect control of swarming. If your queens are old, or poor layers at this time from any cause, an eflfort at supersedure would very like- ly result in swarming : this again shows the value of having all queens this side of their prime when a honey-flow is imminent or on. So we see that it is the master who must master: if he have all things fa- vorable he can do wonders, but when not favorable he must simply make the most he can out of the material at hand. But some say when we clip queens or make these forced conditions we take away the energy of the colony, we pro- duce an abnormal state of the colony and lose thereby. Nine-tenths of those who say so do not know the principles governing bees; do not understand at all bee-nature and general natural laws governing insects that do things be- cause of environment and not from reason. No specific rules are applica- ble except as related to environment. (Continued next month.) Food for Queen and Worker Larvae BV DR. C. C. .MILLER. On page 129 is an article by W, W. McNeal, some of which I do not under- stand; but if I understand correctly the main drift of the article, it is to the effect that young queens and workers receive the same kind of food while in the larval state, the only difference be- ing that the queen receives a larger quantity than the worker. I think this is the first time that 1 have ever known any one to take this ground. Indeed, Mr. McNeal evidently understands that his view is against "the teachings of orthodoxy," for he starts out with the assertion that, " Careful research has failed to disclose any evidence to verify the teachings of- orthodoxy relating to the food of a queen-larva." I am not a scientist, and have made no researches relating to the matter other than the observations which any bee-keeper may make; but, Mr. McN'eal, if you are going to take ground against all the authorities who have previously expressed themselves, don't you think you ought to give us some sort of proof of the correctness of your posi- tion? Please tell us what careful re- search has been made that has failed to verify the teachings of orthodoxy. Even if that be true, is there any evi- dence that quantity of food alone will make the difference between a worker and a queen. But what about the researches of Planta and others, whose analyses show distinctly that after the third day the food f)f the worker - larva is quite changed in character, while the royal larva continues to be fed throughout with the same food it received during the first 3 days? So far as I know, this has been accepted as correct until the appearance of your article. Surely, you ought not to expect us to throw it all aside and accept your view with- out telling us what later research had failed to confirm previous research. For the sake of the younger readers it may not be amiss to say what "the teachings of orthodoxy" are. Put in a very few words, a larva intended to become a queen is, after its first 3 days* existence as a larva, fed abundantly witli a different food from that given to larva; that are to become workers. Perhaps the average bee-keeper who holds this view would not be ready off- hand to say whether he thinks the qual- ity or the quantity of the food is the greater factor in the matter of queen- making. There is no difference of opinion as to the food of the first 2 or 3 days. It is the same, whether fed in a queen- cell or a worker-cell, only a larger quantity is put in the queen-cell. Does that larger quantity make any difi^er- ence? Without referring to the scien- tists, we common bee-keepers can an- swer that question pretty well. We know that a worker-larva, taken any time before it is 3 days old, can be made into a good queen. That seems to show that there is no difference be- tween a worker-larva and a queen-larva during the first 3 days. During that 3 days the larva in the queen-cell has a greater quantity of food placed beside it, but that greater quantity can make no difference, since there is no differ- ence. .\fter the first 3 days the worker- larva is weaned, that is, it has fed to it a coarser food, not so fully digested, while the food of the royal larva re- inains unchanged. That abundant feed- ing of a better food for the remaining time of some 3 days before sealing makes the difference between the work- er and the queen. Is it the abundance of the food, or is it the quality that decides? More food is put in the queen-cell usually than the larva can consume, for we generally find quite a quantity of royal jelly remaining after the young queen emerges; indeed it would seem that the abundance of food given to a royal larva over and above the amount fed to a worker-larva most- ly goes to waste, being left to dry up in the cell, .^s quantity of food made no difference in the first 3 days, and as most of the extra quantity during the remainder of the time is not con- sumed, docs it not look as if quality had more to do with the matter than quantity? Indeed, if one should say that quality had everything to do in the case, and quantity nothing, it might be hard to disprove it. r think there are many who will watcli with interest for Mr. McNeal's proofs for his belief. Where to Put B,\it-Sections. Generally I have given to each super a single bait-section, and that in the center of the super. Sometimes the bees have begun on a super toward the close of the season, filling some of the central sections half full or less, taper- June, 1909. American Hee Journal ing out to raw foundation at the out- side. These are given to the bees to empty out after the end of the flow, and a super of this kind is nicely baited to be given for the first super the next season. While I have never, to any e.xtent, given bait-sections other than in the center of the sections, I think I have sometimes advised, "If you have abund- ance of bait-sections, put one in each corner of the super." It stands to rea- son that if the bees begin at the corn- ers, where they are the last at finish- ing, there ought to be more even work than if the start is made at the cen- ter. But sometimes our reasoning doesn't agree with that of the bees. Here is a letter from a man in whom I have much confidence : I notice in your answers to some ques- tions in the American Bee Journal that you seem to be in some doubt as to the best place to put bait-sections in the supers. I had some experience last season that leads me to believe that the best place for them is in the center of the super. In some supers ■V frrr' in others I put one in each corner and one^ 1 put one bait-section in each corner, and* or two in the center. The baits in the corners seem to have the effect to divide the working force too much, drawing it away from the center where it naturally belongs. In some instances the bees would begin work on the baits in the corners, and then leave them and finish up the two sections with starters between the two baits on each side of the hive before finishing the corner baits. In some instances the corner baits were not finished at all. Some I found with no honey in them when the supers were taken off, while every other section was completed. After this I shall put my baits in the centers of the super, be they few or many, and leave the bees to do the work in the corners when they get ready. It is no great matter if there is some uncompleted work in the corners. The finishing can be done else- where. Edwin Bevins. \ pint of experience from a man like Mr. Bevins is worth more than a bushel of theory, and thanks are hereby given him for his letter. The center is the natural place to begin work in a super, and the unfinished sections at the out- side can easily be assembled in another super and given to the bees to finish. Marengo, 111. RcfleciioMiF or js California Bee-Kccper 7 by W. A. PKVA1>. Aldeu Station. Oakiaud. Calif. Weather Extremes — Swanning. It seems that it is either a feast or a famine in California, at least in a goodly portion of it. Take for instance the matter of rain. For the lack of this heavenly fluid, we are often thrown on the verge of a real famine; perhaps there would be a dearth of eatables if it were not for the fact that some of the river districts and those sections that can be irrigated from the melting of the perpetual snows in the high mountains, and produce abundantly of the good things of the earth, even in the dryest years. But what if two or ithree dry years should follow each other and there were no snowfall in the mountains? We have had such years and still there was water from the snow-springs up in or near the clouds, but of course not so plentiful as in years of abundant rainfall. All this may be neither here nor there ; the subject, however, was brought about by the fact that the winter and early spring was about one of the wettest we ever had. And yet looking back from these closing days of April, I can say the month was about the dryest we ever had. Rain is greatly needed to freshen the earth and invigorate all sur- face-rooted vegetation, for much of it is suffering for the need of sufficient mois- ture. And the month .has been a hot one. too. Hay has gone soaring around $30 a ton ; potatoes are $2 a hundred weight, and will be higher, as we of this State are being called upon to furnish the succulent tuber to that renowned "spud-country," Oregon. The crop in the latter State is said to have been a failure — how, I have not heard. But while all these divers calamities worry the average agriculturist, the bee- keeper wears a more happy smile. The rain was sufficient without anything ad- ditional to guarantee a good growth of nectar-secreting plants. And the con- dition of the weather, at least for this portion of the State has been ideal. So, on the whole, we are looking for a big crop of honey. I can say tliat for the past 2 weeks my bees have been doing wonderfully well. Some of the colon- ies were in full swing over a fortnight ago ; the first swarin issued Sunday, Apr. II. A couple of days I had to be away and I believe a ievi swarms came forth, and I further believe, "lit out" for parts unknown. But when I am home it is a wise and cunning aggre- gation of bees that will get away from me. (And I have to confess that one swarm did get away, but I am inclined to tlie belief that it was a truant swarm that came to the apiary, lit well up in a tall tree during the noon hour, and while I was at lunch hied themselves away.) The rpth was the "swarmiest" day I ever had to contend with ; and I verily believe it was the warmest .-Xpril day that I ever had to swelter in. Talk about fun ! Fun with a vengeance ! On our place there is much to do. We have a sort of general fruit-farm, garden, and I might say, the Lord knows what not, but I won't. And yet it is a pretty place, and an interesting one. So with all the things to look after and do, it is no small task to play second fiddle to the bees. And how they hummed, and buzzed, and cavorted that day; and they commenced bright and early, as they early divined what the day was to be. Everything went along well enough so long as one swarm came out and got settled and fairly hived, before the next one came upon the scene. But along toward noon, they came forth fast and thick, and the fun or deviltry began. But fortunately none of them were of stinging mood, so I did not mind it so much. It was the heat and the anxiety to keep those swarms separate that both- ered me. And funny things happened. I had one big swarm nearly hived beneath the cherry-tree it alighted upon, when out came a swarm from a large 3-story hive. I saw what a pickle I'd be in if those two came together, I had the half-hived colony on a large cloth, so I folded it over the hive. But those bees began to pile upon the cloth and many were crawling through the folds, when I gathered the outfit up and placed it to a permanent stand in the apiary. I paid no further attention to this lat- ter swarm for a half hour when I went over to see about hiving it. I imagined the bees were somewhere in the branches of the tree. But nary a bee was there. But I saw some bees flying about beneath the tree, and some hovered near an old bucket that was formerly a coal-oil can. Lo ! and behold, if my swarm had not entered the can and seemed to be as happy as a clam at high tide, .-^nd such a snap it was for me to hive it. I stepped over, took hold of the pail's bail and walked off with a big bucket full of live bees. I sat it on top of a hive for a few minutes, secured my camera, and while they looked their prettiest, (unfortunately mostly within the can,) I took their picture. I am sorry I can't show it to you, for 'tis yet undeveloped. Well, it was a mere "pudding" to get that pail full of bees into a hive I prepared for them right on the stand they were to occupy thenceforth. Swarming would be an easy matter if all bees had such horse-sense ! Then, another time, when I was oper- ating on a colony, to relieve it of a bad case of "toomanyqueencells," out of a hive close by began to come a swarm. My head began to swim, figuratively, for it seemed that swarms were in the air, and swarms were everywhere. But my wits did not forsake me, neverthe- less. My first impulse was to nab the queen as she came forth. (I have not practiced queen-wing-clipping these many years, though when I did it was made an easy road to this matter of capturing swarms). Well, as I was about to remark, the queen was just a fraction of a second too previous to me; I saw her take wing before my fingers could get half way to where I saw her at the edge of the alighting board. Then, I grabbed a piece of a shingle near by and jammed it into tlie entrance. Most of my hives have entrances only ^ of an inch high and from 6 to 12 inches long. The shingle only contracted the entrance and but few bees could get out at a time. Then I blew in quite a lot of smoke — June, igog. American Hee Journal more than I should otherwise. Then I removed the shingle. The result of all this work, which was done in about a minute, was that that swarm did not get busy in the air that day; it just clustered on the front of the hive for an hour or so, and then resumed the even tenor of its way. Just imagine the time I would have had if that swarm commenced to alight among the bees of the colony I was manipulating ! No patent ; help yourself. Never mind the thanks. What I have so imperfectly narrated above is but a fraction of the work I had to do this one hot day in April. Sever- al days later — the last day of the month — was another hot day, but I had only one swarm to deal with. Here I will state that I have been for- tunate during my long course of bee- keeping to keep down swarming to a minimum — some years getting none whatever. Early in the season I make what divisions I care to have, and man- age so as to have these new colonies as strong as any in the apiary by the ad- vent of the main honey-flow, which is about the time swarming is usually expected. This year I found that some of these new colonies I prepared got so strong that some of them cast swarms as soon as some of the colonies that had not been divided. As a contrast to the summery weather we have been having, I can not help but make note of the other extreme that is prevailing at this writing, in the East and Middle West, for I notice that the papers are full of accounts of blizzards, snow storms, and killing frosts that have prevailed there, while we were wearing summer clothing. But as comparisons are said to be odious, I forbear to make further remarks on this subject. Benton's Bee-Bill Beaten. The bill framed by Mr. Ralph Ben- ton, of the University of California, for the purposes set forth by him in the April number of the American Bee Jour- nal, died "a-borning" in the hands of the committee of the branch of the Legis- lature in which it was introduced. This is something of a disappointment to that energetic young gentleman. He spent much time, energy and money in getting the proposed bill in shape, and getting it before various meetings of California bee-keepers for their approval. In this way he received much valuable informa- tion and many timely suggestions as to what our bee-keepers need most in bee- disease legislation. I am afraid that the fact that the proposed bill seemed to savor of being another of those Univer- sity measures that are every once in a while sprung on the people, helped kill it. It would be well, I think, to get at the proposed plan in another way. Have a good bee-disease law drafted and adopted. The matter of placing cer- tain powers in connection therewith could be made a part of another pro- vision to be framed, or as an amend- ment to some bill now in force, whereby the entomological department of the Uni- versity of California, or say, the Ex- periment Station of said University, would be constituted the pathologist of the bee-disease inspectors, with in- creased pay for such additional work, if need be. As the matter stands I am sorry that the bill was not adopted, for as I have heretofore stated, I should like to see how it would work. Here I will state in answer to Mr. Benton's article in the April issue of this paper, that when I saw the bill, it was much different from the way it was sent to Sacramento : that my remarks were aimed at the bill as I saw it, and I still believe that mj' remarks were time- ly and to the point, and I am sure Mr. Benton will agree with me. But the matter is dead now, so let it rest in peace. Monterey County Bee-Keeping. A good many have been inquiring about Monterey county as a profitable place to locate an apiary. Personally I know little of the county, but I have heard much of its wonderful resources. The coast-line of the county is partly on the Pacific ocean and partly on Mon- terey bay; thus it has a cool but not Tliis is what Mr. Townscnd modest- ly says of his bee-keeping : I am a native of Australia. I came to this country 12 years ago, intending simply to have a trip through America and return to Australia, but on seeing a large apiary in Santa Barbara county, I got so taken with the business that I decided to learn it and start for myself. I worked with some of the largest bee-men in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Kings counties, to learn the practical work and different methods, and 4 years after coming to the country, I bought 200 colo- nies of bees, and located in the Santa Ynez Mountains, back of Santa Barbara. The 3 seasons I was there were very bad, each dryer than the preceding one, and I produced no honey at all. So I got discouraged of ever doing much there. I then moved up into Santa Cruz county, back from the Coast. I stayed there 2 seasons, but the bees did poorly, as the fogs and cold weather pre- vented them from doing much work in the spring when there was abundance of bloom on everything — sage, buckeye, manzanita, ma- drone, holly, cascara, and several other blooms — and by the time the weather did get warm enough, everything was through blooming. Three years ago, I came down here, after looking over the northern part of the State, even as far up as Klamath. I came here with 150 colonies of bees, produced 10 tons of honey that year, and increased to 200 colo- nies. The next season I produced 25 tons and increased to 300 colonies. In 1908 I produced 5 tons, and did not increase at all. 1 think one can produce some honey every =.^^^ I back into the hives. I gave them a super and they have gone to work. Would you advise me to rear queens from this one, or buy full-blooded ones? Of course the queens I would rear from this one would be only hall-breeds, as they would mate with drones that they chanced to meet. Virginia. Answers. — 1. At the risk of being accused of getting in an advertisement here, I cannot help wishing you had got a copy of my book Forty Years Among the Bees," and followed the plan there given. Still, on page 551 of the number you mention is a succinct state- ment of the plan, which I advise you to follow. The plan you outline may work out all right, but the plan I give is, I think, simpler, and i suspect you will be more sue- csssful with it. There is a point, however, that should be mentioned. You are told to give a frame with one or two small starters to your bist queen, in order to get a frame of virgin comb with eggs and young brood to be used to get good queen-cells. If your best queen is in a strong colony it is likely that a large part of the comb built will be drone- comb, possibly all drone-comb, and you can rear good queens from drone-comb. To make sure of worker-brood, let the frame be filled with worker- foundation. A better way, how- ever, is to keep your best queen not in a strong colony, but a colony or nucleus having only 2 or 3 frames of brood. Then the bees will build all worker-comb with small starters. Another reason I keep my best in a weak colony is that she may live as long as possi- ble, for in a strong colony she will wear out sooner than in a nucleus. My best queen, so far as I now know, was reared in 1906, and her colony will not be expected to pro- duce any honey this year, for I want her to live till next year if she will be so obliging. Of course, 1 may not want to use her another year, for I may happen to have a better queen then. 2. It will be perhaps just as yell to rear queens from the Caucasian queen you have, for even if you get all pure queens you will have mixed stock in a year or so. Then if you decide you want to keep the Caucasian stock you can get a new queen another year. It may be well for you not to be in too great haste about deciding as to the merits of Caucasians, so long as views regarding them arc so conflicting. Getting Straight Combs. How do you get straight combs built? Last year I used full sheets of foundation. The frames were wired with 4 horizontal wires. Almost every one "buckled" between the wires, and they arc a bad lot of combs. Kaxsas. Answer. — I wonder if you didn't depend entirely on the wires. The foundation should be fastened securely to . the top-bar, either by means of the kerf and wedge, or what some think better in a very dry climate, wax- ing the foundation to the top-bar, that is, running melted wax along the edge of the foundation on the top-bar. But you will probably have less sagging of foundation if you use foundation splints that have been heretofore described in these columns, as well as in the book "Forty Years .\mong the Bees." Porter Bee-Escapes — Killing Bees in Manipulating — Honey from Box- Hives Into Sections. 1. Will queens and drones pass easily through the Porter bee-escape? 2. I)ocs the Porter bee-escape often get clogged up with bees trying to carry out dead bees, larvae, etc. ? 3. I can not yet avoid killing from one to 12 or more bees at each opening and closing of hives. About what is the average number of bees killed at each manipulation by tlie av- erage experienced bee-keeper with say 100 col- onies? 4. What is the color of locust honey? 5. On a Friday 2 swarms cam:: out to- gether and formed one cluster. I prepared 2 hives and put a frame of eggs in each. I divided the cluster between thos:- 2 hives and each got a queen the following Sunday morning. The bees in one of the hives dragged out the queen nearly dead. I res- cued her, and whilst in my hand she deposited an egg, so she was the old queen (one of the Awarms was an aftcrswarm). The swarm then started queen-cells. Why was the queen killed after she had been with the swarm two days? G. Js there any plan whcrchy the bees can be induced to transfer the honey out of a box-hive into sections? California. Answers. — 1. Yes; although not quite so easily as workers. 2. Yes, although there is not much chance for it. Dead bees are not likely to be in supers, neither is brood often present. 3. Not easy to say. By being very careful one might manipulate 100 colonies without killing a bee. But it hardly pays to go so slow as that. Perhaps 100 bees would be killed in the whole lot. But that's only guessing. 4. I don't know. 5. It is not so very uncommon to find bees hostile to a queen and yet not actually kill her for 2 days, or even a week. 6. I think some have claimed to succeed by setting the hive over the sections until well occupied with bees, and then setting the box-hive away some distance with the entrance large enough for only one bee at a time. I never made a great success at it. Sweet Clover Not White Clover. In reading American papers. I observe fre- quent references to sweet clover as a plant for bee-pasturage. Is it the same as white clover (trifolium repens perenne) which is the staple bee-pasturage here during the sum- mer months. New Zealand. .'\nswer. — Oh, no, it's an entirely different thing, growing sometimes to the height of 8 or b feet, although 3 or 4 feet is a more common growth. The most common sweet clover is melilotus alba. It is a biennial, coming from the seed one year, blossoming the next, and then dying root and branch. I don't know how much more nectar an acre of sweet clover would yield than an acre of white clover, but should guess at least 5 times as much. Even if bees have all they can do on wliite clover, sweet clover is valuable, he- cause while it begins bloom later than white clover it conjlinues much later, even till frost. There is a yellow sweet clover which blooms 3 weeks earlier than the white. Sweet clover will grow where scarcely anything else will, as in a clay bank. It seems to flourish best, (T at least to start from the seed best, oi» hard ground trodden by farm stock. Queen- Cell Cups and Swarming — Washing the Extractor — Smok- ing Bees. J. In manipulating my colunies this spring, swarming has received more than usual at- tention, and this question has presented it- self quite often: Does the presence of queen- cell cups without eggs or brood always in- dicate a desire to swarm? 2. How long may an extractor remain with- out washing? That is, how long may the ex- tract in gs be apart without injuring anything. • 3. In Cleanings, jiagc 250, E. D. Town- s^nd says that when tlie bees get stirred up and a good many of tlicm in the air, "we alternate between smriking the bees in the sir and those in the hive until most of the flying ones have settled down." Now. how does he smoke the bees in the air? It seems to me one might smoke (juitc a little while without getting much results. Do you smoke those in the air? California. Answer. — 1. No. 2. I don't know. I think in some cases harm might be done by leaving an extractor daubed for 24 hours. I know that in some cases a week or more will do no harm. Per- haps the kind of honey or the condition of the atmosphere makes a difference. 3. Yes, I've- smoked bees in the air. When a cloud of cross bets surrounds you, charge upon them with a heavy smoke, and you will find it heljis. Swarm Management — Best Bee- Book — Georgia for Bees, Etc. J. This is my \>]:m. Am I right or wrong? I have 12 hox-hivts. 1 am going to let them swarm naturally and put the new swarms in dovetailed hives (Sframe), and run for comb honey. I am going to keep the box-hives to supply mc with swarms, and do all I can to prevent the colonies in the frame-hives from swarming. 2. One of my box-hive colonics died and I cut out some of the nice combs and stuck them in the frames of one of the new hives, thinking I would give the first swarm a good start and soon have a super of fine honey. The first swarm came out April 15. and it was a large one. I think there must have been a peck of bees in that swarm. I was over- joyed. So I set about and quickly had them, hived; hut alas, my precious bees spent just 3 hums with me, when thsy came bulging out. I threw sand, beat pans, but nothing on earth could stop the onward rush of those absconding bees. So I said. "So long," and le: them go their way. I had plenty of foundation, but I thought the combs would be better. I examined the hive after they left and found that they had torn down every piece of comb. Please show me my mistake. 3. \\'ill 2-inch strips of nice combs in the super answer as well as foundation? What is the best method of sticking them in? 4. Are supers ever left on the hives in the winter? '). I notice in some of my hives that u or G bees get in the hive-entrance and seem to stand on their heads and make a buzzing noise, and they won't move for anything. The bees can run right over them but they are stuck right there, and keep on buzzing. What makes them do that? and what does it mean? 6. What bee-book would be best for me (a beginner) to get? 7. Do you consider middle Georgia a good place to keep bees for profit ? We have no clover, but we have about everything else. The season opens here the first of April, and lasts until the first of September. 5. By using a one-inch strip of foundation in the brood-chamber and supers, should I ex- pect to get one filled super from each new swarm? Georgia. Answ'ERS. — ]. Your plan is all right. If you desire to have only one swarm from each colony, getting honey rather than increase, set the swarm on the stand of the mother colony with the latter close beside the swarm; and then a week later move the old hive to a new place. 2. Vou were right in thinking the swarms- would like good combs better than founda- tion. If you had given them clean combs well fastened in the frames the result might have been very different. The likelihood is that the combs were not fastened in the frames very well, and that ^'ou didn't give the bees as much air as they ought to have had. The swarms being strong, there was much heat in the hive, the combs tumbled down, and the bees decided they would leave such ati uncertain habitation. 3. ^'es. Have a dish of melted wax; dip- one edge of the comb in the wax, and then stick it where you want it to stay. 4. Yes, but you should never leave a super of sections on after the harvest has closed. They will be darkened by the bees. 5. Those bees are ventilating, and you can't do anything for them. G. '"Root's A B C and X Y Z of Bee- Culture," Dadant's "Langstroth on the Honey- Bee," and Cook's "Bee-Keeper's Guide," all arc good. 7. Some bce-kecpcrs do very well in Georgia. S. In a good season you might do better than that if you do as directed in Answer 1. Brood Killed by Heat. In answering my question in the Ameridan Bee Journal you askea me if I had ever known bees to allow the inside of a hive to become hot enough to kill the brood. I have. It was the middle of last July. The hives (3 in all) were double- walled ones, 2 stories high, and painted a walnut color. I was trying to in- troduce a queen to one of the colonies, and the hive got hot enough inside not only to kill a good bit of the brood, but it also killed the queen and her escort bees. It also drove nearly all the other bees outside the hive./ I opened the hive at noon on this particular day to see how the queen was. I found nealy all her escort bees dead, and herself nearly so. She died before night. I took some of the combs out to sec how things were inside the hive. As I lifted one comb out I saw young larv?e leave the bottom of the cells, and travel as fast as they could for the entrance to the cells. Some came clear out, while others came only part way out. Some of those that remained in the bottom of the cells died, as well as those that came part way out. And more or less of that which was sealed over was also killed. The bees did not remove a good ^liarc of the dead brood before it rotted. It was rotten or nearly so, by the next afternoon, and the bees refused to touch the nasty stuff. They dried up to nothing but dark spot: . some on the bottom, the sides, and some in the bottom of the cells. I had never had a case of foul brood, and knew nothing about it excepl 2l6 June. 1909. what I had read. But I was afraid of that rotten stuff. I looked at the bee-books and papers to see if I could find the causes of foul brood, but did not get much satisfaction. So there was nothing to do but destroy the combs, or leave them alone. If I destroyed the combs I would learn nothing. But if I left them alone I would. I decided to leave tiiem alone, and learn from experience. And if need be, pay for my knowledge. And I paid. i had only 4 colonies, and I lost 3 out of the 4. The fourth colony was in a single-walled hive, and painted wnite, and stood the heat all right. When the bees tried to rear brood in those combs again dead brood appeared in scattered cells. Some died before being sealed, others after. As the season advanced the amount of dead brood increased. And the strength of the colonies diminished until at the beginning of winter but few bees were left in either of the hives. And they died the first of the winter. I have not destroyed the combs yet, uut intend to do so. They are where no bees can get to them. I thought before destroying the combs I would try to find out whether it was foul brood. And in about 2 days after this letter is mailed I intend to mail a sample of comb and dead brood to you to see what you think about it. When you receive it do anything you have a mind to with it, and then let me know whether it is dead or foul-brood. If it is not, it is not one whit bet- ter. What's in a name, anyway ? "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Whatever it is, it was caused by the brood that was killed by the heat. And that is one thing about it that I am sure of. The brood was perfectly healthy and all right before being filled by the heat, Michigan. Answer. — I've had combs melt down in hives, but never brood killed by the heat. It may, however, be more common than I think. I am also surprised that the bees did not clean out the dead brood. As the brood was rotten, or nearly so, by the next afternoon, it could hard- ly be that this was caused by any contagious disease, provided the colony was healthy before the roasting, for it is not likely that any dis- ease could develop so rapidly. The sample of dead brood sent has come to hand. You ask me to let you know whether or not it is dead. I am strongly of the opin- ion that it is. It has the appearance of being very dead. As to whether it is affected by foul brood or something equally as bad, I don't know. As I have repeatedly said in this de- partment, I'm not an expert on bee-diseases. I think I'll send it to General Manager N. E. France and see what he calls it. But supposing it is a case of foul brood, that doesn't prove that foul brood could result from dead brood killed by heat. There is the possibility that there was some source of con- tagion within reach of your bees. It would be hard for you to be positive that no dis- eased colony was within a mile or two. Still harder would it be for you to be certain that there was no case in which some one had brought honey from a diseased colony perhaps a hundred miles away, some of tins honey being where your bees could get it. At any rate, the authorities tell us that rotten brood will no more start foul brood without the seeds of the disease than a field of com i;an be started without any corn as seed. Later — I sent the sample to Mr. France, and his reply is: "Any one with such combs should at once write Michigan Inspector, R. L. Tay- lor, of Lapeer, Mich., to call at once." So I suppose there is no doubt that the brood is not only dead but diseased. But, as before intimated, that's no proof that killing the brood made it diseased. Iteporfsaiill American ^ee Journal luit of tlie cellar until the vtT\' last of April. It sno\:-cd almost every day the first week in May. We had quite a snowstorm the 1st. The bees are not so strong as when I took them out of the cellar, April 1, 2, and 3. I look for a heavy loss in this section. They have scarcely any brood, not half as much as when I took them from the cellar. The queens are laying, and there are plenty of eggs, but no brood to speak of — too cold for brood-rearing. Geo. B. Howe. Black River, N. Y.. May S. Cxpcrtenc^S^ ^IS^ ^iuj^ikl :±£i2I Bees Doing Fine. Bees in this vicinity are doing fine, and I have already made 50 percent increase. The indications are favorable for another excep- tionally good honey-year. Leo E. Gateley. Fort Smith, Ark., May 10. Cold and Backward Spring. This has been the most backward season I ever saw. One bee-keeper did not take bees Disinfecting Combs. We are told that to keep cunibs free from the wax-worms we should use bisulphide of carbon; and once is a plenty. March 30. 1906, I had 29 colonies living. Fine weather, and soft maple and elm came out in blossom, and the bees worked well until the eve- ning. March 31, at sundown, the wind turned northwest and it was cold all through April. When it became warm in May so that bees could fly, I had just 9 colonies liv- ing, so I was pretty nearly cleaned out. There was brood in every hive — from 2 to 3 frames. Not any was smaller than a man's hand in size, with 10 to 30 pounds of honey in the hives, so I had a mess to clean up. I set the hives back of the hives with bees. They cleaned them out well, all but one hive. They cut the combs badly, but did not spoil them. After the bees had cleaned up all and left, I soon found that the wax- worms began to work. So I got one pound of bisulphide of carbon, then cut a lath as long as the hive, 16 inches, wrapped newspaper around the lath and nailed at each end. This closed the front tight. Then I took 2 pieces of paper that covered the top well. Then I. turned into the hive 2 tablespoonfuls of bisulphide of carbon and put the papers and then the honey-board on. I used a brick for a weight. I found it to be necessary to do this once in a week or 10 days, or the worms would get the start of the bee-keeper. They spoiled 2 sets of combs for me after using the first time. Since then I have kept the combs free from the worms, for 2 years. I have 23 hives with full sets of combs, and it costs me my time and 2 pounds of bisulphate of carbon, and the combs are good. "Once a week, and keep dry." E. Tucker. Bergen, N. Y., May 12. Expects Honey Later. Bees have got down to business here at last. My bees are swarming, and swarms are being caught in the woods every day. Al- most all are being put into box-hives. I can't get the farmer in the bee-business in- terested in the movable-frame hive. The poplar is in bloom, and we will have some flowers from this time on. I am looking for some honey after a while. ^ , ,, ^ R- V. Perry. Greenfield, Tenn., May 13. Drinking Milk with Honey. In the April issue I notice "Honey gives him stomach-ache." I hesitate to correct Dr. Miller's answer, but as it will aid the con- sumption of honey, perhaps he will forgive me. Advise them to drink milk when they eat honey, and it will stop fermentation. It seems the casein neutralizes the acid pro- duced in fermentation just as cheese does in pastry, and in cases where fermentation be- comes chronic the albumen of eggs. This con- dition is often found where people are troubled with uric acid. Then if milk or albumen do not accomplish the trick, take ^ teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda and ^ teaspoonful of bismuth subnitrate from J^ to 2 hours after eating honey. Fermentation, if long continued and unchecked, will produce ulceration of the stomach and perhaps cancer. \'alhalla. N. Y. A. Richter. Caucasian Bees. On page 151, F. W. Blakely refers to an Iowa writer on page 313, for October, 1908, in which he draws attention to what I said in regard to Caucasian bees as not being desir- able to keep. I wish to say that I am not accustomed to write for the public, and that ii I failed to make myself understood, he must excuse me. The queen referred to was an Italian I introduced tn supersede a Cau- casian queen. In 1907 I sent for 3 Cau- casian queens, and got them safely introduced. They did fairly well, and came through the winter all right; they received the same treat- ment my other bees did; they did fairly well, but my Italians and hybrids did better. I find that they are much -given to drone- rearing. I hived one swarm on full sheets of foundation and in due time they had a fine lot of combs filled with brood and honey; but what took me by surprise was, that 1 found one comb near the center of the hive about one-third full of drone-brood in worker- cells, and the drones seemed to be nearly as larce as those reared in drone-cells. I find also that they will rear a large number of queens when they swarm. Most of the combs from which the swarm came had from 2 to a dozen or more queen-cells on each, and I am led to believe that the queens are not quite as large as queens from other bees. At least, I found that a larger percentage would go through queen-excluding zinc. Those bees would carry in no more propolis than other bees during the summer, but it was only at the close of the season that they would plug up the entrance. In color they are very much like black bees, but of a more greyish appearance, par- ticularly when young. When out in the field, I could not tell them from black bees with any certainty. I find them very gentle at al- most any time when other bees are inclined to be cross. My bees are mostly what are called the golden Italians, not the long- tongued red clover bees, yet I find that bees will work on red clover for a day or two every year if the conditions are right — not alone the Italians, but hybrids and blacks as well. Now, Mr. Blakely, if you find that I have made further misrepresentations, please point them out, and I will try to correct them. Fred Bechly. Searsboro. Iowa, April 10. Good Prospect for Honey Crop. The outlook for a good crop of honey is good here at this time. My bees wintered fine. I had not a single loss out of 26 col- onies; all came through in fine shape, but one, which is, I believe, queenless. I win- ter them on the summer stands in single- walled hives, and never lose a colony, except from carelessly letting the entrance get sealed up with ice when it sleets. A 3-frame nu- cleus ordered last season, has done well. I have 2 full colonies now ready to swarm, and got about 30 pounds of fine comb honey from them last fall. I have had no swarm, but am expecting it every day, as the bees are lying out some. Fruit-bloom was good. Everything was full, and bees made good use of it. Dan- delion followed, and now wild cherry and some little clover are in bloom. The pros- pect for a good white clover honey-flow is ex- cellent, all the talk to the contrary notwith- standing. I sold my last year's crop here at home in the local market, for 12J^ cents a pound. 1 could have gotten 15 cents if I had held onto it a little longer. All together the prospect "looks good" to us, and we hope for a good year for all engaged in the busi- ness, for business or pleasure. I am in it for both, and get both out of it. There are but few bee-keepers here, and very few in- deed who understand the business and run it on business principles. H. S. Carroll. Lentner, Mo., May 24. Flouring Queens Before Intro- ducing. On May 3 I received 3 tested queens which I wanted to introduce. Having just read in Gleanings that queens could be introduced by sprinkling the queen as well as the other bees with flour after placing the queen on the frame I thought I would try to experiment. I went to the apiary and selected a colony whose queen had been winter-killed. I took out the frame, sprinkled the queen with flour while in her cage together with her atten- dants, opened the door of the cage and let her crawl on the frame. As soon as she was on the frame I sprinkled all the bees on the frame. I also took out a few of the other frames and sprinkled them. To my surprise both the queen and her attendants walked unmolested. I put the frame back, and on the 12th I examined the hive again and found the queen all right and laying. Encouraged with my success I tried to in- troduce another queen to another colony that had been given brood a few days before, but it was not a success. The queen had no sooner come on the frame than the bees went after her, and before I could rescue her she was crippled. Will some one who has tried this, inform me if the fact that the bees were given brood and were rearing a queen would make the difference, or was my first attempt just "happy circumstance?" I trust that this flour method will be a success, for if it is it will solve to a certain extent an easy way of introducing. I should be glad to hear through the columns of the American Bee Journal of any one who has tried it, and with what success. A. F. Nelson. Benson, Minn., May 15. Peirce Service AND Root Quality Always Win Here are two instances out of several thousand. Grafton. W. Va., April L'y, :yo'.t. Mr. E. W. Pfiro' The bee-3upplies are at hand. I am more than pleased with them. I would rather have the frames you sent me than the kind I meant to or- der, because the foundation is more easilv put in them. FRED BAILEY. Martinsburg, O., March 26. Mr. E. ^y. P^irc The goods at hand; everything in ^ood condi- tion. All parts fit nicely tog-ether. I like to order goods from vou, Mr. Peirce, because vou are so prompt in making shipment. PAUL GILMOR. Join the happy company of which Messrs. Bailey and Gilmor are members by sending your next order to LDMUND W. PLIRCE,. 136 W. Main Street, Zanesville, Ohio Catalog free. When ordering mention Am. Bee Journal and get a discount. $2 \ DAY for snare lime. Business light, pleasant, easily learned. No canvassing. Lovely samples and instructions 10 cts. Lew. Davis y^o.. Box 192, Webster Groves, Mo' Please iiiciition Am. Bee Journal when writing. GIANT RADISH from JAPAN Grows 1^ Feet Long — Seeds FREE to Our Readers What do you thinlc of a variety of radish that weighs thirty pounds, which is often a foot and a half long and more than eifrht inches through, which is as tender and sweet during the hottest July weather as the earliest spring radishes, and which, notwithstanding its immense size, never becomes hot or pithy; which can be eaten raw like an apple, can be cooked like tur- nips, and when pulled late in fall will keep late into winter as sweet and crisp as when pulled. Add to this the fact that the tops, which grow to be two to three feet long, make fine "greens," and you have a pretty good description of the giant radish. Sakurajima. a recent introduction from Japan. The Fruit-Grower has secured practi- cally all the seeds of this splendid radish in America, and I want you to have a package for planting this season. There is plenty of time to plant, for this is a hot- weather radish, and must be planted late. This splendid new radish was first called to my attention by one of our readers on [^on<.; Island. He has grown Sakurajima radi.sh for two seasons, and says that last \ear thf^-y averaged fifteen pounds In weight and every radish was tender and swff't. and did not get hot at any time. Hon. W. J. Bryan, seeing our advertise- ment, writes: "Vou are thf man I am look- ing fof. I s!iw the Oiant Radishes in •litpnn, and want Home seed. I saw rad- ishes 15 to IS inches long, and the flavor is good. I have been intending to send to Japan for seed, Now, I will buy them "f >ou, or subscribe for your paper — in fact, yi.u can trade with, me on your own terms." These Seeds are Free with a Trial Subscription to The Fruit-Grower Here is the way to get the seeds: Send me 25 cents for a six months' trial sub- scription to The Fruit-Grower, and a pack- age of the seeds will be sent vou abso- lutely free. This trial offer gives vou The Fruit-Grower six months at Half Rate. Regular rate $1.00 a year. The Fruit-Grower is the leading' fruit paper of America; it is devoted solely to horticulture, and has 70.000 readers who swear by It; it is clean and up-to-date- no whisky or medicine advertisements. Ask the editor of this paper about The Fruit-(;rc\\er. He knows the paper well, and knows I could not afford to make an offer of this kind unless I knew tha4 both The Fruit-Grower and the Sakurajima radish will make good. Send 25c. coin or stamps, at my risk, for a six months' trial subscription, and seeds will be sent by re- turn mail FREE. Write Today. JAMES M. IR\TNE, Editor The Fruit-Grower, Box S, St. Joseph, Mo. Some manufacturers of Bee-Keepers* Supplies burn New Mill Dam with Fifty Feet Water Poicer. A Car-load of Coal a Day The cost of the coal must be added to the cost i;f the material and the labor and all other expenses, and the Con- Humer pays (he Bill. Who makes your bee-keepers' supplies ? It will pay you to look into this matter. You have long been wondering why your Supplies cost so much. Better investigate. The above is a photograph of the Kinnickinnich at the site of the Power plant of the Bee-Supply factory of W. H. Putnam, of River Falls, Wisconsin. .Send 10 cents for "See-Talk."' and experience an agreeable .surprise in prices. W. H. Putnam. River Falls, Wis. 2l8 American liee Journal Laivgstroth Honey- Bee on the Revised by Dadant— Latest Edition This is one of the standard books on bee-culture, and ought to be in the library of every bee-keeper. It is bound substantially in cloth and contains nearly 600 pages, being revised by that large, practical bee-keeper, so well-known to all the readers of the American Bee Journal— Mr. C. P. Dadant. Each sub- ject is clearly and thoroughly explained, so that by following the instructions of this book one cannot fail to be wonder- fully helped on the way to success with bees. The book we mail for $1.20, or club it with the American Bee Journal for one year — both for $1.70 or, we will mail it as a premium for sending us FIVE NEW subscribers to the Bee Jour- nal for one year, with i3.75. This is a splendid chance to get a grand bee-book for a very little money or work. Address, GEORGE W. YORK ®. CO., 118 W.-lackson Blvd., CHICAGO, II-I,. DOOLITTLE & CLARK Ha%-e just taken from their bee-cel- lars some of the finest Italian breed- ers ever seen. Prices, $2.50, $5.00, and $10.00. Ready for delivery May 1st. 5Atf BORODINO, ONONDAGA CO., N. Y. Pkasc iiicmion Am. Bee Journal when writing. ITALIAN QUEENS Reared under supersedure conditions, un- tested at $1.00 each until after July lOth. when the price will be 75c. Queens ready after .May 25th. Send for price list. 5A4t O.F.Fuller.R.F.D..BIackstone,Mass. Reference. Arthur C.Miller,Providence,R.I. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Pacific Homestead Do you want direct information on the bee, stock, horticultural and agricultural industries of Oregon, Washington and Idaho? Then send 25c in stamps right now for a three months' trial subscription to our Pacific Homestead, the illustrated farm paper of the Pacific Northwest. We give with this our big Holiday number (equiva- lent to a $2.00 book) containing articles on, and over 100 illustrations of the entire Pacific Northwest. 6Atf Sample copies of current numbers free. Address Pacific Homestead Dept. C, Salem. Oregon Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. The American Institute of Phrenology incorporated 1866 by Special Act of the New York Legislature, will open its next session the first Wednesday in September. Sub- jects embraced: Phrenology: Physiognomy: Ethnology: Psychology: Physiology : Anat- omy : Hygiene: Heredity: Anthropology. For terms and particulars apply to M. H. Piercy, Secretary, care of FOWLKR & WKLLS CO., 18 East 23d St., INew York, N. Y. Please mention .^m. Bee Journal when writing. Tennessee- Bred Queens 37 Years Experience, breed 3-band Italians only. November 1st to July 1st 1 July 1st to Nov. 1st 1 6 IS 1 6 18 $1.00 $5.00 $9.00 $ .75 $ 4.00 $ 7.50 Spleof TTntpsitpd 1.25 650 12.00 100 500 9-00 Tested 1.75 9.00 1700 1.50 800 15.00 Splprt Tested 2.50 13.50 2500 2.00 1000 18 00 Breeders $4.00. Add twenty percent for queens to be exported. Nuclei, without queens: 1-frame. $2.50; 2-frame, $3.50: 3-frame, $4.50. 1 Full Colony, 8-frame, $9.00. Select the queen wanted and add to the above prices. NOTE I have transferred to my son, Benj. G. Davis, mj- straijjht .i-hand and Golden depart- ment, and in order to reueive the promptest attention, all Ci>rre9p<>ndence for these should be sent direct to him. He practically grew up in my queen yards, rears Queens by my methods, has had charge of this department for years, and understands his business. Prices same as above except Breeders, which are $4.00 to $10.00. No disease. JOHN M. DAVIS, Spring Hill, Tennessee, U. S. A. " // Goods are Wanted Quick Send to Touder. " E.ST.'VELISHED 1889 Bee-Supplies. Root's Goods in Indiana Standard Hives with latest improvements, Danzenbaker Hives, Honey-Boxes, Comb Foundation and everything that is used in the bee-yard. Large illustrated catalog mailed free. Finest White Clover Extracted Honey for sale in any quantity desired. WALTER S. POUDER. 859 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. ao J t» » a 'O rt ^ ^ 'i* -I.J O I n " V, C B " s — ►- -1 £ s= 5 oB — oa^O a- Sc ■ p fC — ^ fj m ft — > >° 'T' «- ^ r. • t/1 MP" > -^ ^ a- ^ D » P > ri D o B M O C/1 » O D* O O) 2 ^ Q -J d. a> I—, 0^ ="2 •— • O fD p 2 "> o p • o a- O ^■T3 3- (t « re -' 2 B 13 ? '^ " :=;■ iii? o 2. c rD i-j -1 ^ [fi fD E p ^ o ?: p " -. ° S " 5 g re a i" o o ^ - - — C 3 :r .. ft fO fC Cfl "• p S — d. CL Si B^ -^ " p O n OS S s KEKF COOI> and i-ninv vnurself by using our .Summer Noveltiks. Send stamp for illus- trated catalog. I^KNNIS NOVKLTY CO., 5015 4th Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y. Do You Need Queens? We can furnish Tested Queens by return mail. Vigorous and prolific queens reared last fall and wintered in 4-frame nuclei, $1.00 each. Our 3-band strain of Italians will not disappoint you. 3Atf J. W. K. SHAW & CO,, Loreauville, Iberia Par., La. I'kasc mcntinii .\iii. LStc Journal when writing. MILLER Will again sell the genuine strain of Miller Queens at the following prices : Untested, 60 cents each after June 15th. You will oblige me by sending for my price-list on Untested, Tested Queens, Nuclei and full colo- nies. Address, 6A2t S. E. MILLER Rhinelandy - Missouri riease iiientioii .-Xm. Bee Toiunal when writing. June. 1909. 210 American HQe Journal DOOLITTLE'S "Scientific Queen-Rearing" This is G. M. Doolittle's master-piece on rearing the best of queens in perfect accord with Nature's way. It is for the amateur and the veteran in bee-keeping. The A. I. Root Co.. who ought to know, say this about Doolit- tle's queen-rearing book: ' It is practically the only comprehensive book on queen-rearing now in print. It is looked upon by many as the foundation of mod- ern methods of rearing queens wholesale." Mr. Doolittle's book also gives his method of producing comb honey, and the care of same: his management of swarming, weak colonies, etc. It is a book of 126 pages, and is mailed at the following prices : Bound in cloth, $1.00 : bound in leatherette,.75.cents. Special Clubbing Offer We offer a cloth-bound copy of this book with the American Bee Journal one year— both foril.-lO: or a copy of the leatherette-bound edition, with the American Bee Journal one year-both for J1.15. The cloth-bound book given free for getting 3 new subscribers at 75c each : or the leatherette-bound copy given for 2 new subscribers. Every bee-keeper should have a copy of Mr. Doolittle's book, as he is one of the stan- dard authorities of the world on the subject of queen-rearing and everything else connected with bee-keeping and honey-production. George W. York Bsad or Golden Italian Queens. Untested queens 1, t i.oo ; fi. $ .", 70 Tested " 1, i^ioiB. «.7u Breeder 1, 10.00 ; 3, 24.00 If qaeenn are wanted In large quantity, write for price list. 3Alf W. J. tITTLEFIEtD, LltlteRock..\rk.. Rt 3. Hmitio Plana Blue prints of 20 artlxtlc 1,ir"**^ ridns homes, costing fr.im 1230 to UMI. for 25 cents. 4A3t Shlers Se Sou, Architect!, Carthaee, Mo. BEE-SUPPLIES Wholesale and Retail Ask us for prices on the goods you will need for this season. Discount for early or- ders. Send us your subscription for Glean- ings—one year and a Bee-Veil for $1.15. post- paid. Send for catalog. M. H. KUNT & SON. Ogi). Lake Shore Depot. Lansing. Micli. CHOICE QUEENS Golden— Red Clovei — Itallans-and Gray Garnlolans 1 6 12 Untested Queens 0.75 4.00 7.50 Tested I.OO 5.50 10.00 Breeders. $3.00 to $4.00 each. 5.\tf CHAS. KOEPPEN, Fredericksburg, Va. ^U^ LAWN FENCE »:«'»>x»»:fr»:»»: Pka so mention I ftlaiiy (IcHlk'ne. (.-Jn^up as ni.t rii> pa^'O Catalogue I trvv. Special Prices to J ChurcheBandCemeterleB. ! Coiled Spring Fence Co. " Box aiHWincheater Ind. Am. lU-c Journal wiuii writing. Big Song Hits Send 10c for four sample issues of our big fruit , - magazine and we send_ you any one of the following .. ^^^j^^^ Girl," A Boy and a highly popular songs: "My Kancho Girl,' Some Time in After Years, Girl,"" Molly Dear," " Leaf," free. Don't wan, .-.cui. today to the Fruit Belt Pub lishinirCo, 187 E. Fulton St. Grand Rapids. Mich Leaf." free"."Dpn"t"wa't. .send LULC Are You Interested] in raising poultry, live l~"^TT~~^ Months Trial Subscripfioa 10 cents stock, protiuce, fruit, hen' ey, or other farm products > If so, send ten cents for a 3-months' trial subscrip- tion to the "RLRAL FARMER." It Tells You all aliont farm cultivation, orfhardlriL- Ifve stock and lioultrv brocllnn. How to riiarliet crops euccesHfully, Informs vou how to shin, pacV, crate, bill and Kct returns. "HUkaI. F-ARMKR" columns are rich In thlntrs vou should know. Three Months for 10 cents Published weekly-.-,0 cents per year; J vears for W.OO, or »1.0O per year for club of 3 persons. "RURAL FARMER." 44 8. 3rd Street. - Philadelphia, Pa. I'l. .\ii r>i-c ,lMtiiii;i| wlicn wriliiiR. ITALIAN QVEENS Golden and R.ed Clover Stock The late E. L. Pratt (Swarthmore) used 50 of myGoIdens in 1908, and wanted several hundred this season. My clover stock origi- nated from the leather-colored Italian bee of Northern Italy, and has never been sur- passed in the production of honey and its many other good qualities. Price of Queens: 75 cents each: 3 for $2.00 : 6 for $3.75 : $7.00 per doz. Tested $1.25 each. Nucleus with young queen on ? frames, $2.50. June 1st. All queens guaran- teed to reach buyer in good condition. Circular free. 5Atf GEO. W. BARNES. Box 340 Norwalk. Ohio TEXAS FAMOUS QUEENS The Blue-Ribbon Winners Will be ready early in April. Let me book your order now for April. May and June delivery. -PRICES- Untested, each, 75 cts.: per doz., $ 8. Tested. " $1.25 12. Italians, Banats, and Carniolans— all blue-ribbon winners, and free from dis- ease. Write for Circular. 3At£ GRANT ANDERSON, Sabinal, Texas GEO. S. GRAFFAM & BRO. .^RE I.OCATKD .\T 105 Third Street, Bangor, Maine They have there yards for the production of comb and extracted honey, a yard by it- self for the breeding of their Black Diamond Bees, a large warehouse tilled with Root Supplies Black Diamond Brand Honey, and honey- packages of all descriptions. Their office is at the same address, and here they are fitted to receive bee-keepers or their orders, enter- taining the one and handling the other with a service that cannot be surpassed. If you are interested in bees, live in New England, and have not their catalog and circulars, drop them a postal. You will be well re- paid, 5A6t . Pk-asc mention .\m. Bee Journal when writing. APIS AMERICANA That is. Naturalized Italian Bees, and accli- mated to Northern Latitudes. No better bees on the face of the earth. Send postal for price-list. Address, 6A4t W. J. DAVIS, P. O. Box 148 Youn^svllle, Pa. Please mention Am. lice Journal when writing. Bachmann's Super .Saves time, labor, and storage space. Keeps sections clean. Price, for 8-frame size, com- plete. 75 cts.; in the flat. 70 cts. Send for circular. United Status patent for sale. OAlt C. H. BACHMANN. Guelph. Ont. Iir you need a nice yellow Ital- ** lan Queen at once, send to .J. L. Fajen, Alma. Mo. Untested, only 75c. Tested. $1.25. 3-fraine nucleus with Queen, $2.75. Full colony, in H-frame hive, $5. .50. iiAot I'l ase niention .\ni. IWv Jimrnal wlu-n writiuBi. 220 June, 1909. American Hee Journal Bees and Queens FOR SALE Full colony in 2-story 8-frame L. hives, 17.00 ; price of queen to be added. NUCLEI OneS-frame Nucleus. $2.75; price of queen to be added. QUEENS Tested Queen in April and May, $1.25. War- ranted, in May, 75 cts.: $7.50 per dozen. Italian, Carniolan, or Caucasian, at the above prices. Virgin Qneens of the above strains, 25 cts. each : dozen, $2.50. 4Atf ARTHUR STANLEY, Dixon, Illinois Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. BEE-KEEPERS Write us now for our Catalog and get low prices on good, honest, BEE-KEEPERS' SUPPLIES Onr specialty is making Sections. All other good! up-to-date. AUQ. LOTZ & SON, Cadott, Wis. 10A34t Please mention the Bee Journal. PRIZE TAKERS Pharr's Goldens took first prize at 3 ex- hibits in Texas in 1907. We will furnish Golden, Carniolan, Caucasian, and 3-band Italian Queens, untested. $1.00 till June 1, then 75 cents. Tested, $1.25 till June 1, then $1.00. For large quantities, write. Our 3- band Breeders from W. O. Victor and Grant Anderson strains ; other races frorri the best obtainable. "Prompt service and satisfac- tion," is our motto. Address, 3Atf NEWCENTURYQUEEN-REARINGCO., or JOHN W. PHARR, Berclair, : : : Texas Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. MR, BEE'MANi We handle the well-known Lewis Bee-Ware aX factory unices, such as Dovetail Wis- consin Hives, Sections, and everything that is needed by bee-keepers. Also, Dadant Foundation and Bingtiam Smolters Illustrated catalog free. The G. M. SCOTT CO., 1009 £. Washington St., Indianapolis, Ind. Good Italian Queens $1.00 each; 6 for $5.00 ; 12for$9.00. BAtf D, J. SLOCHED, Pearl City, ill. CHOICE ITALIAN QUEENS are the result of careful selection and breeding > from the best honey-gathering strains of superior long-tongue Italians. Our methods will produce perfectly-developed, long-lived and prolific queens. If you want bees that will winter well, build up rapidly in the Spring, and roll in the honey, our queens will produce them. We are now booking orders which will be filled in regular rotation, beginning May 1st. You should get in line by placing your orders early. Single queens— golden or three-banded— $1.00; 6, $5.00; 12, $9.00. Safe delivery and satisfaction guaranteed. Send forcircular— it's an eye-opener. 4Atf THE GOLDEN APIARY, Dodge City, Kansas. U. S. A. Three Millions The magic initials A. Y. P. E. are emblazoned on the Horizon of the Occident. They stand for Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, which means the World's Fair at Seattle that opens June 1st and closes October 16, 1909. Six great transcontinental railroads will bring the people of the earth to this wonder- ful show, viz : Canadian Pacific ; Great Northern ; Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul. North ern Pacific, Union Pacific, and Southern Pacific lines. Hundnds of steamships will aug- ment the throng. The Northwest Farm and Home— the oldest descriptive and agricultural magazine in the world— will distribute free at the Exposition several million copies elaborately illustrated and containing articles by well-known authors which will make the periodical invaluable. Send for rate cards and sample copies. Northwest Farm and Home North Yakima, Wash. J. E. HAND will begin the season of 1909 with improved facilities for rearing the CHOICEST QUEENS He has rievelopeii n systeni of queen-rearing that contains all the best poin's of other methods with none of *he defect?:, in. eluding some valuable improvements of his o«n— in short, a system through which the highest queen development is reached by correct and scientiiic principles, which means that he is now in position to offer to the bee-keeping public a higher grade of queens than is usually offered in the common utility classes, owing to scieniitic methods which pro- duce queens of a higher development than c^n be reared by the ordinary methods in vogue, and also to an improved method ot classifying queens which strikes the word select from our list, ^iid gives a square deal to all. No selects means no culls, and the highest grade of queens in the untested and tested classes, ihese queens will be reared from a superior strain of hardy Nonhern-bred red clover Italians, "the very best." and will be safely delivered to any address in the United States. Cuba, Canada or Mexico, at ihe following prices; Untested, $1.25: 3. J3.00. Warranted. Si. 50: 3. E4-00. Tested. JJ.OO: 3, 55.00. Special prices on large ..itders, Valu.ible iiitiinnation free. Stnd for it to-day. J. E. HAND^ BIRMINGHAM, OHIO, ERIE CO. QUEENS 0£ Hi^h Quality Our queens are reared by the most ap- proved methods by a queen specialist of 30 years' experience. We breed the Leather-Colored, Red Clover, and Golden Italians. We solicit the trade of all bee-keepers wishing to secure a hardy, prolific race of Italians, whose honey-getting qualities have been proven superior. Select untested $l.(io ^2 tloz. $^M 1 doz. $ 9.. 'in Tested ! 1.50 " " s.dn " " U.iio Select tested 2.00 " " '.i.:'5 " " 16.25 Queens by return mail. Prices for large quantities on application. Circular free. SIRES BROS. & CO.. North Yakima, Wash. Book on Fertilizers, Free Every proerressive farmer is making a study of this important subject. We have an 80-page book with fine colored cover which treats every phase of the fertiliza- tion question. Send 10c for 3 sample issues of The Fruit Belt and get this book free. Send today. Fruit Belt Publishing Co., 187 Herald Square, Grand Rapids. Slich. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. C.4PONS brins IhelarKest profits — lUU per cent more than other poul- try. Caponizing is easy and soon learned. Progressive poultrvmen use PILLING pN*o''°s'k'ls Postpaid $2.50 per set with free instruc tions. The convenient, durable, ready- 1 for-use kind. Best material. Wealsomate 1 Poultry Mnrkfr 250. Gape Worm Extract or 25c ' ] French KUlinij Knife 50t\ Capon Book Frtc. G. P. Pilling & Son. Arch St., Philadelphia. Pa. 75c and $1.00 Queens on Approval By return mail. If not satisfactory leave in Post-Office. Write for special prices on Bees and Supplies. A. M. APPLEGATE, Reynoldsville, Pa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. 221 American Hee Journal I WANT YOU to ^et my new, handsome ^1 ^^^m ^^^H Fashion Book, h^^^^S HUNDREDS OF LATEST STYLES with illustrated lessons on Cutting- and Dress- makingr, FREE, and I will sciiyou all the^pat- terns you w;iat f'lr live cts. each. ""^ "^^ Ihev are the same patterns you nave ahvavs paid 10c & 15c for at the stores, made by the same people, and correct in every detail. I publish the FARMER'S CALL, a weekly paper for every member of the family, Anespeciailv interestine fea- ture each week are the chil- dren's letters; and the Woman's Department is unusually strong and in- structive. Among the special features for women folks is its fashions in which Ish-iw j the 5c patterns. Let me help you to save mFspecial offer Send me 2:>c and I will send vou the Farmer'3 Call every 'week for 6ne year (about luOO pai^es) and will send my biff Fashion Book to you free. 1 also apree to st- 11 you any pat- tern you want thereafter for 5c« I can s<-ll them /or 5 cts. because I buy them by the ttiousand and don't make any profit. I don't want any jiroflt. I want your subscription to the FARMER'S CALL. You will save manv times the cost of my offer in a year. WRITE TO-DAY. You can use this coupon— cut it out now and mail to me with 25c— Ic and 2c stamps taken, but a quarter almost always goes safe : John M, Stahl— Enclosed 2=!c for Fanner's Cnll for one year, your book of patterns, postpaid, ao'^l privlleife of buy> 'i^js patterns at 5c each. Name ■■••••• Very Special Offer Send me 50c and I will send you the Farmer's Call for one year, the Illinois Farmer for two years, the Fashion Book prepaid, with privile«e of buyine patterns at 5c each. Use above coupon, but encIoHB 50c and write I, F. in the corner. Cut out the coupon right now, fill out, and send to JOHN M. STAHL, J,P. Sta.,Chicago, III. (Prop. Farmer's Call for past 2o years. j IF rOU WANT THE BEE-BOOK That coTers;the]whole Apicaltural Field more completely than any other pob- llshed, send {1.20 to ^r Prof. A. J. Cook, Claremont, Cal., — FOE HIS— "BEE-KEEPER'S GUIDE" • Liberal .DiecooDts to tbe Trade. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. n A n il F O ' Foot-Power DAnlltO Machinery Kead what J. L I'arknt, of Charl- ton, N. Y.. sayn: "%Ve cut with one of your Combined Machines, last winter. &f» chaff hlvPH with 7-ln. cap, 100 honey-rackB. 600 b rood -f ram ee, 2,000 honey-boxes, and a ^reat deal of otherwork. Thiswlnt^r we have double the amount of J>ee-hiTe«,etc., to make, and we exr-ecttodo It with thlH Saw. It will do all you say it will" Catalo(f and price-liflt free. AddreBs. "W. F. ft JOHN BARNES. 996 Roby 8t., Rockfont. lU. Mention Be« Joaraal when •wrrttlm^. Western Bee- Keepers s^ow^'ou how to *»T8 money. Send for our new cata- log of the best Bee- ware made. TK NLOIIDO BMKT-rKODl'CEU' IM'I. liner. C*U. SATISFACTION is what I guarantee to those who buy my leather-colored Italian riiieens. Untested, June. 90c; 3 for $2.50; 6 for $4.75; doz., $9.00; 20 or more at 60c each. I>ater, 70c: 6 for $3.75: doz., $6.50 : 20 or more at 50c each. llAtf .. a. F. TREGO, Sweclona, 111. "Forty Years Amon^ the Bees 99 Bj^ ©r. C C. Miller One of the Best -Known Honey - Producers in all the World THIS book of over 340 pages tells just how Dr. Miller manages his apiaries to produce the most honey, which, in turn, brings the most money. Dr. Miller has been "at it" some 45 years, and so is competent to tell others the best way to be success- ful with bees. In 1903 his crop of comb honey was over 18,000 pounds, and he is not located in the best honey- producing part of the United States, either Northwest- ern Illinois. The book is bound in substantia' cloth, gold-lettered, and is sen* oost- paid for only H.OO; or with the American Bee Journal one year for $1.50. (Or send us 4 new subscriptions to the Bee Journal— with $3.00 -and we will mail you the book free as a premium.) Every bee-keeper ought to have both the book and the Bee Journal, if not already possessors of them. As Dr. Miller gets a royalty on his book— so many cents on each copy sold— every bee-keeper who buys it is thus helping a little to repay him for his effort to lead others to success through his writings on bee-culture. As we have a good stock of these books on hand, we can fill all orders by return mail. This is the time of year to read up on bee- keeping. Better send us your order at once for Dr. Miller's book, and study it carefully so as to make the mostof the bee-season. Address, GEORGE W. YORK <& C0.."« V,^SlS?iifL^''" Chick Culture is a new book by A. A. Brigham. Ph. D. It contains no fool theories, no crazy systems- just common-sense. It starts with the mat- ing of the stock birds and the setting of the eggs, and carries the re der straight through to the mature fowl. One chapter for each month— 80 pages; fully illustrated. Price, 50c with a year's subscription to " Poultry Husbandry." POULTRY HUSBANDRY, Watervllle. N. Y. Stop--Look--Listen! If you want to improve your bees you should try at least H doz. of our famous long-tongued Italian Red Clover Queens, bred for business only. Will guarantee them to be equal to the very best queens bred in the U. -S. Have been a queen- breeder for 20 years. Untested queens, after May 10,75 cts each: V, doz., $4.00. Tested, $1.25 each: H doz., $7.00. Nuclei and full colonies in the season. Send for free catalog c. Bees and Queens. 4Atf FRED LEININGER & SON, Delphos, Ohio HAND-MADE SMOKERS BINGHAM ^ Extracts from Cataloga— 1907: CLEAN '^n^B Chas. Dadant & Son, Hamilton, 111. — This is the Smoker BEE SMOKER 1^^ S recommend above all others. ~ u. B. Lewis Co., Watertown, Wis. — We have sold these Smok- ers for a good many years and never received a single complaint. 1^ A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. — The cone fits inside of the cup so that the liquid creosote runs down inside of the smoker. All Bingham Smokers are stamped on the tin, " Patented 1878, 1892, and 1903," and have all the new improvements. Smoke Engine— largest smoker made $1.50 — 4 inch etove Doctor- cheapest made to use 1.10 — 33^ " Conqueror— right for most apiaries 1.00 — 3 " Large — lasts longer than any other 90 — 2^ " Little Wonder — as its name implies 65—2 " The above prices deliver Smoker at your post-office free. We send circular if requested. Original Bingham & Hetherlngtoa Uncapplag-Knlfe. T. F. BINGHAM, Farw6ll, MiGfl Patented, May 20, 1879. BEST ON BARTH. 222 American "Bgc Journai| FOR QUICK DELIVERY and LOW FREIGHT send your orders for BEE-SUPPLIES to The A. I. Root Company, 42-60 Institute Place ( 4 blocks north of former location ) CHICAGO, ILLINOIS We are now fully moved, located, and well stocked with a FULL LINE o£ supplies. We have the best shipping facilities, and with plenty of help we promise to get goods to you promptly. There are only two reasons why we might fail ; viz., the neglect of some transportation company to give its usual good service, and our inability to turn out stock fast enough to care for your orders. We are promised a large car-load from our factory every TEN days, so you see we expect to take good care of your orders. If you haven't our new catalog let us send you one. Remember our new location, four blocks north of our former place. The A. I. Root Co., Chicago, Illinois 42-60 Institute Place R. W. Boyden, Resident Manager. Jeffrey Building Take Elevator to Sixth Floor. Telephone US4 North. Bee-Supplies Distributor of Lewis and Root Bee-Sup- plies. We are now prepared to furnish promptly a full line of Supplies and Berry Boxes. Choice new stock just from factory. Beeswax wanted. Send fur Catalog. W. J. McCARTY, Emmettsbur^, Iowa Pkase mention Am. Dee Journ.il when writing. 40-pa&e catalog free. BrimJuI of the latest make of hives, ete. Our supplies will y» lease you in every wav. Prices are rif^ht. We can make prompt shipments as we carrv a full line of A. I. Root Co. 's supplies in stock. Don't fail to write us if you are in need of supplies. 8Atf JOHH NEBEL& SON SUPPLY CO.. High Hill, Motitg. Co., Mo rUase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. BEE-SUPPLIES. Crown Bone Cutter FF.KH Totir hens cut Rreen hone Bii'i ^''l more (.-gga. Wiih a 9 Crown Bone Cutter vou J \\ can cut up all scrap bones k 1] easily and quickly, and wittiout Y\vk any trouble, and have cut brnie Ljfll frewh every day for your poultry. 3Jf pf^nd at once for free cataloKue. WILSON BROS., Box 61 ^ , EaslofiiPa. Best Made Loi^est in Price Italian Bees for Sale 1 colony, $5 ; 2 for $9 ; 5 for $20. yueens — Untested, 7Sc each ; 6 for $4 ; Tested, $1 each ; 6 for $5. Will put swarms into any style hive to suit pur chaser. SAtf t. BOOMHOWER. Freehold, Greene Co., N. Y. l*Lase mention Am. Bee Journal wlien writing. r MARSHFIELD BEE-GOODS FRIEND BEE-KEEPER— We are prepared to fill your orders for Sections. A large stock on hand. Also a Fuil Line of Bee-Supplies. We make prompt shipments. MARSHFIELD MFG. CO., Marshfield, Wis. lOWA-J. W. Bittenbender, Knoxville, Greeory & Son. Ottutnwa. KANSAS-S. C. Walker & Son. Smith Center. MICHHi.\N-Lenffst&Koenig. 127 South 13th St., Kacinaw. E. S. S. D. Buell. Union City. NEBRASKA— Collier Bee-Supply Co.. Fairbury. CANADA- N. H. Smith. Tilbury. Ont. ARIZONA— H. W. Ryder, Phoenix. MINNESOTA-Northwestem Bee-Sup- ply Co.. Harmony. ILLINOIS-D. L. Durham. Kankakee. OHIO-F. M. Hollowell Harrison. TEXAS-White Mfg. Co.. Blossom. WISCONSIN— S. W. Hines Mercantile Co.. Cumberland. J. Gobeh, Glenwood. Westwood Red-Clover Queens A New York customer writes, "I have tried queens from a good many breeders, but yours are far ahead of them all." 4A4t HENRT SHAFFER, 2860 Harrison lie.. Sla. L., Cincinnati, 0. 1 w.ase mention .^m. Bee Journal when writing. For Sale— It will pay to get our special proposition. A. G. WOODMAN CO.. Grand Rapids. Mich. June, 1909. American Hae -Journal "FALCON QUEENS ff Three-Band Golden Italians Caucasians Carniolans 1 6 13 Untested $1.00 $5.50 $10.00 Select Untested 1.25 6.75 12.75 Tested, $1.50; Select Tested, $2.00 We have in charge of this department Mr. Leslie Martin, formerly queen-breeder in the Apiary of the U. S. Dept. of Agricul- ture, Washington, D. C. Send for our free catolog of "Falcon" Bee-Keepers' Supplies. W.T. FALCONER MFG. CO. Jamestown, N. Y . 4- BeestpaxK- Chicago, June l.-The market is dull, few sales of comb honey being made, with best frad^s ranging from 11 to 12c : off grades rom 1 to 3c less, with occasional sales of small quantities at 12 1-2 to 13c forthe fancy. Extracted, white, 7 to 8c— the latter price for basswood: ambers 6 to 7c. Beeswa.x, 30c. R. A. Burnett & Co. Kansas City, Mo., May 24.-The condition of the honey market is about the same as our last report. e.\cept the e.ttracted. We quote: No. 1 white comb. 24 sections. $2.50 to$2.60: No. 2 white and amber, $2.25; white extracted, per pound, 6 to 6 l-2c; amber ex- tracted. 6c. Beeswax, 28c. C. C. Clemons Prod. Co. Zanesville. Ohio. May 26.-\Vhile there is some demand for honey, on the whole it is moving rather slowly. There are still a few offerings of last season's crop, and it would seem that the demand is hardly equal to the supply, save, perhaps, on e.xtra-hne quality. For strictly No. 1 to fancy white- clover comb (the only grades which sell well here), the jobbing trade would pay 12 1-2 to 13 l-2c. The wholesale market is about as last reported: practically no calls for extracted at the present time. I offer for good clean beeswax 30c cash or 32c in ex- change for bee-supplies. Edmund W. Peirce. Toledo, May 26.— There is practically no demand for comb honey. We are making sales in a small way at 14 1-2 to 15c, with no demand for lower grades. White clover in barrels or cans is worth 7 1-2 to 8c in a retail way. Amber, extracted. Calfornia, 6 1-2 to 7c. Beeswax 28c cash and 30c in trade. The Griggs Bros. Co. Indianapolis, May 25.— There is a very favorable demand for best grades of both comb and extracted honey; and while job- bing houses are fairly well stocked, very little honey is now being offered by pro- ducers. Jobbers are making sales at the following prices: Fancy white comb, 14 to 15c: No. I white. 12c. White clover ex- tracted, in 5-gallon cans. 8 1-2 to 9c. Amber Headquarters for Bee-Supplies H Please Rush My Order We can, as we have several carloads of hives, sections, foundation and all other bee-supplies. Give Us A Trial Shipments are made the same day order is received. We can supply Red Clover and Golden Yellow Queens. C. Bi W. WEBER Sr Office «nd Salesrooms. 2146-48 Central Ave. Warehouses. Freeman and Central Aves. honey is in poor demand, and prices not es- tablished. Bee-keepers are being paid 29 to 31c for beeswax. Walter S. Pouder. Cincinnati, May 26.— The market on fancy comb honey is cleaned up. There is a light demand for fancy white goods. There is an overstock of off-grade comb honey, which will not sell at any price. The mar- ket on extract. d honey is fair, prices for amber ranging from 6 to 6 l-2c in barrels; white sage at iic. Beeswax slow at 33c. C. H. W. Weber & Co. Philadelphia, May 26.— There has been very little trade in comb or extracted honey within the past week. Some few sales of comb honey. Fancy at 15 to 16c; No. 1 at 13 to 14c. Extracted honey, some fancy white in60-lb. cans at 7 to 8c: light amber, at 6 to 7c, according to quantity. Wm. A. Selser. New York, May 26.— We have nothing new to report. In regard to comb honey there is very little demand for No. 1 and fancy white, and no demand for the other grades. Extracted honey is in better de- mand, and the receipts, however, are suffi- cient to meet the demand. We quote: Cali- fornia honey 8 to 8 l-2c : light amber, 7 to 7 l-2c ; amber, 6 to 6 l-2c. The new crop of Southern and West India honey at .58 to 75c per gallon, according to quality. Beeswax firm at 30c. Hildreth & Segelken. Boston, May 2fi.-We quote : Fancy white comb honey, 15c : No. 1, 14c : white extract- ed, 8 l-2c ; light amber. 7 l-2c. Beeswax. 30c. Blake, Lee Co. Los Angeles. May 29. — Water-white ex- tracted, 5 l-2c : white. 5c : light amber, 4 l-2c. Prospects not very bright now, too much cloudy weather. H. J. Mercer. Denver, May 28.-Local trade on both comb and extracted honey has of late been fairly good for this time of year, but as stocks on this market are heavy, prices have been lowered in order to clean up. We quote : No. 1 white, per case of 24 sections. HONEY FOR SALE We are producers and shippers of ex- tracted alfalfa honey, in car lots, put up in 5-gal. cans, two cans to the case. Every can is inspected before leaving our warehouse, and all shipments are guaranteed equal to sample in quality. Sample and iirice on application. 5A3t IMPERIAL VALLEY BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATON. El Ceniro, California $3.00; No. 1 light amber, $2.75; No. 2. $2.50. No demand for candied comb. Best white extracted honey, 8H to 9c ; light amber, 7H to S'ijc. We pay 26c for clean yellow bees- wax delivered here. The Colo. Honey Producers' Ass'n. We will Buy and Sell HONET ^T^ of the different grades and kinds. If you have any to dispose of, or if you intend to buy, correspond with us. We are always in the market for Beeswax at highest market prices. Hildreth & Segelken 265 & 267 Greenwich Street NEW YORK. N.Y. HONEY *!!° BEESWAX When consigning, buying, or selling, consult R. A. BURNETT & CO. 199 South Water St. Cliloaeo, ill I'ka&c incntiuii Am. Bee Journal wljjcn writings DADANT'S FOUNDATION Z 0 H < a z ::» 0 * H Z > H CM 0 z D > H 0 z 500,000 Sections at $1.50 Per Grate Manufacturer's stock just purchased by us must be moved at once in order to make room for another tenant. We offer for sale this job lot of one-piece Sections at this bargain price so as to avoid the expense of carting and storing these goods in our warehouses. Packed Ready for Immediate Shipment. These Sections are packed 500 to the crate and are ready for immediate shipment. The lot consists of a mixed assortment in the following sizes of Off-Grade Sections— some a little off color and some not quite smooth enough to qualify for No. 1 and No. 2 grades, but good enough for ordinary use; 41 X 41 X Is inches . . Beeway 4 x 5 x li inches .... Plain 41 X 41 X l-i inches . . . Plain H 31 x 5 x IJ inches . . . Plain Bee-keepers should take advantage of this exceptional opportunity to secure these Sections at this bargain price before the supply is exhausted. Manufacturers with but few exceptions are way behind on orders. A supply of these Sections on hand will be worth many times their cost in case of emergencies when you are in need of .Sections and cannot get them, as they will come in handy to fill in with. Remember^ 500 Sections for $1.50 Per Crate Orders will be filled for any quantity desired in the same order as received until the lot is disposed of. All goods shipped subject to approval, as we guarantee satisfaction to our clients at all times in every business transaction. Don't Delay It. MAIL THAT ORDER TO-DAY. Don't Delay It. Minnesota Bee-Supply Company, 252 Nicollet Island, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 49th Year No. 7 July, 1909 TvlaStrSc. a Year et • Ipc. a ,Copy AgDctaltura.] M i.,' ,c Apiary of Ludwig Brendle. of Linville. Arkar\sas~(See page 2 31. Apiary of G. W. VVeldy. of Lowislown. Illinois-(See page 231.) 226 July, 1909. American liee Journal PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY GEORGE W.YORK S COMPANY 116 W« Jackson Blvd., Chicago, III. IMPORTANT NOTICE. THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE of this Journal ia 75 cents a year, in the United States of America, (except Chicago, where it is $1.00), and Mexico; In Canada 85 cents; and in all other countries in the Postal Union, 25 cents a year extra for post- ftffe. Sample copy free. THE WRAPPER-LABEL DATE indicates the end of the month to which your subscription ia paid. For instance, " dec09 '* on your label shows that it ia paid to the end of December, 1909. SUBSCRIPTION RECEIPTS.-We do not send a receipt for money sent us to pay subscription, bat change the date on your wrapper-label, which ■bows that the money has been received and credited. Advertising Rate, per flgate Line, 15c. 14 lines make one inch. Notbine less than 4 lines accepted. Discounts: 3 times 14c a line 9 times lie a line 6 " 12c 12 " (1 yr.) 10c a line Beading Notices, 25 cents, count line. OoeB to presa the 6th of each month. National Bee Keepers' Association Objects of tbe Association. iBt.— To promote the interests of its members. 2d.— To protect and defend its members in their awful riKhte. 8d.— To enforce laws against the adulteration of koney. Annual Membership Dues, $i.oo. ftaneral Manager and Treasurer - N. B. Feance, Plattevllle, Wia. ty If more conTenient, Dues may be sent to the publishers of the American Bee Journal. c rane ellular ases are bound to take the lead for shipping comb honey f lighter They are \ stronger 1^ safer The freight is less Dealers prefer them Send for circular J. E. Crane & Son Mlddlebvjry, Vt. ALMOST BY RETURN MAIL Untested Italian Queen-Bees $4.00 for 6 queens; $2.10 for 3; or 75c for For a number of yaars we have been sending out to bee-keep- ers exceptionally fine Untested Italian Queens, purely mated, and all right in every respect. Here is what a few of those who re- ceived our Queens have to say about them : What Tliey Say of Our Queens George W. York & Co.;— The two queens received of you some time ago are flne. They are good breeders, and the workers are showinti up fine. 1 introduced them among black bees, and the bees are nearly yellow now, and are doinn good work. A. W. Swan. Nemaha, Co., Kan., July 15, 1905. ♦** GEORGE W. YoPK & Co.:— After importing queens for 15 years you have sent me the best. She keeps 9X Langstroth frames fully occupied to dale, and, altliough 1 kept the hive well contracted, to force them to swarm, they have never built a queen-cell, and will put up 100 pounds of honey if the How lasts this week. CHAS. Mitchell. Ontario, Canada, July 22, 1905. George W. York & Co.:— The queen I bought of yon has proven a good one, and has given me some of my best colonies. N. P. OGLS8BT. Washington Co., Va., July 22. 1905. Georgb W.York & Co.:— The queen Ireceivsd of youafew days ago came through O.K., and 1 want to say that she is a beauty. I immediately introduced her into a colony which had been queenless for 20 days. She was accepted by them, and has gone to work nicely. 1 am highly pleased with her and your promptness in filling my order. My father, who is an old bee-keeper, pronounced her very flne. You will hear from me again when I am in need of something in the bee-line. K. E. MCCOLM. Marion Co., 111., July 13. We usually begin mailing Queens in May, and continue there- after, on the plan of " first come first served.'* The price of one of our Untested Queens alone is 75 cents, or with the monthly American Bee Journal one year— both for $1.20. Three Queens (without Journal) would be $2.10, or 6 for $4.00. Full instructions for introducing are sent with each Queen, being printed on the underside of the address-card on the mailing-esge. You cannot do better than to get one or more of our fine Standard-Bred Queens. Address, GEORGE W. YORK (lor comb h>rn-yl ; anfl 5 lO-lr. nuper,?— all brand new— to the first .1. K. bYmHMAVER, fowR City. Iowa Fine Golden Italian Queens al 50c each 7A2t J. F. MICHAKL, Rt. 1. Wlocfaesler. Ind. Please mention Am. Bcc Journal when writing. A BARGAIN Choice Home-bred and Im- ported Stock. All Queens Reared In Full Colonies. Prices for July to Novenol>er : One Untested Queen $0.75 One Tested Queen 0.90 One Select Tested Queen 1.10 One Breeder Queen 1.65 One Comb Nucleus— no Queen 80 Safe arrival guaranteed. For price on larger quantities and description of each grade of Queens send for Catalog. All Queens by return mail. A limited quantity of Comb Foundation. Send for sample. J. L. STRONG Bands Untested, 60c; Tested 75c i Select Tested. $1.00: Breeders. $2.50. Nuclei and full colo- nies : also honey for sale— Eagle Pass Fainou§ Velvet Honey, 7A2t A. I. DAVIS. Ea^Ie Pass, Tex. Please mention Am. Bee .Tournal when writing. Good Italian Queens Each, 75c ; ti for $4.00 ; 12 for $9.00. D. J. BLOCHER, Pearl City. 111. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Mott's Strain of Italians Work red clover and other deep blooms. Hardy and gentle. Untested, 60c. Guaran- teed, 90c. Tested, $1.15. Golden Queens for the same price. Leaflet, " Safe Plans of Introduction," 15c. Also " Rapid Increase," 15c. Or copy of each, 25c, 4A6t E. E. MOTT. Glenwood. Mich. Pk-asc mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. QUEENS demons' strain of three-banded Italians has no equal. Mr. M. R. Juckett, Poultnev. Vt.. writes; "I have queens from seven different breeders, and yours are the only ones which have produced honey in the sections." Mr. N. L. Stevens, president of New York Bee- Keepers' Society, M<)ravia, N. Y., who purchased of nie in l',Hi7. 4t;'>I my cheapest untested queens, write.s Jan. L'L'. I'.my : " The (lueens I purchased or you in lyuT prt>ved verj' satisfactory. I bought over 300 queens that season from 10 different breeders, and your bees averaged the best of any of them the past season, and only one strain was a close competitor. Your bees ouilt up very rapiiily, and were good honey-gatherers." Why Ipay a hiji-h price for the common kind when others report such results? If you don't try a few \rpijV r\OI I ai? Here— right now— isanopportunity.forthefirsttime, »-. i.f „ I t I their kind This set bound in heavy Buckram, in fave handy, durable volumes, sent to you, transporia- The Werner MaTiTTr {,!Jf^'„^^°^ga ^^id for a 10 day free examination for only SIC.SO. And for extra good measure we will give you ^^=^ absoiutllf free: with our compliments, one $5.00 MO DERN ATLAS OF TH E WORLD, or a total of $47.00 for $;6.so Of course, you have a dictionary now, but you ought to have a better one, and you will never hnd an j - '"°&nd^no money Take no risk. Simply ask to see the books. Keep them right in your owii l|t™ry for 10 ^aSSin-^'^P^e^e"Sfou-^1^^^ eight months. Send your order today, or better, EIGHT NOW. A postal will do. The Werner Company, Akron, Ohio. The Best Time to Caponize. Fowls hatched any time of the year make fine Capons, but it is most important that the bird should be of correct size, that means, from 2 to 4 months although if they are not very large they can be Caponized up to 6 months. The size is equally important as the age. Fowls that are caponized in the summer months are ibest for the reason that spring chickens arrive at proper age and weight dur- ing these months, also because cockerels that are caponized arrive at the proper ace ' ' ' weight for market during the months of De- cember, January, February and March, at which time is the greatest demand for them in the cities and the highest prices paid. Write to G. P. Pilling & Son Co., Arch St., l'i..iadelphia, I^a., asking for their "Guide for Caponizing." It will be sent to any of our readers free of charge, if you mention the American Bee Journal. After reading this little pamphlet, get a set of the "Easy to Use" Ca- ponizing Tools, read over the directions, and begin the work. r.''"' •' ** J.Vrni rirrwrif ' . ..,( Dfah Reader— This is a personal letter to you: I want to meet you personally. You will admit that bee-keepers and man- uflcturerswm understand elch other better if they can come together and talk things over. I am planning to make eNhibits at several State Fai?s this Fall. Des Moines, Iowa: St. Paul. Minn.: Huron. S.. Dak.; and Springfield. IH.. have been dec ded i^non I defire to be reoresented at other fairs by other persons. If you will write to me about it now so that we can get an exhibit to von n lime 1 will send the goods you are to exhibit, at carload rate, and I wi 1 pay the freight. Make put your list ifd'enclSse'lO c'em'"an'd g"t my propos'ition. together with ''B--Y.'fVN\'M ^Kiver F^lfs' wfico.^sYn"'''^ information to experts as well as beginners. Yours very truly, W. H. I'liTN.AM, Kiver tails, Wisconsin. SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT I am now shipping Sections to retail trade PROMPTLY. SentJ your orders direct to me. MY OWN MAKE. NO DKLAY. W. H. PUTNAM, River Falls, Wis. I WANT AN EXHIBIT OF MY BEE- SUPPLIES AT EVERY FAIR- STATE AND COUNTY- FROM MAINE TO MEXICO, FROM ATLANTIC TO PACIFIC (Entered as aecond-class matter July 30, 1907, at the Post-Offlce at Chicago, 111., under Act of March 3, 1879.) Published Monthly at 75 cents a Year, by George W. York & Co., 118 West Jackson BoulCTard. GEORGE W. YORK, Editor CHICAGO, ILL,, JULY, 1909 Vol, XLIX— No, 7 CditoHaJ ^otes and Commenfs ja' '*>* The Season of 1909 So Far There seems to be a very general com- plaint that the season has been cold and backward, giving not the best oppor- tunity for bees to l^uild up. As late as June l8 snow flurries were reported in New York State. There is also com- plaint in some white-clover regions of a scarcity of that plant. Your true bee- keeper, however, is a hopeful individual, and if the season should prove to be one of entire failure he will only the more hopefully look forward to what may be in store for him next year. Good seasons have been, and good sea- sons will be again. The crown is won by the faithful — those who refuse to be- come discouraged, no matter what may come. Easy Way for Increase Two ways are given in the French bee-journal, L'Apicultcur, that are not recommended as the very best, but on account of simplicity may be liked by some. First, where a single colony is at dis- posal. A is the hive containing the colony, which of course is strong, and B is an empty hive. At a time of day when bees are in full flight, take from A 2 frames of brood with adhering bees, being sure not to take the queen ; put these in B, set B in place of A, and set A on a new stand lo feet or more dis- tant. That's all, the bees in P> will rear a queen for themselves. Second, with 2 colonics at disposal. In hives A and B arc 2 strong colo- nics; C is an empty hive. Take from B its combs, all but one containing the least brood, brushing back into B all the bees, and filling up B with empty combs or frames filled with foundation. As each comb is I)rusluil free of bees, set it in C. tilling the one vacant space with comb or foundation. Set C in place of A, and set A in a new place lo feet away. Do this at a time when bees are afield, all the lietter when they arc out at play. The returning bees will populate C, and the colony will rear its own queen if vou do not furnish one. Dates of After.swarms They are thus set down in the French bee-journal, L'Apicultcur : The second swarm issues about 8 days after the prime swarm. The third swarm 4 days after the second. The fourth 2 or 3 days after the third. The fifth 1 or 2 days after the fourth. The sixth 1 day after the fifth. The seventh 1 day after the sixth. And so on. Do Yankee bees observe the same dates ? Cities Planting Honey-Trees N'orwich, England, says the British Bee Journal, has ordered 14,500 trees for planting in its streets and public spaces. Nor is Norwich the only En- glish city taking such action, London perhaps taking the lead, as indicated by the following: "The London County Council, indeed, main- tains its own nurseries, and large tracts of ground at .Avery Hill are reserved for rearinK young trees, whose ultimate destinations lie in the various parks and public gardens of the metropolis. "The trees most commonly in demand arc lime and plane trees." As "lime" is simply another name for linden or basswood, it will be seen that this public action means a goo'd deal to bee-keepers. As the linden is one of the finest shade trees, it might be pos- sible in many a village or city for a bee-keeper by a very little influence to secure the planting of trees that woiild turn to his own profit. He might, in- deed, well afTord to furnish trees, to be planted and grown at public expense. And in smaller places, where tree-plant- in" on the streets is a matter of private enterprise, a bee-keeper might make liimself popular by planting lindens throughout the town, thereby getting a double benefit. Till- Illinois Foul Brood Law Mr. Jas. A. Stone, secretary of the Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Association, sent us the following report, which came just a little too late for our Tune number : Krii:nd York:— I have just found out the results of our efforts in the legislature Out appropriation hill came out all right but ..^e same old storv tor the foul brood bill. Both went through the Senate all right, but the foul brood bill was defeated in the house committee. There was the same old protest, backed up by all the untruth they could bring to their aid, and you know God's Word tells us who the f-ither of lies is, and those who get his aid win not lack an argument, though it be ever so false. ^ , Two years ago their argument (only one man then) was, "The committee who are working for the bill arc manufacturers of apiarian im- plements, and want to burn our hives so they can get to sell us more." This year (be- cause they had been proven falsifiers before) they came a dozen strong with the same de- ceiving argument, that foul brood cannot be cured, and that the promoters of the bill are manufacturers of bee-hives, such as C. V. Dadant, A. I. Root, and others," (and they named those two right out). We told the House Committee that these men were headed by the same party, that did the same leading astray before, and that the false argument they put up all vanished when the law we asked was looked into, and we re- ferred to it (by reading)— "In case the owner of a diseased apiary shall refuse to treat his bees or allow them lo be treated as directed by the foul brood inspector, then the said in- siiector may burn," etc. But they (except those friendly to our bill) paid no attention to our talk, nor to the petition from the Chicago- .N'orthwcstern Association, which we presented, but they were in the minority. We had G men in the committee who were our fi lends, and Mr. Pcrvier, from Mr. A. L. Kildow's district, was quite helpful to us. Had it not been so near the close of the session (the delay caused by the senatorial election) we could have killed the weight of the falsi- fiers, by giving the Committee the truth. (It is hard to stand before a committee that does not want to hear you.) . . The legislative committee of our Association arc now asking the bee-keepers of this State, if we h.ive all got to be exposed to the dread 230 July, igog. American ^ae Journal disease of foul brood, just because one man has made up his mind that it can not be cured — because his bees have it and he does not try to clean up. We told the Legislative Committee of the House who the author of the protest was, before they read the names. We can tell you where you can find some of them (as we did in reading the proof) in the Eighth Annual Report, now about to come from the printer, in the report of the Chicago-Northwest- ern, when the motion was on the unanimous adoption of the resolution sent as a petition to the legislature. And I wish to say right here, that when we asked (by request of the printer) for a copy of this petition, it had to be reproduced from the memories of those who heard it read, for the original could not be found among its friends! These protesters ought to he treated as ene- mies to all bee-keepers, as well as to the manu- facture of bee-hives and ouglit to be compelled to make their own hives, and consume all their own (foul-broody) honey, until they become American citizens, by being willing to live un- der majority rule. T.\s. A. Stone, Sec. Rt. 4, Springfield 111. It seems to us that the names and addresses of those so-called bee-keepers who helped to defeat the much-needed legislation on bee-diseases in Illinois, should be known. They should also be excluded from membership in any bee- keepers' organization. There is no good reason why Illinois should not have a bee-disease law equal to Wisconsin, In- diana, and some other States. The charge that it is a scheme of the bee- supply manufacturers is too ridiculous to consider. Whoever gave that as an argument against the passage of the de- sired law knew he was lying when he did so. Are our legislators going to listen to such specimens of "bee-fud- dled" humanity, or to honorable men like Jas. A. Stone, C. P. Dadant, Chas. Becker, J. Q. Smith, and hundreds of others that might be named? We shall see as time goes on. Queen Taking Her Wedding Flight from the Cell L. Armstrong, in the Australasian Bee-Keeper, reports an unusual case. While he was watching a queen-cell held in his hand, the young queen emerged and immediately flew. At a distance of 7 or 8 feet from the ground he saw her meet the drone. In 4 days more she was laying. Mr. Armstrong says : "What I am the most impressed at, is a queen flying and getting mated straight from the cell. "I have never heard or read of the like before: had she got out of my sight, I should certainly say that it must have been another queen, that I saw mate. I have watched for years to see the mating between a queen and drone, but this is the first time that I have been successful in witnessing it." This seems to conflict with the state- ment of the late Henry Alley that a young queen never goes on her wed- ding trip until 5 days old. But the conflict is more seeming than real. It is well known that virgins are often held in their cells by the workers, and it is not entirely impossible that in this case she was held in her cell until 5 days old. strained out of honey is lighter than honey, rising to the top if given time enough. Some particles may be heavy enough to sink to the bottom, but the quantity of such particles is small. The problem is to provide a vessel, or series of vessels, in which the particles may be separated bv gravit}', such a strainer — if it can be called a strainer — always being in working order, avoiding the troublesome cleaning of the usual strainers. In the ordinary strainer, if the mesh of the cloth be too coarse, some of the finer particles of wax, etc., will pass through. If too fine the honey passes through too slowly. Gravity works equally well on the smallest or the larg- est particles. The construction of the strainer is simple. A plain vessel is divided into a b c d ■l^ f - compartments by partitions that reach from the top to within a short distance of the bottom, alternating with parti- tions that reach from the bottom to within a short distance of the top. As the honey comes from the extractor it enters compartment a, and of course finds passage at the bottom into com- partment b, the honey constantly finding its level in these two compartments. When they become full, the honey over- flows into e, and then into f. When e and f are about half full, the honey passes out at g. It will readily be seen that when once filled all compartments will remain full all the time except e and f, which will never be less than half full. That gives time for gravity to take to the bottom any particles heav- ier than honey, and to the top all the lighter particles. The entire top being open, the scum can be taken from the top at convenience, there being no dan- ger having once reached the top it will pass down under the opening at the bottom. Of course, the slower the honey runs the more perfectly the strainer will work ; and for large operators the strainer may be of larger size, and per- haps with more compartments than will be necessary for those obtaining only a small amount of honey. The Gravity Honey-Strainer The Bee-Keepers' Review has done good service by getting together in- formation about getting impurities out of extracted honey by means of gravity, instead of using a cloth or metal strain- er. For the most part what is to be Honey a Popular Food Mr. G. J. Moloney, of Minnesota, has sent us the following clipping : Honey Becoming Popular. Honey as a classic sweetmeat is likely to come into its own again. Since the days of the Pure Food Law, since folk can purchase honey and be sure that it is honey and not paraffin and brown sugar, the honey trade has swelled beyond all known proportions. Among a certain circle of friends there exists a rivalry as to who shall find the greatest num- ber of uses for honey. Postcards pass be- tween them daily, as thus: "Try honey on oat- meal," "Try honey on ice cream." "Honey in cordials," "Honey in coffee." One hostess is prcparhig a honey luncheon, with liquid honey, and honey in the comb, on the menu, and apple blossom honey, clover honey and buckwheat honey as well. The lavors are to be bonbon- nieres with bees on the covers, and the center piece will be large, yellow hive stuck with apple blossoms. It is certainly lucky the bees are busy in the country with the coming season, or they might strike for higher wages. Finding the largest number of uses for honey would certainly be an inter- esting game for the good sisters or brothers to play. The post-card plan is all right, as intimated in the above clipping. There is no doubt that the pure food law has helped the sale of honey, and is bound to continue to do so. We have contended for many years that there is not half the honey produced in this country that should be consumed. Some of these days its true value as a daily food will become known, and then it will take a great many inore bee-keep- ers than there are today to produce enough honey to supply the demand. The past two or three months we have had not only an advertisement, but also a reading notice in these columns, calling attention to a series of postal cards used by the Colorado Honey-Pro- ducers' Association to create a greater interest in the use of honey. They were offered to the general bee-keeping public at a very low price, and yet only two or three orders for these cards were received by the advertiser. We believe that bee-keepers are missing a great chance in not adopting the plan of sending such cards to their prospective customers. It is a very inexpensive way to attract the attention of the people to the use of honey. Every bee-keeper should, so far as possible, dispose of his own honey crop in the local market. By so doing, he will not only realize a better price, but will avoid helping to overload the city market. It is all right to know how to produce a large crop of honey, but if one can not get what it is worth in the way of financial returns, it is not going to be such a profitable busi- ness, after all. For many years much space has been used in the bee-papers to tell just how to produce honey. It seems to us it is time to use a little more space in telling just how to dis- pose of the crop to good advantage when once it is secured. We hope that those of our readers who have methods of selling honey in their local markets will kindly describe them in brief so that we may publish them. It is not necessary that your post- office address should be published, as, of course, it might interfere with the sales in your own market, or arouse need- less compethion. What we would like is to give a number of the best methods of selling honev in the home market so that our readers might be able to adopt at least one of them to good advantage. Taking Brood and Bees without Find- ing the Queen In the management of bees it is often desirable to take from a colony one or more frames of brood with adhering bees. Along with the instruction to do this always goes the caution. "Be sure you don't take the queen." For a be- ginner that is the most troublesome part of the whole performance. There is a way to manage without paying any at- July. igoq. Amcerican Bee Journal] tention to the queen. Take out the frames of brood, brushing back into the hive all the adhering bees. Put a queen- e.xcluder over the hive, or over any other hive containing a strong colony, set over this an empty hive-body into which you will put the frames of brood, of course covering it up. In a few hours a good supply of bees of the proper age will have gone up to cover well the comb, although for conven- ience it may be left till the next day to be used wherever desired. For the experienced bee-keeper it will demand less time and trouble to find first the queen, setting aside for the moment the frame on which she is found and then taking out a frame with adhering bees. But even the ex- perienced bee-keeper may sometimes re- sort to the foregoing plan with ad- vantage. Suppose he wants for some purpose 6 frames of brood with adher- ing bees which he wishes to take away from as many ditierent colonies. In- stead of finding the 6 queens, he will take the 6 frames of brood from the 6 hives without taking any bees, and will set these 6 frames over a seventh colony to be supplied with bees. That will obviate the finding of 6 queens, and will be, at least in many cases, a saving of time. It may be well to say in passing that this last proceeding may be used very satisfactorilv in making artificial in- crease. After the 6 frames of brood are well covered with bees, it is a very sim- ple thing to set the hiveful on a new stand, add a queen or a ripe queen- cell, and there you are with a full col- on}-, and have not materially depleted any of your colonies unless it be the one which has furnished the bees. A few days later the operation may be re- peated, letting the bees be drawn from a different one of the 7 colonies. It will readily be seen that this plan has the advantage that one need not fear being caught with a lot of weaklings on hand when fall comes, for no colony need ever be so reduced that it will not be ready for winter, and the new colony, having 6 frames of brood, is a good colony at the start. Indeed, unless it be late in the season, 4 frames of brood well covered will be safe, and if the 4 be mostly filled with sealed brood there can hardly be any doubt about wintering, no matter liow late, especially as all the bees are young. ymvm — -"V'mr^nr'rffnrmmfW (VlisceilanQous llecus - Items National to Meet in Sioux City I he Executive Committee of the Na- tional Bee-Keepers' Association, after making a full and careful investigation of all cities proposed for holding the next annual meeting, have decided unanimously in favor of Sioux City, Iowa, as the best place ; and Wednes- day and Thursday, September 22 and 23, 1909, as the best time for this year's convention. Xow that these important matters are settled, bee-keepers everywhere can be- gin at once to plan to attend. Sioux City is ideally located in the center of a large bee-keeping territory, and so should attract a big attendance. Next month we hope to be able to pre- sent some of the interesting details of the meeting. In the meantime let all think of how they can arrange to be there and help make it a good conven- tion. ■*■ Illinois Convention Report nois State Bee-Keepers' Association has nois Etatc Bee-Keepers' Association has come to our desk. It contains 212 pages, 6x9 inches in size. Among its contents are the full reports of the last conven- tions of the Illinois State, Chicago- Northwestern, and National associa- tions ; also the code of rules and stand- ard of grading exhibits at fairs, as adopted by the Illinois State Bee-Keep- ers' Association ; 7 pages on "Foul Brood and Other Diseases of Bees," by N. E. France ; and a lot of other very impor- tant iTiatter, besides a full list of the mcml)crship of the Illinois Association. The book is well worth the one dollar membership fee, especially as it contains the only published report of the proceed- ings of the Chicago- Northwestern con- vention held in Chicago last December. That report alone occupies 71 pages. Send $1.00 to Secretary Jas. A. Stone, Route 4, Springfield, 111., and not only become a member of the Illinois Bee- Keepers' Association, but in addition own a copy of the excellent Eighth An- nual Report. Surely all Illinois bee- keepers should do this. Value of Sweet Clover Sweet clovei- is generally considered a weed, and under certain conditions it is such. It, however, produces valuable forage in sections south of the clover belt. Stock do not like it at first, but they can easily become educated to cat it cither green or cured. Sweet clover is biennial and dies after the second year, hence to keep a field seeded it will be necessary to allow a pood portion of the plants to go to seed in July. Steers pastured on sweet clover will make fine beef. The plants soon become woody and tough if allowed to grow too large. The greatest value of sweet clover is as a soil builder. It will grow on land too poor to produce anything else. It is commonly found growing wild along railroad cuts, road- i^d'S a-i(l otlit-r nlac"s wlu-rc the top foil hns been removed. In a few ye;irs it would ujlai.ii poor land and make it capable of producing other and more valuable crops. — Farm and News. This is interesting as coming from a prominent agricultural journal. It will be noticed that no mention is made of the plant as a honey-plant, though bee- keepers know it is. It is viewed merely from an agricultural standpoint as hav- ing value to feed stock and to build up soil. Slowly sweet clover seems to be coming into its own as not a weed but a valuable forage-plant. Apiary of G. W. Weldy I send you a picture of my apiary, myself, mother and a lady friend. I started with 4 colonies 10 years ago in old box-hives. I run for coiTib honey only. I make my own hives — lo-frames. In 1908 I had 7 colonies to produce 875 pounds of comb honey, or 125 pounds to the colony. Lewistown, 111. G. W. Weldy. Mr. Hutchinson's Hospital Experience \\'. Z. Hutchinson, editor of the Bee- Keepers' Review, unfortunately was compelled to spend several weeks in a hospital in March. He had an opera- tion for what is called "mastoids." It is a disease of the bone just back of the ear, called the "mastoid bone." He was under an anaesthetic for three or four hours, but endured the operation very nicely, and is getting along all right now. His many friends will be glad to know that he will soon be him- self again. ■* Mountain Apiary of Ludwig Brendle I herewith send you a picture of my apiary, which is located in the north- western part of the State of Arkansas, 16 miles frotn the Arkansas River, in Johnson county, right on top of Mul- berry Mountain. I have 36 colonies of bees, which arc doing nicely so far. I had 2 swarms in April. My crop for 1908 was about 1200 pounds — mostly comb honey. I have a good home-trade. I sell my honey for i2'/2 cents a pound. I have "A B C of Bee-Culture," and also take the American Bee Journal. I use the standard 8-fraine hive with the Hoffman frames. The people in the pic- ture are myself, wife, and baby. Linville, Ark. Ludwig Brendle. The Lewis Factory Burned We received the following from G. u. Lewis Company, of Watertown, Wis., June 25, 1908, it being a sample of the notice they sent to their customers con- cerning the disastrous fire which wiped out their well-known bee-supply factory on June 20: Vou are no doubt aware by this time that our factory was completely destroyed by fire Sunday mornitig, June 20, 1909. The fire started on the upper floor at about 6 a. m., from a cause unknown, and in a very few hours it was a complete loss. Owing to favorable wind conditions, the office, lumber yard and adjacent property were saved. The destroyed property was well insured, and while it will be impossible to resume business this season, it is our intention to rebuild at once. Our new plant will be better and larger than the old, fully equipped with modern ma- chinery and conv.Mii^ncs. and will have addi- t.v.::al faeilitKS, making it the l>est in (he world. It will positively be ready in time American IBcc JoarnaJi 1909. for your next year's business. We suggest that vou endeavor to have your requirements for the rest of this season filled at one of the other factories. This is but a formal announcement for the time being. Our office will be in shape in a dav or two, so that all matters concerning for observatory hive 5 3 Dark Italian bees with queens one for observatory hive 5 3 Carniolan bees with queen, one for observatory hive 5 3 German bees with queen, one for ob- servatory hive 5 3 Api.^ry of J. C. Cunningham, of Stre.\tok, III. you individually can be taken up with you as heretofore. Trusting that our past relations with you have entitled us to a continuance of your loyalty, which we assure you has been greatly appreciated by us during our past years of business dealing, we beg to remain. Yours truly, G. B. Lewis Comp.\ny. Such a fire is very unfortunate, indeed, especially just at this season, when bee- keepers require their supplies promptly and in such large quantity. It will prob- ably cause the other factories to work more overtime than ever now. Of course, the customers of the G. B. Lewis Company will be patient under the circumstances, which arc so trying to both sides alike. No doubt by an- other season the new factory will be abundantly equipped to meet all its de- mands. City Back-Lot Apiary I am sending a picture of my apiary. This little yard is located on the back of my city lots near the alley. You are looking southwest, and the buildings that you see are on the street south of me. My bees never trouble any one. They are all Italians but 2 colonies, and I am going to requeen them this spring. Bees are wintering well. This has not been a hard winter on bees, and 1 think they are coming out strong. J. C. CUNNINCH.\M. Streator, 111., Feb. 8. Iowa State Fair List The Iowa State Fair for 1909 will be held August 27 to September 3, at Des Moines. The apiarian premium list is as follows : 1st 2d 3d Largest and best display of comb honey, not less than 3U0 lbs.... $20 $15 $10 Largest and best display of extracted honey, not less than 100 lbs 20 15 10 Case of comb honey (clover or lin- den), not less than 12 sections. .5 3 2 Case of honey (fall flowers) 5 3 2 Extracted honey (clover), 10 lbs. .5 3 2 Extracted honey (linden), 10 lbs.. 5 3 2 Extracted honey (sweet clover or al- falfa), 10 lbs 5 3 2 Extracted honey (fall flowers), 10 lbs. 5 3 2 3 extracting frames comb honey, shown separately 3 2 1 Display of beeswax, not less than 20 lbs () 4 2 Display of designs in beeswax G i 2 Golden Italian bees with queen, one One gallon of lioney-vinegar (with recipe) shown in glass 3 2 1 Sweepstakes. Largest and most attractive display of comb and extracted honey, wax, bees, implements, etc., owned by exhibitor 25 15 Hon. Eugene Secor, of Forest City, has been judge of the apiarian depart- ment of the Iowa State Fair for a good many years, and it was at his sugges- tion that the Board liberalized and en- larged the list to the above proportions. It seems the room for the apiarian de- partment is rather limited, and it is thought that if the Iowa State Board of Agriculture would furnish the space it ought to have, a splendid exhibit would be installed. For any further desired information, address Mr. Secor, as above. Apiary of W. A. Swearingen Tlie apiary as shown in the picture is what we call the home vard. It is queens from her except where some queen shows that she is an extra-good honey-gatherer. We keep about 50 or 60 colonies in this yard. The picture also shows my wife and children. Bees were weaker this spring than I ever saw them, but we had one of the heaviest of locust blooms this year, and it has helped the bees to build up won- derfully fast. Most of white clover this year will be from seed, as most of the old plants were killed by the drouth last year. But the season so far has been very favorable to its growth, and it is looking as well as can be expected. We are having one of the heaviest of blackberry blooms here, and I have one or 2 colonies that are storing in sec- tions from that source ; also several at the extracting yards are storing from the same source. W. A. SwE.\RINGEN. Epworth, Ky., June 2. ^ European Foul Brood in California Samples of a new outbreak of Euro- pean foul brood in Fresno and adjoin- ing counties in California, were received at the Bureau of Entomology, Wash- ington, D. C, the forepart of last month. This disease seems to be new to that part of the country, and so it will be well for bee-keepers to be informed concerning the danger. Any suspected samples may be sent for identification to Dr. E. F. Phillips, in Charge of Api- culture, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. ♦ Nebraska Fair Apiarian List Thf 4Tst annual Xcliraska State Fair will lie held at Lincoln, Sept. 6 to 10, 1909. The premiums offered in its apiarian department are many and va- ried. If more information is desired, write to W. W. Cole, of Neligh, Neb., Al'1-.VKY OF \V. A. SWEARINGK.N, UF LPVvOKJII, l^V. situated behind the machine shop. We try to keep as pure Italian bees in this yard as we can by buying an imported queen every third year and rearing all who is the superintendent. The follow- ing is the premium list as published : All bees and honey competing must have been produced by the exhibitor; and all honey. July. igog. American ^ee Journal must have been produced during the present year, unless otherwise specified. Bees and Honey — Open to the World. 1st 2d 3d Best comb basswood or white-clover honey, not less than 20 pounds, crated and in single-comb sections, weiehing not more than 2 pounds each S5 $3 $3 ^ m ir^^WjM 1 HPi 9HI V| l(* l2kT!iSk3[ iSBBT* ■fe^SS^.:^^^ -" " ,-L.. --:^.-r^^?^V::£=_i» ^^^^^ ^ ^^ ^ n i|i|)^L(. A IK ii ii 1.— HONEY-HOUSK OF J. M. Cl TTS. Alfalfa honey, the same amount and crated as above 5 3 2 Sweet-ciover honey the same amount and crated as above 5 3 2 Fall honey, the same amount and crated as above 5 3 2 20 pounds extracted white-clover, or basswood honey ."> 3 2 20 pounds extracted alfalfa honey. .5 3 2 20 pounds extracted sweet-clover honey, produced dw-ing present season 5 3 2 20 pounds heart's-ease honey, to have been produced any time since Au- gust 1 of previous year ') 3 2 20 pounds extracted alfalfa fall hon- ey, to have been stored after August 1 5 3 2 Largest display by anyone, including bees, extracted and comb honey. .12 8 fi Most artistic designs in beeswax... 4 3 2 Display of honey in marketable shape, products of exhibitor's own apiary 9 6 3 Displays of bees and queens in ob- servation hives and not allowed to fly. not less than five cages (> 3 2 Demonstration of practical apiary work 6 4 2 General display of bees, honey and apiarian products ,...$25 Silver Cup. To become the property of the individual winner only after three successive annual win- nings. The following are confined to exhibitors in Nebraska alone: Honey-Producing Plants. For the best collection of honey- producing plants, giving time of blossoming, with common and prop- er names, and furnish the Secre- tary a complete write-up for pub- lication $7 $4 $2 DiSCRETIONARV. In this lot make entries, when desired, of what is not provided for in the foregoing lots in this class. Special Premiums Offered Under the Aus- pices OF the Nebraska State Bee- Keepers' Association. Best 5 pounds beeswax, one year's subscription to Gleanings in Bee Culture. Best 10 pounds extracted honey, one copy of "How to Keep Bees"; cloth bound, value $1.10. Best nucleus of Italian bees, 1 Standard Root Copper Smoker. Bcfit single case of comb honey, 1 copy "A B C of IJce-Culture," cloth bound. Most interesting display of bees and queens, 1 copy "A B C der Bienenzucht," f German). Largest display of different races of bees, 5 pounds Root's Weed Process Comb Founda- tion, 1 pound each — Medium Brood, Light Brood. Thin Super, Extra Thin Super, Drone Foundation. Finest fram'- (^{ honey for extractor, 100 Hoff- man Brood Frames, Largest and best exhibit of comb honey, 1 Danzenbaker Comb Honey hive, painted. Largest and finest display of extracted honey, 1 Hatch Wax Press. Largest and most interesting display in this de- partment, 1 Bali-Bearing Root Honey Ex- tractor (two-frame) No. 10 B. Best case of white comb honey, not less than 20 pounds, 1 copy "Langstroth on the Honey Bee,'" Twentieth Century Edition, cloth- bound. Best case sweet clover comb honey, not less than 20 pounds, 1 copy "Langstroth on the Honey Bee." For best 20 pounds extracted white clover lioney in glass packages in marketable shape, 1 year's subscription to the American Bee Journal For best display of designs in beeswax, 1 year's subscription to the American Bee Journal. For best collection of honey-producing plants, 1 year's subscription to the Bee-Keepers' Re- view. Best and largest display of alfalfa comb honey in 4x5 plain sections, 1 Danzenbaker comb honey hive, painted. Best display of sealed combs for extracting, 1 two-story Root xvovetailed Hive, for extracted honey. For best case of comb honey, not less than 20 jjounds, produced by a woman bee-keeper, 1 select tested Italian queen. For best display including bees and honey, made by boy or girl under 18 years, products of exhibitor's own apiary, 1 Golden Italian breeding queen. For best demonstration of live bees in prac- tical apiary work in screened wire cage, ex- hibitor to choose topic. 1 red clover Italian breeding queen. For best and most instructive display of apiar- ian products, including bees, comb and ex- tracted honey, beeswax, not less than 50 2.— Swarming in J. M. Cutts' Afiary pounds designs in beeswax, and original home- made apiarian appliances, all products of ex- hibitor's own apiary; subject to above re- strictions as to Special Premiums — Silver Trophy Cup, value $25.00. This cup is to pass annually from prior win- ners until won three years successively, when the ownership shall become permanent. God Help the City Boy. God help the boy who never sees The butterflies the birds, the bees. Nor hears the music of the breeze When zephyrs soft arc blowing. Who cannot in sweet comfort lie Where clover blooms are thick and high. And hear the gentle murmur nigh Of brooklets softly flowing. God help the boy who does not know Where all the woodland berries grow. Who never sees the forests glow When leaves are red and yellow. Whose childish feet can never stray. For such a hapless hoy I say When Nature does her charms display — God help the little fellow. — Nixon PVatcrnmn. Views of the J. M. Cutts' Apiary Kncloscd tiiul some vicvss of my apiary near Montgomery last year. No. r shows the honey-house or shop; Xo. J shows how I climbed the tall pines, with climbers to get the swarms that would often settle 6o feet from the ground ; Xo. 3' shows a general view of the apiary and how some of the 10- frame hives run for extracted honey were tiered up 4 stories high and tilled with honey. This apiary of 150 colo- nies was run for both comb and ex- tracted honey — about one-half of the colonies for comb and the other half for extracted. The total yield was 12,000 pounds. This was far short of what it should have been, as I lost a great many swarms, because I could not be with them in the middle of the day. I sold this apiary last winter to the former owner, having purchased it of him in the spring of 1908. J. M. Cutts. Montgomery, Ala., May 25. Isle of Wight Bee-Disease Some time ago mention was made of a disease among the bees on the Isle of Wight, England, that had practically cleaned all the bees off the island. It seemed difficult to get any definite idea about it, but the idea was more or less prevalent that it was a new disease. Official investigation has been made, and a summary of results is given in the British Bee Journal. In the course of the article it is said: "Dr. Maiden finally directed his attention to the contents of the chyle stomach of healthy and diseased bees, and here he was able to distinguish in the latter certain plague-like bacilli which were not present in healthy specimens, and these organisms he is led to liclievc are the cause of the disease. In stained film preparations tlie bacillus appears as a short, round-ended, thick organism, with darkly staining ends and lightly staining cen- tral i)ands (polar staining), and closely re- sembles B. pest is in general appearance. He tlieretore proposes to name it Bacillus pesti- forniis apis. "The characteristic features of the disease are a more or less rapid mortality amongst the bees, disinclination to work, some dis- tension of the abdomen, frequently disloca- tion of the wings, and, later, inability to fly. The disease can only be recognized by ob- serving the general conditions of the col- ony." All of which is of no immediate in- terest to bee-keepers on this side of the ocean, except as a bond of sympathy connects us with bee-keepers every- where : but there is no telling when a case of the disease may break out in this country, and it is well to be somewhat informed in advance. i Ml 3.-APIARY OF J. M. Cutts. Spidcr-l'lant G. Thomas says, in the British Bee Journal, that spider-plant will grow in Mngland only in tlic hothouse. It grows very freely in this country as far north as Northern Illinois. July, 1909. American Hee Journal Conducted by EMMA M. WILSON. Marengo. 111. enough to keep them. June 16, the very- time when honey should have been com- ing in a flood, we were giving the bees reserve combs of honey to keep them from starving. There is some alsike clover within reach, but not enough for their needs. Yet it is hard to tell, for the weather has been so cold and wet that the bees have been kept indoors a good deal, and even if they could have flown, such weather is not the best for the secretion of nectar. Bees have been cross and snarly. It is hard to keep your enthusiasm up to the proper pitch when tlley behave so. Feeding Sour Honey — Using Last Season's Empty Comb. 1. Is sour honey fit to feed the bees? If so, how, and when is best to feed it? 2. Will honeycomb that was left in the hives last fall do to put back for them to fill this spring, for comb honey to sell? Kentucky. 1. You don't say whether the honey is in the comb or extracted. If extracted it can be heated and skimmed, then diluted with water until thin enough, for the bees to take easily. If in the comb, feed just as it is, only in either case feed at a time when bees can have a flight every day. In no case is such honey fit for winter stores, or to be fed at a time when bees can not fly freely. 2. Everything depends upon the condi- tion of the comb. If the sections have been emptied of all honey, and are white and nicely cared for. there is nothing better. On the other hand, if they have been left with the bees until coated with propolis, and are brown and hard, they will not make nice sections when re- filled. Honey Poultice for Swelling. Mrs. L. underwent a severe surgical operation in the spring of 1907, as re- lated in Leipziger Bienenzeitung. Six months later a swelling in the left tem- ple, with an inflamed spot in the cen- ter and severe pain in the head. Dif- ferent domestic remedies were tried in vain to bring the inflamed spot to sup- puration. The lady could not be in- duced to call a physician for fear of the knife. On the suggestion of a bee-keeper honey-plasters were daily applied. The result was very favorable. The swell- ing came to a head and broke. The dis- charge continued for about 2 weeks, dur- ing which time a fresh honey-plaster was applied daily. Gradually the pain disappeared. Before the place was en- tirely healed, Mrs. L. called on the physician to pay her previous bill. Upon noticing the nearly healed place, he told her it was a case of a dangerous car- buncle. When told of the remedy ap- plied, he said, "I wouldn't have be- lieved it ; but honey seems to be good for everything." Honey for Cancer. Miss Florence J. Prugh, of Piqua, Ohio, kindly sends the following clip- ping on the use of honey as a remedy for cancer and other blood diseases : It is passing strange that so many of nature's valuable secrets should be before us every day, yet we remain unconscious of their existence until some one discovered that honey is a safe, certain and sure cure for cancer and all other blood diseases. A farmer had contracted blood poison from helping to lay out a friend, and. after two years' treatment, had been given up to die by doctors and friends, and had made his will. Honey harvest had been iniusually heavy that year, and he noticed that as soon as he began eating it he began to improve, and in a few weeks the symptoms disappeared and have never returned. Since then he has cured three very bad cases of cancer, two of blood poisoning, one extremely bad case resulting from vaccination, one of eczema and one of eruptions on the face. The honey should be strained, as the virtue is in the nectar, and taken very moderately at first, taking a tablespoonful only three times a day, gradually increasing until as much as a gill can be taken at a meal with impunity. Every one afflicted with cancer or blood dis- ease of any kind should give the remedy a fair trial, as it is cheap, safe and sure. For many years they have been trying to find a remedy for cancer. Here it is; give it a trial and be convinced. A certain doctor to whom I gave the rem- edy free, asking only that he make public the discovery, has been planning to coin millions out of the afflicted people's pockets. I want every one to know and use it free. It is Na- ture's medicine. — Wesley Clowes, in Macomb Journal. A Good Year — Catalpa for Honey. Dear Miss Wilson. — 1. Will this be a good year for honey? I put the supers on the first week in June. One colony is busy in them. The other 2 are not doing anything. 2. Do they fill up the center first? They are killing off the drones; seem very busy. They came through the winter in fine shape. 3. Do the bees work on the catalpa trees? They are in full bloom now. The bees are too busy to swarm. The American Bee Journal has been very helpful to me. Mrs. E. P. Day. Bloomington, 111., June 18. 1. Up to June 2ist it is an exceedingly poor year with us, as the bees are having to be fed to keep them from starving, when they should be rolling in the hon- ey. But we may have some fall crop. Never can tell. But that doesn't mean that it must be a poor year with you. You say that one colony is busy in the super. That looks promising, although later you say they are killing off drones. That would indicate that the flow is not very good. 2. Yes. Usually the outside sections are finished last, and this is more pro- nounced if the harvest is poor. 3. I don't know. I never heard the catalpa tree mentioned as a good honey- producer. You can tell something about it by watching to see whether the bees work upon it. Honey Prospects Discouraging. The prospect of any crop from white clover in this locality is now (June 21) very poor indeed. There is very little clover to begin with, and there doesn't seem to be any nectar in what there is, at least the bees are not gatliering Color of Raspberry Pollen. Raspberry pollen is yellowish green in color. Hearing Rather than Seeing Bees. The ear is better than the eye when one wants to find whether bees are working well on any given source. Stand under a basswood tree and if bees are not very thick upon it you can easily hear them when you can hardly see a bee. Same way on a field of alsike. Yellow Sweet Clover. We have a patch of several square rods of yellow sweet clover. It blooms much earlier than the white variety; does not grow so tall, and has a more slender leaf. In fact, aside from the blossom, the plant resembles alfalfa fully as much as it does white sweet clover. This year it showed its first bloom on the same day as white clover (June 6), as also did alsike. The ear- lier blossoming of yellow sweet clover makes it of less value than the white variety in a good white clover year. But when white clover is a failure the yellow sweet clover ought to be es- pecially valuable. A Vermont Sister's Experience. Dear Miss Wilson. — I have been a reader of the .American Bee Journal for several years, and have found it a real friend. I became interested in bees 7 or 8 years ago. I live on a farm on one of the prettiest locations to be found anywhere, without any exception. From my dining-room windows we look down tile length of beautiful Memphramagog Lake, and one side Owl's Head and Bear Mountains, and with the valleys and evergreen forests, the view must be seen to be appreciated. Our neighboring meadows were laden with alsike and white clover, and I thought what a pity so much sweetness should be lost and given to the winds. I said to my husband. "I wish I had some bees. I believe I could handle them." But no bees for him, he said. He would take care of the honey, but the bees he would let some one else care for. Well, I succeeded in getting a swarm in a box-hive for $5.00, I went to our library and found a book. "A B C of Bee-Culture." I wrote to Cornell University. Ithaca, N. Y., for information, and they referred me to the .•\merican Bee-Keeper. I subscribed for that journal and continued to take it until they discontinued. I subscribed for the paper and bought L,angstroth on the Honey-Bee." I win- tered 32 colonies. I sold a few this spring. Several of my neighbors have since become interested in bees and keep irom fi to a dozen colonies. My husband was called Home two years ago, and with the care of a 14-cow dairy and poultry farm. I do not get down to do very fine work in apiculture, but ..ave made _ the bees pay for themselves, and all cost besides. I have a bountiful supply of honey for my own table, some profit, and lots of real pleas- ure also. How did I manage the stings? Just as we July. looq. American Bee JournaJjj 235 have to learn to overcome all the disagreeable obstacles that come in the path to higher at- tainment. I believe now I have become so in- oculated from the stings that I sliall never be troubled with rheumatism. That's what some doctors say, "stings cure rheumatism." But really my bees are so well acquainted with me now that they are very well behaved, and I forgive them for all their ili temper, for I suppose I must have been very awkward with such methodical little things. But I have lots to learn. When you people in the American Bee Jour- nal run up your honey crop into the thousand pounds, and the way you do away with swarm- ing and increase, by the modern methods, and talk to your queens and have them rear none but workers, well, I am not in it. and I must sit quietly and listen and learn from the skilled in bee-culture, for my bees know only natural methods, and as I have gone to the bee for many of my lessons and consider her very wise and thrifty, I must wait until I know more than I do before I shall dare to interfere with her methods. One of the sisters that wrote in the last Journal was from this State, and I was glad to know of another bee-woman. 1 do think the sisters can help to make our department as wide-awake and interesting as any in the Journal. Let all those who have profited and do know just as much as the brothers (though they may not think so) — just let us know what they think of introducing new queens into an apiary where the old queens have reigned so long. Emm.\ S. L.\ne. Newport, Vt., June 5. Don't get the idea. Sister, that to have success in bee-keeping we must get away from natural methods. Rather we should strive to learn more fully just what bees naturally prefer to do, and govern our- selves accordingly. You are on the right road toward getting yields equal to the best of us, so keep up heart. Do you really think your bees are better acquainted with you, or have you learned better how to behave in their presence? And. yet it can not be dis- puted that when a colony stands where people are constantly passing, the bees are gentler than where they are in some secluded place. With regard to changing queens, while there are some who think a queen should not be tolerated beyond one or two years, others think it best to leave the matter entirely in the hands of the bees — to "natural methods," as you would say — so long as good work continues. If left to themselves, bees will gener- ally supersede their queens when 2 or 3 years old. In our own apiary the age of a queen is no objection so long as good work is done, and if poor work is done, off comes the queen's head, no matter how young she is. Last year the colony which gave the biggest yield (276 sections of honey ) had a queen 2 years old, and the next best had a queen 3 years old. Yes, we shall be glad to hear what other sisters think about introducin;' new queens. Conducteti bv J. L. B YER. Mount Joy, Ont. The Honey Season in Ontario. Our late cold spring terminated ab- ruptly into warm summer weather about May 25, and since then it has been quite warm with but little rain. Fortunately the aliundant precipitation earlier in the season, had put the clover in fine shape, and at present the rather dry weather now prevailing has not hurt it any yet. Apples were in bloom on June 5th — very late for our locality — but the clover rushed ahead so fast that it came into bloom about the saine time as in earlier springs. While the weather dur- ing apple-bloom was fine and warm, yet strange to say, very little nectar was se- creted. However, the fine flow from the willow earlier in the season, coupled with abundance of old stores in the hives, brought the bees up to the clover flow in fine condition. Clover started to yield June 19th, and, for the 4 days since, the nectar has been coming in fine, and from present indications only unusual weather conditions will pre- vent a crop of honey. Rut last year the clover started in fine and yielded for only about a week to amount to anything, and there is the same possibility this year again. Of course we are not looking for a repe- tition of last year's slim crop, but, on the contrary, are full of hope for an old- time yield again. The next 4 weeks will tell the tale. Introducing Queens. The Sibbald quick method of introduc- ing queens as mentioned in the June .'\merican Bee Journal has proved en- tirely successful with me so far. A se- vere test was made last week and as it proved a success, naturally I have con- siderable faith in the plan. A queen was received by mail, which on examination showed the wings all frayed, convincing me that she could never have flown, so must be a virgin. I wrote the breeder, but decided to introduce her and prove the matter. The queen was introduced by the plan as given last month, and to- day I found her as I expected — a drone- layer. If one can introduce virgins or drone- layers by the plan, it certainly should be a sure method for laying queens. Speaking of introducing queens, leads me to recall a little incident that hap- pened today, an incident by the way that some will wonder at my relating. Real- ly, though, I wonder if any other bee- keepers do have accidents and make blunders like the writer of these notes, anyway. It came about in this wise : One of my very best colonies at the Cashel yard, headed by a young queen of last year's rearing, was given a second story of worker-combs early in the season, no excluder being placed between the two stories. Today I found the top story as I expected — full of brood and honev. The brood was taken away and given to some other colonies not so strong, an extracting super being given to the other in place of the combs taken away. Now in doing this work, I was more careful than usual, and although I did not see the queen, yet I thought =he had run down into the second or lower story all right. After dinner, when I came out to the yard again, I noticed the colony all in an uproar, and knew at once that the queen was somewhere not in the hive. As I had shaken the bees all in the super as the combs were taketi away, I felt pretty sure that she was not car- ried away on the combs, so I looked all around the hive. Noticing some bees about 6 feet away to one side, I went and investigated and found about a doz- en of the poor bees clustered around the queen which was dead. How it happened I can not imagine unless she had been right on the quilt when I opened the hive, and had, unobserved by me, run down the side of the hive and into the grass, later on to be trod upon by my very clumsy feet. While I would not liave taken a five dollar bill for her, yet I had taken a good deal less, and liere was a quecnlcss colony to fix up somehow right in the opening of the clover flow. To patch up a bad bargain, I decided to take a young Italian queen out of a nucleus wintered over, and give it to them. How to introduce her to that powerful colony was the ne.xt question. I got a wire cage and put into it the dead body of the old queen which the bees were simply crazy over, then I also put the new queen in as well, and laid the cage at the entrance of the hive. The bees formed in a great ball around the cage, and from their actions I judged they were airiiable rather than otherwise towards all the contents of that cage, and in about 10 minutes I pulled out the cork and let her run the hive. Well, the bees simply quieted down about as quick as a pan of syrup boiling over will settle when a lump of butter is dropped in. At night, before leaving I could see nothing of a dead queen in front of the hive in the closely clipped grass, and from the quiet condition of the colony 1 have good reasons to be- lieve that the new queen was safely in- troduced in less than g hours after the old queen was superseded, and this right in the middle of the day, too. Try the plan of introducing, but by all means do not try the plan of supersed- ing, on any good (pieens you have in the yard. Ollar-Wintering of Bees. In the I'ebruary issue of this Journal, mention was made of the experience of Editor Hutchinson last fall in mov- July. 1909. American Hee Journal ing some bees a short distance to the cellar, after they had been confined to their hives by a half-depth body screen on the bottom for ventilation, it being the intention to leave this screen on the hives all winter so that the bees would not be able to leave the hives at all, a la Hershiser. After the bees were shut in, and before they were put into the cellar, the weather turned quite warm, and as a natural result the bees were very much excited and very un- easy when put into the cellar, and for some days afterwards. In commenting on the experience of Mr. H., I said that I would not like to have my bees in that shape, but hazarded the guess that all would be well, provided the stores were of the best. In the April Review, Air. Hutchinson tells of the results of his experiment, and I am sorry to say that it is not of a very encouraging nature. The bees re- mained very uneasy and had to be put out of the cellar in January, and if the winter had been severe the chances are that the loss would have been very heavy, but as it is he expects to pull through with a loss of 25 percent. He. of course, blames the disaster to the fact of the bees being shut in the hives, but personally I would be inclined to blame the abnormal condition under which the bees were put into the cellar. Whea I said that I would not like to have my bees go into the cellar in that condition, I had in mind that abnormal condition, and never thought of the bees being confined to the hives, as be- ing a cause of bad wintering. True, I did jokingly say that Mr. Hutchinson was using a device which he had char- acterized as a "harmless invention," in that he was confining the bees to the hive as did the Hershisher bottom- board, but there is a vast difference be- tween a screen at the bottom of a hive- body as compared with the Hershisher device that has the screens at the side. In the former case the dead bees would fall on the screen and shut off ventila- tion. Be it understood and right here that I hold no brief for Mr. Hershiser, and have no actual experience with his clos- ing device, but as I understand its con- struction, I would have no hesitation in using it if I were doing much cellar- wintering. Let us consider for a minute the con- dition those bees of Mr. Hutchinson's were in when they were put into the cellar. If they could have been put into the cellar as soon as they were shut in, the chances are that all would have been well, as there are numerous in- stances where bees have been moved and put into the cellar without having had a flight after the moving. How- ever, I believe that all of us think it better for the bees to have a flight in such cases if it is possible. In the case referred to, the bees were shut in and moved off the stands, and then the weather turned very warm. This natu- rally aroused the bees to a great pitch of excitement, and as they were kept closed and then carried into the cel- lar while all in an uproar, it would not surprise me if bees in that condition should develop dysentery inside of a montli. It is quite possible, as all who have shipped bees much know, to de- velop a case of dysentery in a colony even in the summer time ; especially is this true of some of the more excitable strains of bees. Mr. Hutchinson says, "When the schoolmaster or the parent, or the edi- tor, makes a mistake, there always seems to be a lot of enjoyment on the part of the children or the subscribers, and it is possible tliere will be something doing,'' now in that line. If he means that ICC "children" are going to rejoice because of his failure, I venture to say that he is making a bigger mistake than he did when he roused those bees up so before putting them in the cellar. While it is true, as he says, that his characterization of the Hershisher bot- tom-board as a "harmless invention," did afford "a lot of interest to our Canadian friends," I hasten to remind him that both he and Mr. Hershisher know the writer of these notes well enough that they must surely have dis- covered ere this his weakness in being inclined to treat some things with the spirit of levity, and perhaps failing too often to treat the things of this life in a serious enough manner. Thi^ will be my excuse if I have in the question under discussion, said anything that would have been better left unsaid. Distance Bees Go for Nectar. What G. M. Doolittle says in the June number about the distance bees will go for nectar, does not in my opinion give so much encouragement to the idea that bees ordinarily fly as much as 4 miles or more. The pasture gradually extending up a hillside, link by link, as was the case with the basswood in the years he recorded such long flights, is something that does not occur in many years in most localities. Under such conditions, one can readily imagine that bees would fly much farther than they would when great blank spaces, in so far as nectar is concerned, have to be passed over. Be that as it may, I know that our home yard of bees have in years past got noth- ing whatever when 3 miles away where there was buckwheat, bees there would be storing a good surplus. As far as I am concerned, under or- dinary conditions, I do not take into account any possible value of forage over 2I/2 miles away, as time after time I have seen incidents as related about the buckwheat 3 miles away. Had there been patches of buckwheat scattered all along the 3 miles I can readily believe that the bees might have found the large acreage at the end of the chain, but there was absolutely notliing to connect with the source of nectar, consequently it was never found by the bees. outhern Conducted by LOUIS H. SCHuLL. iNew braunieis, lex. Bee-Stlngs for Rheumatism. Although this is an old story, there are many doubting Thomases who do not be- lieve that bee-stings can be used as a successful cure for rheumatism. The writer was one of these for a long time, although leaning toward the belief that there might be something in it, until sev- eral 3-ears ago when I was so thoroughly convinced that I have been not only an advocate of such treatment, but have ap- plied the treatment both to myself and to other patients with success. It is needless to say that a cure can be eflfected for all kinds of rheumatism, perhaps. However, all the cases of which I know, a cure was made in every case. I do not know of a single case where the bee-sting cure failed, and some twenty cases of treatment can be refer- red to. Several persons have told me that af- ter suffering for years, and having tried all the doctors and patent medicines, be- sides trying different "baths" at various resorts, which had been recommended to them, without avail, their last resort was "bee-stings." and now they are well. Some have stumbled on this "cure" ac- cidentally, tried it, and w-ere cured. while others had known of bee-stings as a relief for rheumatism, but who dread- ed this kind of cure more than the dis- ease. Later, being finally driven to "bear it and grin," the bee-stings were tried and the patients were healed. For a time — possibly about 3 years — I suffered more or less from rheumatism in one arm and one leg. This was dur- ing a period in which very little work with the bees was done by me, and hence I was not stung often. Later I took up bee-keeping again, but without the least thought about my rheumatism and the connection bee-stings might have with it. It was not until late in the season that I became aware that my pains were gone. The numbers of stings received in the work ran into the hundreds, and I am sure that they cured me. Never since then have I had anv more trouble with rheumatism, and neither is its return expected unless the bee-stings are left off entirely. Then if such should occur my first remedy would be bcc-stings. One of my relatives, and next door neighbor, suffered so severely with rheu- matism that he had to give up work en- tirely for months. All kinds of medi- cines and doctors had been tried, and July. 1909. mineral as well as other baths, but no permanent relief was obtained. Almost despairing he requested enough of my time to apply the "bee-sting cure." It was agreed that if he would stand the American ^ac -Joarnal j The writer has seen a number of in- stances to this effect during the sixteen or more years of his bee-keeping ob- servations. The first, years ago, was when I thought I had discovered a 237 )>=^^g^^ ] Sw.\RM Entering Empty Hives. pain I would apply the stings, and after several weeks' treatment he was well. It- will be well to say that this was a very severe and obstinate case, and required several hundred of the stings, which were taken in the morning and evening. My present assistant at an early age was afflicted with rheumatism to such an extent that he was practically an in- valid. His sufferings were unbearable, and all the treatments gave no relief. He and his relatives had heard of, and were advised to try bee-stings, but the relatives scorned such a foolish idea. Having the grit which we know only too well a young fellow in his condi- tion can have, he one day, when all were away, slipped out to his uncle's bees. Although the pain was severe from the stings applied by himself, he was de- termined to get well. Relief was soon felt afterward, and the application of stings continued. He was cured, and is well to this day ; and he does not expect ever to suffer so again as long as he is with the bees, which business he at that time took up and expects to follow for the very purpose in which he earnestly believes^that as long as he receives stings while working with the bees he will be free from the dreadful torture from rheumatism. Many other cases could be cited which I know personally, while many others have been related to me in detail. Upon several occasions cases have been cured upon my suggestion after everything else had been tried. There are several persons who have had like experience as above related, and who can bear me out in this kind of testimony. swarm of bees in the wall of a build- ing. Bees were issuing back and forth from a knot-hole right under the eyes. But after a few raps were made on the wall they soon dispersed. As a fore- thought, or fearing that some day a swarm might enter there, the opening was closed up with soft soap. Seven days passed by when about noon a roar- ing noise near the building proved to be a very large swarm which was trying to enter that same knot-hole in the wall. They settled finally on a small tree and were hived. Another case of this kind where scouts were mistaken for a colony of bees was in an oak tree in a woods. Upon examining closely the bees became frightened and flew away. Later, when passing the tree again, a swarm was in sides some I Know of in other apiaries. Many times large numbers of bees would be around such stack "investigating" every crack and crevice, perhaps scouts that were later to be followed by swarms. One day, a year ago, my attention was called to bees "robbing" in a pile of en- tirely empty hives right in our city back yard. They acted in all respects the same as a bold band of some 100 or 150 rob- bers (the largest scouting band I had ever seen), only I remembered after- wards that they seemed very gleeful about finding the hives so empty and nice. It did not occur to me then what they meant, and in a few minutes they were off and all was quiet. This was right at our kitchen door. Just a week later I snapped the picture shown here, of the last part of the swarm entering the empty hives. Whether all colonies send out such scouting parties, or whether certain col- onies always do, would be hard to deter- mine. We know that they do this very often, however. These parties vary in numbers. While I have seen most of them with only about two dozen bees (more or less) the one above mentioned was quite a large bunch of them, resem- bling very much a miniature swarm themselves, but their actions were very much unlike a swarm. Mulberry Shade for Hives. The readers will have noticed on page 124 of the April issue a photo- graph of some mulberry shade trees, both in their winter and summer con- dition, with and without foliage. An- other picture is given herewith, which shows what a shady, cool, and invit- ing place it is in an apiary of this kind, especially when one knows what it is to have to work in the swelter- ing heat of a hot summer's sun. Regarding this kind of shade, Mr. Smith comments as follows : Sconts Before a Swarm. There are many evidences that a col- ony of bees that is preparing to swarm will select previously a location for a new home by sending out "scouts," or a number of bees whose duty it is to go out and find a suitable place to which the swarm then proceeds later. A Texas Apiary Among Mulberry Trees. possession of the very same hollow of that tree. Half a dozen or more swarms have been hived, or rather they hived them- selves right into stacks of empty hives and supers right in my own apiaries, be- speaking of shade for bee-hives, Mr. Scholl, r don't like the miilt)erry. Tlic shade is too dense and thick when in full leaf, though putting out leaf late is a point very much in their favor. Our favorite shade tree for hee-hives is our old standby, the mesquitc. It comes into leaf late in the spring, the shade is not very dense at any time, and it is one American ^ae Journal July, 1909. of the very first trees in the fall to shed its foliage. Then the leaves are so small and fine that they don't litter up the bee-yard like trees with large foliage. Rescue, Tex. L. B. Smith. Although I also prefer the mesquite for shade, and have most of my apiaries in groves of them, there are other places, yea, many, many of them, where no mes- quite ever grew, and could not be de- pended upon for apiary shade. Besides, the mesquite would be a slow grower, and it would take too long before they would be large enough for shading hives. Not so with this wild mulberry. Its growth is rapid, and the trees soon at- tain good height. In many places these trees are relied on for fence-posts, and thus their planting would in time serve a double purpose. These trees resemble very much the catalpas, which are very much planted for post timber, and which could be used in the same way for shading bee- hives. While the shade is quite dense at times, they leaf out late and defoliate early, and are bare during the winter so that the sun can strike in. Go For How Far Do Bees Honey ? BY C. P. DADANT. The article by G. M. Doolittle on the above-named subject in the June number of the American Bee Journal is most interesting to me, especially as the sarrie subject was treated in the " Bulletin Li Apiculture" (Swiss) at the same date, by Dr. Crepieux, of Rouen, France, an old apiarist and bee-writer, who was for a number of years editor of the ''Revue Internationale." The articles evidence the uselessness of drawing any conclusions from isolated experiments. Dr. Crepieux has an apiary of some 50 colonies of Italian bees in a country which is stocked only with common bees. He thus has very good opportunity of recognizing his own bees, and of ascer- taining the distance which they usually cover in search of honey. With the use of a bicycle on the fine roads of France, he was able to investigate readily the local conditions. He says : "I was struck by the fact that my bees were much more fond of the northeast direction than of the southwest, although there are as many profitable fields in the one direction as in the other. Here is my explanation of this fact. The southwest winds are, in our region, those that bring rain. For that reason the bees go out less on the days when those winds are blowing. When the weather is fine, the winds from the east and the north bring the smell of the fields situated in that direction, and the bees go there. It may be also that they have intelligence enough to go in that direction be- cause they can go against the wind when empty and come back with the wind when loaded: in any event, those two reasons and their practice tally and correspond with each other. "In a westerly direction, I have never found any of my bees beyond 500 meters (a third of a mile). I must mention that we are limited on that side by the forest. This forest extends from south to north about 5 kilometers (over 3 miles). Its width is between 900 and 3,000 meters. My apiary is opposite the narrowest part. An important detail is that the width of the forest is guided by two very steep hill- sides. The difference in level is about 60 meters (200 feet). I have never seen one of my yellow bees on the other side of this for- est. Yet there are fields of esparcet, campanu- las and buckwheat, over there, and owing to the direction of the slope, the crops there are a little later than here. I have seen my bees cease to bring honey when the crops around me were ended, when they might still have found flowers on the other plateau. I, have ascertained at those times that the fields in nuestion were still visited by bees, but that they were all of the common race, coming irxjm an apiary with which I was acquainted. "I have also made a number of observations to ascertain the distances traveled by my bees in the other directions. In the southeast up to 800 meters, I always saw the yellow bees. At that spot the land has a slope of 8 or 10 meters and I have never noticed bees on the other slope or 200 meters farther. On the east and north the land is level, and as I have stated, under the influence of the northeast winds. It is in that direction that my bees travel. On fine days they go in all direc- tions, but any of my visitors notice at once that half of the bees go to the northeast, the rest of them spreading about to all other points. Observations are easily made, as 48 of the 56 hives are grouped in a house apiary. The reader will probably wonder whether the best fields are to the northeast. There are of course important differences in the cultivation from one year to another, but it is to the south- east that the best fields are found. The others are scattered in all directions. Last year, in the northeast direction, nothing but cereals were to be seen. I explored the region and found a field of esparcet at 800 meters, it was cov- ered with yellow bees. Another field, 150 meters farther, still showed some Italians. But still farther, 1400 meters from my apiary, a third field of esparcet did not show a single Italian. In this same direction preferred by the bees of my apiary there is a village, Bois- Leveque, where I often have professional du- ties. I have never gone there without examin- ing the fields of blossoms. This village is 2200 meters from my apiary. I have never seen there any of my Italians. **I have carried bees away from home, slight- ly marked with flour on the wings and the body. I have seen them come back when re- leased at 600 .to 800 meters, but those which were released at 2,000 to 3,000 meters did not come home." In concluding his article, Dr. Cre- pieux says that it is quite possible that the circumstances in which his bees find themselves may have influence on the distance of flight. My own experience would indicate that the shape of the land has much to do with the flight of bees. In "Langstroth Revised," the late Mr. Chas. Dadant reports that he knew bees to starve upon the hills in a year of drouth, while the Mississippi River low lands, less than 4 miles distant, were yielding a large crop. This ex- perience has again been reproduced since his day. But we must remember that the country between the apiary in ques- tion and the low lands is very much broken and covered with patches of tim- ber, orchards, fields of cereals, etc., all unprofitable ground after the spring days are over. Again, an apiary located on the banks of the ^lississippi, which is a mile wide at this point, never yielded as much crop by about half as other apiaries which were farther inland. We have always ascribed this to the fact that about half of the near-by pasture was cut off by the river. We rarely see the bees take the direction of the river. An apiary situated in another spot near the stream, located about 3 miles from the lowlands of the Mississippi, in Missouri, across the river, and which could not be reached except by a bee-line of nearly the entire distance over the water in a longitudinal cross section, absolutely ig- nored those low lands, during several short crops, though those bottoms were yielding a good harvest. In moving bees to distances of less than a mile, we have seen many bees return to the original spot unless great precautions were taken, and even then some would return if the moving was done in the busy season. When moving them 3 miles, very few returned. At distances of five miles or more, we have never seen bees return. But another evidence of the influence of a stretch of water as a barrier, is found in the fact that at a distance of less than 3 miles across the Mississippi, the bees moved never did return. Mr. Gaston Bonnier, professor at the Sorbonne, Paris, author of "Cours Com- plet d'Apiculture," and President of the International Congress of Bee-Keepers at Paris, in 1900, has lately reported some experiments made by him on how bees find their way home. He took bees to the fields and painted their eyes with blackened collodion, then turned them loose after having marked them so they could be recognized. These bees returned home. From this he concludes that bees have the sense of direction apart from sight, and compares their evident ability to return home to that of the carrier pigeon. Bonnier locates the "sense of direction" in the brain of both bees and pigeons. That collodion experiment seems to me rather indefinite. I would expect that the secretion of their eyes similar to that in our eyes would soon remove the film thus artificially applied, and that they would nevertheless use their eyes to return home, for I cannot very well imagine either a blind bee or a blind pigeon returning home. I have, how- ever, witnessed some very wonderful feats by carrier pigeons. When I was a child, I saw in our old city of France — Langres — the flight of a hundred carrier pigeons which had been brought on a wager, from Brussels, Belgium, exactly 200 miles as the crow flies. These were released from the top of the steeple of our cathedral. They circled around, rising higher and higher in the air. until almost out of sight, then took a direct flight towards their home, except half a dozen or so that seemed unable to fol- low, and returned to the steeple. I was always under the impression that our July, 1909. American Hee Journal city had been selected as the place of release because it was on the highest cliff of a high plateau, and the parties who made the wager evidently wanted to give the best possible chances to those pigeons of recognizing their direction. Again, on the transatlantic steamship, when going to Europe, in 1900, I wit- nessed the flight of half a dozen pigeons, which were sent ahead, a day before our arrival, to announce the ship. By pay- ing a dollar, anj- of the passengers was enabled to forward a short message to his friends. The messages were all pho- tographed in minute form, inserted in a small tube and tied under the wing of a pigeon. Did those pigeons reach home by a "sense of direction" located in the brain, or had they simply traveled enough before being used, to be able to recognize the direction to follow? Let some others, better posted than I am, give the reply. I, however, wish to say that there is a limit to the "sense of direction" either in pigeons or in bees, and that the length of it surely depends in great part on the configura- tion of the country. It seems to me that a good place to test the possible greatest length of flight of bees after honey would be the irrigated valley of one of our Western States. In those districts where the blooming region of alfalfa is bordered by boundless dry wastes surrounding a narrow valley, bees ought to go far- ther than anywhere else, perhaps far- ther than 8 miLs. But if I thought my bees could or would go even 6 miles in any direction regardless of obstacles, and harvest honey profitably, I would quit keeping out-apiaries and would not hesitate to place even a thousand colo- nies in one single spot. Hamilton, 111. Foul-Brood Legislation BV DR. G. BOHRER. I see by the late Annual Report of the Illinois State Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion, that there is a difference of opin- ion as to the propriety of there being a foul brood law in that State. At any rate, the details as to the matter of specifying the length of time after foul brood has been found in an apiary within which the ailment must be treated, and the disease .^tamped out. was a sub- ject of controversy. If my judgment is not very much at fault, this is a matter that should be left for the inspector to determine. If it be at a time when there is a honey-flow, the treatment can not be applied any too soon. If when there is no honey coming in, and there is a disposition to rob, it is plain to be seen that the sooner the matter is dealt with the better, as the disease will spread rap- idly under such circumstances, if neg- lected. Then, again, a colony may be quite populous and well supplied with honey in the fall, in which case I wintered a colony over, and will this evening (June 9) put it under treatment after the Ealdridge method. It is proper to state that I treated this colony last Septem- ber on the Ealdridge plan, but the bee- escape I used (a Porter) was defective. and an occasional bee entered the hive after having come out of it. By which means, diseased honey was no doubt carried into the new hive, and the dis- ease with it. Others that I treated on the Baldridge plan are perfectly free from it, and are carrying in honey from alfalfa bloom rapidly. I also see that one person as- sumed the ground that treat the disease as he may, it will appear again, which position is an erroneous one. For scien- tific investigation has abundantly shown that foul brood is a germ disease, and it has been also proven in thousands of cases that when the germs are exter- minated, and a colony of bees are put upon comb and honey free from foul brood germs, they are no longer annoyed by the ailment. That a failure may, and no doubt will, occasionally occur, as in the case I have called attention to in my own apiary, I have not the slightest doubt. But it does not by any means justify us in concluding that there is no such a thing as stamping out this ailment. For there is an overwhelming array of evidence, proving beyond all doubt or question, that foul brood is curable if treated according to well-test- ed methods. As to the matter of destroying bees, hives, and honey, there are cases that require just such treatment, and noth- ing short of fire or burial beyond the reasonable possibility of resurrection, will serve an effective purpose. I refer to old, worthless hives, weak colonies, and diseased honey and poor comb. The foregoing facts and suggestions I had intended to call attention to at the Chicago-Northwestern convention at its session referred to in the Illinois report, but for reasons that I will not take time nor space to relate, I omitted to do so at that convention. Illinois surely needs a foul brood law, sufficiently rigid to enable the bee-keep- ers of the State to stamp out this pest, which is as much of a stumbling-block to bee-keepers as is glanders among farmers' horses, if left unrestrained. At some of the coming conventions, either State or National, I may have something more to say concerning foul- brood legislation. Lyons, Kans. Methods of Introducing Queens BY C. M. DOOLITTLE. As the best time in the whole year for supplanting superannuated queens is just before the close of tlie honey harvest, and as I have several letters about this subject, I thought that an article regard- ing the matter might not be amiss just at this time. In introducing queens it should always be borne in mind that a queen taken from a nucleus or a colony in the api- ary and introduced to another in the same apiary, does not require one-half the care that must be given a queen from a distance coming in the mails. The reason for this seems to be thai the queen when taken from a nucleus in the same yard is in an immediate laying con- dition, and will not run around provok- ing the bees by her different actions from what their old mother had, causing them to look closely after her, and chase her if she sees fit to run, as will a queen after having had a long journey. In introducing all ordinary queens coming from my own apiary, or carried from the home apiary to one 3 or 5 miles away, I generally adopt one of the two following plans: The first is to go to a nucleus or the hive from which I wisih to get the queen to supersede the one which I do not want, and when she is found I take the frame she is on, bees and all, together with another frame from the same hive, carrying tliem near the hive from which 1 am to take the superannuated queen. I next hunt out the poor queen, and after killing her, take out 2 frames from this hive and place the 2 frames brought from the nucleus, in their places, then closing the hive. Now shake the bees off the 2 frames in front of the hive and carry them to the nucleus, or carry bees and all, as you prefer. The object in taking 2 frames with them is so that while wait- ing outside of the hive slie and most of the bees may cluster between them, thus becoming quiet, and, when placed in the hive, both are put in together, thus leav- ing the queen quiet among her own bees. In this way I do not lose one queen out of 50, and as the operation is so simple, and the queen so quickly installed, the advantages more than overbalance so small a loss. The next plan is to go to my nucleus and get the young laying queen in a cage before looking for the queen to be super- seded. I next look for her and kill her, when the hive is closed. I now blow in at the entrance enough smoke to alarm the whole colony, pounding with my fist on the top of the hive until I hear a loud roaring inside, which shows that the bees arc filling themselves with honey. I then run in the queen to be introduced, at the entrance, smoking her in, while I still keep pounding on the hive. In doing this nothing but wood-smoke should be used, for, if tobacco-smoke were used, many of the bees would be suffocated. If done when there is danger of robbing, wait till just at night, or do it on some cloudy, cool day when the most of the bees are staying at home, for where rob- bing is started, or the smoked bees an- noyed by robbers, the success is not so certain. The idea is to cause the bees to fill themselves with honey, at the same time smoking them so that the bees and queen smell and are under the same con- ditions, so that they do not realize that any change has been made. By this plan I seldom lose a queen, but it is not quite as simple as the first; however it is equally as successful as the other. In introducing a queen which comes from a distance, I most often use what I term the caged-framc-of-brood plan, which is as follows : Get out a frame of very thin material which will just go inside of the hive, and at the same time admit of one of the hive frames going inside of it. I usually make this so it will take 2 frames inside of tlic cage, for where we wish to intro- duce a queen in the latter part of the season, we shall need all the bees we can 240 July, 1909. American Bgc JoarnalJ get to give the colony sufficient strength for winter This frame is to be left open at the top, so that the frames of brood can be set in, it being held in po- sition at the top by light strips being nailed on each side, they projecting so as to hang on the rabbetting of the hive. The sides are now covered with wire- cloth when it is ready for use. When the queen arrives, go to any colony where frames of emerging brood can be obtained and get 2, shaking the bees all off of them, securing those from which the most bees will emerge during the next 24 to 48 hours. Hang these frames of now beeless brood in the frame cage, and let the queen run in with the attendant bees which came with her, when the whole is to be hung in the middle of any popu- lous colony in place of 2 frames, and left for 3 or 4 days. Of course the top is to be made secure in some way, so . none of the bees from the hive can get into the cage, and none of the bees from the cage get out. A proper sized piece of enameled cloth answers for this purpose nicely. If you have selected the right frames as to ripe or maturing brood, the cage will be pretty well filled with young bees in 3 days, while the queen will have commenced to fill the vacated cells with eggs. The cage is now taken from the hive, which has furnished the warmth to cause the young bees to emerge, and carried to a hive where we wish a colony to stand, the cage set in one side of the hive, when we proceed to take out the 2 frames and set them on the opposite side, when a follower or division-board is drawn up to economize the warmth of the little colony. If there is not plenty of honey in the 2 combs from the cage, a frame of honey should be set in next to the side of the hive before the 2 frames are taken from the box, and thus this honey is beyond the 2 frames of bees, thus guarding against the rob- bing of the little colony, and especially so if the entrance to the hive is made at the side the cage is now hanging. It is best to allow this cage to hang here for a day or two, or till we open the hive again, so that all of the bees adhering to it after the frames of brood are re- moved, can crawl out at their leisure. In cool or cold weather, it is best to leave the 2 fratnes caged with the col- ony for 5 or 6 days, instead of 3, for, if taken out too soon, these young bees may not have sufficient vitality to cause the remaining unhatched lirood to emerge from their cells. The little col- ony is now built up by adding frames of emerging brood, occasionally, as they can protect and care for them. This plan is absolutely safe, and if all who have lost valuable queens will try it, we shall hear no more of so many losses in introducing. It requires some work, I know, and takes some time to build up a colony in this way, but after we have once lost a valuable queen we are ready to go through with some labor rather than lose another. There are other plans which are em- ployed to introduce queens, and general instructions attend all mailing cages, but where a person does not have the suc- cess he or she desires with them, the above will satisfy, if they succeed with others as they do with the writer. Borodino, N. Y. The 8-Frame Langstroth vs. Dadant Hive BY J. E. HAND. In these days when the majority of the people are blindly following the largest crowd regardless of whither it is leading them, and when men of orig- inal thought and independent action are none too plentiful, it is very refreshing to meet a man who has the courage to stand by his honest convictions even though he stand alone. Such a man is my worthv and honored opponent, Mr. C. P. Dad'ant, While I have great respect for Mr. Dadant's opinion upon subjects pertain- ing to apiculture, yet different people view things from different standpoints, and therefore see them in a different light. In this way a dignified discussion if conducted in the right spirit can re- sult only in good, since it must reveal some points that can not be seen from one particular point of view. Viewing the Dadant hive from the standpoint of the comb-honey producer in the average location, it is weighed in the balance and found wanting. There- fore, it does not possess the necessary qualifications that should recommend a hive to a class of bee-keepers that rep- resent by far the greater majority of the bee-keepers of this country, Mr, Dadant is viewing his hive from the standpoint of the extracted-honey specialist, who represents a very small part of the bee-keepers of this country. Viewing the Dadant hive from the stand- point of swarm-control, its claims can not be substantiated in the production of comb honey. An extracted-honey hive must have something besides its size to recommend it. Therefore, the 8-frame Langstroth hive must ever remain what it is — a general utility hive — the hive that is best suited for the masses. The Dadant hive is too heavy to be carried in and out of the cellar. There- fore bees in these hives must be win- tered out-of-doors, which necessitates a great amount of frame manipulation in the fall in equalizing and uniting small colonies. Mr. Dadant admits that he finds some difficulty in increasing his bees enough to make up for winter loss- es, which is in itself rather significant. My worthy opponent has fallen into a common error among large-hive ad- vocates, in assuming that a large hive always contains a large colony of bees, while just the reverse is quite apt to be the case. If a hive is made large enough to de- velop the fertility of the best queens, the average queen can not keep it filled with brood. Hence, it becomes a store- house for honey. This condition of things is followed by a long train of evils, such as swarming, crowding the queen, loafing on the outside of the hive, refusing to enter the super, etc. And the bees will continue to crowd the queen until the breeding space is far more limited than it would be in an 8-frame hive. Thus the largest colony is quite as likely to be found in an 8-frame hive as in a Dadant hive. Perfect control of bees is only to be found in a hive in which the size, shape, and methods of manipulation are cor- rectly and scientifically balanced. Such a hive is the 8-frame Langstroth hive of today. When bee-keepers learn that bees can be controlled only through their in- stincts they will be in a position to un- derstand that perfect control of bees is out of the question with a hive in which the room in the brood-chamber exceeds the fertility of the queen. Here is where the 8-frame hive wins out in an easy pace. The fact as stated by Mr, Dadant that his neighbor's bees in 8-frame hives became over-crowded with bees by May 15, and cast swarms every year, while Mr, Dadant's bees seemed to have plenty of room, and cast few swarms, is rather significant, and proves two things quite conclusively. One is, that the 8-frame hive is a splendid hive for building up rapidly in the spring, and the other is that the neighbor above mentioned has much to learn about bee-keeping meth- ods. If the owner of those bees knew enough to give them a set of half-depth brood-combs at the right time, they would not have swarmed, and would have rolled up an amount of surplus that would have made the Dadant hive man stand up and take notice. And why not. for they are then larger than the Dadant hive, and in much better shape for rdpid breeding up, since the additional room is in the warmest part of the hive — right over the brood-nest — which enables the bees to care for twice as much brood as in a Dadant hive, where they are compelled to extend the brood-nest sidewise into the coldest part of the hive, far removed from the heat center, and therefore could not be ex- pected to build up strong enough to cast swarms before July. I believe Mr. Da- dant's success with these hives is largely due to the fact that a large part of his surplus is gathered late in the season. The 8-frame hive of today is as dif- ferent from the 8-frame hive of a quar- ter of a century ago, as the Dadant hive is different from the long-ideal hive. The modernizing influence of the sec- tional hive is slowly but surely revolu- tionizing the bee-keeping methods of this country, and it is these influences that have made the 8-frame Langstroth larger than the Dadant hive when a large hive is needed, and smaller than any other when a small hive is needed. And all the while it is the common util- ity 8-frame Langstroth hive of today — the hive for the masses of bee-keepers of America, Birmingham, Ohio, No. 7 .— Colorado Bee- Keeping BY E. C, AIKIN. I closed article No. 6 with the details of swarm control as applied to getting the best results in surplus honey. Here we will go further into the management July, 1909. American l^ee Journal following, when we have gotten the bees where the apiarist can say he is in con- trol. It is now to apply the energies of the bees where the most will be gotten out of them. Most people suppose that no bees work so hard as a newly hived swarm, and possibly there is some ground for such belief ; but I think I can dispel some of such belief when I have an- alyzed conditions, and have also shown some other conditions under which bees do most e.xcellent work. When the swarm is hived not much is done the first day or two but clean house and get comb started. What apiarist but has noticed that when he hived a swarm, say at noon, and went in the late afternoon to look at them, that very few bees are going and coming, and often he will tip up the hive or other- wise investigate, thinking his swarm is lost. He finds them clustered apparently idle. Xor is there much activity until sufficient comb is built to receive eggs, nectar and pollen ; when this time comes there is work for every bee, and they get to business ; there is lots of room and a division of labor that calls into play every energy. Contrast with this a colony with just about bees enough to cover 4 or 5 combs, and with brood enough to keep every nurse at work and every fielder in the fields searching and getting necessary stores. I said con- trast, it is not a contrast, but more strictly a parallel. There is almost no possible perceptible difference in the en- ergies put forth by weak but healthy normal colonies with plenty of room as compared with a natural swarm. I will give another parallel that any apiarist should observe. Colonies worked for extracted honey where plenty of store-comb is present and in the most convenient location, and where sufficient ventilation and other conditions make for the comfort and best opportunity to employ every bee — there we almost invariably find a colony that gives a good record of itself. It is the common claim that extractcd-honey colonies produce more honey than those run for comb. In this case the credit is not given to its being natural swarms that do the work, but usually that there is no comb to build. Go into a yard where there are natural swarms at work alongside of colonies of equal numbers or working strength, and you cannot tell which works the harder, or which gets the more stores or accomplishes the greater amount of work of all kinds in the hive. It is the colonies uncomfort- able from over-heat, over-crowded with a mass of workers like an unwieldy mass of individuals, always in each other's way, no place in which to store, a queen that is not laying enough eggs to keep all the nurses at work, etc. A lot of bees that are thoroughly demoralized as by smearing with honey; if they get out of stores within and notliing with- out, anything and everything that tends to disgust, discourage and disconcert will retard in energy put forth. It is but the most natural thing that a colony being annoyed by robbers, or those excited by the presence of strange or more than one queen, cease more or less for the time to attend to the regu- lar business. Shake a colony, making a forced swarm, and there is unquestion- ably for the next few hours, and often for even the second day, but a small amount of work done, just as in a swarming colony when the excitement is on, almost all field-work ceases. But, just as the natural swarm soon rights itself and gets to business, so any forced swarm of equal bees in all respects and same opportunities will get right to business and make work count. And I will again repeat, and wish to empha- size, that it is the colonies normal in numbers and having the opportunities that get the most honey per capita of bees. An average natural swarm in a big hive in an average honey-flow will not do good work in section honey. To get the finish desired, and as well the quan- tity, we find almost every writer advo- cating the doubling up by some plain method. This doubling will add to quan- tity and finish by the given colony that is the product of the doubling, but the same bees in two more nearly natural or normal ones will accomplish more in yross production of all products. That is why small hives are used more for comb-honey w'ork, because a normal swarm must be squeezed up to super- work by a contracted brood-chamber. Wh.\t About Queen-right vs. Queen- less Colonies? There is little difference between a natural swarm with a normal queen, and one with brood in all stages from which to rear one, so far as working energies go. The amount of brood present will use more or less, in proportion, of the energies and time of the workers; but if a small portion of brood be given to a swarm in lieu of a queen, work will proceed just about the same as with a queen just as soon as the colony be- comes settled to conditions and accepts the situation and starts cells. But of course in all the manipulations and changes and in the varying conditions, we must keep in mind to have the end in view always before us. If you have bees, and want all possible from them, you must always have present with that colony, whether a swarm or one that has not swarmed, a queen or the ma- terial by which to produce one. If all is to be centered in honey, sacrifice other interests as wax, comb, brood-rearing, and even the future life of the colony, for they can not possibly do big work in all lines with tbe same resources, at the same time. On one stand put a colony with every- thing favoring the greatest amount of honey in the best inarketable shape, and specialize that colony to that end, and that only, at least when the honey is to be had, no matter what change may come later and what can be made of it even 2 weeks off. You can have colo- nies so arranged that you have robbed thein of the fielders and of all workers except just enough to care nicely for the mother-queen and all the brood she can get when not crowded out of busi- ness by honey-logged combs, and a host of workers that nature would lead them through instinct to get dissatisfied and swarm — here you are specializing this colony to the getting of a normal colony for winter, and whose sole business is in getting that brood-chamber into prop- er shape, it is just in the most natural condition you could get, as bees are found in their one-room houses as in trees, etc. And should the propagating colonies get too full for best results, divide. Or, if it is early enough in the season so that another honey-flow is yet to be harvested, so manipulate as to keep the honey storers out of the way, centering their efforts with the honey specialists and not crowding out the queen from her laying. Just as the farmer grows wheat in one field, corn in another, po- tatoes in another ad libitum; so should the bee-keeper divide his field of bees, for if he attempts to make every col- ony a "jack of all trades," or trv to do all the things at once, he finds they are masters of none. The business of the bee-family in a state of nature is not to do such work as man sets them to, so just as soon as the conditions are unfavoraable to the making of a colony of bees in that particular home, when they have become unbalanced they di- vide and take up the same work in a new location. They have but one busi- ness specialty. When it comes to the discussion of comb honey in comparison to extracted, note that with the latter there is by no means so far departure from the natural and normal conditions that in- fluence the bees, for with the large hive and the fact that it is not nearly so cut up as if it were separate compartments, the bees being in such condition that they can continue to store freely with- out hampering the queen and nurses ; in fact, the colony being in a more easy normal functioning condition, they just plod along, and almost anj'body, whether he knows much of the whys of bee- nature, can handle them with fair suc- cess. But our little bo.xes, our demands for fancy finish, our trying to make the bees do things contrary to instinct promptings, run us into snags when comb in these little chunks is attempted, and requires skill and knowledge. So, then, the first and foremost thing in the time preceding a honey-flow is to plan what you will strive for : wheth- er it be increase of colonies, or to get the most in honey and wax, or to get the most of both, the special thing first is to favor getting the greatest num- ber of workers. When the honey sea- son is on, and also the season for in- crease, use the material at hand as you desire specializing, as above indicated. Those colonies run for honey must be put under special conditions where you have absolute control and can de- feat nature through instinct, and yo.i do this not by fighting instinct but by making conditions that stir up instinct to do the thing you want. (To be continued.) Extracted vs. Comb Honey IIY LKO E. GATELEY. .Vowhcre in the history of modern apiculture can there be found a time during which the acquiring of distant out-yards and the producing of extract- ed honey ever became among all classes 242 July, 1909. American l^ee Journal of the fraternity so universally popular as just at .present. Unfortunately, certain apiarian pitbli- cations claiming undiscriminating devo- tion to the general subject of bee-cul- ture, have, unconsciously no doubt, be- come so deeply engrossed in this one question that matter pertaining to other no le.ss important interests have of late been woefully lacking. To the comb- honey contingent who are, if at all, but casuallv interested in the lengthy dis- cussion's relative to the production and handling of extracted, such a journal is both disappointing and tantalizing. From the perusal of such journals the uninitiated are naturally led into the fallacious belief that the production of comb honey is always a matter of unremunerative secondary importance, which is chiefly responsible for so many rushing precipitously into this already fully occupied field. Plainly, this prevailing sentiment against the production of section honey is going shortly to affect materially the supply, and, consequently, enhance the market value of that commodity. Comb honey is, unquestionably, destined to become,' as never before, a delicacy commanding a corresponding fancy price. Bee-keepers equipped for the business, if situated m a locality at all suitable to the production of section honey, will make no monumental mis- take in sticking to it. Generally speaking, the production of extracted necessitates the maintenance of a series of expensive out-apiaries; while with section honey the majority of localities can be made to support in one home yard a sufficient number of colonies to suffice. In former years, when the honey extractor was a comparatively new and untried apiarian appliance, enormous yields of green and inferior honey were soinetimes secured by its agency, but by present methods in which only thor- oughly ripened and sealed honey is con- sidered fit for extracting, very little more is obtainable than when running for comb. Twenty-five percent more extracted than coinb should be a gen- erous allowance for estimating the rela- tive proportional amounts possible to be produced of the two classes of honey, and never more than 50 percent. In any market the disposal of section honey is less difficult. Its market value is considerably above that of extract- ed, often double, and, occasionally, liq- uid honey, as in our own case, can scarcely be disposed of at any figure. Though no doubt it is possible to man- age more easily a large number of colo- nies when run for extracted, an addi- tional number are required and out- yards can be successfully managed for section honey. The apiarist who is an expert in its production might find the matter wor- thy of the most careful consideration before abandoning it for extracted. On the other hand, there are, perhaps, lo- calities in which one kind has, from a financial point of view, slight advan- tage over the other. In such a case the question really becomes one of taste or preference only. The kind one aims to produce, wheth- er section or extracted, should be set- tled upon in the beginning. The hive best adapted to producing one is gen- erally more or less bunglesome for pro- ducing the other. For extracted a brood-chamber of no less than 10 or 12 Langstroth frame capacity is necessary if one is to avoid too close robbing of stores ; while one of 8-frame capacity is admirably adapted to the production of section honey. Occasionally it may be found advisable to produce both in the same yard, but not ordinarily. Recently considerable has appeared in these columns to the effect that comb honey, if not actually injurious must, on account of the indigestible beeswax it contains, be, as an article of diet, less desirable than that in the liquid form. Contrary to such a view, the very fact that such wax is indigestible is precisely the reason for the superior- ity of comb honey. The frail and delicate comb into which commercial honey is stored is, when properly masticated and mixed with other food, reduced to small and in- numerable particles. Though, of course, the wax is absolutely unassimilable, each of these tiny particles surrounds itself in passing through the digestive appara- tus with a bit of the filth deposited by the decay of other foods which are di- gestible, thus removing poison froth the body. Comb honev might also, in cases of chronic constipation, sometimes be con- sidered in one sense laxative. This is not at all because it is in any manner an irritant ; but rather because it cleans and tones up the digestive machinery, thus putting it in a condition properly to perform its natural functions. There is probably nothing which will give one so clean and delightful a sense of healthfulness as will a diet composed plentifully of comb honey. The nearest approach to it would be torn-bread in which the meal has not been closely bolted. In both instances beneficial re- sults are derived from the identical source — unassimilable matter. Ft. Smith, Ark. Selling Honey Direct to the Consumer BY G. C. GREINER. After the honey-producer has suc- ceeded by intelligent management and persistent hard labor in getting a crop, the next question. How to dispose of it in a profitable manner, has to be decided. If he fails in this, all his efforts to make bee-keeping pay, will prove a delusion. The question. Does it pay to sell direct to the consumer? all depends upon circumstances ; if he favors that part of the business, it certainly does, but, if not, it may be advisable to let others take it upon their shoulders to see to the retailing of our products. Years ago, when I was living on a farm some 120 miles east of my pres- ent location, I had to send all my honey (section honey, which I produced then exclusively) to the city markets, de- pending entirely upon the discretion and generosity of the commission firms. Conditions were against me to manage my own retail trade. Being engaged every minute when I could leave the bees, I had not the time to peddle honey, and, if I had had, it would have been a rather lengthy job. My sur- roundings were comparatively sparsely settled, and being a rural district many of the farmers kept bees of their own, not only to supply their own wants, but in some cases to give and sell to their neighbors. On this account no regular market price for honey could be maintained. Farmers in general were not informed on the country's honey-trade ; they would offer what little they had to sell, below the price the dealer would ask, and, in fact, take anything they could get. Under such conditions, a peddler could not obtain living prices. The nearest villages, and small ones at that, were from 6 to 8 miles dis- tant, and even there only an occasional sale of a case of 24 sections, seldom more, could be made. To sell a load of honey I would have been compelled to drive many miles, taking me so far frotn home that I could not have reached my own prem- ises for my night's feed and lodging, adding another expense for board to the already unprofitable venture. Be- ing thus situated I was compelled to pack my honey, send it to the city, and take whatever I could get for it. Things are very different now. Makr ing the production and sale of honey my main business. I have the time to be my own retailer. My present loca- tion is in or near the thickly settled portion of Niagara Falls industrial dis- trict. The city tuarket is about 5 miles from my place of business, on a good, level road, easy to travel summer or winter. By starting out early in the morning, I can make this trip both ways, sell and deliver my honey, and take my dinner at hoiue a little after noon. For years I have made it a point to be on the market once a week. ThrougTi strictly honest dealing, offering for sale a genuine, pure article only, I have built up. I am proud to say, an unquestion- able reputation, so that my rig alone, when it appears on the market, is taken as a guarantee for pure honey. I will say right here that I produce now ex- tracted honey almost exclusively, for the very reason that a large portion of my customers prefer it. I make about four sales of this to one of comb honey, and as my honey is all put up in regular pint and quart Mason cans, which can be used for canning after the honey is taken out, my goods are desired and called for. It is an easy matter to make sales if you have to sell what others wish to buy. Outside of my weekly market trips I have several routes in other direc- tions, which I supply, to use a phrase, "between meals." Being obliged to go from house to house and farther to travel, it takes me a little longer to make the circuit, but I always get home for my night's lodging in good season. In summing up the financial part of the question. I find these facts : When I shipped to the city markets, my fancy and No. i white clover and bassvvood honey sold generally for about 15 cents per pound, leaving me, after deduct- July, 1909- (American ^Bec Journal ing commission and express charges, 12 cents net ; and buckwheat honey g to 10 cents net. Since I manage my own retail trade, I get for fancy and No. i white clover, 18 and 16 cents respec- tively per section, and 14 cents for buck- wheat, all in 4x5xi5'4 bee-way sec- tions. It is plain to be seen that the differ- ence in these prices leaves quite a mar- gin in favor of selling direct to the consumer, besides paying fair wages to the seller. But to obtain these prices, I put up my section honey in neat, at- tractive style; all propolis is scraped from every section, and every one is wrapped in white manila paper, with a piece of cardboard the size of the sec- tion on each side to protect the cap- pings. It takes a little time and mate- rial to prepare the honey in this way, but it makes it so much more conven- ient to handle, it keeps it so much cleaner, and makes it so much more at- tractive, that it more than pays for all the trouble. And after all, it is not an extra expense; it saves the cost of shipping cases, which we would have to furnish if our honey had to be shipped. In regard to extracted honey, I can not draw a comparison. I have never shipped any to the city on commission. But I am well satisfied that it could be made a paying occupation, if a per- son were so situated that he could spend his time on the road, selling his own products. La Salle, N. Y. Rendering Combs into Wax BY C. A. HATCH. I accept Mr. Lathrop's challenge (page 141). and will tell what I know about rendering combs into wax, al- though this is not the first time I have made the attempt. The first thing I would try to im- press on the reader, or any one who has a lot of old combs to render, is that only about half of the" wax can be got- ten out of them unless a press is used, and I am conceited enough to think that the Hatch-Gemmill-Root press is the one '.i' use. Some 1 ud of a vessel to melt the combs in is necessary, large enough so that 5 or 6 combs and their frames can be put in at one time. This may be a large iron kettle swung over an open fire outdoors, or it may be a large boiler on the stove indoors. Mine is an iron box made of heavy galvanized iron, 15 inches deep, and 15 inches square. I have two of them which I set on bricks and use 2 joints of 6-inch stovepipe to give draft. One boiler is used to put the combs in, and the other to re- melt the cheeses for the second press- ing. When the water boils is the time to begin. Have the press handy to the boilers, and set up on some kind of a platform, so that a square honey- can with the top cut out (the 5-gallon kind) will easily set under the outlet. Have several of these cans ready, and also the forms in which the wax is to be moulded, all ready, then when the combs are melted into a soft mush, dip out into the cloth which you have spread over the rack and form of the press, about 2 gallons of water and wax "slumgum" together. Fold the cloth, put on the top rack and follower, and run down the screw — not too fast, but let the wa.x have time to run off. When the can under the outlet gets full enough dip off into the moulds, stopping when the dipper shows dirt. When the can gets too much water in it to operate well, replace by one of the empty ones, let it stand a few minutes, dip off all the clear wax, and dump the rest back into the boiler. A little water — hot, if you can get it — in the bottom of each mould, is quite a help. It gives the dirt a chance to settle, and helps in getting the cake of wa.x out of the dish. The best wa\- to purify wax is never to let it get impure. If the above di- rections are carefully followed, I will warrant a lot of wax that will need no purifying, and that will bring the top of the market price. Mr. Lathrop is wrong when he says to re-heat the wax from the press and solar. Every time wa.x is heated more than just enough to get it out of the "slumgum" it is a damage to it. Slow cooling is an advantage. There- fore, if working out-of-doors, all ves- sels containing cooling wa.x should be covered. Iron rust will turn w'ax black, so if any of the vessels used are rusty they should be scoured bright first. Rain-water I think is preferable to hard water, but well-water will do un- less it contains iron. I have never found any use for acid to purify wax that 1 made myself, and I think it injures its strength at any time. Richland Center, Wis. Size of Hive- Introducing Queens BY EDWIN BEVINS. In the February .'\merican Ree Jour- nal, Mr. Aikin argues for the use of two 8-frame Langstroth hive-bodies, one above the other, in spring, in which to rear bees for the coming harvest. He was speaking for Colorado. Would he pursue that practise in Southern Iowa ? In the same issue I spoke disparag- ingly of the use of one 8-frame hive- body above another for the purpose of rearing bees in spring, and advising the use of hives wide enough to take a sufficient number of frames to accom- modate the most prolific queens. Prob- ably I used the word "most" without due consideration, and yet I would like to ask Mr. Poppleton what he thinks about it. He uses the " Long Ideal" hive, which is wide longitudinally, if such a paradoxical expression may be allowed. At the time wlien so much stress was laid on the importance of having a strong force of bees ready for work at the opening of the harvest, and the necessity of keeping the whole force of bees and brood together during the harvest, I used many S-framc hives in the way advised by Mr. Aikin. .\ few queens would have the 16 frames nearly full of brood when the white clover began to bloom. Some would have all of the brood in one story, and some would have from one to 4 frames of brood in excess of the 8. So I made up my mind that a lo-frame hive would be about right for the majority of queens. By stimulation I have had queens fill the 2 stories practically full of brood, but such colonies almost always proved disappointing in results. When the time for supering came, tlie effort was made to get the combs hav- ing most brood in one story on the old stand, with the old queen, and then tlie most of the bees of the other story were shaken in front of the hive on the old stand and the nearly beeless brood put in a new place. No matter how many supers prepared for section honey were piled on the hive on the old stand, the great mass of bees forced into this hive would become full of discontent, and swarming was almost sure to fol- low. So much for trying to keep the queen and all the bees and as much of the brood as the hive will hold of an excessively strong colony, together dur- ing the honey-flow when working for comb honey. If I had known enough to have done some of the things men- tioned by Mr. Aikin, I think results would have been different. Let those who want to, practise stimulative feed- ing. All I want is to have plenty of feed in the hive at all times, and let the bees do the rest. A queen exces- sively stimulated is not worth much the year following. Not all are willing or prepared to requeen every season. Air. Aikin concedes that a 1'2-frame hive is wide enough. It is probable that but few queens need one as wide as this. If I should have one that would exceed this number, I would give her a deeper hive instead of a wider one. Ten Quinby frames have been proven to be sufficient for almost any kind of queen. Let me say here that a Dadant hive with flat bottom-board may be made into an ii-frame Langstroth hive in a very few minutes. Saw off enough of the bottom to leave the rest of the re- quired depth, and you have it. The 11 frames will accommodate almost any queen you are likely to get. If you get the 10 frames of a lo-frame hive full of brood when clover blooms, you are doing well. These hives thus re- duced in depth arc good for botli comb and extracted honey, but do not insure against swarming like the deeper hive. Mr. Aikin's management of the 2 hives of bees and brood at the opening of the honey-flow may be, and probably is, a very effective safeguard against swarming, but he has, as a result, 2 colonies where he had one before. What would he do if increase is not desired? The practise so long urged of getting all of the bees, and all of the brood possible, into one brood-chamber for comb-honey production at the beginning of a honey-flow, is admirably calcu- lated to bring about the very thing you least desire. Mr. Aikin's way I believe to be the better of the two. Mr. Doo- littlc accomplishes the same thing in a different way. The aim of liolh is to get the most or all of the bees into an uncrowded brood-chamber. Mr. Doo- littlc puts the old queen into this brood- July, igog. American Vae Journal chamber. If Mr. Aikin would do the same thing he could tier up his beeless bi-ood as Mr. Doolittle does, and con- trol increase. I will here venture the opinion, and I think I can almost say with certainty, that the 8-frame Langstroth is respon- sible for more dead bees in spring than any other one thing. It was so persis- tently boomed for years, that everybody who wanted a hive bought one of 8 frames, thinking he had got the best. These hives fell into the hands of so many who had no knowledge of how to care for bees, that thousands of colo- nies died of starvation, that might have lived if they had been in hives of greater capacity. And yet they are a good hive in the hands of some. Honey for Winter Stores. When the season last year had de- veloped so far as to convince me that it was going to be a poor one for honey, I ceased putting on supers for surplus, and went to putting on upper stories filled with drawn combs in order to se- cure all the honey possible for winter stores. This was done with colonies of good strength, but not with the strong- est nor with the weakest. The strong- est were worked for all the surplus possible, and the weakest to do what they could in one story. As soon as the weather got warm enough in the first half of April, I made examinations of these upper stories, expecting to find the brood-nests established in these up- per stories. In most instances I found the brood there, but in a few others I found tlie set of upper combs heavy with honey, and the brood all in the lower story. The combs of the lower stories had but little honey in them, and this was remote from the brood. Did I put any of these combs of honey in the upper stories nearer to the brood? I didn't. I took them all away and gave each colony 3 quarts of liquid feed at one feeding. My reasons for this procedure will be sufficiently indicated when I say that Mr. Doolittle's id^a of an extra set of combs filled, or rather partly filled, with honey, to be placed on the brood-cham- ber, over an excluder, about the time of fruit-bloom, I believe to be of greater moment to the bee-keeping world than anything that has been thought of since Langstroth thought of the movable frame. These combs are put away for later and experimental uses. Abbott Pl.\n of Introducing Queens. Of the dozen or more queens intro- duced last fall by the Abbott plan, not one was lost. I have just been exam- ining the colonies having queens that had done good work for 2 seasons. One was in a hive containing 11 Langstroth frames. There was no brood and only about 100 bees. The combs were about half full of sealed honey. More combs, you see, for experimental uses. Let me say here that when getting combs of honey for experimental uses, from colo- nies that have queens and brood, do not overlook the sugar-barrel for winter food. Superseding Queens, Etc. The other colonies examined were in lo-frame hives, and I found the colo- nies weak in number of bees, and brood scant, as a general thing. This con- firms me in the belief that the apiarist will do well to follow Mr. Doolittle's latest advice and supersede after the queen has done 2 season's work. Mr. Doolittle asserts or argues (I do not know exactly which), that this su- perseding by the apiarist is not neces- sary when using small hives. By small hives I think he had in mind the 8- frame Langstroth hives, although I be- lieve he at one time used a smaller kind. Even if the queen, as he says, would do as good work the third sea- son as she had done in the two former ones when worked for comb honey, is it true when worked in the 8-frame hives for extracted honey? I have worked some colonies in 8-frame hives for extracted honey, giving unlimited room above, and at the end of the sea- son found the brood-chamber light in stores, showing that the queen had had unlimited room for laving. On the whole, I feel constrained to say in this connection that "One by one the roses fall," and that "So sleeps the pride of former days." It was not long ago that Mr. Doolittle was an advo- cate of the small hive, and the super- sedure of queens by the bees. When later experiments make it plain that bet- ter results can be obtained by a change from both these things, he very prop- erly advises a change to the better methods. We are all grateful for many of the things Mr. Doolittle has said and done. Glancing backward over the things I have read in books and papers devoted to apiculture, I am not a little surprised to note the many things that were taught and practised a few years ago that are held to be bad practise now. One thing I note that is dis- tinctly retrogressive and indefensible, and that is the way some queen-breed- ers classify their queens. Leon, Iowa. Send Questions either to the office of the American Bee Journal or to DR. C. C. MILLER. Marengo, 111. Dr. Miller does not answer Questions by mail. Preventing Swarming — Queen-Cells Not Hatching — Repairing Old Combs — Clipped Queen and Swarming. I dare say you will be surprised to get a few queries concerning the "poetry of Na- ture" from such a remote quarter. However, seeing that I have devoted much study to the following details before finally deciding to appeal to you, I hope you will kindly do your best to assist me. 1. In the American Bee .Tournal for No- vember last, "Pennsylvania" mentions the Dudley tube system (page 343), as means for preventing swarming, etc. Now, can you inform me why it is that the bees trans- ferred with the combs to the lower hive do not commence queen-cells? In the Alexander and Somerford systems for increase, the same method, practically, is employed as is fol- lowed by the Dudley system as a means for preventing increase, except that the position of the extra hive is reversed. It is common- ly known that l>ees when provided with the means for supplying a queen lose no time in doing so, and with the facilities provided them by the Dudley-tube system, it seems peculiar that they should not do so. I note in your reply to "Pennsylvania" you state inter alia, "you would find it practically im- possible to shift combs of sealed brood with- out having any unsealed, nor would it be necessary." 2. Why is it that queen-cells sometimes fail to hatcli even when carefully protected by prepared cages? In any case, I invariably find that the larva in the cell is shrivelled up at the hatching end of the cell: this in spite of a plentiful suonly of "royal jelly." favorable climatic conditions, and during the honey-flow. I have sometimes attributed the foregoing to the fact that cells were made from a queen's first round of laying; but I have recently noted the same results with a second-season queen's brood. 3. Why do bees in repairing' old comb, ap- parently (I say apparently because I have no actual proof, beyond discoloration) use old comb for the work? Recently, I placed some old damaged combs in some of my hives, to- gether with some new ones slightly damaged. In the former case the patching was made by the bees to match the surrounding sides — the wa.x used was dark brown. I always supposed that bees could secrete only tlie n^ wax with which we are all familiar. 4. Do you think it possible for bees to carry away a clipped queen when acting under the swarming impulse? I recently lost a swarm having a clipped queen. At first I was inclined to place faith in a story told by A. I. Root in the "A B C of Bee Culture," where he relates that a swarm returned to the parent hive after being away a short time, presumably owing to the fact that the queeit could not take wing with the bees on account of being clipped; but my faith was shattered when I saw the swarm above mentioned de- part from the veld, and the only inference to my mind is that the bees — possibly the drones — carried her majesty away, a la Elizabethan style, so to speak — on their shoulders! South Africa. .Answers. — 1. Whenever bees are made to feel that they are not in pretty close com- munication with a queen, you may count pretty safely on their starting queen-cells if they have the right material from which to start them. But these cells are not allowed to go on to maturity. They are destroyed, either directly by the bee-keeper or the bees. Increase can be made or prevented, just as the cells are encouraged or not. And that makes all the difference. 2. Swiss bee-keepers, who are away up in matters pertaining to queen-rearing, tell tis that mere physical heat is not enough to bring young queens safely to maturity, the bees must be allowed to be in close contact with the cells, exercising some mysterious influ- ence by their close contact with the occu- pants of the cells. According to that it Is a mistake to cage cells as soon as they are sealed. In my own practise I leave the cells uncaged in a strong colony, not caging them till there is danger of their liatching. But there is one thing that looks as if another cause was at the bottom of the trouble. You say you find the larva "shrivelled up at the hatching end of the cell." That looks as if the combs had been shaken, thus throw- ing the larva out of its bed of jelly. 3. Your supposition is correct; bees secrete July, 1909. American lee Journal only the new white wax. But as a matter of convenience or economy they are quite apt to take bits of dark wax from old comb to mix in with the new wax, whenever such old comb is close at hand. Whsn I used wide frames for sections, I practised putting brood-combs in the super, between the frames of sections, in order to start the bees more quickly in the sections. It had the desired effect, but if the brood were left in the super until the bees began to seal the st ctions. they were sure to mix the old, black wax in the cap- pings. 4. No, I don't for a minute believe that bees ever carry a queen. Of course I don't know, but I would need proof to convince me. If I had a colony with a clipped queen, and a swarm from it should leave for good and all, I should think that a young queen had been reared, or that a queen with whole wings (perhaps with ?. little afterswarm) had joined the swarm and gone off with it. Hauling Bees for Wintering. 1. As I understand it, you run one or more out-yards, hauling your bees in every fall to be wintered at home, and out again in the spring. When do you haul your bees home — at the close of the honey season, or when it is time to cellar them? That is, do they have a flight before going into winter quarters, and in the spring are they given a flight and then hauled out right away, or do you wait until €ettled warm weather? 2. Using plain irames, how do you man- age to keep them from swinging and killing the bees when hauling over rough roads? 3. Do you produce extracted honey at the out-yards: Wisconsin. Answers. — 1. This year, for the first time in many years I am running only one apiary, the home apiary. But I can answer your question all the same. I haul my bees home in the fall whenever it is convenient after the close of the season, making sure that it is early enough for the bees to have a good flight, before going into cellar. In the spring it would be practically impossible to haul them before having a flight, for they generally fly within a few minutes after being taken out of cellar. It would be bad, even if possible, to haul them without having had a flight. They are hauled as soon as convenient, weather and other things considered, perhaps in a day or two, perhaps not for 2 or 3 weeks. 2. In the stnse you seem to mean, I don't use plain frames. Nothing can be plainer than the Miller frame, except that there are common nails, as I have often explained, used as side- spacers, and staples as end-spacers. Nothing is needed at any time to prepare the bees for hauling; except to close the entrance with wirecloth. 3. Comb honey entirely. But it's much easier to run an out-apiary for extracted honey. Feeding Bees in Winter. 1. H(Av .shall I ftcd bees in winter? A neighbor has (j" colonies, all short of stores. They winter in a wooden building, and are put 3 or 4 on top of one another. Six colo- nies have already starved, and the rest are starving. Of course, your answer will come too late, but 1 should like to know what ought to have been done. We have tried to use candy, but it was a failure, as we have no recipe for it. Then we took slices of loaf sugar, dipped them in water and put on the top of the iramcs. The bees took some of the sugar while it was wet, but more than half of it dried and the bees can not take it. Then some one advised my neighbor to cook sugar syrup, pour it in empty combs and put one comb in each hive near the division-board. But this is a great derangement for the bees, as he is obliged to carry hom° each hive for this operation, as the temperature in the bee- house is too low to allow opening the brood- ncst there. And it is extremely slow work. What would have been the right way to feed the bees? Although it is already April 13, , there seems no possibility of getting them out earlier than in 2 weeks, as there is much snow and the temperature is very low. 2. My own bees seem to have enough stores, but there is another misfortune. They are ill with dysentery, and I fear they will die of it f»}or\i-r than they can have a flight. The bee-house is very small. Seventy-three colo- nies are niled up in it, and, of course, the air is not pure. I open the door at night, but every day a new colony begins to be noisy. The bees crawl out on the front of the hive and soil it. And the smell of such a hive fouls the air of the whole bee-house. Why are my bees ill with dysentery, while my neigh- bor's bees, which are starving, do not suffer from it? Is it because his bee-house is much larger and the air purer? Or is it because 1 left in the winter too small entrances in the hives, and ventilation was bad? I will be very thankful if you explain where the fault was. The bees here had their last flight the end of September. That makes already 61/2 months in the hive, which is, of course, a long time for the bees to be housed up. Russia. Answers. — My good friend, I have never yet refused to answer a question in this depart- ment, and I'm not going to begin with one of the craft in far-off Russia. While your writing has the ear-marks of a foreigner, I only wish that all the bee-keepers in this coun- try wouia write as clearly as you. 1. As a rule, reeding in winter is very un- desirable, and every effort should be made to have enouch food in the hives to last through- out the time of confinement and beyond it. Still, it will sometimes happen that feeding in winter is necessary. Although I do not mean to have any need for it, still, if at any time I should want to feed in winter, it is a very simple thing. Simply push in at the entrance, under the bottom-bars, a frame of sealed honey, or even a section of honey. I always have the combs of sealed honey on hand, not for the sake of feeding in winter, but to use in spring. This plan, however, was probably not available with your neighbor, first, because he probably had not a 2-inch space under his bottom-bars; second, because he had no combs of sealed honey; and, third, because his bee- house was colder than my cellar, and the bees would not have come down to help themselves. But being now warned, you provide in ad- vance to have sealed combs. Then one uf them can be put in the hive next the bees, or one can be laid flat on top of the frames. In the absence of combs of honey, resort may be had to candy. There will be plenty of time between now and next winter to learn how to make candy, but any candy you would buy at the candy-shops could be used rather than to have the bees starve. But it's an easy thing to boil sugar in water to make candy, only you must be very sure not to burn it, for burnt candy is death to bees in win- ter. A cake of candy may be laid on top of the frames. All of this is equivalent to saying that^ you better not think of needing to feed in winter. and in any case it is a good plan to save up combs of sealed honey. 2. Either or both of the conditions you men- tion may have made the difference between your bees and those of your neighbors. It is possible you might help matters in such a case by heating the room; if in no other way, by putting in it heated stones. Swarming — T-Supers and Scraping Sections — Sloping Cells. 1. Wlien making examinations unly every 10 days, don't some of the colonies swarm before you get arounrl. or before the 10 days arc up? It workr. that way with me when cells were found and destroyed and also when none were found 10 days before. Ten day.i seems rather long to leave mine. 2. I use the T-super as described by you, and like it very well, but I have trouble to keep the sections down to their place; one corner ir. likely to stick up above the other sections. A few sectionr. in nearly every suner act thir. way. I tried some section- holder supers and had the same trouble. 1 use 2 and 3 springs to the super, and usually let the scctionn dry a day or two after wetting the corners and folding, so that the corners are no: so tight, but this does not entirely remedy the trouble. Can you suggest a rem- edy? I have tried wedged strips both 3-39 and J-i-inch thick. 3. I gn over each .super after it is on the hive long enough for the bees to glue the section*! a little, and press down all sections that stick up, hut after doing this the sections seem so uneven that I make slow work at scraping sectionr. while in the super as de- scribed by vou and Miss Wilson. The sides and ends of the sujier also seem to interfere by beint» in the way of the scraper. Can you make the plan any i)lainer? 4 J Do you clean the little wedge-shaped stripji uscfl at the top of the supers, or throw them away each fall? If you clean them, what ii the best way to do it? 5. I have noticed that cells not used im- mediately for egys arc built more slojiinfj or pitching uDwari', than those us?d by the (|iu-en at once; then ai the brood-ncst enlarges, these sloping cells arc used for brood, or become a part of the brood-nest. I use full sheets of foundation largely, so of course my cells arc usually all worker size. Are these sloped- up cells considered as good for brood as these built more horizontally ? G. If not, please give us your way of get- ting all cells built horizontally, both when hiving swarm;; ( if you ever hive a natural swarm) and when increasing by nucleus plan, and any other plan you use to get combs drawn out or built. 7. What is the best method of managing swarma when using full sheets of foundation, and running for comb honey, where the flow is rather short, as it is here, more especially our fall or buckwheat flow, beginning about August 1 ? The clover flow, beginning about June 1, is somewhat longer, lasting a month or more. 8. I believe you use and advise full sheets of foundation in brood- frames at all limes. If not, when and how do you think ic ad- visable to use starters ? 9. Do you ever hive a natural s- arm, or do you let every one that issues return, and treat them afterward as you describe? 10. I have Root's "A B C" book, 1903 edi- tion, but have not your "Forty Years Aincng the Bees," and can not get and read it now because I have too much other reading to do, but I hope to get and read it some time in the future, for I am following your plans, etc., to some extent. If I had your book perhaps I would not send in such large volleys of questions. Pennsyi^vania. Answers. — 1. If you have gbt it into your head that I attempt to keep down swarming by destroying queen-cells every 10 days, better get the notion out of your head. Ncr sure that you have, but it sounds just a little tha: way. If I to-day find queen-cell i n:t very far advanced in a colony where 10 days ago there were none well advanced, I destroy them and take my chances of the colony for another 10 days. Generally it will w^z swarm in that tirtie. Sometimes it will, but even if it should swarm within ^'1 hovirs, the queen is clip[ied and no swarm can go off with her. and in that 10 days no young oueen can be sufficiently matured to go off with the swarm. Even if I should get around once every 5 days, I could not be dead cer- tain that no swarm would issue. So I wouldn't gain enough by the shorter time to pay for the increased amount of work. 2. It must be that your sections are pretty bad. I seldom have any trouble, and I use only one S|)ring in a super, that being at the middle of the follower. If I understand cor- rectly, you crowd in between the secti .ns ac the toj' little strips 3-33 or 1-8 inch thick, and pcrhajjs !4-'"ch wide, and long enough to reach across the width of the 6 sections. When these arc crowded in so as to take up all empty space, no respectable section ought to be able to rise above its fellows. If, liow- ever, the section is sufficiently crooked, it inav force itself up in spite of being thus wedged down, and T don't know of any rem- edy but to get better sections. 3. We don't scraps the sections in the super; can't do it with the sides and ends project- ing above the sections. We have ?. frame about the size of the super, only ^ or 1 inch shallower. The sectionn are thrown out of the super, this frame is put in place of the sui»er, the sectionr. wedged in. and then you can scrape to your heart's content. 4. You say "wedge-shaped." Although used a;i wedges, they're not wedge-shaped, but simply plain sticks 11 f4 x '4 x 3-32. Its an easy jol> to clean them. Throw them into a kettle of hot lye, or a solution of concentrated lye, then take them out and put in a vessel of clean water, then take them out to dry. 5. Yes. 0. t leave it entirely to the bees. If you examine closely. I think you will not find cells much out of horizontal so long an ihey are only deep enough for brood, say less than ^- inch deep. It's the deeper cells that get the upward slant, and of course thir. sloping part is cut down if the cell:; are used for brood. 7. I don't know of any change I would make for those special conditions. 8. I don't believe it i.i advisable for me to use less than full shcctr. at all times. If you want to try anything else with a natural swarm, give it only half the full quota of frames when hiving, or at least reduce to that number within a day -^r so after hiving, having onlv starter o in the frames. After these are filled, give the rest of the frames filled with worker-comb. The idea is that when a swarm in first hived it will build only worker-comh for ,". few days, but afterward more or less drone-comb. 9. Possibly I hive as many as 2 swarms American Hee Journal each year. Generally they are allowed to re- turn to their hives. 10. Although it may sound like advertis- ing, I'm going to say that a man who can ask questions so intelligently as you, is losing by not reading "Forty Years among the Bees." even if he has to crowd out some other read- ing. Even if I tell in these columns from time to time the very same things that are in the book, you get them there in connected fashion, and thus get a different impression from that to be got in this chopped-up fashion, and that little difference of impression might sometimes make enough difference in results to pay for several books. I'm not so sure, thougn, that \ou'd have any fewer questions to ask after reading the book. I suspect it would pretty much take the poetry out of bee-keeping if one should ever get so one would have no questions to ask. For one, I'm sure I don't expect to be without fresh ques- tions—don't know that I want to be without them. The Giant Bee of India. Do you tliink that the giant East Indian honey-bee will ever be imported to this country ? Indiana. Answer. — No; and I don't believe it would be of any value if it were brought here. Your other questions as to persons represented in pictures of U. S. Bulletin No. 1, I cannot answer. Concrete for Hive Bottoms. How about cijiicrete for hive-bottoms? I am setting some of my hives on a block I make for them right on the cool ground. Can they be used for winter? Ii:,i,inois. ANSvvER.^They will probably work all right for either summer or winter. Of course it would seem as if concrete would give the bees "cold feet" in winter; but then they don't need to put their feet on the concrete. Bees Dying on Frames of Honey — Candied Honey for Winter Stores. 1. U hy do colonies of bees die wintered outdoors well packed and clustered on frames of honey, or with solid frames next to them? 2. What causes honey to candy in a hive inhabited by the bees ? 3. Is such honey as good for winter stores as that which is not candied? New York. Answer. — 1. There may be various causes: queenlessness and old age, too little ventila- tion, diarrhea, etc. If you mean that the solid frames of honey cause their death, I doubt the correctness of that belief. 2. Although special conditions may cause candying, it is often due to the character of the honey. Some honey candies very readily, others scarcelv at all. 3. No. Life of Queen — Swarming — Bee-Sting Remedy. 1. How long is the life of the average queen ? 2. When bees swarm, which leave the hive, the young or old. and are they forced out by the remaining swarm? 3. Do bees find a home before they swarm? 4. Can comb and honey be gathered from the same flower? 5. What is the best remedy for healing bee- stings? Kansas. ANSWER. — 1. Perhaps about 2 years, vary- ing from a few weeks to 4 or 5 years. 2. Bees of all ages are in the swarm, and they go without any forcing. 3. Often, and perhaps generally. 4. Nectar and pollen are obtained from flowers; the wax of comb is secreted by the bees, just a little after the way in which the cow secretes milk. 5. Perhaps there is nothing better than com- mon mud. Swarming with Virgin Queen — Not Supersedure. Did you ever have a prime swarm issue with a virgin queen while the old queen re- mained in the hive? I have kept bees 30 years, and never saw such freaks as this year. All my queens are clipped, but a number have swarmed and settled in trees while I have been down on my knees looking for the clipped queen, which I could not find until I exam- ined the hive, and there I found her. Mean- time the swarm stayed in the trees until I went after them. When I hived them there was a virgin. These were all last year's queens, so it was not svipersedure. I think it is on account of the weather, about one clear day in 10 so far. Other colonies that made preparations to swarm waited till cells were hatching. It is no use to depend on clipped queens this year. Last year I had 12,000 pounds of honey. This year I will not get a pound unless the weather changes soon. New Jersey. Answer. — I'm not sure whether I have had such an experience, but there is nothing im- possible about it. If a queen is clipped the swarm can not go with her, and you may pret- ty safely count that in about S days from the time the swarm issued the first time a virgin will issue with a swarm. The only thing un- usual in your case was that the old queen was still there, for I think she is generally put out of the way before the virgin issues with the swarm. I don't see but what you can depend on clipped queens this year as much as any year, for clipping prevents the old queens go- ing with the swarm this year, and that's all it does any year. I'ut that's worth a big lot. Drones and Mating of Queens. Are you not a bit "off the track" in the first part of your answer No. 5 to "New York," on page 127, of the April number of the Amer- ican Bee Journal? Queens mate only once and drones die on their honey-moon; how then can either of them mate with their offspring? Or did you mean that a virgin queen that has flown several times and by reas'on of scarcity of drones in the neighborhood still remains virgin, starts laying drone-eggs, and waits till one of the drones reaches maturity — no, no, it's not good enough, Doctor. British West Indies. Answer. — A bit off the track! That's let- ting me down more than a bit too easy. Why, it's a mile off the track. A queen's father is dead before she is born, and she mates before li:r first son is born, so there's no possible chance for "the mating of parent and child." My chagrin at making so bad a break is only exceeded by my gratitude to Mr. John Ward for calling attention to it. Perhaps it's a good thing, however, to have my self-conceit taken down a little. I was just beginning to think tliat I was learning to answer questions pret- ty well. Now I'll have to "go away back and sit down." Managing Swarming. Will the plan that I have in my mind work all right in regard to bees? If when the first, or prime, swarm comes out and I should hive it on the old stand, immediately put old colony on a new stand, and if it should send out an atterswarm, and I should again move the old swarm to a new location and fasten them into the hive until the brood all hatched, and then unite them with the afters warm — would it be all right to do so, or would they fight? Would it be all rieht to fasten them in with wire- screen over the entrance ? If so, how long before the brood would be hatched? Maine. Answer. — I don't believe you would like the plan at all. If you fasten the bees in the hive for so long a time you will be likely to find a lot of dead bees. Fastening Foundation — Getting Bees to Work in Sections. 1. How do you fasten super foundation in sections? I followed the directions with the fastener, spread honey along on the section, and put about 3-10 of an inch of foundation under the lever and mashed it flat, slid the lever off the foundation, and there was but little honey Sf|ueezed out the sides, but still plenty under the foundation for glue. 2. Is it that whole sheets were too heavy to be fastened only at the top? It would hang for a few days and then drop. 3. What caused the foundation in the super to warp? The sheets were 3 1-3 x 11 inches, hung only from the top. Please do not under- stand that the 11 -inch sheets were the only ones to fall, for those in the sections fell, too, but not so badly. 4. Is there any way to get backward bees to work in the super besides baiting them, and then maybe wait until they are forced to ? That was always my luck. Missouri. Answer. — 1. Honey, if used at all in fasten- ing foundation, is 'not to be used as glue to make the foundation stick, but as a lubricant to keep it from sticking. So there should be no honey between the foundation and the sur- face to which you wish to fasten the founda- tion, but on the face of the wood that presses upon the foundation, so that this face will read- ily slide off the foundation. 3. The sheets were not too heavy. The won- der is that they would hang for a few days when the honey was there to keep them from holding on. 3. Not sure I know just what you mean by sheets warping. Perhaps it was that they let go in part and fell over, which would be caused by the honey. 4. Yes, get them so strong that they'll be glad to rush into the sections without any bait; only they will enter the supers sooner with baits. If you mean a way to make a weak colony start work in a section that will not begin on a bait ; there is no such way. You may force them to go into the super by putting some brood in it, but that will not lorce them to store there if there is plenty of room to store in the brood-chamber. Bees Bothered by Ants and Cock- roaches. What can we do for cockroaches? They are destroying our bees. Are red ants an enemy? How can you get rid of them? Some of our hives are full of ants. Ohio. Answer. — Cockroaches are disagreeable things to have about the bees, but I didn't know that they would destroy bees. I wonder if there is not s line mistake about that. Ants are also troublesome, but do no real harm unless it be down Soutu where they sometimes destroy whole colonies. For either roaches or ants the best thing is to furnish no harbor for them about a hive — no place where they can get that bees can not eet. Years ago, when I used quilts or sheets, ants and roaches found it very convenient to have their nests over these quilts, where they were "comfy" and warm, and no bee could get at them. Since quilts were discarded and flat covers used they do not trouoie, except occasionally a nest in a hollow cover. You can furnish them poison. Put it between two little boards, one of them % inch above the other, which will admit the pests but not the bees. Buying Queens for Increase. For a bee-keeper having 30 colonies, and in- tending to increase to 40 by fall, what queen or queens would "you" buy from the following table of prices, to get a good breeder, not looks but honey being the object sought? Table of prices: Untested, one for $1.00, 3 for $2.50, 12 for $9.00; tested, one for $2.00, 3 for $5.00, 12 for $18.00; tested, last year's rearing, $2.50; select breeding, $5.00; extra-select breeding, $10.00. Missouri. Answer. — I'm not sure that I know what is best, but if I were this minute choosing for myself I would take the dozen of untested. That's on the supposition that the breeder was well surrounded with pure drones. Granulated Combs — Swarming Indica- tions. 1. What can I do with combs that have honey partly granulated? Some frames are all gran- ulated. It seems to be sour in parts of the frame. These are frames that the bees have died on the past winter, and were all cleaned of bees that were loose on the combs. The hive was cleaned out to hive swarms on, and stored in the attic since April 15, 1909. A number of the frames have bees in the cells that crawled in to get the honey and died here, which do not come out readily, so I think they help to make the combs smell bad. Is it safe to hive swarms on these combs? Will they accept them in this condition ? and will not these granulated combs be a waste, or will the bees make it (the granulated honey) into liquid honey to be used again ? I have 18 hives in this condition. 2. Do you glue your one-pound sections, or do any other bee-keepers that you know of? Will they stand shipment as well without glu- ing? Are there any gluing machines on the market that one can get, that will pay ? If so, where? July, 1909. American Hee Journal 3. Do we always have drones flying in May and June before the bees swarm, or will they swarm without the drones flying? Drones fly- ing are, as a rule, a sure sign of swarming soon. Is this right? 4. How long after drones begin to fly in the apiary will the bees swarm? New York, Answer, — 1. Better not give those combs, as they are, to swarms. At least don't give a whole hiveful at a time. The bees might desert. It might work all right to give 2 or 3, possibly 4, at one side of the hive, filling up with clean combs or foundation. Spray with water the combs that have granules in, repeat- ing the spraying until the granules are all gone. Better give them to other colonies to clean up first, and then you can give a whole hiveful to a swarm. You can set a hiveful over a full colony to be cleaned up. 2. I think no one glues them. I know of no machine for it. They stand shipment all right without gluing. 3. You will probably always find drones fly- ing in May and June; but drones flying is by no means a sure sign of swarming. 4. No rule about it. You may see a few- drones 2 months before swarming, and some colonics miy not swarm at all. Extracting Comb with Patch of Brood. In case there should be a patch of sealed brood on a frame that required extracting, would it be injured in the extractor by being thrown to the outer end of the cells? Would the bees therefrom be as strong? California. Answer. — I don't know. My guess would be that a bee nearly ready to emerge would not be injured, but that the occupant of a cell just sealed might be injured, if not killed. Bottom-Boards in Winter — Cutting Queen-Cells to Control Swarm- ing— Hybrids vs. Italians. 1. I have hives with reversible bottom- boards. Which is the best for wintering, the big or the small one? Why? 2. When controlling swarming by cutting queen-cells, how many shall I leave? If there were 4 queen-cells would it do to cut all but one? 3. I have nice hybrid bees. Will they gather as much noney as Italians? Iowa. Answers.—!. The big. Gives better chance Joi ventilation, with less danger of choking the entrance with dead bees. .\lthough the reversible bottom-board is my own invention I no longer use it, but use a bottom-board' 2 inches deep the year around. During the gath- ering season I put in a bottom-rack to prevent bunding down. 2. No matter how many there are, cut all but one. The bees can swarm as well with 2 as with 30. 3. C.ood hybrids are as good gatherers as Italians sometimes better. The trouble is that It you breed from them you're not as sure of good stock as if you breed from pure stock. Early Queens — Long-Tongue Bees Albino Bees— Best Race of Bees. 1.1 had a colony of bees that cast a swarm April 1.,. fhey had reared a lot of young queens. Why was it that they acted thai way so early? The only bloom was fruit- bloom. 2 Are queens reared so early worthy of heading the colony through the season? and wha ought to be done with such queens? or what ought I to do to get a good queen in the colony? 3. I see the long-tongued red clover queens adver ised. Have they a longer tongue-reach than the common Italians? What race of bees has the greatest tongue-reach, if any dilter- cnce ' nrriifi/"'^ ^^^"^ Albinos? Are their queens ..ti'^*^''^ n^ of yellow-banded bees are the Kcntlcst and best for the beginner? * . Kentucky. Answers.-!. It is not such a very unusual thing for a colony to swarm during fruit- bloom, the only reason for it being that the colony IS unusually strong. It might also be that a very strong colony in some way lost its f|"cen. in which case a number of young queens would be reared, and if there was a heavy flow on from fruit-bloom the colony would be pretty certain to swarm. 2. Generally queens reared very early are poor. If, however, there was such a good flow from fruit-bloom or other early harvest as to encourage swarming, it is possible a good queen might be reared. If she is poor, you will fina the combs not well and evenly filled with brood and eggs, and you may also find queen-cells started with the idea of super- sedure. In that case you will do well to give a better queen, either by purchasing one or rearing one as soon as a good honey-flow begins. 3. There have been red-clover queens which undoubtedly did better than the average on red clover, no doubt because of the longer tongues of the workers, but the trait does not seem to be very permanent. I am not sure just now. but I think Caucasians have the longest tongues. i. The general rule is that albinos of the human race, or any other, are weaker than the average. I can not say about their gen- tleness. 5. Probably nothing can Oe recommended for the beginner better than 3-banded Ital- ians. Many Drones — Old or Young Bees Swarming? 1. I am a beginner In bee-keeping, and have started with one colony of Italians. W'hy are the worker-bees killing so many drones ? They began to cluster outside of th? hive for 5 days, and since then they have killed so many drones. I should judge from 200 to 300. Is it natural to have so many drones, and is there a way to prevent them' I am looking for the bees to swarm, as they have been clustering out so thick. 2. Which of the two is it that leave the hive when tiiey swarm, the old or young bees? 3. How long after a young swarm is hived can you put supers on? 4. What is the age or a worker-bee? Illinois. Answers. — 1. Bees kill off drones if there comes a scarcity of pasturage. Also, if by any means they have a young queen, they are likely to kill off the drones as soon as the young queen begins to lay. It is better not to have so many drones. You can prevent them by filling the frames with worker foundation on which to have the combs built, and by cutting out all drone-comb and putting in its i)lace patches of worker-comb. Bees hanging out is not always a reliable sign of swarming. The slaughter of the drones is a sure sign that thev will not swarm. 2. All sorts. 3. As soon as a brood-nest is started and the queen laying, say in 2 or 3 days. But if a queen-excluder is between the hive and the super, the super may be put on right away. 4. A worker lives about 0 weeks in the busy season. Those born late in the season live perhaps as many months. Pollen in Super — Value of Prime Swarms — Foundation Fasteners — Cyprian Queens. 1. Why is there pollen in the super? I am using the 10-frame Langstroth below hive, and shallow extracting frames above for surplus honey. 2. How much do you think first swarms are worth if I furnish the hive? 3. What do you think of the Root founda- tion-fastener? Is it much good? 4. Who sells Cyprian queens? Indiana. Answers. — 1. If the queen goes up into the super, that will help to get pollen there. The shallowness of the frames in your brood-cham- ber also helps. 2. The price varies very much in different places, from perhaps $2.00 to $5.00. 3. I have had no experience with it. 4. I don't know. If any one is selling them you will probably see an advertisement to that effect. Trouble with a Queen. This spring I purchased 2 colonies of Italian bees from an apiary 2 miles distant from this place, and the owner told me there were 2 good clipped queens with them. But on the 24th of last month, I found the clipped queen of one of the colonies under the hive. I then caught her and put her in the hive, and in about a minute they threw her out dead. I did not examine the hives at that time, and about S days later found a young queen under the same hive, and on putting her back into the hive she was pulled out every time I put her in. The colony is working well in the supers, and ao not seem to mind the loss of the queen any more than they would a drone. iNeither colony has shown any signs of swarm- ing yet, although the white clover is in bloom. What is the trouble? Pennsylvania. Answer. — Either the colony swarmed, or else the bees superseded their queen. If the colony swarmed, escaping your notice, the bees re- fused to keen a queen that would not go with them, and about 8 days later the young queens began to hatch out. One of these young queens took possession, killing or driv- ing out the others, and you found one of those driven out. It may be. however, that the queen was about played out. although do- ing good work up to that time, and all right so far as human eyes could see. But the bees could not see that she would not last, and had prepared two or more young queens, one of which you found driven out, while the favored one remains in the hive. Eggs ?s and Unsealed Brood Out of Hive. IIow long can combs of eggs and unsealed brood remain off a hive without being dam- aged? Cuba. Answer. — I don't know. That's a good subject for you to experiment upon. I know that brood nearly ready to seal will begin to crawl out of the cell within a few hours— perhaps 2 or 3 — after being taken from the hive. In Switzerland they make a practise of sending eggs by mail, so it is likely eggs will Keep at least a day or more. A fresh-laid egg would perhaps keep better than one 3 days old. Peppermint as a Honey-Plant. Is peppermint a good honey-plant? It is sometimes cut twice in distilling it for the essence. Will it bloom the second time the same year? Would it pay to move bees close up to it where it grows? There w-ill be from 500 to 1,000 acres of it about 5 miles from my apiary. Michigan. Answer. — I don't know. As. however, pep- permint is one of the Labiats, it would be nothing strange if it were a good honey- plant. Possibly .some one in a peppermint re- gion can tell us about it. Peppermint is classed among honey-plants in Root's "'A B C of Bee Culture," but that doesn't say whether it is good enough so that it would be profitable to move 5 miles for it. It would be an easy matter to move a single colony and find find out what it would do compared with colonies at home. Self-Requeening — Excluder Zinc — Ex- tracting Frames — Keeping Empty Combs. 1. Will the bees rear a new queen when the old one gets too old to be any good? 2. Will not the queen-excluding zinc be very hard for the bees to crawl through? It seems to me that they would not be able to work nearly as fast when they have to squeeze throueh that. 3. Would it not be practical to use the same size frames in the supers for extracted honey, and let the queen go above if she won't stay below, and then when the honey harvest is over sort the combs out and take what is good and put the brood in the brood- nest together with the uncapped honey if there is some of it? Would not the bees cap that over before cold weather and get it ready for winter? Wouid it not be all riglit to give them the uncapped honey if there is lots of it? 4. Would not an air-tight box be all right for keeping empty combs, and also for keep- ing honey so that moths and other vermin can not get at it? That is, if kept upstairs in a dry place, they would not be likely to mold. Kansas. Answers. — 1. In my experience I can count f|uite cafely on the bees superseding their queen before she plays out. Some, however, say that if they leave the matter of super- seding entirely to the bees, they have quite July, 1909. American M^ Journal too many queenless colonies in the spring. 2. Naturally it seems that a queen-excluder ought to hinder the bees greatly in their work. But in actual practice I don't believe you will find that it makes any perceptible difference. 3. Ves, all of that will work if you don t wait too late to reduce the brood-chamber to a single story. Better do it before the bees stoD all gathering. 4. Yes, only you must be sure there is noth- ing in the way of eggs or larvae of the bee- moth present before shutting in the combs. If you take a comb directly from the bees and shut it up air-tight, very likely you may find within 2 weeks worms from eggs that had been present. If you fumigate these with carbon bisulphide or sulphur, repeating it perhaps 2 weeks later, you may then count your combs safe in close confinement. There would be no mold in the place you mention. Strengthening a Weak Colony. I have a colony that is very weak, but they have a queen. How can I introduce some Italian bees without killing the queen? Rob- ber-bees are very bad. Indiana. Answer. — Something depends upon how weak the bees are. If there are enough to cover one or more frames of brood, the safest way to strengthen them is to exchange their brood for another frame or other frames that are more mature, say with sealed brood nearly ready to emerge. The quickest way is to give bees. Queenless bees are safer than oth- ers, and the younger the better. If you shut up bees in a dark cellar for a day or so, they may be given. If you give few enough bees at a time there will be little trouble, only old bees given directly from another colony will not stay. You can give to the extent of a fourth of the number of bees on hand, and then add more the next day or days. You may shake bees on the ground in front of the hive, and let them run in. Do this late enough in the day so that robbers will not trouble, but early enough so the old bees will fly back to their home. seem to have no drones in the hive. Will the other colony have some drones? Which colony do you think the queen is in? Iowa. Answers. — 1. Yes, indeed. So long as there is a good harvest a colony may keep 10 times as many as thev need. 2. Some think it best to try to keep them down altogether, except in one or more of the best colonies. I think G. M. Doolittle allows to each colony what drones they can rear in a square inch of drone-comb. 3. Yes. better than with a queen. 4. The one that is carrying out its drone- brood. Putting Bees on Starters. I find dead larva in two of my colonies that have comb-honey supers on the hives. I intend to put the bees on starters. They have not worked any yet in the supers. Will this be all right? Illinois. Answer. — It will be a good thing if there is foul brood or black brood present, but it will not be necessary if it is only a case of starved brood. Wm. McEvoy says there are many cases of starved brood that are taken for foul brood, the brood being sometimes starved with honey in the hive, but not un- sealed or close to the brood-nest. Keeping Queens till Sold or Used. In rearing queens according to the method given on page 198 of the June American Bee Journal, under the heading, "Getting Many Queen-Cells." when these queens hatch out, say 5 or 10 of them, what do you do with them till you get ready to sell or give them to other colonies? Tennessee. Answer. — You can not wait till "5 or 10 ot them" hatch out, nor till one hatches out. For as soon as the first one hatches out, she will bite into the cradles of her younger sis- ters and murder them. So you must put the cells in a nursery before it is time for the young queens to hatch, or else put each cell in a separate nucleus. In a nursery, which is merely a set of cages to contain the cells or virgin queens, a young queen may oe kept a number of days, at least a week or two, and in a nucleus indefinitely. Some Drone Questions. 1. Will a colony of bL-t-s keep more drones than they need? Some say that the work- ers will kill them off if there are too many. 2. About how many drones should there be in a healthy colony? 3. Will drones stay with a colony of bees without a queen? 4. I had a very strong colony this spring, so I put an empty hive-body under them when they commenced work well. About a week ago I set the top hive on a new stand. Yesterday I was looking at them. The one that I set on a new stand has been carrying out some brood. The most of it seems to be drone-brood. They op($aitd i Clovers Yielding Nectar. We have had three days of good honey- now, but now it is raining. Red and alsike clover are in full bloom, and seem to be vielding well. H. G. Quirin. Bellevue. Ohio, June 22. White Clover Light. Bees have done very little so far. White clover is very light, and only beginning to produce nectar. There has been almost no swarming as yet. L. C. Taylor. Gibsonburg, Ohio, June 26. Clover and Basswood Prospects. The clover prospects at this date are as follows: White clover, not much; alsike clover, one-fourth crop. Basswood trees are all full of buds. N. E. France. Platteville, Wis.. June 24. Cold and Backward Spring. Bees have not done much so far this sea- son on account of the cold, backward spring, and, recently, too much rain; but the weather is settled somewhat now, and the bees are getting very busy. W. L. Powell. Arkansas City, Kans., June 9. Season Late for Bees. The season is late for bees, but they are ready for clover now, which is just begin- ning to show in protected places. We have haid lots of rain, and the honey prosnect is good. There have been no swarms yet. T. F. Bingham. Farwell, Mich.. June 17. seemed to yield a large amount of nectar. Bees are now storing a very dark and altogether un- desirable grade of honey. However, the bass- woods are loaded full of buds and those of us who are fortunate enough to have our colonies in the right condition when the buds open, may secure a light crop of basswood honey. There is no clover to sjieak of in this section this season, although the conditions are all right for the young clover, and perhaps next year will be another good year for bee-Keepers. Mr. Pryal's letter in the June issue, was especially interesting. I imagine he got con- siderably interested himself when those swarms came out so fast that hot day. Well, I am glad he came out first best. Bees are swarming here now, but so far the swarms have been one at a time. Cromwell, Ind., June 17. E. H. Upson. Bees on Verge of Starvation. The cold still continues here, and though some of the best colonies are getting enough nectar to keep them in fine condition, many of the mediocre colonies are on the verge of starvation, and are not building up well at all. I\ot a few colonies are killing off tneir drones. Fruit-bloom was the most abundant for years, but the bees were unable to get honey from it. All-in Lath.\m. Norwichtown, Conn.. May 31. Beginning to Swarm. Bees are doing well now and beginning to swarm, but I never saw so bad a spring as this. Clover prospects are good so far as I can see — ditto basswood. All we lack is plenty of warm sunshine. C. A. Hatch. Richland Center, Wis. No Super-Work Done. There is very little clover yet and no work done in the supers — not 2 ounces of honey in the brood-chamber in some hives. Bees get along by hand-to-mouth existence so far. Pros- pects are not very good yet. Swarming has begun, but the bees in most of the hives in my yard are running the drones out as if it were September. John Egenes. htory City, Iowa, June 10. Backward Conditions. In looking through the American Bee Jour- nal for June, I notice from reports that about the same conditions existed in other parts of the country that we had here — cold and back- ward, and bees much inclined to rob. We had good weather and a profuse fruit-bloom during apple-bloom, and from that time (about May 10) bees have been building up nicely. There has been an unusually large amount of dande- lion, and the tulip trees were full of bloom and Bees and Farming. The bees are in very poor condition working on the fruit-bloom. I find it profitable to run an apiary in connection with an 120-acre farm. While the bees are often left to look after themselves more than they ought to be. yet they will return more i)rofit for the time and money expended on them than any- thing else I ha.ve. J. W. Sadler. Ottosen. Iowa, .May 27. White Clover Fine. We are having lots of rain, and the white clover is coming on fine. If we have the right conditions at blooming time, we shall have some honey. A. D. Shepard. River Falls, Wis.. June 7. Slim Prospect for Honey. Our prospect for a honey crop is very slim at present writing. White clover is almost all killed. What is alive is not yielding honey. Sweet clover is about 10 days off, and is liable to be mown down as soon as in bloom. TBe weather is too uncertain for queen-rearing. I have been trying it on a small scale, but lost 18 out of 21 by getting chilled; but, like all other bee-keepers, will keep on trying, hoping for better luck next time. San Jose, 111., June 19. Fred Tyler. An Experience with Bees. I have had considerable experience with bees when at home with my father several years ago, and some experience just a few years ago in Kansas. Last July — the last day — I got some bees of a party for helping him change a colony from a badly worn and moth-eaten hive. I got about one-third of the colony, left him the queen, and brought my bees home in a nice, new, clean hive with 4 frames of comb, honey and con- siderable brood and eggs. In 3 weeks I had a fine queen. This was then late in August. I kept them through the winter in nice shape and now they are getting very strong and doing fine. On May 5, I secured 3 colonies from another party. And of all the pranks among bees, some of them have been cutting them sure enough. My strongest colony I thought I would sim-" ply divide, so I sent for a queen, expecting her the second day after I divided, but in- stead of that she was a week getting here. I introduced her in the cage for 2 days and 3 nights, then released her. The bees would not have her, but did not kill her, and meantime, robbers broke in and were in greater numbers than the bees that belonged in the hive, riav- ing now but little brood in the hive, I took from my old colony that I had wintered a good full frame of brood and honey, made a cage about 5 inches square and caged the queen on the brood and honey, closed the entrance of the hive with a piece of screen and kept the roDbers and all in the hive for 2^ days, throw- American Hee JournaTj HONEY CANS and PAILS Friction Top Cans and Pails i 2, 2J and 31b. Cans. Sizes \ / 5 lb., 10 lb. and 1-2 and 1 gal. Pails These are the best honey containers made. They have full open tops which are easily opened and closed. Shipping Cans Square Cans — 5 gal. or 60 lbs. packed one or two in a case, or in crates of 24 each. Round Cans — 5 gal. or 60 lb., jacketed, flat top, with 5-inch nozzle and seal, and solid wood head, 6 in a crate. We are furnishing the finest honey-can^ ever manufactured. Every can is tested with compressed air, and warranted not to leak. All orders filled the day they are received, no matter how large, and no matter how small. Write for our 1909 price-list. CANNERS CAN COMPANY 217-229 W. 4oth Place, - - - CHICAGO, ILL. Independent M a n uj^a ciurer^ ing some water into the hive through the en- trance. On releasing thexji from their cap- tivity the robbers had made up their minds to stay, and stay they did and went to work just the same as if they had always been in that hive. Now the (juecn has been in that cage 5 days, and today on going to the hive to re- lease her, I found within 3 inches of the cage that she was in, and on the same frame of brood. 2 fine queen-cells, one sealed over and the other almost so. I at once maA4t W. M. KERNAN, Rt. 2, Dushore, Pa. July, 1909. American ~Bee Journal BEE-SUPPLIES Wholesale and Retail Ask us for prices on the goods you will need for this season. Discount for early or- ders. Send us your subscription for Glean- ingfs— one year and a Bee-Veil for $1.15, post- paid. Send for catalog. M. H. HUNT & SON. 0pp. Lake Shpre Depot. Lansing. Mich. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. DON'T BUY QUEENS UNTIL YOU SEE MY FREE OFFER NOT CHEAP QUEENS, BUT QUEEXS CHEAP. Reared from the best selected red-clover mothers. My queens are all reared by the bees, as they far better understand the job than I. I use no artificial plan. All queens large and well developed, such as will, with proper management, fill an ordinary hive full of eggs and brood in ten days. Directions for building up weak colonies with my queens. 10c. Prices ot EiUa Selected Three-Band Bees and Queens. Untested queens 1, i 75 ; H, $ 4.20 Tested " :, 1.00 ; rt, 5.70 Breeder i, 5.00 ; 3, 12.00 1-frame nnclens with untested q'n.l, 1.75 ; 6, 10.20 2-frame nucleus with untested q'n.l, 2.25 ; 6, 13.20 1-frame nucleus withtested queen. 1. 2.00 : 6, 11.70 2-frame nucleus with tested queen. 1, 2.50 ; 6, 11.70 Pull colonie??, untested queen 4.75 Pull colonies, tested queen 5.00 Prices of Extra Selected Five-Band or Golden Italian Queens. Untested queens I, $ l.OO ; fi. $ 5.70 Tested " 1, 1..50; 6, 8.70 Breeder 1, 10.00 ; 3, 24.00 If queens are wanted in large quantity, write for price list. 3Atf W. J. LITTLEFIELD, Little Rock. Ark. . Rt 3. Please mpntinn Am. liec Journal when writing. CHOICE QUEENS Golden Red Clover— Italians-and Gray Carniolans 1 6 12 Untested Queens 0.75 -1.00 7.50 Tested 1.00 5.50 10.00 Breeders. $3.00 to $4.00 each. 5Atf CHAS. KGEPPEN, Fredericksburg:, Va. Please mciilif'n Am. JIte Ti'Urnal \\ In n writing. Are You Interested Months Trial Subscription 10 cents in raising poultry, live stock, produce, fruit, hon- ey, or other farm products.' If so, setid ten cents for a 3-months' trial subscrip- tion to the "RLRAL FARMER." It Tells You all ahout farm cultivation, orrhardinj;, lire stock and poultry brefdinp- Hvw to market crops sucr-essfully. inform."? you buw to f*hip, pack, crate, bill and get returns. "RUR.\L FARMER" columns are rich la things you should know. Three Months for 10 cents. Published weekly— 50 r'enta per year; :i years for JJI.OO, urSl.OO per year for club of 'S persons. "RURAL FARMER." 44 8. 3rd Street, - Philadelphia. Pa. Full Colonies and Nuclei We offer for delivery any time after April 15. full colonies of Italian Kees. in 8-frame hives, at $7.00 per colony, including queen; or in lots of 5 or more colonies, at $6.50 each. t Naclel— 3-frame. with queen, at $3.50 each ; or in lots of 5 or more. $3.25 each. Nucleus orders to be filled about May 10. The above prices are f. ob. express, ship- ping point 100 miles west of Chicago. Or- ders filled in rotation. Satisfaction guaran- teed. Ad'lres';, GEORGE W. YORK & CO., 118 W. Jackson Blvd., - Chicago, III. Make Money Growing Fruit The scientific growing of fruit offers to- day the finest opening in the entire line of farming operations ii> one who wants to g^et ahead in the world financially, and at the same time build a home and have sur- roundings which will maKe life worth the living. The growint; of fruit lias now be- come a science and success will surely crown the efforts of one who enters this field, makes a careful study of the indus- try and follows teacliings of many growers who make big money on fruits. ST aOSCPH. MISSOURiI is tlie leading magazine -devoted tn horti- culture. It contains monthly as high as eighty pages of up-to-date illustrated mat- ter, which places itg readers in position to earn maximum profits on fruit. In somr- sections orchard land owned bv Fruit- Grower readers is sold as high as $4,000.00 per acre, and in many sections it is being sold at one thousand to two thousand dol- lars per acre. In no nth^r branch of farm- ing can land values be made so hi.gh. The lands mentioned above are worth the money, as they pay interest on the amount. FREE LAND INFORMATION Among the many departments in the In- terest of our readers is "The Fruit-Grower Land and Colony Departm-^nt." It is our aim to give complete, authentic informa- tion in regard to lands in any section of the country where our readers rnav con- template purchasing. This advice will be worth thousands of dollars to anyone who figures on buying land for investment or for a home. The editnr of The Fruit-Grower has personally Inspected many fruit-grow- ing sections, and we nr.- In position through our subscribers to secure reliable data re- garding any section on the continent. For several years we have been trying t.i secure a fine tract of land to be colonized by members of The Fruit-Grower Family. Numerous tracts have been offered us. hut after sending experts to examine each in regard to soil, climatic conditions, etc.. they did not come up to our standard of excellence. We will not use anything but the very best possible location for this col- ony, and we h'ipe to secure the proper one In a short time. If you are Interested In purchasing land either for a home or for Investment, fill out blanks below and send in with <'ur special trial coupon. Special Trial Coupon THE FRUIT-GROWER. Box C22. St. Joseph. Mo. Send yiinr pjiper to me Ihrec inonfhM nn Iriiil. FliEK. .After reailing three niinii>prH. I will either InM-onie a snbserilier or notify you to Mtop the paper. I am intere>*ted in land in stateH listed Itelow, marked X. . .Washington. . .Wyoming Missouri ...Oregon ...Texas . , ... ,j ,. • ■ .Arkansas . . Montana . . . Idaho ...Colorado ...New Mexlcc . .Utah N'amo Town State I'Uase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Big Song Hits .Send 10c for four sample issues of our big fruit magazine and we will send v'*'ii 'iny um: of the following hijihly popular songs: "My Kancho Girl." " Some Time in After Years." " A Hoy and a Girl." "Molly Dear." "falling Leaf." free. Don't wait, send today to the Prnit Belt Pub- lishing Co . 187 K. Fulton St.. firand Rapids. Mich. ri asc mention Am. Bcc Journal when writing. x\ ooy iuio a FREE ITALIAN QVEENS Goldeiv and Red Clover Stock The late E. L. Pratt (Swarthmore) used 50 of myGoldens in 1908. and wanted several hundred this season. My clover stock origi- nated from the leather-colored Italian bee of Northern Italy, and has never been sur- passed in the production of honey and its many other good qualities. Price of Queens: 75 cents each : 3 for $2.00: 6 for J3.75: S7.00 per doz. Tested $1.25 each. Nucleus with young queen on 2 frames. $2.50, June 1st. All queens guaran- teed to reach buyer in good condition. Circular free. 5Atf GEO. W. BARNES. Box 340 Norwalk, Ohio TEXAS FAMOUS QUEENS The Blue-Ribbon Winners Will be ready early in April. Let me book your order now for April. May and June delivery. -PRICES- Untested. each. 75 cts.; per doz.. $ 8. Tested. " $1.25 12. Italians, Banats, and Carniolans— all blue-ribbon winners, and free from dis- ease. Write for Circular. 3Atf GRANT ANDERSON^ Sabinal, Texas GEO. S. GRAFFAM & BRO. ARE LOCATED AT 103 Third Street, Bangor, Maine They have there yards for the production of comb and extracted honey, a yard by it- self for the breeding of their Black Diamond Bees, a large warehouse filled with Root Supplies Black Diamond Brand Honey, and hpney- packages of all descriptions. I heir ottice is at the same address, and here they are htted to receive bee-keepers or their orders, enter- taining the one and handling the other with a service that cannot be surpassed. If you are interested in bees, live in New England, and have not their catalog and circulars, drop them a postal. You will be well re- paid. 5A6t Pkase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. APIS AMERICANA That is. Naturalized Italian Bees, and accli- mated to Northern Latitudes. No better bees on the face of the earth. Send postal for price-list. Address, 6A4t W.J.DAVIS, P.O. Box 148 Youngsvllle, Pa. Please mention Am. Bcc Journal when writing. you need a nice yellow Ital- ian Oueen at once, send to .1. L. Fnlela, Alma, Mo. Untested, only 75c. Tested. $1.25 3-frame nucleus with Queen. $2./5. hull colony, in 8-frame hive. $5.50. OAOt Pkase mention Am. Bcc Journal when wrilinB. Bachmann's Super Saves time, labor, and storage space. Keeps sections clean. Price, for 8-frame size, com- plete. 75 cts.: in the Hat, 70 cts. Send tor circular. United States patent lor sale. iiAlt C. H. BACHMANN. Guelph. Onl. IF 2S2 July, 1909. American ^ee Journal A WONDERFUL INVENTION CLARK'S ^si_^DOLBLE ACTION COM- BINED CULT I- V ATOR AND HARROW, can l.e usfd to cultivate crops in rows, as a Listing Harrow, ami when closed toi,'cthpr is a Disk - Harrow cutting 4^2 feet wide. Drawn by two medium horses. Jointed pole. Perfect centrt^ draft. A labor saver. S.-nd today for »''KKE Booklet. CUTAWAY HARROW CO. 913 Main St.,Higganuin, tt. Please mention Am. Bee Journal wlien writing QUEENS Tested Queen in April and May, $1.25. War- ranted, in May, 75 cts.; $7.50 per dozen. Italian. Carniolan, or Caucasian, at the above prices. Virgin Qneens of the above strains, 25 cts. each; dozen, $2.50, 4Atf ARTHUR STANLEY, Dixon, Illinois Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. BEE-KEEPERS Write us now for our Catalog and get low priees on good, honest, BEE-KEEPERS' SUPPLIES Onr speeialtj is making Sections. All other goods up-to-date. AUQ. LOTZ & SON, Cadott, Wis. 10A34t Please mention the Bee Joarnal. PRIZE TAKERS Pharr's Goldens took first prize at 3 ex- hibits in Texas in 1907. We will furnish Golden, Carniolan, Caucasian, and 3-band Italian Queens, untested, $1.00 till June 1, then 75 cents. Tested, $1.25 till June 1. then $1.00. For large quantities, write. Our 3- band Breeders from W. O. Victor and Grant Anderson strains : other races from the best obtainable. "Prompt service and satisfac- tion." is our motto. Address, 3Atf NEWCENTURYQUEEN-REARING CO., or JOHN W. PHARR, Berclair, : : : Texas Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. MR. BEE'MANf We handle the well-known Lewis Bee-Ware at factory prices, such as Dovetail Wis consin Hives. Sections, and everything that is needed by bee-keepers. Also, Dattani Foundation and Binghiam Smelters Illustrated catalog free. The O. M. SGOTT GO,, 1009 £. Washinffton St,, in dIanagBoUSf ind. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. CY'PRIAN, Carniolan, Caucasian, Italian Queen s Select untested, $\M. Select tested, *2.U0 Bees $H colony. Supplies and Honey. 6Aly V\i . C. Morris, NepperhanHt8,,Yonkers,N,Y. Please mention Am. IJce Journal whf^n writing. CHOICE ITALIAN QUEENS are the result of careful selection and breedings from the best honey-gathering strains of superior long-tongue Italians. Our methods will produce perfectly-developed, long-lived and prolific queens. If you want bees that will winter well, build up rapidly in the Spring, and roll in the honey, our queens will produce them. We are now booking orders which will be filled in regular rotation, beginning May 1st. You should get in line by placing your orders early. Single queens— golden or three-banded— $1.00; 6, $5.00; 12, $9.00. Safe delivery and satisfaction guaranteed. Send forcircular— it's an eye-opener. 4Atf THE GOLDEN APIARY. Dodge City, Kansas, L. S. A. Three Millions The magic initials A. Y. P. E. are emblazoned on the Horizon of the Occident. They stand for Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, which means the World's Fair at Seattle that opens June 1st and closes October 16 1S09. Six great transcontinental railroads will bring the people of the earth to this wonder ful show, viz : Canadian Pacific : Great Northern ; Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul. North" ern Pacific, Union Pacific, and Southern Pacific lines. Hundreds of steamships will aug- ment the throng. The Northwest Farm and Home— the oldest descriptive and agricultural magazine in the world— will distribute free at the Exposition several million copies elaborately illustrated and containing articles by well-known authors which will make the periodical invaluable. Send for rate cards and samplecopies. Northwest Farm and Home North Yakima, Wash. J. E. HAND will begin the season of 1909 with improved facilities for rearing the CHOICEST QUEENS He has developed a system of queen-rearing tliat contains all the best points of other methods with none of the detects, in, eluding some valuable improvements of his own— in short, a system through which the highest queen development is reached by correct and scientitic principles, which means that he is now in position to offer to the bee-keeping public a higher grade of queens than is usually offered in the common utility classes, owing to scientific methods which pro- duce queens of a higher development than can be reared by the ordinary methods in vogue, and also to an improved method ot classifying queens which strikes the word select from our list, and gives a square deal to alt. No selects means no culls, and the highest grade ol queens in the untested and tested classes. I'hese queens will be reared from a superior strain of hardy Northern-bred red clover Italians, "the very best," and will be safely delivered to any address in the United States, Cuba, Canada or Mexico, at the following prices; Untested, $1.25: 3, $3.00, Warranted, $1.50: 3. $4.00. Tested. $2.00: 3, $"^.00. Special prices on large ordeis. Valuable information free. Send for it to-day.' J. E. HAND, BIRMINGHAM, OHIO, ERIE CO. QUEENS Of Hi^h Quality Our queens are reared by the most ap- proved methods by a queen specialist of 30 years' experience. We breed the Leather-Colored, Red Clover, and Golden Italians. We solicit the trade of all bee-keepers wishing to secure a hardy, prolific race of Italians, whose honey-getting qualities have been proven superior. Select untested $ .7.5 i-j doz. $4.00 1 doz. $ 7.50 Tested 1.00 " " ,i..50 " " 10.00 Select tested 1.50 " " S.OO " " 14.00 Queens by return mail. Prices for large quantities on application. Circular free. SIRES BROS. & CO., North Yakima, Wash. Book on Fertilizers, Free Every progressive farmer is making a studyof this important subject. We have an 80-page book with fine colored cover which treats every phase of the fertiliza- tion question. Send 10c for 3 sample issues of The Fruit Belt and get this book free. Send today. Fruit Belt Publishing Co. 187 Herald Square, Grand Rapids. Mich. 1 Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. CAPOJ ^## CAPONS bring the largest profits ' — lUO per cent more than other pout- try. Caponizing is easy and sood learned, Progressive poultrymen use PILLING ?u'o^%^l^s Postpaid $3-50 per set ■with free instruc- ] tions. The convenient, durable, ready- for-use kind. Bestmaterial. Wealsomake I PnuUry Marker 25c. Oape Worm Extract or 25o 1 [ French Killiii./ Knif^' 5(h: Capon Book Frte. 6. P. Pillin« & Son. Arch St.. PhiladeJptiit. Pi. 75c and $1.00 Queens on Approval By return mail. If not satisfactory leave in Post-Otfice. Write for special prices on Bees and Supplies. A. M. APPLEGATE. Reynoldsville. Pa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. American l^ee Journal I WANT YOU to get my new, handsome ^M ^ft^V ^^^H Fashion Book, ^^^^^S HUNDREDS OF LATEST STYLES ■with illustrated lessons on Cuttint^ and Dress- making, FREE, and I will sell you all the pat- terns you wane for live cts. each. ^^ "^ They are the same patterns rou nave always paid lOc & 15c or at the stores, made by the 6ame people, and correct in every detail. I ptibUsh the FARMER'S CALLf a weekly paper for every member of the family. An especiallv interestine fea- ture each week are the cnil- dren'3 letters; and the Woman's Department ia unusually atronj^ and in- structive. Among- the special features for women folks is its fashions in which I sh' iw i the 5c patterns. Let] me help you to save money. MY SPECIAL OFFER Send me i'">c and I will send tou the Farmer's Call every week for one year (about ItHjO pages) and will send mv big Fashinn Bo.:»k to you Irt-t'. I also agree to sell you any pat- tern you want thereafter for 5c. I can sell them Tor 5 cts. because I buy them by the thnu^^and and don*tmake any profit. I don't want anv i)rotlt. I want your subscription to the FARMER'S CALL. You will save manv times the cost of my offer in a vear. WRITE TO-DAY. Yon can use this coupon— cut it out now and mall to me with 25c— ic and 2c stamps taken, but a quarter almost always goes safe: John M. Stahl— Enclosed 2;c for Farmer's Call for one year, your book of patterns, postpaid, and privilege of buy- iai^ patterns at Sc each. Name ' •••••«■ State 18 Very Special Offer Send me 50c and I will send you the Farmer's Call for one year, the Illinois Farmer for two years, the Faanion Book prepaid, with privUeg-e of boyinp patterns at 5c each. Use above coupon, but enclose 50c and write I, F, in the corner. Cut out the coupon right now, fill out, and send to JOHN M. STAHL, J. P. Sta., Chlcaso, lit. (Prop. Farmer's Call for past 25 yearaj IF YOU WANT THE BEE-BOOK That covers the whole Aplcultural Field more completely than any other pab- Uabed, send tl-20 lo Prof. A. J. Cook, Claremont, Cal., — FOR HIS— tt BEE-KEEPER'S GUIDE" Liberal Ulscount^ to the Trade. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. D A D Al C C ' Foof-f'ower DAnllLd Machinery Read what J. L Parkkt. of Charl- ton, N. Y.. aays: "V»c cut with one of your Combined Marhlnes, lart winter. 50 chaff hives with 7-ln. cap, 100 honey-racks. 600 brood- frames, 2,000 honey-boxes, and a ^reat deal of other work. This winter we bar* donble the amotint of bee- hives, etc., to make, and we expect todo It with tblB Saw. It will do all you say It wlIL" Catalog and price-list free. Addrew, W. F. & JOHN BARNES, M& Ruby St.. RookfonL IlL Mention Bee JoaraaJ vrhem vrrltftB0. Western Bee- Keepers s^J^^w^ou how to UTe moiej. Bend for our new c«t»- loc of the )>eat Bee-wkre made. Til MUUM imiT-PIOIDCIU' in'l, linw. Me. SATISFACTION is what I guarantee to those who buy mv leather-colored Italian queens. Untested, June, 90c: 3forE!.50; 6 (or $4.75: doz.. $9.00: 20 or more at 60c each. Later. 70c: 6 for $3.75: doz., $6.50: 20 or more at 50c each. IlAtf 8. ir. TKKOO, Bwedona, III. "Forty Years Amon^ the Bees 9» Vy 2>r. C. C. Miller One of the Best -Known Honey - Producers in all the World THIS book of over 340 pages tells just how Dr. Miller manages his apiaries to produce the most honey, which, in turn, brings the most money. Dr. Miller has been "at it" some 45 years, and so is competent to tell others the best way to be success- ful with bees. In 1903 his crop of comb honey was over 18,000 pounds, and he is not located in the best honey- producing part of the United States, either Northwest- ern Illinois. The book is bound in substantia! cloth, gold-lettered, and is sent post- paid for only $1.90: or with the American Bee Journal one year for $1.50. (Or send us 4 new subscriptions to the Bee Journal-with $3.00-and we will mail you the book free as a premium.) Every bee-keeper ought to have both the book and the Bee Journal, if not already possessors of them. As Dr. Miller gets a royalty on his book— so many cents on each copy sold— every bee-keeper who buys it is thus helping a little to repay him for his effort to lead others to success through his writings on bee-culture. As we have a good stock of these books on hand, we can fill all orders by return mail. This is the time of year to read up on bee- keeping. Better send us your order at once for Dr. Miller's book, and study it carefully so as to make the most of the bee-season. Address, GEORGE W. YORK ^^^ 1 FOR QUICK DELIVERY and LOW FREIGHT send your orders for BEE-SUPPLIES to The A. I. Root Company, 42-60 Institute Place ( 4 blocks north of former location ) CHICAGO, ILLINOIS We are now fully moved, located, and well stocked with a FULL LINE of supplies. We have the best shipping facilities, and with plenty of help we promise to get goods to you promptly. There are only two reasons why we might fail ; viz., the neglect of some transportation company to give its usual good service, and our inability to turn out stock fast enough to care for your orders. We are promised a large car-load from our factory every TEN days, so you see we expect to take good care of your orders. If you haven't our new catalog let us send you one. Remember our new location, four blocks north of our former place. The A. I. Root Co., Chicago, Illinois 42-60 Institute Place R. W. Boyden. Resident Manager. Jeffrey Building Take Elevator to Sixth Floor. Telephone 1484 North. Bee-Supplies Distributor of Lewis and Root Bee-Sup- plies. We are now prepared to furnish promptly a full line of Supplies and Berry Boxes. Choice new stock just from factory. Beeswax wanted. Send fur Catalog. W. J. McCARTY, Emmettsbur^, Iowa Please mention Am. Ece Journal when writing. BEE-SUPPLIES. 40-page catalog free. Brimful of the latest make of hives, etc. Our supplies will please you in every way. Prices are right. We can make prompt shipments as we carry a full line of A. I. Root Co. '8 supplies in stock. Don't fail to write as if you are in need of supplies. 8Atf JOHN NEBEL & SON SUPPLY CO.. High HIM, Montg. Co.. Mo PBease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. ;. Crown Bone Cutter Cms up scrap houes easily and BesI Made quicltly — no trouble. Feed your ht-iis Lowest fr^sb cut green bone daily and get . p ;-. more eggs. Send f«T cataloRue. ^" rriCC WILSON BROS., Box 618. Eastoa. Pa. Italian Bees for Sale 1 colony, $5 ; 2 for $9 ; S for $20. Queens— Untested, 7Sc each ; 6 for $4 ; Tested, $1 each; 6 for $S. Will put swarms into any style hive to suit pur- chaser. 5Atf JL. BOOMHOWER. Freehold, Greene Co., N. Y. Please mention -'\in. Bee Journal when writing. UNTESTED ITALIAN QUEENS, 50c : Se- lect, 75c : Tested, $1.00. 7A2t Robt. B. Spicer, Rt. 163, Wharton, N. J. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. MARSHFIELD BEE-GOODS FRIEND BEE-KEEPER— We are prepared to fill your orders for Sections. A large stock on hand. Also a Full Line of Bee-Suppjies. We make prompt shipments. MARSHFIELD MFG. CO., Marshfield, Wis. IOWA- J. W. Bittenbender, Knoxville, Gregrory & Son. Otturawa. KANSAS-S. C. Walker & Son, Smith Center. MICHICiAN-Lengst & Koenig, 127 South 13th St...Saeinaw, E. S. S. D. Buell. Union City. NEBRASKA— Collier Bee-Supply Co.. Fairbury. CANADA- N. H. Smith. Tilbury, Ont. ARIZONA— H. W. Ryder, Phoenix. MINNESOTA-Northwestem Bee-Sup- ply Co., Harmony. ILLIfJOIS-D. L. Durham. Kankakee. OHIO-F. M. Hollowell Harrison. TEXAS-White Mfsr. Co., Blossom. WISCONSIN-S. W. Hines Mercantile Co., Cumberland. J. Gobeli, Glenwood. Westwood Red-Clover Queens A New York customer writes, " I have tried queens from a good tnany breeders, but yours are far ahead of them all." 4A4t HENRY SHAFFER, 2860 Harrison A«e., Sla. L.. Cincinnati, 0. I lease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. ITALIAN QUEENS Untested. 75c; tested, $1. Two-frame nu- clei with untested queen, $2.50; with tested queen. K.75. 7Alt E. M. Collier, 75 Broadway, Ossining,N.T. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. July, loog. American ?ee Joarnal "FALCON QUEENS 99 Three-Band Golden Italians Caucasians Carniolans 1 6 13 Untested $1.00 $5.50 $10.00 Select Untested 1.25 6.75 12.75 Tested, $1.50; Select Tested, $2.00 We have in charge of this department Mr. Leslie Martin, formerly queen-breeder in the Apiary of the U. S. Dept. of Agricul- ture. Washington, D. C. ^oncy anb Chicago. June 30.— There are practically no sales of comb honey. There is quite a quantity of last year's crop in the different houses that handle it, awaiting opening of the season, prices for which would at this time be a guess. Extracted in good supply, white being offered at 6H to 7c : amber. 6 to 6!4c : dark amber. 5H to 6c. Beeswax. 30c. R. A. Burnett & Co. Toledo, June 30.— No new comb honey has arrived, and but little old on hand. Sales are made at 14 to 15c for fancy. Too early to say what new crop will be worth. Ex- tracted white clover brings 7 to 7 l-2c in cans and barrels: amber. 5 1-2 to 6c. Beeswax. 26 to 28c. The Griggs Bros. Co. Cincinnati, June 30.— The market on comb honey is bare of fancy goods : there is an abundance of off-grade honey and old Colorado honey. We could sell some fancy goods at 14c. The demand for extracted honey is good; amber in barrels selling at 6to6 1-2c. There is no white clover honey as yet to offer. Beeswax is selling fair at S33 per 100 lbs. These are our selling prices, not what we buy at. „ C. H. W. Weber & Co. Kansas City, Mo., June 30.— We are now receiving small shipments of new comb honey; the crop of 1908 comb is about all gone except what is granulated. We quote: New No. 1 white comb. 24 sections, $3.25^er case; extracted, per pound (white) 6 1-2 to 7c ; extracted, amber, per lb.. 6 to 6 l-2c. Beeswax, 25 to 28c. „ C. C. Clemons Prod. Co. New York, July I. We find there is a little better demand for fancy and No. 1 white comb honey, and same is selling at from 13 to 14c per pound. Off grades are not in much demand, and we find slow selling at from 10 to lie per pound, according to quality. H;xtracted, demand fair. New crop from the South is now beginning to arrive quite freely, and is selling all the way from 60 to 75c per gallon, according to quality. No new crop from California as Send for our free catolog of "Falcon" Bee-Keepers' Supplies. W.T. FALCONER MFG. CO. Jamestown, N. Y. Headquarters for Bee-Supplies H Please Rush My Order g We can, as we have several carloads of hives, sections, foundation and all other bee-supplies. Give Us A Trial Shipments are made the same day order is received. We can supply Red Clover and Golden Yellow Queens. C.H.W. WEBER""' Otfice «nd Salesrooms, 2U6-48 Central Ave. Warehouses. Freeman and Central Aves. yet. and we do not expect any for some time to come. Beeswax steady at 30c. HiLDRETH & SEGELKEN. Indianapolis, July 1.— Not a pound of new comb honey on our market. Our mar- ket is entirely bare of comb honey, but some good extracted remains unsold from last year. Prices are not yet established, but a fancy article would find ready sale at good prices. Beeswax is in good demand, and producers are receiving 29 to 30c. Walter S. Povder. Zanesville, Ohio. July 1.— There is a pretty fair demand for comb honey at the present time, but scarcely any for extracted. No. 1 to fancy white clover comb brings the producer 12 1-2 to 14c. and goes to the retail grocery trade at about I6c. For beeswax of good quality I offer 29c cash. 32c in exchange. Edmund W. Peirce. Denver, Jul^ 3. —Our last season's stock of comb honey is now all sold, but there is some in other hands, and very low prices are quoted in order to effect sales. We hope to get some new crop comb in during the next few days. Demand for extracted honey is very light, owing to hot weather and good supply of fruit. We quote, white, 7 1-2 to 8 l-3c : light amber 6 3-4 to 7 l-2c. We pay 25 cents tor clean yellow beeswax delivered here. The Colo. Honey-Producers' Ass'n. Boston, July 1.— We quote : Fancy white comb honey, 15c : No. 1, 14c ; white extract- ed, 8 l-2c ; light amber, 7 l-2c. Beeswax. 30c. Blake, Lee Co. HONEY '-!!? BEESWAX When consigning, buying, or selling, consult R. A. BURNETT & CO. 199 South Water St. Chicago, III HONEY FOR SALE We are producers and shippers of ex- tracted alfalfa honey, in car lots, put up in 5-gal. cans, two cans to the case. Every can is inspected betore leaving our warehouse, and all shipments are guaranteed equal to sample in quality. .Sample and price on application. 5A3t IMPERIAL VALLEY BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATON. El Centro, California We will Buy and Sell HOIET y^ of the different grades and kinds. If you have any to dispose of, or if you intend to buy, correspond with us. We are always in the market for Beeswax at highest market prices. Hildreth & Segelken 265 & 367 Qreenwlcli Street NEW YORK, N. Y. Books for Bee-Keepers Have you a good bee-book? Many bee-keepers do not have. And that is where they make a big mistake. A bee- paper cannot take the place of a good bee-book. The paper is a splendid thing to read in connection with the book. On another page we make some generous clubbing offers of bee-books with the American Bee Journal. Why not order a book when renewing your subscrip- tion? You will find the book and the Journal a great combination. Yoi» should have both of them. DADANT'S FOUNDATION 0 h < a z ;:> 0 (/} ft H Z < Q > •z H CM f^ 0 z 0 > H *^ 0 2 500,000 Sections at $1.50 Per Orate Manufacturer's stock just purchased by us must be moved at once in order to make room for another tenant. We offer for sale this job lot of one-piece Sections at this bargain price so as to avoid the expense of carting and storing these goods in our warehouses. Packed Ready for Immediate Shipment. These Sections are packed 500 to the crate and are ready for immediate shipment. The lot consists of a mixed assortment in the following sizes of Off-Grade Sections— some a little off color and some not quite smooth enough to qualify for No. 1 and No. 2 grades, but good enough for ordinary use: 41 X 4i X 11 inches . . Beeway j 4 x 5 x li inches .... Plain 41 X 41 X 11 inches . . . Plain " Sg x 5 x U inches . . . Plain Bee-keepers should take advantage of this exceptional opportunity to secure these Sections at this bargain price before the supply is exhausted. Manufacturers with but few exceptions are way behind on orders. A supply of these Sections on hand will be worth many times their cost in case of emergencies when you are in need of Sections and cannot get them, as they will come in handy to fill in with. Remember^ 500 Sections for $1.50 Per Orate Orders will be filled for any quantity desired in the same order as received until the lot is disposed of. All goods shipped subject to approval, as we guarantee satisfaction to our clients at all times in every business transaction. Don't Delay It. MAIL THAT ORDER TO-DAY. Don't Delay It. Minnesota Bee-Supply Company, 252 Nicollet Island, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. r»in lear No. 8 August, 19U9 10c. a Copy BtE JOURNAO August, IQOQ. American l^ee Journal PUBLISHED MuNTHLV HV GEORGE YV. YORK 6 COMPANY 146 W. Superior St., Chicago, 111. IMPORTANT NOTICE. THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE of this Journal is 7J cents a year, in the United States of America, (except Chicago, where it is $1.00), and Mexico; In Canada 85 cents; and in all other conntries in the Postal Union, 25 cents a year extra for post- age. Sample copy free. THE WRAPPER-LABEL DATE indicates the end or the month to which your subscription is paid. For instance, *' dec09'*on your label shows that It is paid to the end of December, 1909. SUBSCRIPTION RECEIPTS.-We do not send a receipt for money sent us to pay subscription, but change the date on your wrapper-label, which shows that the money has been received and credited. fldverlising Rate, per flgate Line, I5c. 14 lines make one inch. Nothing less than 4 lines accepted. Discounts: 3 times 14c a line 9 times lie a line 6 " 12c" " 12 " {lyr.) lOcaline Reading Notices, 25 cents, count line. Goes to press the 6th of each month. National Bee Keepers' Association Objects of the Association. iBl.— To promote the interests of its members. ad.— To protect and defend its members in their awful riKhts. 8d.— To enforce laws against the adulteration of honey. Annual Membership Dues, $i.oo. Oaneral Manager and Treasurer - N. E. Kranck. Platteville, Wis. |y If more convenient. Dues may be sent to the publishers of the American Bee Journal. c rjtriC are bound to II I take the lead CllUlAr for shipping aSI*^ comb honey r lighter They are j Stronger I safer Tine freight is less Deatlers prefer them Send for circular J. E. Crane & Sorv Middlebvjry. Vt. By Return Nail Standard-Bred Untested Italian Queen-Bees Prices for balance of season of 1909: One Queen, 75 cents; 2 for $1.40; 3 for $2.00; 6 for $3.75: 12 for $7.00. Superior Tested Breeding Queens, $200 each.— well worth $3.00. Standard-Bred Virgin Italian Queens FREE as a .Premium Send us One New yearly subscription to the American Bee Journal at 75 cents, and we will mail you a Standard-Bred Italian Virgin Queen free; or for 90 cents we will mail tlie Virgin Queen and the Bee Journal for a year. ^^^d"" Italian Qu66n-B66 For a number of jtars we hiive been sending out to bee-keep- ers exceptionally tine Untested Italian Queens, purely mated, and all right in every respect. Here is what a few of those who re- ceived our Queens have to say about them : What They Say of Our Queens George W. York & Co. :— The two queens received of you some time ago are fine. They are good breeuers. and the workers are snowing up fine. I introduced tbem among black bees, and the bees are nearly yellow now, and are doihsr good work. A. W. SWAN. Nemaha. Co., Kan.. July 15, 1905. George W. York & Co.:— After importing queens for 15 years you have sent me the best. She keeps 9X i-.ang8truth frames fully occupied to date, and, altbough I kept tbe hive well contracted, to force them to swarm, they have never built a queen-cell, and will put up lOO pounds of honey if the flow lasts this week. CHAS. Mitchell. Ontario. Canada, July 22, 1905. George W. York & Co.:— Tbe queen I bought of you has proven a good one, and has given me some of my best colonies. N. P. OGLessV. Washington Co., Va., July 22. 1905. George "W.YOHK & Co.:— The queen I received of you a few days ago came through O.K., and I want to say that she is a beauty. I immediately introduced her intt) a colony which had been queenless for 2o days. She was accepted by them, and has gone to work nicely. 1 am highly pleased with her and your promptness in tilling my order. My father, who is an old bee-keeper, pronounced her very fine. You will hear from me again when I am i n need of something in the bee-line. K. E. MCCOLM. Marion Co., 111., July 13. We usually begin mailing Queens in May, and continue there- after, on the plan of " first come first served." The price of one of our Untested Queens alone is 75 cents, or with the monthly American Bee Journal one year — both for $1.20. Three Queens (without Journal) would be / ., or 6 for i >. . Full instructions for introducing are sent with each Queen, being printed on the underside of the address-card on the mailing-cage. You cannot do better than to get one or more of our fine Standard-Bred Queens. George W. York & Co., i46 w. superior st. Chicago, III. Dittmer's Comb Foundation Is the Best. Not because we say so, but because the Bees prefer it to other makes. Dittmer's Process is Dittmer's It has built its Reputation and established its Merits, on its own Foundation and its own Name. We make a Specialty of Working Wax into Founda- tion for Cash. Write for free catalog and prices on full Line of Supplies. GUS DITTMER CO.. Augusta. Wis. August, 1909. QVEENS And Nothing But Italians — That is What Quirin Rears A superior improved strain. Xorthern-bred. are hardy and vigorous; always come out strong: in the spring:. Our stock is well known, and not necessary to say more here. Prices of Queens after July 1 1 6 12 t 7a I 00 1 50 3 00 5 00 $4 00 5 00 800 15 00 $7 00 « 00 Tested queens Breeders Straight live-band breeders.... Young queens from our improved stock are the best security ajjainst poor seasons. Requeen now and have bursting: strong colonies in the spring. We employ 500 colonies. Queens sent outside of United States or Canada. 25 cts. extra. QUEENS NOW READY! Safe Arrival and Pare Mating Guaranteed. Address all orders to Quirin-the-Queen-Breeder, Bellevue, 0. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. ROOT'S GOODS Are money-savers. We have a full line of Supplies, Bees, Queens, etc., and can supply you with anything in the BEE-LINE Queens any quantity. Tested, $1.00; Untested, 75c each. 4Atf Rea Bee &. Honey Go.^ Reynoldsville, Pa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Closing Out Offer We Have Some Copies Left of the Book ''Bees and Honey" By Thomas C. Newman bound in cloth, that we offer cheap to close out. It contains 160 pages, and is bound in cloth. It used to be a one- dollar book, but we will mail them, so long as they last, at '><> cents each; or with the American Bee Journal one year- both for only $1.00. Surely this is a bargain. The book is well illustrated, and has some good infor- mation in it, especially for beginners. Address all orders to George W. York & Co., 146 W. Superior St., Chicago, III. Carniolan Queens liy si-ndiiii; to several different Queen- Kearcrs in .Austria for tlie last few years, we have succeeded in uettini: a desirable strain of Carniolan bees. To any of the bee-keep- ers wishing to try a pure Carniolan aueen. It will be sent by return mail. One tested for $i.oo; 6. Js.(K>; n. Jo.oo. One untested. 7.5c; '1.14.2;. 12. $8.00. Address, 8Atf Wm. Kernan, R. R. No. 2, Dushore, Pa. f'Icasc mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. American Hee Journal Italian Bees OueensandNuclei Choice Home-bred and Im* ported Stock. All Queens Reared in Full Colonies. Prices for July to November : One Untested Queen $0.75 One Tested Queen 0.90 One Select Tested Queen 1.10 One Breeder Queen 1.65 One Comb Nucleus— no Queen SO Safe arrival guaranteed. For price on larger quantities and description of each 5rade of Queens send for Catalog. All ueens by return mail. A limited quantity of Comb Foundation. Send for sample. J. L. STRONG 201 E. Lo|an St., • - CURINDA, IOWA. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. ROOT'S Bee-Keepers' Supp/ies at factnry iirices, ; ... b.. San Antoni.i. Weed New Process Comb Foundation We manufacture this right here, out of clean Southern wax which is superior to all other. We are careful to retain the original fra- grant odor of the hives. It takes skill and care to do this. If you desire to have your beeswax worked up in this way send it here. We wish large quantities of wax from asso- ciations to be worked into comb foundation. Write for rates. Reliable agents wanted everywhere, llhi'itratcd catalog free. 5A6t TOEPPERWEIM A MAY FIELD, 1322 S. Florem St., San Antonio, Tex. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. -'59 EXTRACTING MADE EASY by using MILLER AUTOMATIC DECAPPERS $5 to J3.5. Catalog Free. APICUITURAL MANUFACTURING CO., Provlilence, R. I. 7Atf Hundreds of Queens Have 200 (hat must be sold at once Goldens and .'{-Bands Untested, 60c ; Tested. 7Sc : Select Tested, $1.00; breeders, $2.!)0. Nuclei and full colo- nies : also honey for sale— Eagle Pass Famous Velvet Honey. 7A?t A. I. DAVI.S. Ea^le Pass, Tex. Please mention Am. lice Journal when writing. Good Italian Queens Each, 75c ; C, for .'(;4.00 ; 12 for $9.00. D. J. BLOCHER, Pearl City. III. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Mott's Strain of Italians Work red clover and other deep blooms. Hardy and gentle. Untested, 60c. Guaran- teed. 90c. Tested. $1.15. Golden Queens for the same price. Leaflet, " Safe Plans of Introduction," 15c. Also " Rapid Increase," I5c. Or copy of each, 25c. 4A6t E. E. MOTT. Glenwood. Mich. I'Irasc mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. QUEENS demons' strain of three-banded Italians has no equal. Mr. M. R. Juckett, Poultnev, vt., writes : " I have queens from seven different breeders, and yours are the onlv ones which have proiluced honey in the sections." Mr. N. L. Stevens, president of New York Bee- Keepers' Society, Moravia, N. Y., who purchased of me in 1907, 46 of ray cheapest untested cfueens writes Jan. 22, 1909: " The queens I purchased of you in 1907 proved very satisfactory. I bought over 300 queens that season from 10 different breeders, and your beea averag-ed the best of any of them the past season, and on!v one strain was a close competitor. Your bees built up very rapidly, and were j^ood honey-gatherers." why ipay a high price for the common kind' when others report such results? If vou don't try a few of my queens we shall both lose money, r, Untested queens. H5 cts. each: select untested. 75 cts.; tested. $1.00: fine breeding: queens. $2.00 to J.T.UO. Safe arrival and satisfaction gruaran- H. C. CLEWONS. Bey<. Ky." MILLER'S SuDorlor Italian Queens By return mail after June 1st or your money back. Bred from best Red Clover working strains in U. S. No better hustlers, gentle, and winter ex- cellent. Untested, from my three- banded Superior Breeder— 1, $1.00; 6, $5.00; 12, $9.00; after July 1st, 1, 7Sc ; 6, $4.00 ; 12, $7.50. Special price on 50 or more. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaran- teed. Circulars free. 4Atf Isaac F. Miller, Reynoldsville, Pa. THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY Has the latest report of all the best work in practical entomology. Articles upon apicul- ture by national authorities appear in it. If you wish the best entomological journal foi the practical man.subscribe for it. $2 a year. E. DWIGHT SANDERSON. Business Met.. DURHAM, N. H. Choice Italian Queens One Untested Queen $ 60 Si.x Untested Queens 3.00 One Tested Queen .85 Si.\ Tested Queens 4.50 Snfe arrival etiarranteed. 7Atf JOHN LEININGER, Ft. Jennings, Ohio BIG BARGAIN SALE on Bee-Supplies I have bought all the bee-supplies and machines of the Minneapolis Wood and Machinery Co. .Send me a list of what you need, and sret the right price. Also Atlel, Carniolan. Italian, and CaucasiaD Queens. CHAS. MONI)EN<;, 4Atf 160 Newton Ave. N., Minneapolis, Mian. My Beautiful Twelve-page Circular in colors is taking like hot-cak-es. If you have failed to get one. your library table is incomplete, and you have not learned of the two best races of bees on earth, the Pioneer Ranch of im- ported Italian and Caucasian bees. Just a postal gets it. A. P. D. WOOD. Box 61, Lansing, Mich. of my Famous Red Clover and Golden .Stock. Untested. 50c each; Select-Untest- ed. 75c each: Tested, $1 each. Nuclei— $1 per frame, without queen. 4A5t H. A. RO.SS, 1709 Ipper Zd St., Evansvillt, lad. Pkase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Queens 200 August, jgog. American ^ee Journal SPECIAL CLUBBING and PREMIUM OFFERS In Connection With Tiie AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL Sample copies free to help you interest your friends and get subscriptions. If you will send us names of your neighbors or friends we will mail them sample copies free. After they have received their copies, with a little talk, you can sret some to sub- scribe and so either tret your own subscription free or receive some of the useful premiums below. They're worth getting. We give yon a year's subscription free for sending us two new subscriptions at 75 cents each. BEE-KEEPERS' NOVELTY POCKET-KNIFE Your name and address put >>n I'ne sidi* uf the hanille as shown in cut, anfl on the other side iJioinres of a queea-bee, a worker, and a drone. The handle is celluloid and tran3i>arent, throagh whit-h is --•■■en your name, it you lose this knife it can be re- turned to you, IT to identify to be tojured ippen faUl- ly. or are uncon- BctoDs. Cut Is exact size. Be sure to write exact name and address. Knife delivered in tw<» weeks. Price of knife alone, postpaid, $1.L'5, With year's sttbscrip- t ion, $1.75. Free for 4 new T5c sub- /|[ scriptiona. |14E? BEE-KEEPERS' GOLD-NIB FOUNTAIN PEN A really good pen. As fur as true use- fulness goes is C'lual to any any of the higher- priced, much -adver- tised pens. If ynu pay more It's name you're charged for. The fii'ld Nil> is guar- anttM-d, 14 Karat goM. Iridium point- ed. The holder la hard ruitber, hand- somely liuished. The cover fits snugly, and e:in't slip off because it slightly wedges over the barr-l at either end Thia pen is nim- leakable It Is very easily cleaned, the pen-point and feeder being ?iuickly removed. Tne simple eeder gives a uniform supply of ink to the pen-p<»int withdut droi-- Rlng. blotting or spotting. Every ee-fceeper ought to carry one lu hi« vest-pocket. Comes In box with directions and filler. Each pen guaranteed. Here shown two- thirds actual size. Price alone, postpaid. $1.00. With a year's subscription, SL^. Given free fori new snbscriptiona at T. cents each. fflONETTE QUEEN-CLIPPING DEVICE The Monette O' - Clipping Devi' ' i fine thing for u-" . i catching and cUppli-K' Queens' wings. Four and one-half Inch* > high. It Is used by many bee-keepers. Pull prlnteddlrectfoti- ^ rit with each one. J'rice alone, powt- ;ii !. i'. cents. With i \ear'rt BUbscription, 'J'i cents. Olven free for sending on© new sub.'^crlpilon at 75 cents. IDEAL HIVE-TOOL A special tool invent' ed by a Minnesota bee-keeper, adapt cd for prying: up supers and for general work around the api- ary. Made of malleable iron, 8 inches long. The middle part is 1 1-16 inches wide and 7-32 thick. The smaller end is I's inches long, Ys inch wide, and 7-32 thick, end- ing like a screw- driver. The larger end is wedge-shaped having a sharp, semi- circular edge, mak- ing it almostperfect for prying up cov- ers, supers, etc., as it does not mar the wood. Dr. Jliller, who has used it since 1903says, Jan. 7, 1907: " I thinkas much of the tool as ever." Price alone, post- paid, 40 cents. With a year's subscrip- tion.Sl.OO. Given free for 2 new subscrip- tions at 75c each. PREMIUM QUEENS Tliese are untested, stan- dard-bred Italian Queens, reports of which have been highly satisfactory. Theyare active breeders, and produce good work- ers. Sent only after May Ist. Orders booked any time for queens. Safe de- livery guaranteed. Price, 75 cents each, 6 for $4.00, or 12 for $7.50. One queen with a year s sub- scription. $1.20. Queen free for 3 new 75c subscriptions. HUMOROUS BEE POST-CARDS ~;-f^ts5^-0 WONT rou BEE nr HOKEX AnO CMCCS this LOKELY HCABT7 For I WOULD mo mu ml the ^rt•^ And Wt WOULD tJfl/Eft P^ftt •oOMuvu d. MO — r- /^^ A "Teddy Bear" on good terms with everybody, including the bees swarming out of the old-fashioned "skep." Size 3'Axy/i, printed in four colors. Blank space 1^x3 inches for writing. Prices— 3 postpaid, 10 cents: 10 for 25 cents. Ten with a year's subscription, 90 cents. Si.t given free for one new 75c subscri-.>tion. BOOKS FOR BEE-KEEPERS Forty Years Among v W. Z. Hutch- inson.—The author i.s a practical and helpful writer. ii3u pufijes; bound in cloth, beautifully illustrated. Price alone. $1.L'0. with a year's subscription, $1.70. Given free for 4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. A B r & X Y Z of Bee Culture, by A. I. & E. H. Root.— Over 500 pajires describing" everytbinj? pertaininj? to the care of honey- bees. 400 enj-'ravinys. Bound in cloth, price alone, $1.50. With a year's .''uliscription, $J.l)0. Given free for 6 new subscriptiona at 75 cents each. Scientific Queen-Rearing, aa Practically Applied, by G. M. Do.)iiitle.-How the very- best queens are reared. Bound in cloth and illustrated. Price alone, $1.00. With a year's subscription, *1. 40. (iivon free for 3 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. In leath- erette binding-, price alone, 75 cents. With a year's subscription, $1.I5. iiiven free for 2 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Bee-Keeper's Guide, or Manual of the Apiar.v, by Prof. A. J. C.-v ..f bees. 544 pages, 295 Illustrations, Bouml in cloth. Price alone, $1.20. With a year's subscription, $1.70. Given free for 4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each, lianestroth on the Honey-Bee, revised by Dadant.— This classic has been entirely rewritten. Fully illustrated. No apiarian library is complete wjthout this standard work by "The Father (.!■ American Bee-Cul- ture." 5:^0 pages, bound in cloth. Price alone, $1.:'0. with a year's subscription, $1.70, Given free for 4 new subacriptiona at 75 cents each. ••The Honey -Money Stones,"— A fi4- page booklet containing many short, bright stories interspersed with facts and interest- ini^ items about hon'-y. The manufactured comb-honev misrepresentation is contradict- ed in two items, .a.li nccui-ving a full pag'e. Has '^2 line illustrations ot apiarii-s or wpianan scenes. It also cantains 3 bee-songs. This booklet shoubl be jdaced in the iiands of everybody notfamibar with tlm lood-valueof honev. for its main oljjei-t i.s lo interest peo- ple i.i honey aa a daily table article. Price 25 cents. With a year's subscription, 90 cents. Given free for one new subscription at 75c. Three copies f<»r 5o cents- or the 3 with a year's snbscrip'ioD, $l.i)ii; .ir the '.i copies given free tor 2 new subscriptitms at 75 cents each. Anierikanlsche Bienenziicht, by Hans Buschl»aiier, is a bee-keepers' handbook of 138 pages, -.rhich is jusi what our (lerman friends will want. It is fullv illustrated and neatly bound in <|of h. Price alone, $1.00. With a Year's suhs.Tiptjon, $1.50. Given free fur 3 new subscript ions at 75 cents each. THE EMERSON BINDER A stifT board outside like a book-cover with cloth ba,;k. Will ho|>ut no covers. Price, postpaid, *_'o cents. With a year's subscrit'tion w) cents. Given free for one new subscriptMn at 75 cents. BEE-HIVE CLOCK ' A few o' ..hese handsomo " lironze-metal " clocks left. BaselO'j inches wide by 9''4 inches high. Design is a straw skep with clock face in rabldle. Keens excellent time, durable and reliable. Weight. boxed, 4 i)ounds. You pay expn-.Hs charges. Price $I..iO. With a year's subscription, $-'.00. years ago he tilled a similar position, we believe, on the .American Bee Jour- nal, and during all the intervening years be has written more or less for its columns, besides conducting the "Question-Box" regularly the past I'l years. Perhaps no other bee-keeper in the • hole world is so widelv and so favor- ably knowu as is Dr. Miller. He has been a close student of bees and bee- keeping for almost half a century. His book on " Forty Years .Among the Bees" stands alone as to its character and practical value to the honey-pro- ducer. He possesses not only a rich bee-keeping experience, but also excep- tional literary ability to express in plain and concise terms anything he wishes to relate touching the subject of bee-culture. Not only are we fortunate in having Dr. Miller associated with us in the conduct of the .American Bee Journal, but all its readers will profit by the new arrangement. The Doctor will continue to reside in Marengo with his bees, and will also answer questions for the .American Bee Journal as heretofore. Old vs. Young Queens <_Hii proconceivfd iioiioiis and ideas often Kot rudely jolted when we are the least expecting it." Thus says J. L. Byer, in the Canadian Bee Journal, and he then goes on to tell what good work he got from a lot of queens that had by a sort of acci- dent been left without renewing, although he does not approve of hav- ing queens generallv more than 2 years 262 August, 1909. American ^Ree JoarnaJi old. Editor Hurley tells about a lot of bees he bought last spring which had been left to their own sweet will in the matter of superseding for many years, and they did not suffer greatly in com- parison with his home apiary in which every colony had received last year a young and vigorous queen from choice stock. He says : "Certain it is, we would not ask for better work from queens than we liave seen from tliose under review. Tliere must, of course, be old ones amont; tliem. and yet tiiey have taken care of themselves for 20 years. Is it not possible that we often attribute to the queens faults that are the results of other causes?" Is it not possible, also, that locality or the strain of bees makes it so that one man will get better results by leav- ing the matter of superseding entirely to the bees, while for another it may be more profitable to renew all queens beyond a certain age? Is the Queen a Queen? The editor of the Irisli Bee Journal enters a protest against accepting C. P. Dadant's assertion in the American Bee Journal that "tlie term "queen' is a misnomer, for the queen is anything but the ruler of the hive." Editor Digges argues that some of the greatest and best queens never ruled in the sense implied by Mr. Dadant, and con- cludes, "The mother bee, distinguished and pre-eminent above all others in the hive, is rightly termed a queen." The point of dift'erence is as to the meaning of the word " queen." Per- haps it ought to be conceded that Edi- tor Digges, having lived under a queen ought to be able to give points to Mr. Dadant who has been living under con- stantly changing rulers of the male persuasion. As to the actual facts in the case, however, there probablv is no difference of opinion. Mr. Dadant likely does not yield to Editor Digges in his appreciation of the distinguished pre-eminence of the mother bee, and the latter does not hold that the queen in anv sense rules. Disinfection or No Disinfection of Foul-Broody Hives The question as to whether a hive that has been occupied by a colonv afflicted with foul brood may be safely used again without first having been disinfected is one upon which opinions differ. Perhaps there lias nowhere been given a more able summing up of the views on both sides than is to be found in the Canadian Bee Journal for July, although it is frankly intended by Editor Hurley to show that there is no need of disinfection. He takes as his text a paragraph from the British Bee Journal written by the well known Scotch authority, D. M. Macdonald, who quoted Dr. White, expert in bac- teriology at Washington, Editor Root, and Editor Cowan as insisting that dis- infection was necessary. Editor Hurley admits that such an array of authority is formidable, but pluckily stands his ground and says he is not convinced. Dr. White says: "Use no bee-supplies from an infected apiary unless they are thoroughly disin- fected .... It is always safer to allow the bees to go into a new hive or a hive which has been thoroughly disinfected." Editor Hurley adroitly meets this by quoting Dr. White himself at the De- troit convention, who in answer to a question replied : " As far as I know, there has been no work done upon this line. The paper read tliat it would be safer to disinfect the hives, hii^ ^i'hethi'r it is iiet't'ssarv or m't wc do not k/nno. If there were honey or bur-combs containing honey left in the hive, it would be almost necessary to remove them." Plainly that makes Dr. White's posi- tion: "I advise that in all cases the hive be disinfected, but / do not kiioic that it is absohttely necessary." As to Editor Root's position there is the following paragraph : "It is true that Mr. E. R, Root expresses an emphatic opinion that 'foul brood can be (and has been) communicated by tlie old hive alone.' but I doubt very much the absolute certaint>" of it. With so very many oppor- tunities for the bees reaching infected honey, and the possibility of their taking some of it with them from the starters, I cannot understand how one cansay /'(i.t/Z/t't'/v that it came from the non-disinfected hives. But Mr. Root says further: 'While, «o times out of 100, merely shaking on to foundation is perhaps sufficient, yet if there is one case in a hundred where disease is transmitted through the hive land we have ample proof that there isi. nit hives should be disin- fected.' My comment on this is that the exception should prove the rule— especially when the cause of that exception is not ab- soluteh' known." The wonder is that Editor Hurley missed his chance to add this; "When Mr. Root says that if there is one case in a hundred where disease is trans- mitted through the hive all hives should be disinfected, he could hardly have been putting himself in the place of the man who really confronted the task of disinfecting UMl hives. Such a one would be likely to say, "Well, if there's one colony in the hundred that will get the disease again, it will be easier for me to treat that one colony again than to disinfect the whole of the 100 hives, so I'll take my chances and omit the disinfection." Summed up, the gist of Mr. Hurley's further argument is somewhat to this eft'ect : Thousands of times old hives have been used without disinfection, and the cure has been complete ; if there has been any case of the disease again appearing in a hive not disin- fected there is a possibility that the infection came in some other way than from tlie non-disinfected hive; the inspectors, men who have grappled with the disease at close quarters for years, say there is no need to disinfect hives ; and all this warrants the belief that the danger of infection from the hive is a negligible quantity. Spacing of Brood-Frames In this country it is the very general practise to space brood-frames ly^ inches from center to center. Yet there are some who prefer 1 1-12 inches, and they say that when bees build at their own sweet will in bo.x-hives the larger spacing will be found to prevail. But do bees always know what is best for them.'' John Silver, in the British Bee Jour- nal, says : "To enable the warmth of a cluster of bees to go as far as possible in the spring, the frames should be spaced at i 3-10 instead of I 0-20. The same number of bees that cover 5 frames spaced i g-20, can cover 0 frames at i 3-10." According to that, it would seem that 1 3-8 is too wide spacing by 3-4(t of an inch. Certainly, if we can have a larger quantity of brood properly cared for by closer spacing, that is something to be desired. And may there not be a still larger gain by spac- ing still closer? If brood-combs be 7-8 in thickness, and spaced 1 3-8, that leaves a passage-way of 1-2 inch be- tween 2 combs. Now why not make that passage-way only 1-4 inch, and thus have the same number of bees take care of double the number of brood-combs? At once some one will object that with such close spacing there will not be enough bees in the passage-way to keep up sufficient heat on a cold spring day. Surely there is a limit to close spacing. Is Mr. Silver sure he has not passed the limit with his 1 3-10 spacing? Are we sure that 1 3-8 does not sur- pass the limit? Do we know anything for sure about the matter, anyway? Editor Hurley and Editor Root A signed editorial upon the subject of disinfecting foul-broody hives ap- pears in the Canadian Bee Journal, page 207, in the course of which Editor Hurley says : " But Mr. Root adds one more sentence to the above, which, in m\' opinion, has special signiticance. It is this: ' Aid we ir« gUd to note that our Government officials stood out SQuare and clear on this proposition.' Why glad?" No further explanation is given as to what is the "special significance" of Mr. Root's remark, and the "Why glad.'" is left unanswered. But Mr. Hurley, maintaining his ground, closes the article by saying : "I am not an authority, and where doctors disagree I shall not attempt to decide. Pos- sibly, however, my not being in the supply business may have something to do with it." It will not be strange if the reader of that article, putting together the two passages quoted, and supplying what seems to be meant by innuendo, inter- prets Mr. Hurley somewhat after the following manner : "I am not in the supply business, and so I am inclined to use old hives; Mr. Root is in the supply business, and so favors the con- demnation of the old hives that the new ones may be sold. He is glad that Government officials agree with him, for that helps the supply business." Brantford, Canada, is a long ways from Medina, Ohio, and the likelihood is that Mr. Hurley is not intimately ac- quainted with the man E. R. Root. If he were, he would not for a moment thus judge him. Is it not possible that Mr. Root may be entirely sincere in the belief that it is a dangerous thing to use the hives in question? Editor Cowan is not interested in the supply business, and he holds with Editor Root. The same may be said of Dr. White and Mr. Macdonald. If three good men and true like these hold a certain belief, is it not possible that Mr. Root might hold the same belief even if he be in the supply business? And having that belief would he be honest, holding the position he does, not to insist vigorously that no risk should be run, even if some one with- out sufficient charitv should crv out August, lowj. American Me Journal ■■Self-interest! Supply business !" And why should he not be "'glad" that Government officials should agree with him. thus helping to avoid the loss that comes from hives that might be dan- gerous, in his opinion.'' Some one may say, " In accusing Editor Hurley of lack of charity are you not precisely guilty of that same sin? He has not said and may not have meant that Mr. Root's interest in the supply business warped his judg- ment in the least." Well, what did he mean then? It is true, come to think of it. that Mr. Root's belief can hardly be any aid to the supply business, for he does not advocate the destruction of the hive, but merely burning in it a handful of straw, and then using it. Yet what does Mr. Hurley mean — again it may be asked — by that ■'Why glad?" and by saying in connection with his belief that he is not in the supply business? If Mr. Hurley will say that he is entirely misinterpreted and will say out in plain English just what he meant, it will be a very great pleasure to offer him a most humble apology. Queen's Sting Not an Ovipositor One can hardly fail to note that the sting of the queen bears no little re- semblance to the ovipositor of other insects, and there have not been want- ing good authorities who have claimed that at least the sting was an aid in ovipositing. A. D. Downes-Shaw, in the British Bee Journal, says : '■Qn examinintr a comb with new-laid esjKS. it will be seen that the egss are almost cen- tral in the cell. Now the sting being curved downwards, if it were used as a guide, it would direct the egg to the lower angle of the cell, certainly not up to the center, and it seems almost impossible for the egg to be placed where it is usually seen if the curved sting is the guide." The editor says that the view that the sting is used as an ovipositor '■has not met with general acceptance, and the question has apparently dropped out of notice." Young Queens to Prevent Swarm- ing D. M. Macdonald, in the British Bee Journal, desires to know whether the introduction of a young queen of the current year's rearing may be relied on to prevent swarming. Editor Hutch- inson says that with him the introduc- tion of such a queen is a sure preven- tive. Dr. Miller says it is a failure with hiin. Gravenhorst says that if the young queen is not merely introduced, but reaifd in the hive, there will be no swarming till the following year. The temporary cessation of laying seems to count in the case. Dr. Miller says that with him the plan is practically re- liable, as also is the plan of merely in- troducing the young queen after hav- ing the colony queenless 10 days. But he has had one or two exceptions. The National at Sioux City, Iowa, Sept. 22-23 As we announced last month, the Executive Committee of the National Bee-Keepers' Association has decided on Sioux City as the place of meeting for the National Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion for this year. The time is Sep- tember "22 and 23. .As we understand it, there may not be any special railroad rates beyond 200 miles from Sioux City during the dates of the convention, but within that distance there will be a rate of 1 1-2 cents a mile each way. The Y. M. C. A. of Sioux City will provide lodgings for the bee-keepers, which will be quite a help, as the con- vention is held during the Inter-State Fair, when there will be crowds of people in Sioux City. Meals will be 10 cents and upward, as desired. General Manager France has re- quested that the attending bee-keepers have one afternoon in which to march in a body with banners, led by the President and Vice-President, to the Fair Grounds, to hold a session of the convention in the new building which I-. to be erected for the lioiK-y display at the Fair; and the judge of the bee and honey department may be selected from among the members attending the convention. We expect to be able to publish the full program and any other necessary information in the September number of the American Bee Journal. The foregoing perhaps will do for a starter. In the meantime, we hope that every bee-keeper that can possibly attend the convention will plan his work so that he may not fail to be present. It will likely be one of the largest and best conventions ever held by the Na- tional Association. It is in the center of a large bee-keeping territory, and the National has never before held a meeting in Sioux City. The local bee- keepers will certainly do all they can to treat the visiting bee-keepers right. And thev know how to do it. "Bee-Keeping in iVIassachusetts" This is th.- till.- of liulletin .\'n. "•">, Part VII, by Mr. Burton N. Gates, and for sale by the Superintendent of Doc- uments, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C, for .5 cents (stamps not accepted). It gives the history of bee-keeping in New England, and es- pecially in Massachusetts. The sources of honey, periods of nectar secretion, races of bees, hives, swarming, bee- enemies, bee-diseases, bee-keepers' or- ganizations, and finally a summary of the subject as it appears in Massachu- setts, are contained in the pamphlet. It is a very interesting Bulletin, particu- larly for bee-keepers in that State, and shows considerable research on the part of Mr. Gates, who is one of the experts in apiculture, working under the direction of the Government at Washington. ■Moving Apiaries in tKie Alps We give a representation, taken from the " Calendar of Swiss Bee-Keepers," of the moving of a number of hives of bees. The bees, shipped by rail from Rapperswil, on June 16th, were un- loaded at Lintal and taken from there by wagon to a point at 4600 feet of altitude, among the mountains of the Swiss Alps. Fig. 1 shows the unload- ing of the hives at destination, while Fig. 2 shows the placing of the same hives against the walls of the little "chalet," where they are to remain un- til the end of the late crop. Thus the apiarists take advantage of the early bloom in the valley and of the late bloom in the mountains. But no ex- tensive amount of bee-culture can be carried on in this way. The hives are of the cumbersome Berlepsch pattern, sometimes accommodating two or more colonies in the same box. "The Friend of Bee-Keepers" This is the name of a monthly bee- paper published in Japan, a copy of which has come to our desk. The price is 95 sen per year in Japanese money, which includes the postage to the United States. Of course, only those familiar with the Japanese lan- guage can read this publication. A copy of it can be had by addressing the publisher. Kikujiro Iwata, No. 61 Shirokiclio, Gifu, Japan. We wish this new bee-paper every success. Improvement in Bees F. J. M'llveen, Federal Independent Bee-Keeper, 11, as showing that breed- ing from the best makes improvement very slow, says that Dr. Miller's best crop was in 1881, notwithstanding that he has been improving his bees ever since. Evidently Mr. M'llveen has not been keeping close tab on Dr. Miller, whose previous records were left in the shade by the crops of 1903 and 1908. Back Numbers for 1909 We have ([uite a few numbers of the American Bee Journal back as far as January, 1909, so that any new siib- scribers who desire it can begin with Jan. 1, 1909, if they request it, so long as the back copies last. Apiarian Pictures We would be glad to have those who can do so, send us pictures of bee- yards, or of anything else that would be of interest along the bee-keeping line. August, igop. American Hee Journal Apiary of L. Boomhower I started an apiary 3 years ago with 3 colonies. Last summer I had 95 after they got through swarming, so you see I have been quite successful in getting a j-ard started, and like the business very much. I tried clipping queens this American Bee Journal was a student many years ago. The new President, W. H. McMaster, began his work there in April. He is well equipped for the position, and will be an inspiration to the young men and young women who may come under his influence. If there are anv of our younger readers who best of honey-gatherers. I sent queens to various districts and States. Wherever I sent them to cold localities they were spoken very highly of, but not so in the warmer dis- tricts; they complained of the Goldens taking paralysis badly." Mr. Beuhne then adds this cominent : "Most of the bee-keepers I know prefer dark bees. Of course it is possible to get Goldens immune to paralysis by a process of selection in breeding, but the leather-colored variety, in my experience, is less predisposed to that disease to start with, in my own and similar localities." Spider-Plant Hardy D. M. M. is told in the British Bee Journal that in that country spider- plant can be grown "only in the hot- house." Wonder if there is no mis- take about that. In this country it grows readily outdoors in Northern Illinois, and probably much farther north. Api.\rv of L. Boomhower, of G.\i.i,i'pvili,e, N. Y. spring for the first time, on a small scale. From the experience I have had with 2 swarms that have issued from hives with clipped queens, I want no more of it. The first swarm that issued with clipped queen, I stood only a few feet from the yard. When they started to come out I stepped to the hive-en- trance, and picked up the queen, saying to myself, "What an improvement this will be over climbing long ladders and saw-ing off limbs" ; but to my surprise, when the bees commenced to return, they went into other hives that stood near, as well as the new hive I had placed on the old stand, having removed the old one to a new place. Part of the bees went into the new hive and I let the queen go in with them. In a few minutes I thought that all was not go- ing as well inside of the hive from the way the bees acted, so I opened the hive to discover that the bees had pitched onto the queen and stung her to death. Last year was a poor season on ac- count of dry weather. I got but very little surplus honey. I use the 8-frame hive of Langstroth dimensions, also sec- tion-holders for comb honey, as I have no use for the T-super any more. L. Boomhower. Freehold, N. Y., June i. contemplate attending college, they will do well to send for a catalog of this most excellent educational institu- tion. In 1864, John B. York (father of ye Editor), and in 1894. Lewis E. York (a brother) graduated from this Col- lege, and both were also among its in- structors. So we are recommending a College with which we are well ac- quainted. Address, President W. H. McMaster, Room B. Chapman Hall, Alliance, Ohio. Color in Bees R. Beuhne, in the Australasian Bee- Keeper, says he has had Golden Ital- ians, not a Cyprian cross, which he ob- Bees Working on Sweet Clover One day I observed the nunjber of bees working on a sweet clover plant standing near the door of my dwelling house. On July 12, 1908, at 7'a.m., I be- gan making a count each hour of the number of bees working on this plant, with the following result : 7 a.m.— ID I p.m.— 15 8 a.m.— 8 2 p.m.— 10 g a.m.— 0 3 p.m.— 17 10 a.m.— 16 4 p.m. —18 11 a.m.— IS 5 p.m. —20 12 a.m.— 17 6p.m.— II 7p.m.- 3 The total count 178 I have no doubt that there were sev- eral times that number visited this plant that day, and they continued to work on it through July and .August. This report will show that they work on this plant from early in the morn- ing until late in the evening. Do they all get nectar from this plant? Pennsylvania State Convention The Pennsylvania State Bee-Keepers' Association will hold its next conven- tion in Lebanon, Pa., September 8 and 9, 1909. An excellent program is being prepared, and all bee-keepers who can possibly attend are cordially invited. A. F. S.-\TTERTHWAIT, Middletown, Pa. Si-c.-Trcas. Sweet Clover Plant of J. G. Creighton, H.'iRKisoN. Ohio. Mount Union College, Alliance, O. The sixty-third year of this Institu- tion begins September 21, 19119. It is the college in which the editor of the tained at different times from 3 differ- ent American breeders of repute, and finds them objectionable .where paralysis obtains. He quotes W. Reid as saying : "I kept this race (Golden) for some 12 years — they were free from paralysis, and the I will send you a picture of the sweet clover plant standing under the window against the brick wall, and myself making observation. J. G. Creighto.\. Harrison, Ohio, April 18. August. 1909. American l^ee Journal Olt-Apiarv of Geo. O. Berry, of Whittier. Cal. Apiary of Geo. O. Berry This apiary is located 19 miles south- east of Los Angeles and one mile south of Whittier, in the Citrus belt. The 120 colonies on this location produced 7 tons of extracted honey during May and June. 1908. The past spring we had 450 colonies on the same location, but have moved 300 about 100 miles farther east to the edge of the desert, where I expect to harvest a big crop of wild buck- wheat honey. The buckwheat flow starts about the middle of June and lasts till October or November. Geo. O. Berry. Cajon, Calif., June 16. Conducted by EMMA M. WILSON, .Mareiii.'". HI. Stung !-Selling Old Comb Honey-Attic Bee-Keeping Uear .\I[.-5S Wilson : — It lias been a Iouk time since you have heard from me. But I am still keeping bees, and have had some experience since I last wrote. On July 13. I took off my first honey. I got up at 4 o'clock and went first to my Grossest colony. I had on a big long-sleeved apron. and I neglected 10 put on a belt. The result was a bee got into my veil and stung me on the left temple. I had to go to the house and undo my hat. and it was several minutes be- fore 1 could get the sting out. It was in my hair, and in very deep. So I had to give two good pulls before I got it out. I put on some tincture of myrrh, as I saw by the Bee Jour- nal one sister did. and went back to the bees. In a half hour my left eye was swollen /7^A/shut. All day it was shut as tight as though it were blind. But I managed to un- cap and extract 150 pounds of delicious honey, and the next day I took off about 50 pounds of comb honey from another colony. All this from 3 colonies. The doctor— whom I met on the street- told me the reason my sting swelled so was because it was so near the nerve center. It did not pain me in the least, but I had a "swell affair " for 3 days. The tincture of myrrh. I find, on me has a tendencj- to spread the swelling, but it takes out the fever and the itching. Only for that I am of the firm opinion that the less you fuss with a bee- sting the better. I have just finished reading tlie July num- ber of the .Journal. And it is one of the best numbers— for me— ever issued. I was much interested in the article on page 242 of G. C. (jreiner, I ran all in.v colonies, when 1 first started to keep bees, for comb hoiie>-. But I had so many calls for extr.icted honey that I decided t(j try some, I put it up in quart Mason jars as Mr. (ireiner does, and sold it all last year, while I still have some comb honey left over. I bought new quart Mason jars which I find hold 3 pounds net of honey. .\nd i sell them— jai- and all— for 50 cents, making 15 cents per pound net for the honey. I find most of my customers prefer the extracted honey if they are sure it is rii.'/:/. An we get more honey when running for extracted honey here in the city, I run all my colonies but one this year for ex- tracted honey. Will you kindly advise me the best way to dispose of last years crop of honey? I have been informinga prospective purchaser that I have a little last year's honey which I would sell for 2 cents a pound less than the new honey. But they all prefer "new honey," \Iust I make a larger reduction in price, or don't I go at it properly? Last year when I was looking for queen- cells I had an unusual experience. In one hive was a queen-cell just about to hatch. I cut it out carefully .inped out. I took her to the house aiul put her into a queen-cage with a few bees. I fed them and made a new colony from frames taken from different hives and introduced the queen. That col- ony has proved one of the best I have from every point of view. The same day the same thing happened from another colony, but the queen died. It was a novel experience to me. A number of tJefiple in the city have a col- ony of bees in the attic for their own benefit. The fad was started by a well meaning old man who used to keep bees. But the fad is not what it was supposed to be. No one of those having a colony dares go near the bees, and the result is they have to depend upon the man they bought them of for care. >Jow this man is getting old and forgetful. And the owner doesn't get any honey because he forgot to remove the cloth over the frames, or forgot to put on a super. So, in my opin- ion, the fad will gradually die out, except by a man— or woman— who can handle the bees himself or herself. A young man called at my house about a week ago and asked if I would lend him my smoker, bee-gloves and hat. He kept bees near our house several years ago, but has since moved them to the country. He ex- plained that one of the houses near where he worked had a swarm of bees in the attic. They were painting the house, and the bees were so angry that none of the men dared work on that side of the house. And the people had appealed to him for help. His idea was to take off the cover and put a screen on the top for ventilation and a screen over the entrance to keep them in. But I understood from a neighbor that they finally had to take the bees into the country. Evidently they did not take them far enough as they were coming back in small swarms, and the workmen were all too frightened to work. I informed them that they must paint their house early in the spring before the bees fly much, or later on in the fall, I wish you a big honey crop and much suc- cess, (Miss) Elsie A, Cutter. Grand Rapids. Mich., July 17. You say you had to give two good pulls before you got the sting out. Please don't "pull" stings out; scrape them out with the finger-nail. Yes, of course it is not so easy to scrape a sting out that's among the hair, but it isn't easy to pull a sting there either. You may have to scrape several times more than twice, but you are not forc- ing the poison in at every scrape, and you are at every pull, for when you pull you pull by the poison-sac, and at every pull you squeeze the sac and force out more poison. You are quite right that it's a good plan not to fuss much with a sting. Some one — is it A. I. Root? — says, "Get the sting out, then let it alone and think about something else." When you've had more stings they will not trouble you so much. .As to last year's honey, much de- pends upon how it has kept. If it has l)een kept in a dry, warm place, it ought to differ very little from new honey. But it may not have kept so well, and may now be candied. At any rate, you must come down on the price enough so that some one, a/ the price, will pre- fer it to new honey. You may also sell it in the liquid state. Unless it has been kept in the very best condition you can liardly e.xtract it; but you can melt it. It should not be heated over 1()0 degrees. Set the crock or dish containing the honey in a vessel of water, put it on a part of the stove where it will not be very hot, and let it slowly melt. No matter if it is 2 or 3 days at it, cooling off several times. When entirely melted and cooled, take off the cake of wax and your honey will be nice. Nougat Letitia Take 2 pounds of honey, boil it in a cup of water and skim. Stir constantly and moderate the fire. When the syrup begins to thicken remove from the fire, and, stirring constantly, add 5 ounces grated chocolate and 12 ounces al- monds coarsely chopped, warmed, and previously blanched and dried. Let thicken, and pour in dishes 266 August, 1909. American H^ee Journal j The Youngest Lady Bee-Keeper Driving Bees. greased with butter or oil. Divide in- to squares before too cold. As a matter of taste or economy there may be added, a few minutes be- fore the pouring, 10 ounces of thick tapioca, warm, and cooked separately, stirring in with the whole. In that case increase the amount of chocolate to 6 ounces, and the almonds to 1 pound. — L'Apiculteur (French). Youngest English Lady Bee-Keeper In this country tlic women folk seem generally to be somewhat in advance of their sisters in other parts of the world in almost everything pertaining to the matter of securing an independ- ent living. But for some reason, if one can judge from what can be gleaned from the bee-journals — perhaps one better say from the Bee Journals, British and American — in England the sisters more generally take a part in bee-keeping than in this country. Even the little chicks sometimes have a part, and in. a very public way. In the British Bee Journal appears a picture of a 7-year-old lassie driving bees, ac- companied by the following note from her grandmother: Our Youngest Lady Bee-Keeper. I have pleasure in sending you a photo- graph of one of the youngest bee keepers in tlie world, my grandchild. Ethel Grace Sea- don, who is in her 8th year. .She goes into the bee-tent with her father and drives the bees while he gives his lecture, and is quite as skillful as a grown-up person in managing her little pets. She is to assist her father at the Beckenham Flower Show this sum- mer, and her presence in the bee-tent, fear- lessly handling the " dangerous insects " (as some people think them), is quite an object- lesson to spectators as showing how harm- less bees are when properly managed. Bromley. Kent. Mrs. Seadon. C^anadian ^. Conducted bv J. L. BYER, ilount Joy. Ont. Introducing Queens. In speaking of introducing a queen to the colony that had its own queen ac- cidentally killed, I am made to say in the last issue of the Journal, that the queen was introduced inside of 9 hours after the old queen was killed. Instead of 9 hours, it should read 2 hours, and I am pleased to report that the queen was safely introduced as surmised, and the colony stored 180 pounds of clover honey during a flow that lasted less than two weeks. Please do not jump to the conclusion that we have had a great big crop from the clover, as such has not been the case, — but the colony in question was a little out of the ordinary, being so strong when the clover came into bloom, that the equivalent of 30 Langstroth combs were fully occupied with bees, brood and honey. Because of the colony being such an extra-good one, was all the more reason for my reproaching myself for my bungling accident with the qiieen. Ontario's Clover Honey Crop. From reports to date, Ontario will have a medium crop of clover honey of very line quality. In my own case, at least, the quality is better than usual, and the honey is so thick that it is a lot of work to get it out of the combs, and as for getting it through cheese cloth — it is a slow process indeed. Prospects were good for an immense crop from clover with us early in the season, but a very severe drouth liter- ally dried the clover up, and all our honey came in, in about 10 days. Start- ing on June 18 (very early when com- pared with our abnormally late spring), the clover flow was phenomenal for 6 days, and then the dry weather with no dews at night, seemed to stop all nectar- secretion. After about 10 days of this dearth of honey, we had a light shower just when we had given up hope of any more honey for the clover, and then again for 4 days the honey came in with a rush. Strong colonies, with an almost total lack of swarming, enabled us to obtain a medium crop of honey, and at present the bees are immensely strong and ready for any flow that may come along. Basswood, what little we have, is open- ing to-day (July 19), but there is no nectar in sight yet from that source, and we are not any too hopeful of getting any honey from it, as for some 7 years now in succession it has disappointed us. While the trees are comparatively scarce, as to what was the case some years ago, yet I am convinced that what we have do not yield nectar, and so it would be no different if the trees were more numerous. Aside from any pos- sible yield from the basswood, buck- wheat is all we can look for to yield any honey in the way of surplus after the clov.er is over, in our locality. Buckwlieat Honey in Ontario. Speaking of buckwheat, I am remind- ed of the old saying, "All things come to those who wait," and I believe it is as true in the matter of bee-forage as in some other matters. This year I have been amazed in visiting some localities to find there, hundreds of acres of alsike being grown for seed, when only a few years ago not an acre of ground was de- voted to that purpose. Here in our sec- tion where the clover has been grown so long a time, the tendency now is rather towards a restriction of acreage instead of an increase, this because of some weed seeds getting in the land, that is hard to clean out of the alsike, thus lowering the price of the seed so infec- ted. Less than five years ago, I was moving my bees from the home apiary in the fall so that they might get a bit of buckwheat — this year there are 200 acres of buckwheat within 2 miles around this same apiary. The presence of Russian thistle and quack grass in the land explains the growing of buckwheat in our rich farm- ing land, as the farmers find the buck- wheat a good thing to hold back these pests. The land is well worked till about the first or second week in July, and then the buckwheat is sown. The plant makes such a rapid growth that the remnant of the weeds that may be alive do not make much headway. While the buckwheat does not yield honey with us as it does in some other localities, yet, one year with another it will more than furnish enough for win- ter stores, and naturally it is apprecia- ted by most of the bee-keepers. Some, though, on account the liability of the buckwheat honey crowding close on the clover flow in some seasons, wish there was no buckwheat grown ; but. personal- Iv, I count the growing of the plant a blessing to us, as during the pa?t t, poor August. 1909. American Hee JournaT| years that we had in our section of country, no question but that the plant caused a good many bee-keepers, the writer among the number, to be able to have the balance on the right side of the ledger. Tieriiig-Up Colonies — Bee-Escapes. While there may be a question as to whether it pays to tier up colonies run for extracted honey with more than 2 extracting supers, there is no doubt but that in times of a rapid flow of honey, and the bee-keeper being very busy — especially if more than one yard is being managed — that it pays immensely, and saves a lot of worry, to have sufficient super-combs handy to enalile one to give more than 2 supers to colonies that may so require them. At least it helps one at the time the flow is on, but as I view one yard that has a number of colonies w'ith 3 supers on, yet to be extracted, I really wish the honey was off, especially as it looks as if the work will have to be done at a time when there is no flow of honey in progress. I have never used bee-escapes in tak- ing off the honey, and for various reas- ons believe I would not like them, yet I might possibly fall in line with their use, if I were to have them on hand to take honey off the 3-super colonies mentioned. Well, I will not give up hope of enough basswood honey coming in yet to enable me to work with pleasure while remov- ing this honey. At the yard in question, the honey- house is not bee-tight — so now you see the cause of my plaint. Of course such should not be the case, but I might as well confess that there are a whole lot of things in my apiaries that "should not be.'' and while two out of three of my yards have houses that are supposed to be bcc-cxclusii'c, often in the running of out-apiaries I do not know if it will pay to have anything in shape as in the case with those who own their home and have but one yard of bees, the same be- ing right on their own property perman- ently. With a tight honey-house that will surely exclude all bees, I do not dread taking off honey at any time of the season, whether honey is coming in or not ; but with a honey-house not bee- tight, that is altogether a different propo- sition. Using the Capping->Ielter. I am trying the capping melter quite extensively this year, and so far my ex- periences are rather conflicting. By next month I hope to be able to give my ideas of the device, after having tested it more thoroughly. One thing is cer- tain, it is quite a relief to have the cap- pings all out of the way, at the end of the day's extracting: but there are other problems that enter into tlic deal as well, which I will consider in a later issue. Ba.sBwood as a Honey-Vielder. It is the generally accepted idea, I be- lieve, that basswood yields little if any pollen. This year, if any one was here now, he would easily be convinced of the fallacy of this idea. For the past week the weather has been showery and very cool for the season of the year, and today (July 22) the basswoods are in full bloom. On trees near the house here, the bees are working on the bloom during the rain which is falling lightly, and although they are getting but little nectar, nearly all the bees have minute light yellow pollen-balls attached to them as they enter the hives. Strange to say. the bumble-bees are in full force in the bloom, and nearly every one of them has quite large loads of this same light-colored pollen attached to them, as they can be seen flitting among the blossoms. Personally, I have not the least doubt but that the pollen is coming from the blossoms on which they are working, and, indeed, what other reasonable solution could be made of the problem? It is tile first time I have ever noticed the like, and when I first saw the bum- ble-bees with the pollen, I could hardly believe my own eyes. I believe it is gen- erally the case that when pollen is being yielded by a plant in an abnormal pro- portion, the nectar is scarce — at least this is always the case with clover, and at present it is true with the basswood, as practically no honey is coming in. Of course, the weafher is really too cool and showery to expect nectar to come in from anv source. (^onfribufed :a Hiving Swarms With Clipped Queens BY G. M. DOOLITTLE. A correspondent writes, "I have trou- ble hiving swarms having queens with clipped wings. Will you please tell us through the columns of the American Bee Journal how this is best done?" The simplest plan, and one which I used for years, or till I concluded that I wished no more natural swarming for myself, is as follows : Go to some woods where you can cut a light tough pole, which will reach to the top of your tallest trees, which we will take for granted are not more than 25 feet high. If you are in a locality where your trees are liable to cause your bees to cluster higher than this, then I would on no account tolerate natural swarming. Have the large or butt end of the pole sharpened so that it can be pressed into the ground when- ever necessary, or when you may so de- sire. At the upper or small end of the pole, tie on a bunch of brown rags about 4 inches in diameter and S inches along to the top of the pole, when the same is ready for use. When a swarm issues, proceed to find the queen, which is easily done by step- ping to the rear of the hive from which the bees are pouring, when the queen will be seen, as soon as she comes out, hopping around in front of the hive on the ground. As soon as seen, put the open end of a wirecloth cage you will keep her in, down in front of her, when she will run in, after which you will close the cage with a stopper. This cage should be about one inch in diam- eter and 6 inches long. When the queen is caught, secure the cage to the brown bunch with a wire or two. so bent that it will fasten the cage quickly and securely where you wish it. Now raise the pole in the air and keep it where the bees are thickest, when they will often begin to alight on the brown bunch with the queen. As soon as a pint or more have settled on the bunch, slowly carry the pole to where you can lean it up against something, and the bees will follow along and keep alighting as you go, and continue to do so till all have settled. If they do not alight on the pole they will soon select a spot to alight upon the same as they would if the queen was flying with them, for her presence is known to them just the same as if site had her wings whole and was amongst them in the air. As soon as they begin to alight, place the pole in such a position that the queen and brown bunch comes at the place they are clustering, and leave it thus while you are preparing a hive for them. When they are partially clus- tered, raise the pole or push it up and out, so that the queen and bunch of rags, with the bees on them, is a foot or so away from their selected cluster- ing place, when all the bees will cluster with the queen, after which you can carry them wherever you please, the same as you would had you cut off a limb with the cluster upon it. Having the bees on our pole, they are carried to the hive where you wish to place them, when a small portion of the cluster is detached from the rest by pok- ing them off with the pocket-knife, the hive-opener, or anything which is con- venient, having these bees drop right in front of the entrance to the hive, into which they will run, setting up the call of ".\ home is found," when all the bees which may have taken wing through this process of detaching the pint or so of bees, or otherwise, will begin to alight down with those running in. When these are nicely started go- ing into the hive, another poke of the cluster is made, dislodging this time a quart or so, and when this last lot are well under way into the hive, we are to shake all of the bees off the bunch of rags on the pole, shaking them along from one to 2 feet out from the en- trance, so they will not clog the same 268 August, 1909. American Vee Journal by so many of them coming en masse in front of it at once. These last shaken off will at once begin to run toward those that have before started in, when the "line of march" will go steadily on until all are in the hive. If in going in, they hustle up to the entrance so fast as to clog it with bees, I take my knife and gently stir the bees directly in front of the entrance, which will cause them to run in with renewed vigor. When nearly all of the bees are in, the queen is liberated and allowed to go in, when the work is done. Xo matter in how bad a place they cluster, the operation of getting the swarm on the pole is always simple, and there is no need of being in a hurry, for they cannot go to the woods if left hanging on the pole in the hot sun all day, for should they uncluster and start off they would soon come back to the pole and queen, as I have had them do several times. This also does away with that bugbear in natural swarming, ol having 2 or more swarms come out at the same time, as all bee-keepers hav- ing several colonies know so well about, for we need not work with sheets, foun- tain pump, or anything of the kind, till we are almost ready to give up in des- pair, to keep them from going together, as used to be the case in olden times ; but simply let them cluster on the pole and we are at liberty to prepare the second, third or fourth hive, as the case may be, leaving a queen in front of each hive except the first, as the queen for that hive is on the pole. When all are clustered, take the pole and carry it to the hive having a queen in front of it, when we proceed to hive them as at first, except that we only dislodge from the cluster on the pole about the right proportion of bees for one hive ; then go the next, leaving enough for a colony there, and so on till all are hived as we wish them. All is done with a perfect ease and certainty, which no other plan can fully give. I would often leave the bees hanging on this pole two or three hours, or till I got other pressing business done, when I would hive them at my leisure, the only caution being necessary was to see that the pole was so fixed that it could not break from the great weight of bees, and that the queens, not with the cluster, had a few bees with them to feed and care for them while waiting. In fact, it is always well to allow from 4 to 10 bees to run into the cage with the queen, when she is found in front of the hive, so that should any unfore- seen thing happen to call the apiarist away, these would feed and protect the queen all day if need be. Then, if, to- ward the latter part of the swarming season, I wished to put 2 swarms in a hive so they would rush a whole lot of nice honey into the sections in the short- est, possible time, thus making them bring in an immediate return in cash, while if each were put separately in hives, nothing would be the result in section honey, I did not have to hunt out the queens for one of them was with the two clustered swarms, and the other was let go back into its old hive. I would as soon think of going to the old log gums and 1iox-hives, as I would of managing an apiary on the natural swarming plan with queens having un- dipped wings. Borodino, N. Y. Grading and Testing Queens BV J. C. FRANK. As many of our small bee-keepers (novice and amateur) don't know how to grade or test queens, nor know the mean- ing of such grading, I am writing this article with a hope of helping them to decide which queens to order. For I notice that many of them think that an untested queen is a virgin, or one that is not impregnated, and are at a loss to know which queen to order, and natural- ly send for some high-priced queens, when an untested one would have been just as good for the production of honey. Unless something very fine to breed from and improve the stock is wanted, an untested queen will be cheap- er and just as good as the higher priced one. Some of the terms used by bee-keep- ers in general are not of the best, and are misleading to the beginners in bee- keeping. But as they have been handed down to us by our forefathers we will have to stay with them. VIRGIN QUEENS. The newly hatched queen is called a virgin to distinguish her from queens that have been fertilized by the drone or male bee. Virgin queens when first hatched are sometimes nearly as large as a fertile queen, but they gradually de- crease in size and when 3 or 4 days old they often look so small that a beginner is disgusted with their appearance, and, if he is hasty, is apt to pronounce them good for nothing. For the first 4 or 5 days they crawl about much as an ordin- ary worker-bee does, and it is often very difficult, if not almost impossible, to find them unless plenty of time is taken, and that is more than a busy apiarist can afford to spare. My ad- vice is not to look for them, but insert a comb of unsealed larvae just hatching from the egg If no cells are started, you can rest assured that the queen is tlierc. without looking further, for the very moment she is lost the bees will start queen-cells on this comb, and it enables the bees to rear another queen in case the queen is lost on her wedding trip, which is often the case. This comb will also keep the bees from swarming out with the queen on her wedding trip, which they are apt to do if in a small nucleus containing no brood. .\GE AT WHICH QUEEN MATES. I notice that the different writers on bees do not agree as to the age when a virgin queen leaves the hive on her wed- ding trip, some stating that they leave the hive when 2 or 3 days old. I am of the opinion that all who make reports of queens being fertilized when under 5 days old are mistaken. I never saw such a thing to happen in my apiaries, and in my queen-breeding experience I have noticed them time and time again, when but 5 days old. but I never knew one to do so when under that age. The fact is that I spend all my time during the queen-rearing season in the apiary among the bees, and use every possible means in forcing the young queen to fly and take her wedding trip and become fertile at the earliest moment possible. I never have found a young queen lay- ing when less than 7 days old. WHEN VOUNG QUEENS BEGIN TO LAY. Young queens commence to lay from 36 to 48 hours after they become fertile. The time varies according to the season, and whether during the honey-flow. Nearly all young queens will start to lay in about 36 hours after mating. Later in the season, when no honey is coming in from the field, it will be from 48 hours to 2 or 3 days. UNTESTED QUEENS. After the young queen has started laying she is called an untested queen, for her worker progeny hasn't hatched yet, and the queen-breeder doesn't know whether she will produce pure bees or hybrids. These queens are reared from the very best breeding-queens, or from select tested, which are Iseing tested for breeding purposes. If the queen-breeder is giving his proper attention to the breeding of queens and sees to it that no hybrids or scrub drones are allowed to fly in his apiaries, 90 percent of the untested queens will prove to be purely mated, and for the honey-producer are just as good as the higher priced queens. SE[,ECT UNTESTED QUEENS. These are selected from all the untest- ed queens in the apiary. These queens are good layers, very prolific and vigor- ous. They are large and well formed, active on the combs, and somewhat brighter in color than the average un- tested queens. For real business an un- tested queen often proves to be as good as the select untested queens. As a rule they prove to be tested queens. TESTED QUEENS. A tested queen is one that has been laying for 30 days or more and her pro- geny (or young bees) have already emerged from their cells. They have been in the hive long enough so that their progeny can be tested and know that they are purely mated. If they are mismated they are called hybrids. SELECT TESTED. A select tested queen is one that has been selected from the tested queens on hand in the apiary. They are purely mated, are good layers, very prolific and vigorous. They are large and well formed, active on the combs, and some- what brighter in color than the average tested queens ; their progeny is also somewhat brighter than the progeny from a tested queen. BREEDING QUEENS. A breeding queen is one that has been in the hive from 50 days to one year, and has been tested not only for her worker progeny but for her queen pro- geny as well, and found pure in every way. To test a breeding queen properly she' should be in the hive for the entire season. Her bees should be well marked, uniform in color and size, prolific and hardy. They should be good gatherers, and cap their honey white. Dodge City, Kans. August, 1909. American Hee Journal A Study of the Eyes of Bees BV C. P. DADANT. The discussion of the question of dis- tances traveled by bees in search of honey has raised the question of eye- sight in bees. On this point, as in many others, there seems to be some difference of opinion. As my readers are aware, the honey- bee is provided with 5 eyes, 2 very large compound eyes, placed on each side of the head and three small eyes called scientifically "ocelli," arranged in a tri- angular position at the top of the head. There is uniformity of opinions to the purpose of the small eyes. The honey- bee needs to see in the fields at con- siderable distance, but it needs also to see in the hive at a very close range, and entirely in the dark. The ocelli seem fitted for that purpose. Thos. W. Cow- an, in his anatomical description of the honey-bee, quotes Miiller, a German, as remarking that, "from their structure, their power of vision was confined to the perception of very near objects." Lowne, an English entomologist quoted by the same author, says that the func- tion of the ocelli is the perception of the intensity and direction of the light rather than vision in the ordinary ac- ceptation of the term. They conclude that the ocelli are useful in dark places and for near vision. Bees certainly can- not see a distance, in the dark, and the use of the eyes must be confined to a reach of less than 2 inches when inside of the hive. .Ml apiarists who have tried handling bees in the dark know how they fly at random and crawl about over or through one's clothes. But the least motion, within a couple of inches near the entrance in a dark night will draw their attention and cause them to fly at the intruder in defense of their home. They will even resist intrusion more promptly at night than in the day- time, probably because during the day they can better discern the actions of persons at a distance and more readily realize whether danger is at hand. Bees do not take offence at slow mo- tions, and this is plausible. We will ourselves beware of a nervous horse and avoid his heels more carefully than those of a peaceable animal. The bees seem to have as much tact in recogniz- ing nervous persons as the most intelli- gent of our domestic animals, and even more than human beings possess. Cheshire appears to have a like opin- ion concerning the ocelli of the bee, say- ing that they are very convex and are adapted to short-distance vision. The French entomologist, Girard, expresses himself in almost the same words, say- ing that the ocellus presents a very con- vex cornea in connection with a micro- scopical function at very short range. One writer, however, Rauschenfels, in his explanation of the excellent micro- scopic studies of Count Gactano Barbo, engraved by Clerici in the '"o's, says that the ocelli may serve to see at great distances. The compound eyes are formed of a great number of facets. Cowan says from 3S00 to 5000 in the worker, and many more in the drone. Cheshire, whose authority seems to be accepted even by foreign scientists, places the number of facets in each compound eye of the worker-bee at about 6300, which would give that insect 12,600 different e}"es, turned to almost all points of the compass. Most of the writers spend a great deal of time arguing whether the bee does not have a multiple reproduc- tion of the objects seen, similar to what we see when we look through a prism. It seems to me that it is only necessary to think of our own eyes, two in num- ber, yet not giving us a double sight of objects, to understand that the numer- ous eyes of the bee give her only a sin- gle view of objects seen; but the field of vision given by so many eyes is great- ly enlarged over our own. By closing one eye we immediately perceive how much reduced becomes our field of vis- ion and we thus realize how much more and how much better we could see in all directions, if we were possessed of compound eyes, returning all their com- bined impressions to one nerve center. That the compound eyes are of use to see at a distance is doubted only by one scientist, whom I mentioned in a previous article. Mr. Bonnier, a Pro- fessor at the Sorbonne, denies the sight of bees at long distances and claims that they can find their home, if they are blinded with a preparation of dark- ened collodion. Yet he acknowledges — nay, he teaches — that which the merest novice in apiculture knows, that the young bee, at her first flight, carefully scans the surroundings of her hive be- fore taking her departure for the field. The first flight of the young bees is an iiUeresting sight, for they circle over and over again around the entrance, en- larging the circles as they go until they are lost sight of. How far can the bees see? Some one calls my attention to the fact that Lowne has calculated from the angle formed by the lenses of the compound eye that at a distance of 20 feet, bees can distin- guish objects from one-half to one inch in diameter. But can they see a field of clover 2 miles away, if the configura- tion of the country is such as to permit them such a range? This is a point that 1 would like to see settled. Personally, I doubt it very much, even though I see it supported in an editorial in Gleanings for July 1st. The editor, E. R. Root, seems to agree with me as to the range of hce-pasturc — he puts the limit at a mile and a half for ordinary range, but tliinks tliat in a hilly country bees will fly farther because they can see farther. I am enclined to think that their olfac- tory organs are even more acute than their sight and it seems to me that, when they go to greater distances than above mentioned, it is with the guidance of the nrlor of large fields of strong-smelling blossoms, such as buckwheat or bass- wood. Tn spite of their marvelous eyes, bees make errors in location. Many young bees, after the first flight, return to the wrong hive, if they happen to be loca- ted where many hives of like form and size are closely gathered. These errors of the young bees can be most easily detected when a new race is introduced ill the apiary. A few yellow Italians are rendilv traced to the hive of common bees wliich they may have entered by mistake. If the season is favorable, as they do not come as robbers, they are often very peaceably welcomed by their neighbors. The eyes of the drone are very much larger than those of either workers or queens. They appear to occupy the en- tire side of the head, and join together at the top, so tliat the ocelli are in front of them instead of between them. Why such powerful sight — 26,000 facets in the eyes of a single insect? Because the drones spend their time of flight seek- ing for a mate. The queen must be found and met, in the air, on the wing. Even if we were to grant to the bee a "sense of direction," such as is claimed for them by Bonnier, which would en- able them to find their home from a point not previously visited by them, and which would be a sort of instinct, we would still have to recognize that their eyes must be powerful to enable them to find the hole in a tree in the heart of the forest, when seeking for a new abode for the swarm. That the bees should find the key-hole of the honey-house, to carry away the honey, may be explained by their organs of smell recognizing the presence of their product in that honey-house, but the liollow tree has no smell that can at- tract them. Can we deny the existence in tliem of even more acute senses than our own? Hamilton, 111. Management of Swarms BY EDWIN BEVINS. This is July 17. Swarming began in this yard in the last days of June, and has been going on daily ever since. Some days I had the satisfactiofi of see- ing 2 or 3 swarms cluster together. Saved work. I used some repressive measures to delay and prevent swarm- ing, but repressive measures this year do not repress much. The colonies from whicli swarms issued were treated in a variety of ways. One was divided into 3- frame nuclei, each nucleus having a comb with one or more sealed queen- cells. Many others had a 3- frame nu- cleus taken from them and the other combs used to help colonies not quite strong enough for work in supers. A few were allowed to recuperate on the old stand. In the beginning I did not want any increase at all, and when I looked around a few days ago and saw a lot of hives from which swarms had pone, and a lot of supers on them in which no storing was being done right in the midst of a honey-flow, I felt like saying with Tennyson, "I would that my tongue could utter The thouRhts that arise in me" — without swearing. I had read and pondered a good many of the ways ad- vised for the prevention of increase, but was not satisfied with any of them, but the matter was getting serious. The hopes for early section honey to sell were going glimmering. A few days ago I prepared a hive for the next swarm with a set of empty combs and about the time it was ready a big swarm was clustered readv for it. As soon as 270 August, igog. the bees got quiet in the hive, I phiced the hive under the hive of a colony that had swarmed a few days before.' The combs of this hive were pretty well tilled with honey, and made good dummies. I let the hive with the swarm stand under this for about 4S hours, then took it away and shook the bees off their combs in front ol the other hive. There was no lighting at an\- time, and in a few- hours the bees had entered the supers. Since then I have treated others in the same way, and shall so treat all that corne. The lesson is that if you can not keep a swarm and its colony together you can keep together a swarm and some other colony that has swarmed. I have not tried this with my swarm- ing colony that had brood and queen- cells yet in it, feeling doubtful of the outcome. Perhaps it will work all right if queen-cells are cut, and perhaps will work on the parent colony if aueen-cells are cut. I have so far had plenty of colonies that had no queen-cells. Prob- ably some or all had virgin queens. The bees settle the matter of supremacy to suit themselves. Some of the hives I use for catching swarms have mostly frames with starters of foundation. The swarms have been so accommo- dating as to cluster low, and I have hived all but 3 or 4 without assistance. I have used a method this season that I have not practiced before. I set the hive with cover removed directly under the cluster, give the branch a sharp shake or rap, and the cluster lands right on top of the brood-frames. The bees are not long in getting dowti onto the combs. For the benefit of some young bee- keeper who is not yet fertile in resources (he will have to become so if he keeps many bees, and keeps them long), 1 will tell how I hived without help a large swarm of bees that had clustered on the highest branch of a rather tall apple- tree. The branch was of arching form, and the bees were out a few feet from the body of the tree, or I might have had trouble. I placed a hive directly under the cluster, elevated on a big box so that the top of the brood-frames was about 6 feet above the ground. The bees were about 10 feet above the top of the hive. Usually when bees are detached from a limb at such a height they will scatter in the air, but this cluster was so heavy that I thought I could land a good part of it on top of the brood-frames. I cleared away some twigs and small branches in order to make a clear pas- sage, and then went up the tree. A \igorous shake dropped about one-third of the bees on top of the hive and they went mostly down, while others flew about, actiiig as decoys for the rest. Some of these clustered again in the same old place. I gave the limb a rap and sent another lot to the hive. Then more gathered on the limb, but before rapping it a third time I took the pre- caution to button my shirt-front. After detaching them a third time I drove a cloud of smoke right into the clustering place and all the bees were soon in the hive. In the article which appeared in the July issue I told how to change a Da- "dant hive to an ii-frame Langstroth, and inexcusably omitted to say that the American Vee Journal hive's length should be shortened one inch. This is easily done with the hives as I make them. If you have the fac- tory made hives, better leave them as they are. I am not expecting that any- body will make any ii-frame hives in any way. In a recent issue of the American Bee Journal, I was made to mention Mr. Chapman's apiary as his old apiary. It should have read his whole apiary. I have read of many ways of getting and keeping swarm and swarming col- ony together during the harvest, but have not been satisfied with any of them. The Heddon plan is too slow, and most of them require too much labor, and in- volve the building and care of a new set of brood-combs, which very likely you do not want. Leon, Iowa. Selling Extracted Honey For years I have been in the habit of selling extracted honey from 8 to 10 cents a pound, according to the amount taken by the purchaser. Two years ago this summer while out on the road tak- ing orders for extracted honey, I met another bee-keeper who lives within 4 miles of my home. Enquiring what he charged for good, well-ripened honey, he told me 9 cents a pound. What was my surprise when a few days afterward I learned that all around in my neigh- liorhood he had offered honey for 7 cents a pound, simply to cut down the price for me ; and still greater was my surprise when I again learned that with- in a short distance of his home he sold honey for 9 cents a pound. Is it not a disgrace that there are such bee-keepers in Minnesota? Of course, an intelligent and up-to-date bee-keeper would do no such a thing. It is only those shiftless and ignorant bee-keepers who have no respect for their fellowmen who can do such a thing. But right here let me say that nine times out of ten, if you ask any of those bee-keepers to subscribe for a bee-paper they will say, "No," telling you they do not need a Isee-paper because they think they know all they need to know, I have read and studied a number of the best bee-books, take three bee-papers, and every time I find something new and of great interest and sometimes worth dollars to me. When will the bee-keepers of Minnesota wake up, or- ganize, and demand reasonable prices, as other intelligent bee-keepers do in other States? Why should we sell our best honey for 7 cents a pound when we could just as well get 2 to .3 cents more? We all know well that everything has raised considerably in price the past years. Why should we sell our honey as cheaply now as it was sold 10 or 15 years ago? To give an example of what lioney will bring if not misrepresented, let me state the following : Last summer a man in Xew Jersey wrote to me asking for samples and prices of my honey. I wrote and told him I could not sell and ship honey such a distance unless I would get 9 cents a pound. Great was my surprise when I received a letter )>=^^^~\ from him a few days afterwards stating that he would gladly pay me 10 cents a pound, and would pay for the cans and freight besides. Of course. I sold him a lot of honey, and what satisfied me most, he and all his customers are well pleased with the honey, and he has al- ready placed a large order with me for the coming season. For the past two years I have not been blessed with good health, but how- thankful I am that I am still able to look after my bees! How I love to watch the bees bringing in loads of pol- len and nectar, how busy they are all day long, and what a great lesson they teach us who are trying to walk upright- ly! How as the bees' toil sweetens others, so must we toil and work for the good of our fellow men, and try to make life sweet for others, then when w-e have reached our journey's end in this world, how pleasant it will be w-hen we look back to the past with the assur- ance that we have done what we could, and when then our eyes shall close in death we will be able to say w-ith the Apostle Paul, "I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." La Crescent, Minn. No.8.--Bee-Keepingin Colorado BV R. C. AIKIX. While there are good hives and also poorer ones and supers that are better than others, more of the question of success depends upon the man in charge than on any other one thing except the honey- flow. So if you have no knowl- edge of first principles of bee-nature do not think that any man's patent hive is going to do the business if you furnish the money. It is not the question of a big or little hive, of a T or a section- holder super, nor of the use of full sheets of foundation either in the brood- chamber or the super. Not knowing whether you will have a good or poor flow, or whether you will have the bees to gather a good flow if it should come, you produce as best yoir can, conditions that favor what you want. In comb honey the best rule for sections is to use full sheets of comb foundation, for they are more of an in- ducetnent to the bees to start and rapid- ly w-ork in the boxes, to better fastening the comb to the wood all around, and to making a pretty even finish. When the supers are put on do not give too much room at first, for if you put 2 on and there should be but flow enough for one. you will likely get 2 partly finished, and neither done. When the first one is well started and condi- tions of flow- and strength of colony show that they can and w-ill soon have this full, put another on top of it. When the bees have worked up through the first super and nicely started in the sec- ond, if the first one is practically full, lacking only sealing, tlie position may be reversed, raising and putting the other under it. And here you are to be pretty keeii in your estimate of the strength of flow and the ability of the bees to carry on the work properly, the August, igoq. American Hee Journal temperature of the weather playing an important part, too. Should there be plenty of heat to keep all well heatea, and if the tlow be strong with great abundance of bees and all indications point to filling both these supers and need more room before you get to them again, give a tliird super on top; and under the most favorable conditions where there is all reason to think the third one not enough, put the fourth one on top- In some cases you may do well to arrange them with the second super that was started, on first, over this an empty, next the full, capped with an empty. These manipulations require the keenest of judgment and watchful- ness. A common way of adjusting supers has been to keep lifting the ones being worked and adding the new one at the bottom: but if this advice be follow-ed you will surely soon come to grief with a lot of uncompleted sections, for the bees will proceed to work those new ones next the main hive and not finish the others. Be very careful and not stretch the colony too much. With ex- tracted honey you can stretch if you wish, and the only harm that is worth considering is thin extracting combs, making more work in extracting, but youget the quantity just the same. But to stretch and have say 4 supers all part- ly worked and none finished is serious. When the one next the brood-nest is full, if the flow is good, the colony strong, and weather warm, they will not hesitate to work up through the full one and occupy the empty, yet the lower one will be plumply filled and well sealed. At this point we will consider again the condition we find in the brood-cham- ber. If you took away the brood at the beginning of the flow and left the col- ony on full sheets of foundation with a young queen, we will expect that queen to make brood fast, and have at least a very fair amount of it, and most likely well stocked, .\gain, the same arrange- ment with an old queen, that is, one not of the present season's rearing, the con- dition will be very similar, possibly not quite so much brood as the younger one has produced, and a little more tendency — yes, a decided tendency to lay in every drone-cell available. But if you have still the same arrangement but with an old queen past her prime, there will be much less brood, the same tendency toward drone, now and then an effort at supersedure that may and often will result in swarming- Remember that populous colonies in prosperous times want their queens to do business in pro- portion to the other business going on in the household, else there is dissatisfac- tion and loss of energy; and, as indi- cated, often loss, or at the very least the annoyance of swarming. Besides this the queen that does not keep up the brood leaves just that much room that receives the honey instead of its going into the super. Next we will consider the two other plans of fixing the brood-chambers. One was to take away the queen but leave the hive full of brood and let them «o on and rear queens, removing all but one cell 9 or 10 days after. Two, leav- ing only one comb of brood with the balance of the frames having starters only, the cell building and clipping out of course subject to the same rules. With the first leaving full combs of brood, we find as fast as the brood hatches the honey goes into the empty cells so that by the time the young queen has hatched and is ready to lay, all brood is out and all those combs are full of honey. Being now broodless, there is not the least likelihood of swarming, The workers are so anxious to equalize conditions and get brood that they will uncap and move honey out of these combs and siinply make room for brood, and if the management is proper there is plenty of storage-room above, and that honey goes to tlie super. In the case where one comb of brood was left w'ith starters the condition is very similar, but with this difi^erence : The combs are new and white, and some drone-comb has been made — they will all be loaded %vith honey to be removed and put above as in the case of the full set of old combs. The drone-comb will not be used for brood, for since the hives are now total- ly bare of brood, and all inclination to swarm is gone, the first and foremost thing in the brood line is workers to take the place of those now in the field and fast aging; neither queen nor work- ers have any use for the drone-comb, hence it will lie left usually filled with honey, they will often cross over two or more drone-comlis, going to the outside combs if necessary, to find the needed worker-cells. The advice in conven tions, in books and journals, has been so constant and emphatic against drone- comb that the average apiarist would about as soon think of killing his bees as to allow the building or presence of drone in the hive. At any time during the fall — yes, any time between tlie time of the present honey-flow and the time the next spring when the colonics are again getting strong enough to begin swarm prepara- tions by starting drone brood — those drone-combs can be removed, either ex- tracted and used for extracting combs or melted into wax. If you are a comb- honey producer exclusively, and have no extractor, just melt those combs and get as good an article of "strained" honey as any one could wish for talilc use. For every 100 pounds of honey you will ob- tain about 4 pounds of wax — about a cent a pound for the honey. Or you can sell those same drone-combs of honey as chunk or broken comb and get just about as much for it as for section honey. It looks nice to read flowery statements of the beauties of founda- tion and the combs one can have from them, of the total absence of drone- comb and drones, of the great cost of rearing a few drones, of how to shave off the heads of the drone-brood and thus empty those cells that another batch of larva may be so much sooner reared in them, so producing two generations of the naughty fellows, where if left to hatch there would have been only one. We have been tending of late years to too many fine tlieories, and not enough of good common sense in many of these things, and when the season closes our foundation bills and beautiful combs have cost us more than we get out of them. As a general rule I ain and have been, opposed to the wholesale use of foundation- Bees want to build comb as well as rear brood or store honey in it. I do not mean ■want in the same sense as a reasoning creature like man wants ; I mean the)- follow instinct and secrete wa.x involuntarily, and your drone- combs do not cost you but little if any- thing. I do not see that there is much more that I can say regarding the super man- ipulation— this is nearly all there is to it. When you have the bees and have put them under control, have put on and manipulated the supers in their arrange- ment and relation to the hive and to each other, as outlined, you have the basic principles of successful manage- ment of this part — you cannot make the nectar. These supers are to be removed, of course, as fast as ready and you can get to tlieni. Tliey can be taken off as you come to them during the tlow when robbing will not annoy, by just smok- ing the most of the bees down and then standing them on the ground or hive- tops until ready to load for home. In time of robber-bees you can use escapes if you like; I prefer to smoke down about all the bees, then put the super rigjit into the house, wagon or tent, and let them escape through a cone in the window screen. (To be continued.) Foul Brood Considered Again BV IIR. G. BOHRER. On page 239 I called attention to the certainty of ridding an apiary of foul ])rood, it being a germ disease, by re- moving the germs which are known to be in the honey, together with the combs, beyond the possibility of access by the bees of the infected apiary, or any other. I referred to the Baldridge method of treating the ailment, which I regard as being a successful method if the bee- escape used is a perfect one. But not as speedy as the McEvoy plan. This season I have made it a rule to inspect all my colonies carefully once each week, excepting one colony which came through the winter and early spring strong and vigorous, and when the fruit-bloom began to show up it was as far as could be seen at that time free from foul brood; and a super was put vpon the hive in which they at once went to storing honey. The combs be- ing already constructed, all seemed to go well until they began to seal the lioney in the super, when they slacked up and acted as if they might be queen- less, whereupon I looked through the brood-nest and found a number of cells with foul l)rood in 5 combs out of the 10 this hive contained. The balance were well filled with sealed honey. In the meantime there was a free flow of alfalfa honey, and the bees of other colonics paid no attention to this infec- ted colony while the hive was open. I at once determined to treat them on the McEvoy plan and prepared a hive to receive the bees by putting starters of comb foundation in each of 10 top-bars, leaving off the end and bottom bars. The starters were about one inch wide. 272 American Bee JournaJj August, 1909. There was no other colony nearer than 6 to 8 feet of the one to be treated. About 7 p. m., I lifted the colony from its stand, setting it by the side of the same, and placed the hive for their re- ception on the old stand. Then I at once opened the infected colony with as little disturbance as possible, in order to prevent them as far as could be, from tilling themselves with the infected honey of their hive. I lifted out one frame at a time, and did not shake, but brushed the bees off in front of their new home. The brush I used was simply a bunch of catnip in full bloom. This would not scratch the combs, so that no leakage of honey could take place. While in case I had used a rough brush, or shaken the bees, more or less honey would in all probability have been scattered about the hive. All the combs were put beyond the possibility of being reached by bees. The bees all ran into their new home and at once went to work with renewed energy. And at the end of 48 hours, the bees not having been gorged with the honey of the old hive, had by this time consumed all the honey with which they had left their old home. So that it was safe to give them full sheets of foundation, which I did, and now they show no symptoms whatever of disease but are hard at work, as much so as any colony I ever had in my possession. Had these bees been gorged with honey at the time I transferred them I would have left them 24 hours longer on the starters I first gave them. In the mean- time I shall look them over carefully during the next 6 weeks following their transfer, and if a vestige of the ailment shows up, I will destroy the colony, as it will be too late in the season for them to build another set of combs and lay up stores for winter. But I feel confi- dent that the source of the disease has been entirely removed, so that the effect must and will cease. CAUTION NECESSARY. It will be observed that I stated that there was no other colony nearer than 6 to 8 feet from the one I treated as described. Had there been, I would have closed the infected hive late at night when all the bees were inside, and removed it entirely beyond the range of the bees of the apiary, and then treat- ed them. This I would deem necessary in order to prevent any of the bees, young or old, from entering any other hive carrying diseased honey with them. I also deem it proper to state that I have made it a never failing rule to dis- infect my hive-tool thoroughly after opening any of the infected hives of my apiary. I also thoroughly cleanse my hands after opening any diseased col- ony, and before opening another. To neglect this leaves a possibility for the disease to continue to lurk about the apiary, and it is in all probability due to some such neglect that leads some (but very few) to assume the ground that, treat foul brood as we may, it will appear again. And I will here state, that if such persons are really sincere in this belief, they stand in their own light as well as that of their fellow-bee- keepers, in keeping bees after they know their apiaries are infected. For an apiary infected by foul brood can not prove a source of profit to its owner, but, on the contrarv, must result in loss to him, and serious loss to his neighbor bee-keeper, if not financial ruin. In conclusion permit me to state that some seem to think it a hishonor to have foul brood among their bees. While I do not take this view of the case, I think it shameful and dishonorable, as well as intolerable, for any one to keep it, and thus favor leaving open the way to har- boring and spreading the abomination and source of financial injury, for any one must be either shamefully ignorant or grossly dishonest to do so. But I sincerely hope we have no practical bee- keepers who assume such illogical, un- reasonable, and untenable ground. As to the matter of selecting a com- petent inspector of apiaries, the bee- keepers should formulate a law upon the subject, that none but persons well versed in the habits and management of bees can hold such a position. And as to the matter of judgment to be exer- cised upon the part of such officers in executing the law, I think there need be but little apprehension or fear, for all have the right to show that such officer is guilty of an abuse or maladministra- tion of the law in case he unnecessarily destroys property that can be put to valuable use, together with the unneces- sary destruction of bees, comb, honey, hives, and other appliances about an apiary. It should, however, be provided by law that there must not, and shall not, be any unnecessary delay about the mat- ter of ridding an apiary of this ruinous pest. To begin to borrow trouble that is not in sight is equivalent to the fear of that 80-year-old bachelor who was seen weeping bitterly, and upon being ques- tioned as to the cause of his grief, his reply was that he was thinking what a terrible affliction it would be after he was married and his oldest boy should fall in the fire and get burned to death! Lvons, Kans. mm California Bee Keeper - ■ - -I.. .. ■n-j'-'i*-'^^ '■■■■■■■ By \V. A. PRVAL, Alden Station. Oakland, Calif. Mendleson's Big Honey Crop Mr. M. H. jMendleson, of Ventura county, this State, has never been quite satisfied, I believe, with any crop he has yet harvested; there was always something to prevent its being just what it should have been. This year, if everything went right, he would have had a bumper crop, yet what he man- aged to secure is rather staggering to the average bee-keeper. I have learned from one of his helpers the past season that from his 800 colonies, he had something like 45 tons of honey. At the low price of 5 cents a pound, that would be $4,.')00 — something not to be sneered at. If this crop were secured in the East where prices rule higher, the profit would be much better; then, again, it is likely that in the East he would not have so many off-years in which no honey is secured. May Mendleson's harvest increase, and may his shadow never grow less. cheap, indeed, and I must Iiave one next year! I am told that many of them have been used in apiaries in the central portion of the State the past season. Slick Shavers for Uncapping A person who may be set down as something of a genius has brought out a simple uncapping knife that knocks all others silly. As it is drawn over the surface of the comb it does its work as beautifully as a keen razor does over the surface of well-lathered fat .man. I have not seen one of these slick shavers in operation, but I have been told they are just the thing. In short, the knife is a steam-heated one, and is kept so by being connected by means of a hose to a small boiler. The device complete, I am told, is but $0; Bee-Supply Trouble The past season was another one of trials and tribulations to the bee-men hereabouts. There was no supply place nearer than Fresno, and those who tried to get anything from tliere say they are loath to try again. I, myself, got badly sold in the order I sent to the Central California dealers ; nay. my laddie, "nare" again shall I venture thereabouts with an order. Later, I learned through Mr. F. Tainter. of Alemeda, that a firm in San Francisco decided rather late in the season to handle bee-supplies. I called over one day toward the end of the honey-flow to see how I could be fitted out in case I should want anything. This concern charged Fresno prices with the freight from that place to the Metropolis added ; a cinch beyond doubt, for the San Francisco place had its goods laid down in its store just as cheap as they could be had delivered in the Raisin City, and I told them so. I believe that goods generally are sold cheaper in San Francisco than at any other place in California, except, perhaps, Los An- geles, for the reason the former city gets lower railroad rates owing to its being a seaport. I was told further, at the store I re- fer to in the Metropolis, that I could not get any comb foundation by order- ing it from certain makers in the East; August, 1909. ^^^^t^Amcrican l^ee Jonrnal that they had decided to sell to no one on the coast, except to their agent at Seattle: that California bee-keepers would have to send to Seattle or get it from the sub-agent in San Francisco. That settled me ; I can get all the foun- dation I want without buying from a manufacturer who is trying to put a fence about his goods in the interest of the few. Of course, I do not take much stock in this statement, and in- tended to write the foundation-maker and learn the truth of the matter, but other things of more importance to me prevented my doing so. Here it might be well for me to re mark that the "close " manufacturer is not connected with any bee-paper There are not such great profits in bee- keeping that the apiarist can be cinched with impunity ; off with the head of the dealer who will try " to do " you, ye cultivators in the noble art of tending bees. *-»-»^ Late Extracting of Honey In years gone by I extracted before all the combs were fully sealed; of late years I have not done so. I am con- vinced the former practice was the bet- ter way for several reasons. To me the strongest reason is that you do not ha-ve to be constantly trying to circum- vent a mighty army of robber-bees. 'Tis no fun to have such bees ever- lastingly poking their noses into every hive you open and into every lot of; honey, comb or liquid, that you have to, of necessity, leave exposed for even ever so short a while. Some will tell you that you get a much better honey by leaving it on the hive to the end of the season. I have not so found it ; I have had just as ex- cellent honey in quality and body, when I e.xtracted it every few weeks as I have had by allowing it to remain until the end of July. Besides, you cannot keep the different grades of honey sep arate ; you get a stiff, mixed-up con glomeration that has a sort of compos- ite color and a bastard flavor. Some might like it; I surely don't. Then the labor of it ; you cannot work so fast or so nicely with the late pasty honey. It won't uncap easily: it won't extract speedily ; nearly half remains in the combs unless you give the combs a "Virginia Reel" that knocks the very life and usefulness out of them. Then, too, you have a time of'it get- ting the thick honey to pass through a strainer, or even to flow through faucet or from bucket. Such is the thick honey I have had to deal with. ."Xnd if after all this trouble I could get a better price for it I miglit be some- what compensated. But too often it has to be sold for less than the honey that is taken as the flowers bloom, and that is of fair consistency and delight- ful flavor and sparkling clearness. Be- sides, your crop is not so large, for by keeping the bees busy with frequent extracting you naturally, I might say. get a greater quantity, and that's what we are all after, so long as other things are equal. It may be possible that bee-keeepers in other localities may find it more to their interest to extract at the end of the season ; if so, do so, but for me I find it otherwise, as stated. Rather Doleful— the Honey Harvest From several sources during June I learned that the crop in the southern portion of the State was not as good as it was expected to be at the com- mencement of the honey season. As heretofore stated, the early outlook was good ; there was far above the average rainfall during January and February, but from the first week in not so favored. With me the yield has been a little above the average; re- member, however, that this is not a honey section, and I do not present this general report to advertise our nectar-producing capabilities. In passing I might well ask, Are we to have any more honey-vears in Cali- fornia? But let's pause a' moment and consider that in the grand old days of the 'VO's and early '80's the be.'-men had full swing; Flora and Apiarist went everywhere, as it were, hand in hand ; the flowers invited the bees to kiss them, and the hives groaned with the weight of the treasures thus acquired. But as the ranchman, orchardist, and a whole raft of other branches of agri- cultural pursuits came "sailing" o'er tlie valleys and climbing into canyons and up the mountain sides, the sweet- ness of Flora began to disappear, for she was trod upon, browsed upon, and worse, when not destroyed by fire, was uprooted by the plowshare. So, the coming of the cultivator into the bee- gardens of the great southland meant the going of the honey-flora and the busy bees to gather the same. Today for the sage-fields we have, as a substi- tute, alfalfa-fields, but these are not .enerally in the old haunts of our old- time honey-gatherers ; they are more to the north. Where these fields exist fair crop of honey is gathered even in the dryest of years; in fact, if I mis- take not, there is a better chance of ,ecuring a crop of first-class honey in I dry year in these alfalfa-districts than there is in a wet one. Honey as a Health-Food This is a 16-page honey-pamphlet in- tended to help increase the demand for honey. The first part of it contains a short article on "Honey as Food," writ- ten by Dr. C. C. Miller. It tells where to keep honey, how to liquefy it, etc. The last part is devoted to "Honey-Cook- ing Recipes" and "Remedies Using Hon- ey." It should be widely circulated by those selling honey. The more the peo- ple are educated on the value and uses of honey, the more honey they will buy. Prices, prepaid — Sample copy for a 2-cent stamp ; 50 copies for 90 cents ; 100 copies for $1.50; 250 copies for $3.00; 500 for $5.00; or toon for $9.00. Your business card printed free at the bottom of front page on all orders for 100 or more copies. Send all ordeis to the office of the American Bee Jour- nal. California Black Sage. March on there was practically not a drop of rain. .All deep-rooted vegeta- tion was able to make a good growth and yield plentifully of nectar. Where thenights and mornings were propi- tious, the bees were able to gather much, and, in fact, did store a fine crop of beautiful honey. But all places were Souvenir Bee Postal Cards We have gotten up 4 Souvenir Postal Cards of interest to bee-keepers. No. i is a Teddy Bear card, with a stanza of rhyme, a straw bee-hive, a jar and sec- tion of honey, etc. It is quite senti- mental. No. 2 has the words and mu- sic of the song, "The Bee-Keeper's Lul- laby;" No. 3, the words and music of "Buckwheat Cakes and Honey ;" and No. 4, the words and music of "The Hum- ming of the Bees." We send these cards, postpaid, as follows: 4 cards for 10 cents, 10 cards for 20 cents; or 10 cards T^itli the American Bee Journal one year for 80 cents. Send all orders to the of- fice of the American Bee Journal, 274 August, 1909. Send Questions either to the office of the American Bee Journal or to DR. C. C. MILLER. Marengro. III. Dr. Miller does not answer Questions by mail. Late Swarms. 1. I have a colony of bees that have a bug similar to a roach. They run so fast that it is impossible to kill them. I have them in an old box-hive that is partly rotted. Is this the cause.'' \Vhat is the insect? 2. Should my late swarms not have enough stores for the winter, would it be a good idea to take a couple of frames from the others and put in them? ana shoulu i take them from the ctrnter or outside of the hive? Indiana. Answers. — i. I don't know, but I don't be- lieve it's anything you need feel uneasy about. 2. Ves; take them wherever you can find those that contain the most honey, and that will generally be toward the side. But don't rob Peter to pay Paul. Better let the weak ones starve than the strong ones. Extracting Granulated Honey. I am a beginner in liee-keeping. We have had a lot of honey-dew here. I have a lot of extracting supers on, and fuh. It is partly capped, and half of the honey in the cells is candied so that we can not extract it out. How can we get it out and save the combs? Illinois. Answer. — Set the combs out where the bees can rob out the honey. When there is nothing left but the candied part, spray the combs with water, preferabiv hot. and spray again as often as the bees clean the combs out dry. That looks easy, but the trouble is that you must not do this at a time when the honey would be stored as surplus, and also when it would not be stored as winter stores, for honey-dew is not generally good for wintering. That leaves the best time in the early season when the bees can use up the honey in rearing brood. Transferring in Winter — Price of Bees in Box-Hives. 1. Could I transfer bees from box-hives to the dovetailed hives in the winter if I did the work in a warm room and transferred comb and stores? I can not do it now as I am too busy. 2. What is a fair price for bees in box-hives, on an average? Some will be strong, some weak. ,, I have your "Forty Years Among the Bees, and think it great. West Virginia. Answers. — 1. Don't think of such a thing. Beiore you were half through the job you'd wish you never had seen a bee, and besides the work ought to be done at a time when bees are busy at work so as to patch up matters all right. A colony transferred in winter would be that much surer of being a dead colony be- fore spring. 2. There is no rule about it. There may be places where the "rice would be $5.00, and others where they could be had for a dollar apiece. A colony in a box-hive ought to be as much less than one in a movable-frame hive as the cost of the latter hive and also enough to pay for transferring. Swarm Troubles — Honey-Dew. 1. I could only get one swarm last year. The swarm issued Tune 26. and went up into a fork of a big limb. I brushed them off the best I could and brought them down. They went into the hive fine — all but a few. They kent Roine up the tree, and I broueht them down 4 times; finally thev all went back and bft in 2 minutes. T would like to know how- to -••event them from going up into the tree, t hear of a good many bee-keepers having the same trouble, and a creat many bees going off without alightinc at all. How can I make them settle? :?. The bees are all storing dark honey, and it has a strong tiavor. No one seems to know what causes it, as we have lots of white clover, and also lots of rain. Missouri. Answers. — 1. I don't think you need any- thing to make them settle. They always settle, even if it is up on a high tree. The thing is to make them stay settled after you have settled them in a hive. A swarm is always in an excited condition and produces a great deal of heat. Put it in a hive closely covered and with a small entrance and set the hive out in the broiling sun with nothing to shade it, and in their excited condition the bees find it quite too hot a place for them, and wisely conclude to leave, even if you put them back several times. So, if you want them to stay, the thing for you to do is just the reverse of what has been mentioned — do everything you can to keep them cool. Leave the cover partly. off — an open space of at least half an inch, and an inch may be better — a big entrance below or the hive raised on biocKS, and the hive shaded in some way, if only by an armful of long arass held down by 2 or 3 sticks of stove-wood, ui course, after the bees have got well es- tablished, say a weeK or less, there is no longer need of having things so open. Another thing that will make the bees stay, which is perhaps better than all other things combined, is to cive the sw^arm a frame of brood. The bees feel then that they have too much of a start in housekeeping to desert. 2. The trouble may be honey-dew, and there is no remedy, unless it be to take off all surplus arrangements at the beginning anu end of the honey-dew flow. Indeed it is the same if the dark honey comes from any other source. Laying Workers — Rearing Queens. As I am practising queen-rearing this season, I have a few questions that I would like to ask you. 1. What would be the proper step to make in a queen-rearing colony that has a laying worker, as they show a tendency not to take care of the queen-cells? 2. How does it come about that a black queen with yellow legs can be reared from a pure Italian colony? 3. When you rear queens, do you get as good queens from the cells as from a colony that has reared its own queen by swarming? Iowa. Answers. — 1. Generally the best thing to do with a colony that has laying workers is to break it up. But you can swap its frames with adhering bees for frames in a queennght col- ony or colonies. 2. Can she? I'm afraid there's some mistake about it. 3. Yes, if the cells are reared in strong col- onies during a good flow. Transferred Colony — Drone-Trap. 1. I am a beginner. lust today I took a colony of bees out of a grocery box and put them into a frame hive. I put in nearly all of the brood, which was a whole lot. I fastened it in with copper wire. It almost filled the hive. Will they swarm in 8 days ? 2. I also have a drone-trap or swarm guard. I don't have any success with it. How should I use it, and why should 1 catch the drones? Nebr.\ska. Answers. — 1. The fact of the bees having been transferred has nothing to do with their swarming, unless it be that the demoralization caused thereby may act somewhat as a hind- rance to swarming. The bees will swarm exactly when they would have swarmed if they had not been transferred, or they may be hindered until a few days later, or hindered altogether. 2. A drone-trap attached to the entrance c:tches the drones as they attempt to leave tiie hive, w^hen you can maltreat them in any v/ay you wish. The intention generally is thus lo suppress the drones of the poorer colonies leaving til:; chances in favor of having your virgin queens fertilized by drones from your btst colonies. In the same way you may catch tlie aueen of an issuing swarm, should one issue wh;n vou are not present, thus preventing tne swarm from going oft" with the queen, and. allowing you to remove the brood and leave the -^wa^m with the queen. But this does not settle matters, for the bees may go on swarming so joiiy as the queen is with them, and w^hen a young queen emerges from her cell the bees will swarm again, and if the young queen is prevented from eoin^^ out with a swarm she will also be ore vented from going out to be fertilized, and then if she lays at ail slie will be a drone-layer. Getting Started with Bees. I liave 3 colonies of yellow bees and one black colony, and they are all young swarms, lliey haven't much honey. 1 have frame-hives. Can I increase ? and would I have to "et an Italian queen to do so? what kind of a hive would I have to have? Texas. Answer. — Depends upon circumstances. As they are swarms, and not old colonies, it is a little doubtful if vou ought to think of increase this year, btui it is possible if the season is very good, and 11 ttie swarms are strong. Vou would get along a little faster to get a queen, but still the bees could rear their own queen. If the frame-hives you have are of a good kind, you better use the same kind for your increase. It wii. be dollars in your pocket if you get a good bee-book. An Escaped Queen. I received a queen by mail, and used the cage for introducing her that she came in. At the end of 46 hours, having time and being very anxious, I looked into the hive to see about it. The bees had not yet liberatea her. 1 thought from their actions that they were going to accent ner readily, so I began to ooen the cage. I hardly began until out she came and flew away. vVhat is likely to oecome of her? should 1 have gone into the house to open the cage and secured the queen in my fingers before introducing her? Missouri. Answer. — She would be somewhat likely to fly back to the hive where she had been, but still there are a good many unpleasant chances in a hundred that she may have been lost. Even if she flew back to the hive, there re- mains the ciiance that the bees might not re- ceive her kindly. Vou should not have taken her out of the cage at all, neither in the house nor outdoors. Give the bees time to eat out the candy, and if you think best to hurry matters at all, dig out a little of the canu'- • but 46 liours is not a long time, and the queen will be more kindly received if she walks out of the cage while it is in the hive, and the hive nnt disturbed bv you. Queen Questions — Comb Honey Pro- duction— Swarming. 1. I have 2 colonies of bees, both very strong. On May 19, I divided colony No. 1, as described on page 27 of "A B C of Bee- Culture." On May 24, I examined them, and found 4 unsealed and 3 sealed queen-cells. I immediately separated them, but the old col- ony on the new stand seemed totally inactive, and the new one on the old stand, deficient in bees. Would you leave them apart and allow the queen-cells in the old hive hatch out? My other colony has also several sealed cells which I would like to preserve, as they are unusually large. How would it do to give colony No. 1 one of these celts? 2. I do not quite understand what is meant by a "ripe queen-cell." How do you distin- guish a cell that has j ust been sealed up from one that is about to hatch? Do they not look precisely alike ? 3. My queens' wings are clipped. Would it be better to allow one cell to hatch and the colony to swarm, then destroy the old queen and put the swarm back, letting them have the young queen ? Or would you advise cutting out all the queen-cells^ How would either plan affect the amount of surplus? 4. I have often been told that the average colony will store almost three times as much honey if one runs for extracted honey than in s-'Ctions. Are vou of the same opinion ? 5. It seems to be difficult to get the bees started in the sections. From about 10 a. m. to 3 p. m., there are quite a few (probably a scant quart) in the supers, but they have not Aucust, IQ09. American Hee Journal as yet drawn out any foundation. (I gave them full sheets.) How can I get them start- ed? Both colonies have their brood-frames full of honey and brood in all stages. I placed about 0 bait-combs in each super. 6. Would you advise me to prevent swarm- ing if possible, or let the bees swarm natu- rally and put them back again ? I can not keep more than 4 or 5 colonies. Ohio. Answers. — 1. You removed the upper story May 25. and the next day you found total inactivity on the new stand. Just exactly what you ought to expect, for the bees that left for the field would all return to the old location, none returning to the new place. \ ou say tliere was a deficiency of bees at the old stand. All the bees would still be there tnat were there before, except the bees un- der IC days old on the new stand. Vou would hardly gain anything by giving a cell to No. 1. It has now very little brood, and if you remove the old queen and give it a cell all egg-laying will cease tor perhaps 3 weeks. If you give the cell without removing the queen, the bees will probably destroy the cell. 2. A queen-cell is called ripe when the young queen will emerge within a short time, per- haps 3 or 3 days. About this time the bees are likely to gnaw away the wax from the point of the cell. The nearer maturity the cell the deeper the pitting on its surface. Watch the difference in appearance as a cell grows older and you will recognize it better than from any description. 3. Your program is for the young queen to hatch, and tnen the colony to swarm with the old queen. The bees will not follow that proeram. The young queen will not emerge until a week or so after the colony swarms with the old queen. But you can come some- what near to your proposed plan. Remove the old queen when the colony swarms, let- ting the swarm return, and destroy all cells at once. Then there ought to be no more, swarming and the colony should devote its en- tire time to storing honey. 4. It is generally estimated that about 50 percent more extracted than comD honey can be obtained. Some set the figure higher, some lower. 5. With the bait-combs present the bees will probably store in the super as soon as the brood-chamber is filled, providing there is enough for them to store. If they are getting only enough for their daily needs, of course there can be no storing in sections. 6. It doesn't matter much which, only if you depend entirely on returning swarms you may have to return the swarm several times. Understand, however, tl.at you can not stop swarming by merely returning the old queen, nor can you stop swarming by cutting out queen-cells, so long as the old queen remains. But if you return the swarm every time it issues, there will finally be only one young queen left, and then your troubles will be oyer for the season. If you listen each eve- ning for piping, you will hear it a week or 10 days after the swarm issues with the old queen. Then the next morning destroy all queen-cells in the hive, and the young queen at liberty will be laying within about 10 days. Honey-Dew — Unfavorable Year. Under separate cr.ver [ send you a sample (It honey that has puzzled me. Can vou tell me where the bees got it. as they stored it after clover honey-flow, which is our only flow tor surplus? The only bloom at this time was cnestnut, of which there is a quantity, but I did not think that it produced much honey, or, at least, not such dark stuff. I also saw that they worked very much so very early in the morning for some time, but did not suspect that thcv were doing such dirty work as carry- ing such black stuff and mixing it with the nice clover honey. Later in the day they did not work so much. Another thing I thought of. and that is honey-dew. but I do not know anything about it. I have been keeping bees only 3 years along with farming, so [ have not the time to watch and study my bees as I might if it were the only work I had to do. I noticed on the leaves of the trees a shining, sticky stuff, but did not see any bees on it. I>o you think it is good to use as a food. and is it safe to feed to bees' Of course, if you taste of it you will find it a poor product. At least I do not want to cat it. I got about Iftft pounds of the black stuff bv uncapping the black onlv. then extract it. then extract the clear. Of course it will not be nice and clear anv more, as some of the other will get in. The year in general was not so favorable as it migiii have been for a big crop. Pennsylvani.\. Answer.^ — I'm nut the best judge of honey in the world, not half as good as Editor York, but I have little hesitation in pronouncing your saniole honey-dew. Chestnut doesn't grow here, so I've no personal acquaintance with it, but from what I have read I have an idea that it is a good yielder of fairly good honey. The bees may have got some good honey from the blossoms of the chestnut, and a larger amount of honey-dew from it. Honey-dew is all right to be used as human food if any one likes it. The trouble is that no one likes it, at least "- ly tew, but it is possible that some may like it. You know there is a wide difference in tastes. '1 here is some fall honey whose taste is offensive to me. but I've known others to prefer it to the best clover honey. Some honey- uew, however, is said to be of good taste. It is safe to feed it to bees in spring, to be used up in brood-rearing, but not for wintering. 6. Ordinarily only one queen will be allowed in a hive, and a weak colony will build up just as rapidlv with one as with a dozen. 7. No. 8. It may be as well to furnish new queens for only a part of your colonies. Then you can encourage the new blood in the increase. 9. It may be that the queen is faulty, if it happens in a strong colony; or it may be that she is a good queen in a weak colony with not enough bees to care for the eggs as fast as she lays them. Using Double T-Tins. T notice in your reply to question No. 2 of a Pennsylvania gentleman, you state that you don't know ot any remedy but to get better sections. I wonder if you have ever tried double T tins; that is. T tins on top to hold the sections down as well as underneath to hold them up. 1 have neen usine them this way for years and find them very efficient and practical, anu with the addition of a 2-penny nail driven 1-3 of the way in Tin the crease of the top T tins) to the side of the super, it makes a good, tough arrangement for practical handling, haul- ing to out-apiaries, etc. I use 4'/2x7-to-the-ft. sections scant. 28 to the ordinary 8-frame Lang- stroth. Possibly the way you make your supers the sides would not be heavy enough to liold .i-.ii.: _\ smaller nail would do of course, but we like the 2-penny as we can handle them better. Colorado. Answer. — Thanks for your suggestion, which would hold Sf|uare the most refractory sections. 1 have never tried it. because I have never felt the need of it. Of course there would be a little objection because there would be more tendencv to put^ propolis at the edges of the upper T-tins. The sides of mv supers are 7^. so there would be no trouble about using good- sized nails, and the longer the nail the more easilv pulled out with the fingers. A slim nail 2 inches long ought to work well. More Bee:inners* Questions. I am a beginner in bee-keeping, and don't understand everything yet. I have 6 old col- onics of bees in box-hives, and 6 in frame hives now. and will have the rest of them in as soon as they swarm, if I live and they do. 1. If I get an Italian queen that is tested from those who have pure Italian bees, and introduce her tn black bees, will I get pure stock of bees from her? 2. How many times does a queen mate in her life? 3. Are there any bees that will work on red clover? 4. Are noplar and blackberry good honey- flowers? They are plentiful here. '). Mv bees are black, and some are mixed with Italians. Bee-keepers never change queens here, for thev keep almost all their bees in box-hives and my bees never were changed. T guess T have bees from 4 different places. Will that help any? 6. Can I keen 2 queens in one hive? Will that help to build up a weak colony? 7. Will it help my bees any to change frames of brood? 5. Will it pay me to buy queens for all my bees this year rather than to keep those I have ^ 0. What is the cause of a nueen laying 2 or 3 eggs in one cell sometimes? Virginia. Answers. — 1. Yes. if you introduce her dur- ing the busy season, you will find the black bees will die off as they get old, and in some- thing like 6 weeks there will be onlv Italians in the hive. 2. Once, as a rule, but rare cases of sec- ond mating have been reported. 3. Yes. and almost any bees will be found occasionallv workinc on it. 4. Yes, but the word poplar is used for dif- ferent trees in different places. What you call poplar in Virfinin is probably I.iriodendrou tulipifcra. which is also called tulip tree and whitcwood. It is a good honey-tree, although the honey is dark, I think. Ti. Yes, there may be advantage in getting bees from different sources, thus introducing fresh blood. A Beginner's Questions. 1. What is the best kind of bees? 2. Is there any difference in eyes for bee- keepers? I heard brown eyes will affect bees. Is this true? 3. How can we get comb straight in the hive? Three combs are not straight. 4. How can we tell hybrids from black bees? 5. Can I keep Italian bees when there are no bees within 2 miles? n. What is the best way to swarm bees? . ".■ .^^ '" h^^?. bring just as much honey by dividing as by clipping the queen's wing? Minnesota. Answers. — 1. The general opinion is that Italians are best. 2. I don't believe there's any difference. 3. Use full sheets of worker-foundation. 4. Hybrids are generally a cross of blacks and Italians, and a hybrid of that kind has one or 2 yellow rings. However, in the first cross you may find some bees with 3 yellow bands and some with none, and the presence of these different kinds in one colony shows the hybrid blood. 5. There is some danger of mixing at that distance. 6. I suppose you mean what is called arti- ficial swarming. What is best for one may not be best for another. Study what is said in your bee-book, and you can tell better than any one else what is best lOr you. if you haven't such a book it will be big money in your pocket to get one. One of the easiest ways for a beginner is the following: Take half the combs with adhering bees from hive .\. and put them in hive B. Fill up each hive with empty combs or with frames filled with comb-foundation. Set the 2 hives side by side, and the queenless part will rear its own queen. You may leave them without doing anything further. Or, a week later you may look into the hives and yiu will find in one eggs and young brood in plenty, and in the other only advanced brood and some queen-cells. Take from the hive with young brood all the frames that have any sealed brood, and swap them for as many frames in the other hive with no brood at all. Now move the hive that has all the sealed brood and queen-cells to a new stand 10 feet or more away. That will throw all the field-force into the hive with the queen, and the colony in that hive will be in fine condition for surplus. 7. I don't understand your question, but you will likely get the largest amount of honey by keeping the whole force of a colony to- gether if you can. without any dividing. Bees Deserting Hive for Lack of Pollen. Your answer to "Kentucky" in the Mav number induces me to give a little experience I have had in bees deserting their hives. A. [. Root in "A B C of Bee-Culture," savs it is caused by the bees being weak and discour- ageu. pestered with ants, lack of stores, too much or too little ventilation, and I think some other causes. I have not the book bv me. I would like to ask Mr. Root if he has positive proof that a colony ever deserted a hive for any one of those causes. Some 3.J or more years ago I was very anx- ious to increase my stock of bees, so in the fall after the honev season was over, which was very early in I^Jastern Nebraska, when the country was new and the climate very dry, 1 fed sugar syrup to induce breeding, and also in the spring, and one pleasant day in spring 2 colonics came out and went into other hives, and the next pleasant day others did the same thing, and this continued till my 17 colo- nies were reduced to probably 5 or 0. I do not remember exactly. This trouble ceased as soon as pollen commenced coming in. The deserting colonies were not very weak, were not pestered with ants, not too much nor too little ventilation, but on examination of the August, 1909. American Hee Journal abandoned hives, I found in every case plenty of honey and brood in all stages, but not a particle of pollen, but the hives they entered always had pollen present. I have no doubt that when those bees fouid themselves with a lot of brood and no pol'.en to feed them, they left their hives to go where there was some. How they should know where to go to find pollen is more than I can say, but they never made a mistake. The conditions being as I found them in every case makes it evident to me that the lack of pollen was the cause of the trouble in my case, and without proof to the contrary, I believe all other cases of spring desertion are from the same cause. The stimulative feedmg brought this about in my case. I have ever since been careful that they had plenty of pol- len, and have had no more trouble. Wyoming. Answer. — This is an interesting matter, and it is possible that we have here the solution of the problem. It is, however, not impossible that desertions may come from other causes than the lack of pollen. But it is easy to believe thit a lack of pollen would cause de- sertion. I had in former years not a few cases in which the bees left their hives with a good amount of brood and honey, but unfortunately I can not say whether or not pollen was pres- ent. I remember one case in which a colony did not start brood-rearing at M, ifter others did. I found it was without pollen, and gave it some, when it promptly began rearing brood. Mr. Root might say that even if lack of pollen be the cause of absconding in spring, he h^s included that among his causes under the head of "lack of stores," for pollen forms a very important part of the bees' stores. It will be well if any who have cases of spring desertion will report whether pollen was present. Preventing "Drifting" of Bees — Ship- ping Bees by the Car-Load. 1. What is the best plan to be adopted to prevent "drifting" when bees are unloaded from a car and take their first flight on their new location? 2. In loading bees on a car should they be set on the bottom of the car without any straw, or anything under them? These days it is found best in shipping comb honey in cases to set them directly on the car floor, and the most of the honey is shipped in that way. I thought it ought to work as well with colonies of bees as with cases of comb honey. 3. In loading colonies of bees on a car 2 tiers deep, would it be safe to staple a super on each hive in the first tier, before putting boards on top to receive the second tier? I have been told that any super or hive stapled on the first tier of hives would stand a chance to get misplaced on the journey by the jolting the car would get. "Out West." Answers. — 1. I don't know. It's the first time I ever heard it hinted that bees were inclined to drift after a journey, although it may be common. In this locality to pre- vent drifting when bees take their first flight after being taken from the cellar, it is thought ■ that giving quite a small entrance helps to prevent drifting. The same thing ought to work at any other time. As I think more about it, I very much doubt if bees are gen- erally inclined to drift on their first flight after a journey, or more would be said about it. Besides, I've had much experience in hauling bees on a wagon, and never knew of any drifting after it; and it seems that haul- ing in cars would be the same. 2. They ought to carry all right with noth- ing under. It is common for a good car to have springs. 3. Stapling would need to be very secure. What would do for ordinary handling in an apiary wouldn't do at all for hauling on cars. The staples I use have legs 3-4 inch long, and for convenience in drawing out (although I don't very often draw them out) they are driven in only about 5-8, and occasionally one becomes loose in hauling. Driving in full depth would make quite a difference. A piece of tin or sheet-iron in place of a staple, with a 7-8 nail or two at each end, would hold more firmly. Most Likely Honey-Dew. 1. I send you under separate cover a sample of honey which I have taken from my bees this week. What is wrong with it? We claim it is due to a little green insect that worked on the Norway maple leaves, on the under side along the rios of the leaf. The droppings of these insects fell on the leaves like honey-dew and the bees gathered it. Some called it honey- dew, but it lasted about two weeks in succes- sion. The bees worked on it after rains just as before, and it seemed the rains had no effect upon it as upon honey-dew. In this section we do not have more than one or two "honey-dews" in a year, and some- times as last year, we do not have any. 2. Have you had the same trouble ? This is the first time that I have ever had, or heard of any one having noney like this, as tar as I can remember. I askea an old man that had been in the bee-business some years ago, and he said that he did not have any such trouble. 3. Is that honey fit to use? We can't eat it. Is it saleable ? What would you do if you had the same kind? 4. Chestnut season is about on, and I did not want them to mix it, so I took ail the sec- tions that were not capped, and extracted the honey from them, and put the empty comb back. Would you have done as I did, or what would you have done under like circumstances? 5. Would this honey do for the bees to win- ter on ? My apiary is situateu in town where there are a great many Norway maples, but the country people have the same experience. Pennsyi^vania. Answers. — 1. The sample never came to hand. It makes very little difference, however, for from your description it is practically cer- tain it is honey-dew, as honey is thus named that comes from the secretion of plant-lice. 2. One year I had quite a yield of it, and it may be some comfort to you to know that that was the only time in 48 years. Possibly you may come otf as well. 3. It may do to feed after bees fly in spring, so it will be all used in rearing brood. It can be used for mechanical purposes, such as mak- ing printers' rolls. It could be made into vinegar, but I'm a little afraid of the flavor. If you can not eat it of course it is not fit for table use, and yet tastes differ so that it is possible some may like it. It is only _ proper to say, however, that some honey-dew is good to eat, and from plant-lice at that. 4. You did iust the right thing. 5. It is possible that some honey-dew may be safe to winter bees, but I'd rather throw it away than to run the chance of trying to win- ter them on it, for honey-dew in general is unfit for wintering. A Swarming Experience. 1. I have 6 colonies of bees. I had 3 swarms. One came out and went back; the other two 1 hived all right, set the hive under the swarms with the top off, and shook them in. Is this all right? Will they do as well this way as to let them in the entrance in front? 2. On June 23, I hived one swarm, set the old gum 'which the swarm came from on the other side of another bee-gum with bees in, and set the new swarm where the old one was. They flew from one gum to the other and on Tune 25, about 5 o'clock, they started to come out of the gum. That is, the new swarm. They had not done very much in the gum. They alighted on the gum that was between them sometimes before they swarmed the last time, and the bees w^ould sting them to death. Was this what discouraged them ? I put a s^rav pump to work, and it was not long be- fore I had them coming back to the hive. They had not all gone out yet. It was thundering, and looked like rain at the time they started out (5 p. m.), so I set a hive in front of this swarm and undertook to smoke them out into it. 1'hey came out all right, but not in this emoty hive. They went back to the hive that they came from; that is, where they were hatched. Please explain this to me as I am new in the business. Indiana. Answers. — 1. Yes, your way is good when it is convenient. It doesn't make any difference how you get a swarm into a hive, just so you get it in. 2. It may be that the hive was too close and warm for them, and that June 35 was a very hot day. Perhaps also, the sun came upon the hive hotter about 5 o'clock. A swarm should have abundant ventilation, and should be shad- ed, if only by an armful of long grass on top of the hive held down by 2 or 3 slicks of stove- wood. Queen Quit Laying— Getting Brood- Comb Honey into the Sections — Banat Bees. 1. If not superseded by the bees, will a queen quit laying entirely? If so, what is the cause? This has been the case long enough for everv cell of brood to be hatched out, and the queen is as large and looks as vigorous as any queen in the yard. -'. \\'hat is the cause after bees have swarmed and are hived on empty combs and full sheets of foundation with 2 supers on top, for them to fill the top super and then fill the brood- combs about 2-3 down to the bottom-bar and crowd the brood down to the lower third of the brood-combs and leave the lower super empty ? 3. Is there any way to get this honey in the brood-combs into the sections? If so, give plan. 4. Would not the Banat bees be likely to be the best for this southern country? How are they in regard to temper and honey-gathering qualities? Arkansas. Answers. — i. I don't know, unless, as in the fall, all gathering has ceased. If the queen has stopped when brood-rearing is going on in other hives, she is no good. 2. The only thing I can think of is that the lower super is filled with objectionable sections, perhaps that were on the previous fall without being filled, and varnished over with propolis. 3. You can extract it. If the bees fill up with brood, that will crowd the honey out. It may not be a bad thing to have the honey in the brood-chamber. 4. Too little known about Banat bees to say. Foul Brood from Dead Brood? In your answer to my last letter you say, "But supposing it is a case of foul brood, that doesn't prove that foul brood could result from dead brood killeu by the heat." Now that is where you are mistaken, for that is exactly what it does prove, i do not care how many sources of contagion there may have been with- in reach of my bees, the fact remains that the brood in their hives as well as the brood in the fourth hive was perfectly healthy and all right up to the time it was killed by the heat. You say It would be hard for me to be positive that no diseased colony was within a mile or two. No, I am not, and I care nothing about that at all. The fact remains that the brood in all 4 hives was all right up to the time the broo^d was killed by the heat in those 3 hives, and is still all right in the fourth hive. I know that just as much as you know a queen is a queen when you see one, instead of Deing a large worker-bee. 1 am not entirely green as regards bees, it being 32 years since I made their ac- quaintance, and 27 years or more since I read your writings in Gleanings. My father and I kept between 80 and 85 colonies for a number of years. ies, I know that the authorities claim that foul brood can not be caused by rot- ten brood, but the authorities have said a good many things in times past that they afterwards found out weren't so. I do not think I ever hau any brood killed by the heat before, al- though I have had combs break down in very warm weather. But those combs were not very old combs and had considerable honey in them. The reason tne bees did not clean out all the dead brood out of the combs before it rotted was because the weather was too hot day after day for 2 whole weeks. The hives were double- walled hives and did not cool readily at night. Besides, the nights were warm. There was a lot of dead brood to clean out, and more or less was capped over. If tne brood I sent you was foul brood, then I know — whether the authori- ties do or not — that foul brood may be caused bv dead brood killed bv the heat. Michigan. Answer. — I don't pretend to know every- thing about bees, and certainly not about bee- diseases. Until very recently, all I know about foul brood is what I learned from others. I can only say that you are pretty much alone in your belief. Weak Colonies — Requeening in Honey-Flow— Other Topics. 1. Why would it not be a good way to strengthen weak colonies to exchange places with a strong colony? I had a very strong colony. The bees were hanging out all over the hive. I gave them super-room and put the two on }4-inch blocks, giving them ventilation all around, but it seemed to do no good, so I placed it on the stand of a colony that had swarmed some time before and was small. I left it by the side of the swarm and moved it in a few days. It was very weak. I placed the weak colony on the stand of the strong one. They seemed astonished for some time, but next day they went to work with a vim, and are yet doing better than any other colony I have. And after a few days the strong colony seemed to have plenty of bees, and soon gave a super of honey. I tried it again on another colony. They 'seemed to fight for 2 days, and neither colony has done well since. August. 1909. American Hee Journal ^// ■-.'. \\ lil I hey usually tight when exchanged? 3. We have some honey coming in almost every day in the year. How long ought it to take a colony that has swarmed — treated as usual to prevent afterswarms — to build up again ? 4. How many days after the swarm issues before the parent colony will have a laying queen ? 5. \VouId you requeen during tlie honey-flow? 6. Do you lose much by changing queens? 7. How would it do to make a nucleus for each colony, rearing queens from the best queen, and when the queen is laying unite to the colony intended to requeen? How would I best do it? Louisiana. Answers. — 1. As your experience goes to show, it is sometimes a good thing and some- times not. In the first case the strong colony likely had a poor queen, and when given the weak colony with a young queen things looked different, and the fielders went to work with a will. 2. Generally there is no fighting if honey is yielding. Worse than fightine is the danger sometimes of a queen being killed. Generally, except in a case like the first mentioned, it is not advisable to strengthen a colony by making it exchange places with another. 3. Six weeks or less. 4. Not far from 3 weeks. .^. Ves, if enough is to be gained by it. 0. There is likely to be a little break in the laying. 7. It may work very well. The easiest way is to exchange two frames of the colony for two frames of the nucleus with queen and ad- hering bees, doing this during a honey-flow 2 or 3 days after unqueening the old colony. iiig. 1 wish it would. Still, along with other things it helps a little toward it. 6. Better do the first way mentioned. 7. From the office of the American Bee Journal you can "et Dr. Howard's "Foul Brood," pamp.itet describing the McE^voy treat- ment; also Kohnke's "Foul Brood" pamphlet. The former for 20 cents, or the latter for 10 cents. Both together for 25 cents. Moving Bees 100 Yards — Afterswarms — Increase — Preparing Bees for •Winter — Foul Brood BuHetin. 1. Between now and March. I'Jlu. I have to move my bees about lou yards from where they now are. When can 1 move them so as to have no bees go back to the old place? 2. In preventing afterswarms, by placing the young swarm on the old stand and taking the old colony to a new place, should all quecn- cclls e.xcept the ripest one be cut out at once? 3. W'here there are several queen-cells in a hive all sealed up, now can I tell the ripest one ? 4. I have 25 colonies of bees and want to increase to 50 next year and secure as much surplus honey as possible. How would you do this? We have plenty of white clover that be- gins blooming May 1, and blooms 2 months. 5. As I said before, I want one swarm from each colony. Now if I should give one super to each colony as soon as white clover begins blooming, and add empty supers by placing them under the one about two-thirds full, and keep adding supers as needed, will they swarm regardless of this room? Or will I have to eive one or two supers and not add any more supers until they swarm? How would you manage this? <5. In preparing my bees for winter I am poiP'' to put the super cover on the honey- board over all brood-chambers. Will it be all right then to set an empty super over ihis coTcr. and put chaff in it, or should the hive cover be placed over this super and the super left off- 7. Where can I obtain a bulletin on foul brood, and what will be the cost of same? Kentl'ckv. Answers. — 1. Move them any time in winter or early spring at a time when they have had the longest confinement in the hives. Of course you will ha\'e to make a guess at that, and per- haps it will be. in your locality, soon after the middle of the winter. 2. That's one way. l here's a better way. Set the swarm on the old stand, the old hive close beside it, without cutting out any queen- cells, and let stand for a week. Then move the old hive to a new stand, and the bees will do the rest. i ou sec when the old hive is moved at that time an the field-bees will leave it and join the swarm. That will weaken the old colony, ana added to that is the fact that no honey will be coming in, so the bees will conclude they can not afford to swarm, and all the extra qucen-cclls will be killed without your opcninc the hive. 3. You can't. You can make a guess at it by noting which seems to have the deepest pits on its surface. 4. There is perhaps no better way than to let each colony swarm once, treating it as dc- <(cribed in answer No. 2. That will give a strnnT force to the swarm, which will do the principal storing, although the mother colony may Mttrn some if there is a late flow. .1. .VJding supers will not stop their swarm- ' A Beginner's Questions. 1. How long will it take bees to rear a queen from brood? 2. Why does a new swarm refuse to stay in a hive after they have been in one night? I nad 3 swarms leave their hives so far this spring. I stopped 2 and put them in other hives and they stayed. The hives where they were hived first had full sheets of foundation, and lots of room. Why didn't they stay? 3. Would they try to leave if the queen's wings were clipped ? 4. What is the best thinif to do to stop a swarm that wants to leave? 5. is a queen on the outside or inside of a swarm which is clustered on a Hmb ? 6. Does an old colony cast more than one swarm in an ordinary season if they have plenty of room to work in? 7. Is the sumac good for the bees to work on? S. H I do not cut the queen-cells out, will aflerswarming go on, and must every queen- cell be cut out to prevent it? 0. When a swarm issues from a hive, does the nueen go out first ^ 10. How can vou tell when a queen is bailed, and what should be done to her if balled? 11. Can you give me a good plan to melt wax on a stove or without a wax-extractor? 12. How long does basswood bloom last, and what time does it generally begin in Northern Jowa ^ 13. What time does the white clover bloom? Iowa. Answers. — 1. If you give young brood to a quecnless colony, you may expect a virgin queen to emerge in about 12 days; sometimes a day sooner, sometimes a day or more later. 2. Oftener than for any other reason, swarms desert because tlie hive is too close and hot. They might have stayed just the same if they had b^en put oack . in the same hive instead of a different hive. 3. Clipping the queen would make no differ- ence. 4. Shade the hive, give abundance of ventila- tion, sprinkle the hive with water, and give the swarm a comb of brood. 5. She may be anywhere in the cluster, and sometim-.s the bees will cluster and the queen not with them at all. 6. Oftener than not, if left to itself, a col- ony will send out a second swarm about 8 days later than the prime swarm. 7. In some regions it is an important honey- plant. ft. If cells are left, the bees may swarm again, and they may not. If all but one be cut out, there will be no more swarming. » 9. No- she may be among the last. 10. You can tell by seeing a bunch of bees r^rhans as large as a hickorynut holding tight together. Throw the ball in a dish of water and the bees will leave her. Or, you may smoke the ball; but hold the smoker at a dis- tance, for if hot smoke is thrown on the ball the bees will sting her. 11. Tear open one corner of a dripping-pan. Put in the pan the stuff to be melted, put the nan in the oven of the conk-stove, the inside corner the highest, and the open corner pro- i'^ctini; outside (oi course the oven-door is left nnpn> sn that the melted wax as it drops may be cavight in a disli set to receive it. 12. It probably begins in Northern Iowa not fT from the same time as here, somewhere in the first part of July, and lasts 10 days or so. 13. Somewhere in the first part of Tune, and may last 2 weeks or 2 months. Some New Bee-Puzzles for Him. 1. .\'>out May 2*1. I transferred several col- onies from hox-hivLS to movable-frame. One, after remaining 4 or 5 days and sticking the combs in nicely, swarmed out, leaving their own brood in all stages. 2. Tune 10. I found queen-cells just started. Destroyed them, and 9 days later, after again destroying all fiucen-cell^, T put the rjuecn on frames with 2-inch starters belnw zinc. Two of the 8 colonies so treated swarmed before I visited them again 5 days later. The 2 which swarmed are on standard Hoffman frames. All the others on ainch frames. 3. Tune 23. I destroyed the first queen-cells found in the colony, took away all unsealed brood, giving fraiies of foundation. They were strong. They diew out the foundation beauti- * fully and brought in about 10 pounds of honey, and swarmed out leaving a couple frames of compact, unsealed brood and less than a pint of bees — not a queen-cell — before I returned to tiiera 4 or 5 days later. 4. Last Saturday (July 10), fearing lest a strong colony would swarm, I placed a zinc above an ordinary super, and set it under the Iiive — on the bottom-board, of course. I had no trap handy, and thought this would hold the queen till today — Monday. They have swarmed and are now queenless. W here did that queen go ? "i don't know," and hardly expect any man to make an intelligent guess, but she is certainly gone. I have handled bees only 5 or 6 seasons, and these are new puzzles to me. With the exception of a few well-behaved queens I re- cently bought in Ohio, I have only common blacks with a little yellow in their disposition. If you can offer any hint as to where I "fizzled," I will be grateful. Iowa. Answers. — 1. If conditions were as they were here, it would be entirely natural for them to swarm out from hunger, unless you had taken care to see that they were not out c f provisions. In other words, it was a hunger- swarm. If they had plenty of honey and pol- len, then I don't know where the "fizzle" was. 2. That's hardly out of the regular to have such exceptions. Hard to understand all about it, but one thing is that when bees get into a swarming fever, tlie longer time they are hind- ered, the more determined they seem to swarm. If you had treated them at first destroying of cells, instead of waiting another 9 days, there might have been no swarming. Sometimes the queen seems balky, just keeps on the bottom of the excluder trying to get up to the brood, and then the bees swarm. There might be some gain in putting in the lower story one of the poorest frames of brood. 3. Once a young fellow upon his examination was asked, '■Where is Boston located?" "Bos- ton— why. Host on — well, now, I know just as well as can be where Boston is located out T haven't the flow of language to express it." I know all about why those bees swarmed out. but I haven't the flow of language to express it! 4. Now look here, you keep asking questions that are harder and harder, and I'm not Poing to answer any more unless you ask somethine easier. Hut sav. are you sure that queen did ""To" at all? "You looked carefullv and know she is not in the ii»Ve?" A fiuecn in swarming trim is a treat dodger, and you could easily miss her. Where and how she hides sometimes is a mystery to me. There is just a possibility that she went through some crack, or even through the excluder. A queen, in her frantic efforts to swarm, will sometimes co through an excluder that she would never think of going Ihrongli to go up into a super, Bee-Keeping in Georgia. From all indications now, it seems that we are to have a very short honey crop in Georgia. I can not see any good reason for this. The winter was very mild, having only 2 or 3 small freezes. I made what 1 call a reducer. That is, I cut out a hole in a board, one inch smaller than the inside measurement of a box-hive. I placed the board on one of my 8-frame hives (which contained one-inch starters) and set a box-hive on top of the board. These bees were about to swarm when I set them on the new hive. The result was that they never swarmed, but filled the 8 frames with comb and some lioney. I got 20 pounds of honey from the top of the box-hive. 1. I intend to co there - next spring near swarming time, remove tlie box-hive, and set it down close beside the 8-frame hive for a week. I will look for the queen in the new hive. If she is not present in the liive. I will know she is in the box-hive, and if I find nueen- cells with eggs in them, I will let it go at that, and put on a super at once, but if I find no (iuccn or eggs, then I will take from some other liive a frame that does have nuecn -cells with epcs, and give to them. What do you think of the plan? 2. I have 7 8-frame hives. The bees came out of box-hives and instead of letting them sit be- side the box-hive for a week, I put them on a new stand as soon as hived, *»iving them a super with starters. The result is that I am going to get no surplus honcv from them this year at all, but they have built some combs in the supers. You don't think I could expect to ret any surplus from them the first year, managed that way. do you? 3. Tell me the easiest way for a beginner to make increase from 7 colonics to 21 or more. August, 1909. American Vae Journal and do it in such a way as not seriously to in- terfere with the honev-yield. ' 4. Isn't it a fact that black, or common, bees store just as good honey, and as much, as any other bees? 5. What time here in middle Georgia ought I to take off the supers? 6. 1 see in Danzenbaker's little booklet, "Facts About -Bees," that he advises the use of only one super, taking out the liUea sections from the middle and shifting the outside and partly tilled ones to the center, refilling the out- side ones with full sheets of foundation. He says that does away with bait-combs and keeps the bees hustling all the time. Do you like and advise this plan ? 7. Why is it that you don't paint your hives r S. Can you give me a few names and ad- dresses of up-to-date bee-keepers in Geort'ia? 9. Vou do not seem to think Georgia much of a honey State. Why not? We have all kinds of flowers, but no buckwheat or clover. Georgia. Answeres.— 1. Uncertain. If there are brood and bees in Doth hives, it may be all right. More likely there is brood in only one hive, witn the chances in favor of the lower hive. If the brood is all in the lower hive, the bees will desert the upper hive when it is moved to a new place, if mdeed there are any bees in the upper hive. If the brood is all in the upper hive, and it is set very close to the old stand, the bees may all cling to this hive, de- serting the frame hive. Possibly, however, especially if the box-hive is set far enough away, the iield-bees may come back to the frame hive, and may make a colony by your giving them a frame of brood. 2. If these were natural swarms, put on a new stand as soon as hived, there is no reason why they might not give some surplus in a good season. But if you got the bees into other hives without swarming, perhaps in the way mentioned in the previous question, then they hardlv ought to be expected to do much, if anything, in supers, as all the field-bees would leave the new location and go back to the old one. 3. I don't know of any way. You can't have your cake and eat it, too; and it takes bees to make 2 new colonies. There is, however, one condition in which it is possible that you might increase from 1 to 3 and get as much honev as it you did not increase at all; possibly eet more honey. 'I hat condition is a light' How in the fore part of the season and a heavy late flow, so late that all 3 colonies could build up strong for it. In that case it would not matter a great deal how the increase was maae, the easiest way for a beginner being natural swarm- ing. When the first swarm issues, hive it and set it in a new place, leaving the mother colony on the old stand. When the second swarm issues, set it on the old stand, moving the mother colony to a new stand. 4. No; at least very few believe so; if they aid they would keep blacks and not Italians, and I don't know of any one in this country who has pure blacks and tries to keep them so. .umd you, however. I'm only speaking for this country. In Switzerland are some of the fore- most bee-keepers in the world, and they keep uure blacks. Many in England also prefer blacks. 5. Whenever they are filled or nearly filled, un to the close of the season, or last honev- flow, and then all should come off. 6. It seems to me it would take too much time. 7. Following the teachings of G. M. Doo- little, in whose ideas I have great confidence, I think there is better chance for the moisture to dry out of unpainted hives than out of paint- ed ones. 1 have seen a painted hive in my cellar damp and moldy when all the unpainted ones were in much better condition. 8. Just now Dr. T. P. H. Brown, of Augusta, is the only name I can recall. But there are others, and my memory for names is poor. 0. I'm not sure that i ever said Georgia was not a good State for honey. I have an idea it's pretty good. Chunk Honev — Afterswarms — Differ- ent Length Frames. 1. I had 8 colonies of bees in the spring, 4 Italians and 4 hybrids, in 8-frame hives, and am trying to produce chunk honey in shallow ex- tracting-frames. We had lots of honey-dew early in May so I put on a super of shallow frames with full sheets of foundation, and they were quicklv occupied by the bees and the queen also rearing lots of drone-brood in them. I gave some of them 2 supers each, with the same result, and when they swarmed I gave the supers from the parent colony to the new swarm in about 3 days, having hived the new swarms on full sheets of foundation, the result being that every one of the supers was taken possession of by the queen at once, and still Kept nning tiie supers with brooa and arones, so i nave hardly a single super that is clear ui brood and poiien. i nave never used queen- exciuaers on my liives. i am putting all new swariub into lu-iranie hives. Jlow can i avoid having brood in supers.' 2. Will it ao to put supers with brood in them on the new swarm when it is safely hived? 3. i have one swarm hived in a lu-irame ..it.i lull b.iecis 01 wired loundation, giv- ing them a new super, with full sheets of foun- dation {10 tramesj. 1 hey filled ti frames in the brood-chamoer with honey, brood and pol- len, and went into the super and drew out the toundation, and the queen went right up into them and filled them with brood, leaving 4 trames m the brood-chamber not worked in at all, and about the same amount in the super. Why did they do tins, and what is the remedy? 4. I wintered one colony^ in an S-frame hive with super on, the honey in the super not be- ing tu-p capped over the middle of October. i. i^tt me super on the hive. Early in the spring 1 found brood in the super and none in the brood-chamber. So a little later on 1 changed places putting the super on the bottom and the brood-chamber on top, thinking to pel the queen to establish her brood-nest in tlit brood-chamber. In about one week I put vi\ an empty super with full sheets. The bees went to work in it at once. That queen, being high- minded, wouldn't stay below, so she promptly filled that super with young bees. I have an empty one under the top one, with the same result. Thinking she might be crowded for room, in a few days I gave another empty one on top. The bees (being about one million in number) succeeded in filling that one with honey before the queen could get to it. At this writing, the hive-body on top of the super at the bottom is crammed full of honey, the top-bar being bent or sagged and ruined, and not a vacant cell. What can I do with those brood-combs ? I have no extractor. 5. When a colony is intending to send out an afterswarm and I hear the young queen piping in the hive, what can I do to prevent the swarm from issuing? 0. If I adopt the 10-frame hive and produce chunk honey, would you advise the use of queen-excluders ? 7. I had 2 afterswarms come out on the same day — one (a black one) in the forenoon. In the afternoon one of my Italian colonies cast a small swarm. So I wished to unite them, and wanted to save the Italian queen, but not knowing how to get the black queen already hived, I just shook the Italians in front of the one already hived, hoping the Italian queen would be the victor. I watched to see the re- sult. They went in all right, seeming to go in on the other side from tlie first swarm hived, and seemed to fight a little. In just a few minutes after the last swarm went in a large bee ( I thought a drone) came flying close to my face. I tried to catch it with my hand, but failed, and it alighted among the other bees ( Italians)^ at the entrance, and I saw it was the queen. She went right in among the bees, and around in front of the hive and crawled up the side of the hive, and took wing, flving only a short way from the hive. She did this about three times, only the last time she went out of mv sight, being gone about one minute. She alighted on the board in front of the hive and went right in, but I never saw her any more. Each time she came out she went a little fur- t'lfr. What do you think she was up to ? Could it be that she was on a mating trip so soon after being hived ? The bees seemed to pay no attention to her while she was flying in and out of the hive. 8. In buying my 10-frame hives this sprine. T find that the frames will not go into my 8- frame hives. They are too long, and some of the shallow frames have wide top-bars and some have narrow top-bars. What are the advan- tages claimed for the brood-frames and different top-bars? Tennessee. Answers. — 1. The strange thing in the case is that with full sheets of foundation, which was no doubt worker- foundation, there should he drone-brood, unless it be that some of the foundation dropped down, and then the bees built in drone-comb. It is nothing very strange ' ■-'t bees go into extracting-supers. seeing that the frames there are the same as below. With old combs in the lower story there is not the same tendency for the nueen to go above. You hived the swarms on foundation, and then put on a super that had been on the old hive. Of course the queen would prefer this super with comb already drawn out. The only way to pre- vent the queen goinq up is to use a queen-ex- cluder. 2. Not unless vou use an excluder. The nueen will be sure to go up where the brood is if she can. 3. Bees are naturally inclined to cluster in a sphere, and when they had filled 6 frames in the lower story it was just as easy for them to enlarge by going upward as by going sidewise, the upper story naving the advantage that it was warmer, as heat rises. If the lower story had been filled witli old combs, there would have been less tendency to go up. The remedy is to have old combs below, which, nowever, is not so sure as an excluder. 4. Having no extractor, you can cut out the combs to be used as chunk honey, providing the comb is not too old and filled with pollen. If not fit for the table as it is, you can melt it, being sure not to overheat it, and when cold take off the cake of wax and use the honey tor the table. Vou can give the sealed combs of honey to the bees for winter or spring. J. Cut out all the queen-cells that are left. G. Yes. 7. It would be nothing very unusual if she was on her wedding tour. 5. Some think that bees will build more brace-combs with narrow top-bars but all do not agree in that view. am Cxperiencesyi White Honey Crop a Failure. The honey crop this year in this locality is a failure so far. We may get some honey from the fall flow. J. H. McCargo. Danville. Ark.. Tulv 33. Cold Rains — Little Honey. 1 he bees are not a success in this vicinity — too many cold rains. There is very little honey in sight at this time. G. C. Allinger. La Rue, Ohio, July 2. Considerable Swarming. We have considerable swarming in West Prowers and East i>ent counties this season, ynd bees are just enterinc the su'^ers. John S. Semmems. Wiley. Colo.. July 19. Hardly Half a Honey Crop. The honey crop in this locality is hardly one- half; there being no basswood to speak of. and clover is drying up on account of the drouth. J. A. DOERR. ^■iroqua, Wis., July 34. Honey Prospects Better Than Ever. Our honey prospects are better than ever this year, although the crop is late. There will be a fair crop of white honey, with perhaps a good supply of late, dark crop. J. J. Measer. Hutchinson, Kans.. July 19. Weather Too Cool. Clover is in full bKu)m, but owing to the cool weather the last few days, the bees have not done much in the supers. The basswood has lots of buds and promises well, though we want favorable weather to get a honey-flow. Mary Theilmann. Theilman. Minn.. July 6. Too Dry and Hot. The dry, hot weather put a stop to the flow of nectar beginning last week. The yield of white clover was less than half of last year — a super on every hive half finished. Soaking rain today — too late for clover. Basco, 111., July 5. Wm. Findlav. An Enterprising Boy Bee-Keeper. I am a boy 14 years old. I started a year ago with one colony of bees, and I wintered it through. This spring I bought another col- ony, and have managed to build up 3 colonies. I will tell of a swarm that came to me in June. First a lot of bees were in carrying out comb foundation starters which I had for an- other swarm. They would carry out pieces of saw-dust and droo it in front of the hive. The next day it rained and they still stayed in the hive. The next day when my swarm August, 1909. 279 American Vae Journal issued I went to get that hive to hive them in, and there, to my surprise, was the swarra going in and out with comb and honey on their legs. I am located in xvansas City, 7 miles from the post-office, and I live close to a golf club with 2uO acres in clover and blue grass. As soon as I can get a photographer out, I will send you a picture of myself and my out-apiary. All my hives are the Langstroth-Simplicity style. 1 here is a great deal of timber around here, and 1 am going to hunt bee-trees. I would like to hear through the Americain Bee Journal how I can do it. Kansas City, Mo. Frank R. Johnson. Best Time Ahead for Bees. Bees don't do very well in this locality. There is no white clover this year, and other flowers appear to contain no nectar. We have just had 3 aays of rain, so from now on there may be a good honey-flow, as sweet clover is commencing to bloom. As no honey is coming in there is hardly any swarming. But we are not giving up hope, as we have just ahead of us the best time for bees to store in the supers. D. H. Gathman. Forest City, III.. July 6. Flour Plan of Introducing Queens. I will tell my experience in introducing a nice yellow queen; 1 thought I would try tWe flour plan, so I found the oid queen, put her away, then waited a little while till every- thing got quiet. Then I lifted out a frame, dusted the flour on, holding or propping the frame in a slanting position, also dusting a little flour on the queen in the cage. Then I opened and let her out on the frame of bees. ^>he walked a step or two, then jumped an inch or so, and then flew away. I reached out after her, touched her with my finger, but that was the last 1 saw of her until 3 days afterwards I opened the hive to see if they had started cells, and to my surprise I found a beautiful yellow queen walking about seemingly at home. I concluded she must be that queen. When I touched .ler with my finger in that desperate reach out for her. I must h^ve knocked her down in front of tue hive, and she went in the front entrance, and the bees accepted her at once. So I have decided to try the flour plan a^ain. I mav have a screen wire-cage about the size of the frame to olace over her when I put her on the frame until I cin slin the frame in niace. R. E. Hickok. Chrtstiansburg. \'a., July 1*==. Bees and Cucumber Growers. It may be news to some of our bee-keepers to learn from Burton N. Gates, the expert in apiculture, that the 118 large growers of cu- cumbers in Massachusetts have found it im- yjerative to the success of their enterprise to keep bees in their large conservatories to '*set" or fructify the cucumbers raised in those huge glass houses. In all, about 1000 colonies are used for this purpose, and must be replenished yearly as the bees are severely exhausted by the work they do. Hence the necessity for con- tinued demand for bees. The recorded sales of bees during 1908 was 1027 colonics, some of the larger growers requiring from 40 to 80 colonics for their forcing work. And they find that it is only by the help of the bees in fer- tilizing the bloom that they get from 10,000 bushels of cucumbers, and less, according to the extent of space at their command. Their present consideration is how they may continue to use the bees with less loss than they have thus far suffered. W^hether it is their confinement in a heated apartment, neces- sary to forcing the plants, or the want of more forage is not stated. Pity 'tis that so great sacrifice should be imposed on their well-doing. Worcester, Mass., is the central point of this enterprise. Dr. Peiro. Kavtnswood, Chicago, III. Weather Extremes — National Conven- tion. June was wet to the extreme up to the 20th, and then cooking hot up to July 3, since which it has rained every day or night, and frenucntly several times a day and night besides. No sur- plus honey is in sight as yet, and unless belter weather comes very soon no honey will be shipped from this place. I haven't had even the sight, let alone a taste, of honey of this season's production. Such weather it has not been my misfortune to see before, and I hope I shall never be called upon to witness again. Discouragements have been on everv hand, so far as the bees were concerned. Out of 200 last fall, 117 dead ones, is the record. Causes: Poor honcy-fiow previous fall, hence few young b^es to begin the winter; cellar after March 1, left ui care of new occupant and ventilator openings nailed up; (incubator in cellar-room adjoining, and other irritants) ; next, horrible weather to move bees by rail, and delay by railroad in moving to destination ; and a con- tinuance of cold, windy, and cloudy weather during the latter half of April and all of May. And June was wet up to the 20th, and it is only a wonder how so many survived as did. Like most bee-keepers, we are vet hopeful that the weatner will make a change, and let us gather a normal crop at least, for I want to go to the National Convention at Sioux City, with a smile, and not a little puny one at that, but a big, broad one, right out loud. I hope to see this convention rival any other heiu by the National, and that is hoping for a good deal ; and while the prospects for a crop of honey are very discouraging just now, I trust at least something will be gathered from this on through the season. F. W. Hall. Storm Lake. Iowa, July 19, Good Prospects for Honey, Bees are doing fine. They have stored con- siderable from the first crop of alfalfa, and are working on sweet clover now. It has been wet here^and the nectar was thin. I have 3 or 4 supers on some hives, a number of which are filled, but none sealed. Prospects are cood. Louis Macey. North Platte. Nebr., July 20. Alsike and Basswood. Bees are doing well on alsike clover, but as the farmers are now cutting the same it will soon end. But as basswood will open about July 5 to 7. the break in the nectar-flow will not be noticeable if the weather proves good during the basswood bloom. G. M. DOOLITTLF. Boroaino, N. Y., July 2. A Little Hope for Honey. Bees don't seem to work on white clover this year, and have not more than started in tlie supers. There is plenty of sweet clover and smartweed, so there is a little hope for some honey. Most of the colonies are in fine con- dition. Mrs. Aug. Tosephsox. Granville, 111.. July 12. A "Young" Bee-Keeper. I am younc in the bee-business — only 3 years old. But I find it very interesting and instruc- tive. I have 41 colonics in 10-frame hives; all doing well. ^ome are at work in the third super. I have the swarm control well in hand, not having had a swarm this year so far. Sterlin", Kans., July 12. K. E. Potter. No White Honey This Year. We have had a lively season, but the honey is iust awful. It is black as the darkest mo- lasses, being almost exclusively honey-dew. The prospect for a fall crop is good, but our clover crop is entirely jeopardized by this honey-dew, and we will have no white honey this year. C. P. Dadant. Hamilton, 111., July 10. Prospects for Fair Crop. We have 1 1'lO colonies of bees here. The first and second blooms of alfalfa are over, but there arc three more blooming periods coming, and although up to this date the honey-flow has been slow, the prospects are good for a fair cron. The clean, bright American Bee Journal is alwavs a welcome visitor here. I am proud to be able to place such wholesome literature in the hands nf mv family. Geo. H. Rea. Mesilla Park. N. Mex.. July 5. Some Swarming Comments. Some of the .i seems a little difficult of apidication. When dividing by hive-stnries. we arc told that the original brood-chamber "shouUl be svt up on a new and preferably remote stand in order to retain what old bees it hapifns to contain." In this lo- c^Ittv if set in the most remote corner of the pniary just as many old bees would return as if it were moved onlv a few feet. Kven at 4 mil'-s. C. P. Dndant says some bees return. On the n'-xt naec. under the head of shaken swarms, it is advised to have frames containinc nothing but narrow stsi-tcrs, while the suner contains sections with full sheet*; of foundation. or better still rlrawn sections. In 0 cases out of 10 — probably 10 cases out of 10 — the queen would be certain to go up into the super, and it would be well filled with brood; at least that is what happens here. Of course an excluder would prevent that, but nothing is said about any excluder, and naturally one supposes it is not to be used. With those narrow starters in the brood- chamber we are told good worker-combs will always be built, if a young queen of the cur- rent year's rearing be in the colony. That seems to take it for granted that it is an easy thing to have such queens on hand in time for shaking swarms, which must be at least a little in advance of natural swarming. Such a thing is hardly practicable here, at least it is a diffi- cult thing to have good queens reared so early. In the concluding paragraph it is said to be essential to the highest success to requeen every honey colony with a queen of the current year's rearing, "as early in the spring as possible." Now if some beginner in this vicinity, anxious for the highest success, goes to work and rears young queens so as to requeen in April or May. he would have a lot of queens mostly worthless, if indeed his colonies did not swarm with queens reared thus early. Even suppos- inc he requeens late enough to have good queens, he would hardly attain the highest suc- cess by requeening every colony according to the teachings of tnose who say that for best success we should breed from the best. For if each colony is requeened there is no way of telling which nueen is best, because the force of hres that gathers the harvest will not all be the proeenv of the nueen left in the hive, but i>art of them will be the progeny of the removed queen. Progressive. Too Wet for Honey. There has been abundance of bloom but too wet for honey, and now linden bloom has passed and white and alsike clover are nearly gone; sweet clover is not plentiful enough to yield honey, but we will have lots of fall flowers with tlie second crop of alsike, from which we may get a good fall flow. Bees have swarmed considerably, and are in fairly good condition now. Comb honey is worth 15 cents a pound in the market for No. 1, and 12V2 cents for No. 2. O. P. Miller. Menlo, Iowa, July 20. Hard Spring for Bees. I have been a steady subscriber to the .-Ameri- can lice Journal for 25 years. Last fall I put .12 colonies of bees m the cellar; 30 of them came out m "'ood condition last April. This has been a hard spring and summer for bees, and 1 do not anticipate much of a honey crop. Kast year 1 had over 1300 pounds of saleaoie honey'. George Gale. (■reenville, Mich. Hot and Dry Weather. The hot weather lias ntarly stopped all nt^c- tar-secretion. It has not rained of any account for 3 weeks; mercury at 93 in the shade today with a scorching sun and high wind just burn- ing vegetation. Basswood bloom is just open- in" and if a change can come, we may yet have completed the sections nicely started from alsike clover. G. M. Doolittle. liorodino, N. Y., July 12. Beginning with Bees. The American liee Journal came and was a real pleasure — a true feast of good things. .Mthough the snow covered the ground, yet your pages brought the promise of spring. I had just skimmed over the tempting array, marking for future perusal the more important to my case when the May allowance appeared. Although its contents may be just as good, yet as I received it from the office it reminded me so much of withered flowers that it was per- haps less appreciated. It was my privilege to attend the October meeting of the State and National Associations in Detroit, and from the encouragement so gen- erously given, have ventured in the line, be- ginning with a colony that had put their former patron on his back for several days, and were only awaiting favorable moment for going up in tire and smoke. At my request they were sent to me last January. After a week on the way and a distance of 150 miles they landed here on a mild day. With full knowledge of the last doings I made hold at once to open the hive-entrance. Then, like Mr. Spectator, gracefully retreated. Fully a double handful rushed out, out as I survived that venture, little at a time I got out the spikes from the cover and have cleaned off the entrance-board, 28o August, 1909. Ame Acan Vae Journal HONEY CANS and PAILSl Friction Top Cans and Pails Sizes \ 2, 2\ and 3 lb. Cans. 51b., 101b. and 1-2 and 1 gal. Pails These are the best honey containers made. They have full open tops which are easily opened and closed. Shipping Cans Square Cans — 5 gal. or 60 lbs. packed one or two in a case, or in crates of 24 each. Round Cans — 5 gal. or 60 lb., jacketed, flat top, with 5-inch nozzle and seal, and solid wood head, 6 in a crate. We are furnishing the finest honey-cans ever manufactured. Every can is tested with compressed air, and warranted not to leak. All orders filled the day they are received, no matter how large, and no matter how small. Write for our 1909 price-list. CANNERS CAN COMPANY 217-229 W. 4oth Place, - - - CHICAGO, ILL. I nde pe n de ni Manufacf urers SIMPLY DELICIOUS The finest car of Sage Honey that ever crossed the "Rockies" just ar- rived, and we are selling it like "hot cakes" in crates of two 60-lb. cans at OJ^c per lb. Samples 10c. If vou want Honev tliat's truly delicious, send fur some todav. The Fred W. Muth Co. The Busy Bee-Men 51 Walnut St. Cincinnati, Ohio 50,000 Copies "Honey as a Health-Food" To Help Increase the Demand for Honey We have had printed an edition of over 50,000 copies of the 16-page pamphlet on " Honey as a Health-Food." It is envelope size, and just the thing to create a local demand for honey. The first part of it contains a short article on " Honey as Food," written by Dr. C. C. Miller. It tells where to keep honey. ho%v to liquefy it. etc. The last is devoted to "Honey Cooking Recipes " and "Remedies Using Honey." It should be widely circulated by those selling honey. The more the people are educated on the value and uses of honey as a food, the more honey they will buy. Prices, prepaid-Sample copy for a 2-cent stamp : 50 copies for 90 cents ; 100 copies for il.50; 250 copies for $3.00 ; 500 for $5.00 ; or 1000 for $9.00. Your business card printed free at the bottom of front page on all orders for 100 or more copies. Address all orders to GEOUGE W. YORK CHOICE QUEENS Golden-Red Clover-ltalians-and Gray Carnlolans 1 6 12 Untested Queens 0:75 J.OO 7.50 Tested 1.00 5.50 10.00 Breeders, $3.00 to $4.00 each. 5Atf CHAS. KOEPPEN, Fredericksburg, Va. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Are You Interested! in raising poultry, live I __ ' Months Trial Subscripllon 10 cents stock, produce, fruit, hon- ey, or other farm products ? If so, send ten cents for a 3-months' trial subscrip- tion to the "RLRAL FARMER." It Tells You _ all atH,ut farm cultivation, orchardlnp, live Block and p.>u;try brcedlni;. How to marliet crops aucco.ssfolly. Informs yon how to shin 6'\'v?{.''r!"i'.U'' '''," ''"'' Ket returns. "KUBAX {■AR.Mf.R columns are rich In things vou Bhould know. Three Months for 10 cents. PuMlsh-l weekly—w cents per year; 3 years for ll.oo, ortl.oo per year for club of 3 persons. "RURAL FARMER." 44 S. 3rcl .Street. ■ Philadelphia. Pa. I'lc ^•■: mention .-\m. Ucc Journal wlicn writing. IP" you need a nice yellow Ital- "* lan Oueen at once, send to J. L. Fajen, Alma, Mo. Untested, only 75c. Tested. $1.25. 3-frame nucleus with Queen, $2.75. Full colony, in 8-frame hive, $5.50. cAet Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. DOLL SHIPPING L Are Very Well Made of tine white basswood with one- piece cover and bottom. Can fur- nish with either corrugated paper nr "no drip sticks." Doll Shipping Cases are made for any number or size of sections with either 2 or .3 inch glass front. We have a large stock on hand wbicli nif.-uis prompt sliip- meiit, and our prices are lowest. Honey Packages In Tin for shipping or storing extracted honey prevents leakage and taint from wood; being square they are e.xtra strong and economize space. 1-gal. cans 10 in a bo.x ; 5-gal. cans 1 or 2 in a bo.x. Send for our esti- mate for lOOit. Minnesota Bee-Supply Co., 152 Nicollet Island, Minneapolis, Minn. DO YOU W.\NT Mo.XKvV If HO. we will ■ ■«■«» l,j^.]p ym, t„ ^,jjf( ^ proHlable mall order bimliicMH at hinnc. Nothing: like it ever offered before. Complete instructions mailed for »I.OO. Nothlnif else to buy. Address, L. W. CRINKI4. Ma.nuino, Tex.v. 8Alt Laiv^stroth on the Honey- Bee Revised by Dadant— Latest Edition This is one of the standard books on bee-culture, and ought to be in the library of every bee-keeper. It is bound substantially in cloth and contains nearly 600 pages, being revised by that large, practical bee-keeper, so well-known to all the readers of the American Bee Journal— Mr. C. P. Dadant. Each sub- ject is clearly and thoroughly explained, so that by following the instructions o£ this book one cannot fail to be wonder- fully helped on the way to success with bees. The book we mail for $1.20, or club it with the American Bee Journal for one year— both for JI.70 or, we will mail it as a premium for sending us FIVE NEW subscribers to the Bee Jour- nal for one year, with $3.75. This is a splendid chance to get a .r:<^' /J bee-book for a very little money '•■; wo/k. Address, JlEORoE W, YORK c and I wiU s^nd vou ^ the Farmer's Call every week for one year (about 1000 patres) and will send mv big- Fashion Book to you free. I also agree to sell v..u an v pat- tern yoti want thereafter for 5c. I can Sflftnem for 5 cts. because I buy them by the tliousand and don't make any profit. I don't .vant anv j.roflt. I want your subscription to the FARMER'S CAUL. Yoa will save manv times the cost of my offer in a year. WRITE TO-t)AY. Yoa can use this coupon— cut it out now and mall to me with 25c— Ic and 2c stamps taken, but a quarter almost always g-oes safe: John M. STAHL— Enclosed 25c for Farmer's Call for one year, your bont o( pitteras, postpaid, aod privilege ol buy* iag pjjtterns i". 5; c^:h. Name Very Special Offer Send me 50c and I will send yoa the farmer's Call for one year, the Illinois Farmer for two years, the Fashion Book prepaid, with privilege of buyinp patterns at 5c each. Use above coupon, but enclose 50c and write I. F. in the corner. Cut out the coupon right now, fill out, and send to JOHN M. STAHL, J. P. Sta., Chicago, IH- (Prop. Parmer's Call for past :•') years.) IF YOU WANT THE BEE-BOOK That covers the whole Apicultural Field more completely than any other pub- lished, send $1.30 to Prof. A. J. Cook, Claremont, Cal., — FOR HIS— ''BEE-KEEPER'S GUIDE" 1 Liberal Discounts to the Trade. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. BARNES' '""•"" Machinery Head what J. L Parent, of Charl- ton, N. Y.. Bays: "We cut with one of your Combined Machines, lfl«t winter. 60 chaff hives with 7-ln. cap, 100 honey-racks, 600 brood-frames, 2,000 honey-boxes, and a great deal of other work. This winter we have douMe the amount of bee-blTe«,etc., to make, and we expect to do It with this Saw. It will do all you aay it will" catalog and price-list fre«. Address, W. F. ft JOHN BARNES. 906 Raby St.. Rockford. 111. Ile« JoanuU wbea Trrlttajr* Western Bee- Keepers shoJVou how to »»78 mooey. Send for our new cata- log of the best Beo-ware made. Til MIOUDO BOIIT-rtODCCKU- 18S'I. Itntr. Mt. Superior Queens Exlivi-k;F(.(fl l':atiitjr-coloretl Italian qiiuciis. 7oc; h for tj.?^; doz.. $6.50: 20 or more. 50c each Properly reared No disease. Satis- faction trunrant' f'd irAtf S. F. Trego, Swedona, ill. "Forty Years Amon^ the Bees 99 "By "Dr. C. C. Milter One of the Best -Known Honey - Producers in all the World THIS book of over 340 pages tells just how Dr. Miller manages his apiaries to produce the most honey, which, in turn, brings the most money. Dr. Miller has been "at it" some 45 years, and so is competent to tell others the best way to be success- ful with bees. In 1903 his crop of comb honey was over 18.000 pounds, and he is not located in the best honey- producing part of the United States, either Northwest- ern Illinois. The book is bound in substantial cloth, gold-lettered, and is sent post- paid for only Sl.OO; or with the American Bee Journal one year for $1.50. (Or send us 4 new subscriptions to the Bee Journal— with $3.00— and we will mail you the book free as a premium.) Every bee-keeper ought to have both the book and the Bee Journal, if not already possessors of them. As Dr. Miller gets a royalty on his book— so many cents on each copy sold— every bee-keeper who buys it is thus helping a little to repay him for his effort to lead others to success through his writings on bee-culture. As we have a good stock of these books on hand, we can fill all orders by return mail. This is the time of year to read up on bee- keeping. Better send us your order at once for Dr. Miller's book, and study it carefully so as to make the mostof the bee-season. Address. GEORGE W. YORK (Q. CO., CHICAGO, ILL. Chick Culture is a new book by A. A. Brigham, Ph. D. It contains no fool theories, no crazy systems- just common-sense. It starts with the mat- ing of the stock birds and the setting of the eggs, and carries the reader straight through to the mature fowl. One chapter for each month-80 pages; fully illustrated. Price, 50c with a year's subscription to " Poultry Husbandry." POULTRY HUSBANDRY, Watervllle. N. Y. Stop--Look--Listen! If you want to improve your bees you should try at least H doz. of our famous long-tongued Italian Red Clover Queens, bred for business only. Will guarantee them to be equal to the very best queens bred in the U. S. Have been a queen- breeder for 20 years. Untested queens, after May 10, 75 cts each ; H doz., $4.00. Tested. $1.25 each; hi doz., $7.00. Nuclei and full colonies in the season. Send for free catalog o. Bees and Queens. 4Atf FRED LEININGER & SON, Delphos, Ohio HAND-MADE SMOKERS BINGHAM ^ Extracts from Catalogs— 1007: CLEAN '^-^H Chas. Dadant & Son, Hamilton, 111.— This is the Smoker BEE SMOKER i^^ S recommend above all others. u. A. Lewis Co., Watertown, Wis. — We have sold these Smok- ers for a good many years and never received a single complaint. A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. — The cone fits inside of the cup so that the liquid creosote runs down inside of the smolter. All Bingham Smokers are stamped on the tin, " Patented 1878, 1892, and 1903," and have all the new improvements. Smoke Enginft— largest smoker made $1.50—4 inch «tov« Doctor- cheapest made to use 1. 10 — 3>i " Conqueror— right for most apiaries 1.00 — 3 " Large— lasts longer than any other 90—23^ " Little Wonder— as Its name implies 65—2 " The above prices deliyer Smoker at your post-ofHce free. We send circular If requested. Original Bingliam & Hetherlugton Uncapplng-Kolfe. T, F, BINGHAM, Farwell, Midi Patented , May:20, 1879. BEST ON EARTH. August, 1909. American ^ae Journal FOR QUICK DELIVERY and LOW FREIGHT send your orders for BEE-SUPPLIES to The A. I. Root Company, 42-60 Institute Place ( 4 blocks north of former location ) CHICAGO, ILLINOIS We are now fully moved, located, and well stocked with a FULL LINE of supplies. We have the best shipping facilities, and with plenty of help we promise to get goods to you promptly. There are only two reasons why we might fail ; viz., the neglect of some transportation company to give its usual good service, and our inability to turn out stock fast enough to care for your orders. We are promised a large car-load from our factory every TEN days, so you see we expect to take good care of your orders. If you haven't our new catalog let us send you one. Remember our new location, four blocks north of our former place. The A. I. Root Co., Chicago, Illinois 42-60 Institute Place R. W. Boyden, Resident Manager. Jeffrey Building Take Elevator to Sixth Floor. Telephone 14S4 North. Bee-Supplies Distributor of Lewis and Root Bee-Sup- plies. We are now prepared to furnish promptly a full line of Supplies and Berry Boxes. Choice new stock just from factory. Beeswax wanted. Send for Catalog. W. 3. McCARTY, Emmettsburg, Iowa Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. BEE-SUPPLIES. 40-paee catalog free. Brimful of the latest make of hives, etc. Our supplies will please you in every way. Prices are right. We can make prompt shipments as we carry a full line of A. 1. Root Co. 's supplies in stock. Don't fall to write us if you are in need of supplies. 8Atf JOHN NEBEL& SON SUPPLY CO.. High Hill, Montg. Co., Mo Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. L Crown Bone Cutter \ Ciiis up scr;.p h,.urs easily mi.l Bcst Made z^"^aOT^w fjULcklv— no trouble. Ffi-d your hi us LoWCSl fr-^ZJ**/ fre'^ti cut green Iwiie diiily luid gel , p_i-- E5tP^ more eess. S'^nrt f..r orH;iii.2U.-. in rrice *^ ' ' WILSON BROS., Box 1.I8. Easton, Pa. Italian Bees for Sale 1 colony, $5; 2 for $9; 5 for $20. Queens— Untested, 7Sc each ; 6 for $4 ; Tested, $1 each; 6 for $5. Will put swarms into any style hive to suit pur- chaser. SAtf L. BOOMHOWEK. Freehold, Greene Co., N. Y. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. UNTESTED ITAI,I.4N QUEENS, 50c ; Se- lect. 75c : Tested, Sl.OO! 7A2t Robt. B. Spicer, Kt. 163, Wharton, N. J. Please mention .^m. Bee Journal when writing. MARSHFIELD BEE-GOODS FRIEND BEE-KEEPER— We are prepared to fill your orders for Sections. A large stock on hand. Also a Full Line of Bee-Supplies. We make prompt shipments. MARSHFIELD MFG. CO., Marshfield, Wis. lOWA-J. W. Bittenbender. Kncwille, Gregory & Son. Ottumwa. KANSAS— S. C. Walker & Son. Smith Center. MICHIUAN-Lengst & Koenie. 127 South 13th St.. Saginaw. E. S. S. D. Buell. Union City. NEBRASKA— Collier Bee-Supply Co., Fairbury- CANADA- N. H. Smith. Tilbury. Ont. ARIZONA— H. W. Ryder. Phoenix. MINNESOTA-Northwestem Bee-Sap- ply Co., Harmony. ILLINOIS-D. L. Durham, Kankakee. OHIO— F, M. Hollowell Harrison. TEXAS— White Mfg. Co.. Blossom. WISCONSIN— S. W. Hines Mercantile Co., Cumberland, J. Gobeli, Glenwood. FOR SALE ^ Italian Queens— hustlers. Select. 75c; Tested. Si. ^S- Untested. 6oc; HAit Mrs. J. W. Bacon, Waterloo, N. Y. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. 1000 Colonies of Bees to Address, :ns to suit purchaser. HA If Dr. Geo. D. Mitchell & Co., Ogden, Utah i iease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. August. 1909. American Hae Joornal 66 FALCON QUEENS 99 Three-Band Golden Italians Caucasians Carniolans 1 6 12 Untested $0.7.3 $4.25 $ 8.00 Select Untested 1.00 5.-W ID. mi Tested, $1.50; Select Tested, $2.00 We have in charsje of this department M R. Leslie M.\rtin, formerly queen-breeder in the Apiary of the U. S. Dept. of Agricul- ture. Washington. D. C. Send for our free catolog of "Falcon" Bee-Keepers' Supplies. W.T. FALCONER MFG. CO. Jamestown, N. Y. < jiri AGO, July J'; .\ot .in\ ccmih 1hiiu\ hd this market of the yield of I'ju'j at lliistiati'. and if there were auN' it \V()nI@()/4c. Beeswax is quite tirm at 28c cash, or 30c in trade. The Griggs Bros. Co. HONEY ^ BEESWAX When consigning, buying, or selling, consult R. A. BURNETT & CO. 6 cents a month. We will be glad to furnish free all the sample copies you can use judiciously. Why not begin now? 199 South Water St. Ctilcago, III Pkase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Our Liberal Premium Offers We offer many premiums in this num- ber for the work of getting new sub- scribers for the .American Bee Journal. We request every reader to help us in- crease the list of regular subscribers. It is not our aim to make more bee- keepers, but to make better bee-keep- ers of those who now are in the busi- ness. Surely this is right. Why not get your neighbor bee-keepers to take the American Bee Journal? It will pay you in more ways than one to do such missionary work. We not only pay you for it, but you will thus be helping to inform the bee-keepers around you how to conduct bee-keep- ing in the proper way; how to keep their bees free from disease; how not to spoil the honey market for you and themselves; how — but there are so many ways in which they would be helped by reading the American Bee Journal every month. And the cost is so small- only 75 cents for a whole year — about We will Buy and g Sell I S& of tlie diflferent grades and kinds. ^™ ew If you have any to dispose of, or if mm ^3 you intend to buy, correspond ^S for We are always in the market I Beeswax ^Su at highest market prices. ^ Hildreth& Segelken ^mL 365 & 367 Qreenwlch Street (^ NEWYORK, N. Y. Books for Bee-Keepers Have you a good bee-book? Many bee-keepers do not have. And that is where they make a big mistake. A bee- paper cannot take the place of a good bee-book. The paper is a splendid thing to read in connection ivith the book. On another page we make some generous clubbing offers of bee-books with the American Bee Journal. August, 1909., American l^ee Journal DADANT'S FOUNDATION Z 0 h < a z 0 ft H Z < < Q It Excels.... What's in a Name ? That depends on whose name it is. It depends on what the name represents. It depends on the quality of the goods the name represents. It is not the name that makes DADANT'S FOUNDATION so well known and well liked, but it is the Quality of the Goods That's what backs up the name, and the quality is backed by 30 years of successful experience in foundation making. EVERY INCH of DADANT'S FOUNDATION is equal to the best inch we can make. Do not fail to insist on Dadant's make when you order your foundation. Accept no substitute even though the dealer claims that his foundation is made by the same process. It is the PURIFYING PROCESS that counts. Our method of purifying has been unequaled for years. This method leaves every essential in the pure^beeswax, and our Foundation does not have the odor of wax cleansed with acids. That is why several large honey-producers who have tested our foundation side by side with other makes, have found ours to be the best, and the best liked by the bees. BEESWAX . Do not sell your beeswax until you get our quotations. We have received up to April 1st, over 80,000 pounds of beeswax for our 1909 trade. We will need over 80,000 pounds more before January 1,1910. Drop us a card and get our prices. Agents for Dadant's Foundation in every part of the United States. DADANXaSONS, : : Hamilton, Illinois D > > H •m 0 c z a > H N4 0 z DADANT'S FOUNDATION Bee-Supplies Shipped Promptly ^^^^=^^= Send _f or Free Catalog = Although the destruction by fire, of the G. B. Lewis Company's factory at Water- • town. Wis., has stopped the manufacture of the famous Lewis Bee-ware until they • J I can get their new factory ready, we as their agents are filling orders as usual from * the Lewis stock we have on hand and other up-to-date goods. S 'ARND HONEY & BEE-SUPPLY CO. (Notlnc.) H. M. Arnd. proprietor, 1 Successors to York Honey & Bee-Supply Co., 191-193 E, Superior St., Chicago, 111. 5 Long Distance Telephone, North 1559 J BEE-SUPPLIES Wholesale and Retail Ask us for prices on the goods you will need for this season. Discount for early or- ders. Send us your subscription for Glean- ings—one year and a Bee-Veil for $1.15, post- paid. Send for catalog. M. H. HUNT & SON, 0pp. Lake Shore Depot. Lansing, Mich. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Books Direct From Factory ask today for our new illustrated Dlrect-from- factory Catalog— mailed FREE. MMWrilia NEWA.M1.I1IW ■ SWJMJilW NEWAMERIOV ENCTCLOPtO EKCtCLOPEDi' OJCYCLOPEl* ENCVaxJPW . DlCTrOS.M>" OICTIONARV OICTIONARV ^CTION.*' , ■3«s. 1 at a complete saving to you of OVER 50 CENTS ON PVPI?Y OOI I A I? Here— right now— is an opportunity, for the first time, •-'''"-'•^* L»v.>fcr»A 2qo September, 1909. American Hee Journal PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY GEORGE W.YORK & COMPANY 146 W. Superior St., Chicago, 111. IMPORTANT NOTICE. THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE of this Joarnal la 75 cents a year, In the United States of America, (except Chicago, where it is $1.00), and Mexico; In Canada 85 cents; and in all other countries In Che Postal Union, 25 cents a year extra for post- age. Sample copy free. THE WRAPPER-LABEL DAi'E indicates the end of the month to which yonr subscription is paid. For instance, " dec09 " on your label shows tbat it is paid to the end of December, 1909. SUBSCRIPTION RECEIPTS.-We do not send a receipt for money sent us to pay subscription, but change the date on your wrapper-label, which shows that the money has been received and credited. Advertising Rate, per ftgate Line, I5g. 14 lines make one inch. Nothine less than 4 lines accepted. Discounts: 3 times 14c a line 9 times He a line 6 ■* 12c" " 12 " (lyr.) 10c aline Reading Notices, 25 cents, count line. Goes to press the 6th of each month. National Bee Keepers' Association ObjecU of the Association. IBt.— To promote the interests of its members. ad.— To protect and defend its members in their awful riKhts. 8d.— To enforce laws against the adulteration of honey. Annual Membership Dues, $1.00. Oaneral Manager and Treasurer - N. B. France, Platteville, Wis. |y If more convenient. Dues may be sent to the publishers of the American Bee Journal. Books for Bee-Keepers Have you a good bee-book? Many bee-keepers do not have. And that is where they make a big mistake. A bee- paper cannot take the place of a good bee-book. The paper is a splendid thing to read in connection with the book. On another page we make some generou- clubbing offers of bee-books with thi American Bee Journal. HONEY 1^ BEESWAX When consigning, buying, or selling, consult R. A. BURNETT & CO. 199 South Water St. Cliicaeo, 111 There arc many of these in this town who WANTED 'J'o buy a L'ood bee-location, not overstoced. Apiary with fixtures Write price and full detail to — gAit J. A. Heberly, West River, Md. Please mention Am. Bee Tnnrna! when writins- By Return Nail Standard-Bred Untested Italian Queen-Bees Prices for balance of season of 1909: One Queen. 75 cents; 2 for $1.40; 3 for $3.00; 6 for $.3.7.5: 12 for $7.00. Superior Tested Breeding Queens, $2.00 each- well worth $3.00. Standard-Bred Virgin Italian Queens FREE as a ^Premium Send us, One New yearly subscription to the American Bee Journal at 75 cents, and we will mail you a Standard-Bred Italian Virgin Queen free; or for 90 cents we will mail the Virgin Queen and the Bee Journal for a year. ''TT- liailan Queen-Bee For a iinmt>er of y*$n we have been sending out to bee-keep- ers exceptionally fine Untested Italian Queens, purely mated, and all right in every respect. Here is what a few of those who re- ceived our Queens have to say about them : What They Say of Our Queens George W. York & Co.:— The two queens received of you some time ago are line. -They are good breeders, and the workers are showing up fine. I introduced them among black bees, and the bees are nearly yellow now. and are doing good work. A. w. Swan, Nemaha, Co., Kan.. J uly 15, 1905. George W. York & Co.:— After importing queens for 15 years you have sent me the best. She keeps 9X Liangstroth frames fully occupied to date, and, although 1 kept the hive well contracted, to force them to swarm, they have never built a queen-cell, and will put up lOO pounds of honey if the How lasts this week. CHA8. MITCHELL. Ontario, Canada, July 22, 1905. George W. York & Co.:— The queen I bought of yon has proven a good onejand has given me some of my best colonies. N. P. OOU8BT. Washington Co.. Va., July 22. 1905. Gkorgb W. York & Co.:— The queen I reeeivid of youafew days ago came throuBh O.K., and 1 want to say that she is a beauty. I immediately Introduced her into a colony wbich had been queenless for 20 days. She was accepted by them, and has gone to work nicely. 1 am highly pleased with her and your promptness in filling my order. My father, who is an old bee-keeper, pronounced her very fine. You will hear from me again when I am In need of something in the bee-line. B. B. McColm. Marion Co., III., July 13. We usually begin mailing Queens in May, and continue there- after, on the plan of "first come first served." The price of one of our Untested Queens alone is 75 cents^ or with the monthly Americsn Bee Jo'irnal one year — both for $1.20. Three Queens (without Journal) would be a., or 6 for ^. '^ , Full instructions for introdticing are sent with each Queen, being printed on the underside of the address-card on the mailing-cage. You 'cannot do better than to get one or more of our fine Standard-Bred Queens. George W. York & Co., '46 w superior st Chicago, 111. Dittmer's Comb Foundation Is the Best. Not because we say so, but because the Bees prefer it to other makes. Dittmer's Process is Dittmer's It has built its Reputation and established its Merits, on its own Foundation and its own Name. We make a Specialty of Working Wax into Founda- tion for Cash. Write for free catalog and prices on full Line of Supplies. 31-11 GUS DITTMER CO.. Augusta. Wto. September. 1909. American l^ee Journal QVEENS And Nothing But Italians— That is >Vhat Quirin Rears A superior improved strain. Northern-bred, are hardy and vigorous: always come out strong in the spring. Our stock is well known, and not necessary to say more here. Prices of Queens after July 1 Select queens Tested queens Select tested queens Breeders Straight five-band breeders.. 1 6 ♦ 75 $4 00 100 500 1 50 8 00 3 00 15 00 5 00 Young queens from our improved stock are the best security against poor seasons. Requeen now and have bursting strong colonies in the spring. We employ 500 colonies. Queens sent outside of United States or Canada. 25 cts. extra. QUEENS NOW READY! Safe Arrival and Pure Hating Guaranteed. Address all orders to Quirin-the-Queen-Breeder, Bellevue, 0. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. ROOT'S GOODS Are money-savers. We have a full line of Supplies, Bees, Queens, etc., and can supply you with anything in the BEE-LINE Queens any quantity. Tested, $1.00; Untested, 7Sc each. 4Atf Rea Bee & Honey Co.^ Reynoldsville. Pa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Closing Out Offer We Have Some Copies Left of the Book "Bees and Honey" By Thomas G. Newman bound in cloth, tliat \vc offer clieap to close out. It contains ItiD pages, and is bound in cloth. It used to be a one- dollar book, but we will mail them, so long as they last, at -jO cents each ; or with the .American Bee Journal one year both for only $1.00. Surely this is a bargain. The book is well illustrated, and has some good infor- mation in it, especially for beginners. Address all orders to George W. York & Co., 146 W. Superior St., Chicago, III. Carniolan Queens By sending to several different Queeii- kearers in Austria fpr the last few years, we liavc succeeded in k'ettint; a desirable strain "f Carniolan bees. To any of the bee-keep- ers wisliinK to try a pure Carniolan (jueen, it will be sent by return mail. One tested for li.oo; (i, ts.oo; I2, (g.oo. One untested, isc; '.. Ji.25; 12. J8.0O. .\ddress. 8Atf Wm. Kernan, R. R. No. 2, Dushore, Pa. J*l ;is<- mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Italian Bees Queensand Nuclei Choice Home-bred and Im- ported Slock. All Queens Reared in Full Colonies. Prices for July to November : One Untested Queen JO'S One Tested Queen 0.90 One Select Tested Queen 1.10 One Breeder Queen l-g5 One Comb Nucleus— no Queen sO Safe arrival guaranteed. For price on larger quantities and description of each grade of Queens send for Catalog. All Queens by return mail. A limited quantity of Comb Foundation. Send for sample. J. L. STRONG ;i04 E. Lo^an St., - ■ CLARINDA, IOWA. ROOT'S Bee-Keepers' Supplies at factory prices, f. o. b.. San Antonio. Weed New Process Contb Foundation We manufacture thisrii^ht here, out of clean Southern wax which is superior to all other. We are careful to retain the original fra- grant odor of the hives. It takes skill and care to do this. If you desire to have your beeswax workt- d up in this way send it here. We wish large quantities of wax from asso- ciations to be worked into comb foundation. Write for rates. Reliable agents wanted everywhere. Illustrated catalog free. 5A6t TOEPPERWEIM A MAYFIELD, 1322 S, Fiores St., San Antonio, Tex. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. EXTRACTING MADE EASY by using MILLER AUTOMATIC DECAPPERS $5 to $3.S. Catalog Free. APICULTURAL MANUFACTURING CO.. Providence, R. I. 7Atf Mott's Strain of Italians Work red clover and ottier deep blooms. Hardy and gentle. Untested. 60c. Guaran- teed, 90c. Tested. $1.15. Golden Queens for the same price. Leaflet, " Safe Plans of Introduction," 15c. Also " Rapid Increase," 15c. Or copy of each, 25c. 4A6t E. E. MOTT, Glenwood, Mlcb. PU-ase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. A WONDERFUL INVENTION CLARK'S .^Bs^^UOLBLH ACTION COM- BINKD CULTI- VATOR AND HARROW, e.-.M I.e usi.i to eultiv.ato croi>s in rows, as a Listing II ar ro w, anil wjien closed toiifther is a liisk „ . ^ Harrow pnttine 4H: t'-'-t wide. Drawn by two ni*^ »^ .^/ more or less honey; at any rate it would give the bee- keerier a superior opportu- nity toenliirhten many a person in regard to honey and bees." The picture shown above is a reproduc- tion of a motto queen-button that we offer to beekeepers. It has a pin on the under- si ^ a 3 > '3 .X9 3, a EA 01 >i .fl o ^ "A O a * 1 s y p /> SEND ALL ORDERS TO THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 118 W. JACKSON BLVD.. CHICAGO. ILL. (Entered as second-class matter July 3D. 1»U7. at the Post-Offlee at Chicago, 111., under Act of March 3, 1879.) Published Monthly at 75 cents a Year, by George W. York & Company, 146 West Superior Street, GEORGK W. YORK. Editor DR. C. C MILLER. .\ssociatL- Editor CHICAGO, ILL., SEPTEMBER, 1909 VoL XLIX-No. 9 ditorial ^ofes aitd Commenfs Haisiiig: the Price of Honey If you are dissatisfied with the price you are getting for your honey and Would like to know what you can do to get more, please put it down as a gen- eral rule that the first move toward raising the price is to raise the quality. If some careless bee-keeper sells to your grocer or your private customer, honey that is only half ripened, at a price 2 cents below what you are ask- ing, don't drop your price to meet him, but redouble your effort to produce an article so superior that your customers cannot fail to note the difference — even call their attention to its superiority. Persistency in that line will surely bring its reward, and in time you will find that people will be clamoring for yoiir honey in preference to that of any one else. ^ CiettiiifT the Sections anisease The Isle of Wight is a long ways from here, and we may feel no interest in any disease there except the com- mon feeling of interest among all bee- keepers ; yet there is a possibility that the strange disease may by some means reach even to this distance. So it may be well to keep somewhat informed. It really begins to look now as if tlie dis- ease might be more fatal than .'\meri- can and European foul brood com- bined. Only one colony has survived of the strain of bees which were in the island before the outbreak, and John Silver is rearing queens from that in hopes it may be to an extent resistant to the disease. It seems that the many colonies that have been sent to the island have sooner or later succumbed, and Mr. Silver gives the following rather discouraging outlook, in the British Bee Journal : Mr. Cooper, who long hesitated between two opinions, has finally come to the C(^nclii- sion that the disease is infectious, and further, that when once a colony is affected, although it may temporarily recover, do what one may, it will eventually succumb. He lias considerable doubts resardine the evt'utual fate of the colonies sent to the island, and states that his experience shows tliat when they have been about la months in the island they go wrong. ask for salt, whether it be in sight or not. So with flour, coffee, and a great many other articles in common use. With honey the case is dilTerent. In many cases — perhaps in most cases — the customer who buys honey did not enter the store with the intention of buying it, but did so bcci//iiiioits/y on display. It must be the effort of the bee-keeper to get them to do so. Wesley C. Foster, in the Bee-Keep- ers' Review, in urging this matter, gives in illustration a case where a difference in display made a difference of nearly 4 to 1 in the amount of honey sold : One grocer that I had persuaded to handle comb fioney. had a small table in the center of the store that had been used to pile flour on. I told him to put his flour back out of the way and use the table for honey— comb and bottled. He did this, and for several months sold a case of each nearly every week. Then he got some peaches that he sold at 15 cents. The cans held nearly a Quart, and it was a bargain, to be sure. He set the peaches on the table in front of the honey, partly hiding it, and it took him a month to sell a case of comb honey. His honey customers quit honey for peaches. Editor Hutchinson then adds the following in a foot-note : I wish especially to emphasize the point of so placing honey on sale that the prospec- tive purchaser can pick it up and examine it. Many are reluctant to ask to look at something that they may not buy. The ex- amination of a displayed article carries no obligation to buy, but it often results in a sale. Display the honey and mark the honey in plain figures, and it will often sell itself. Give Honey a Fair Show When a woman who is out of salt comes into a grocery, it will make no difference with her purchase if salt is displayed. She wants salt, and she will The Connecticut Bee-Law We received the following letter, under date of Aug. 3, 1009, from the Secretary of the Connecticut Bee- Keepers' Association : EorroR York:— The Connecticut legisla- ture, now in session, recently passed a foul brood measure, and I enclose a copy here- with. The committee on agriculture reported unfavorably on the bill presented by the bee-keepers, which bill was commended by a number of experts, and called for a $1000 appropriation, a sum none too large in the opinion of those who have a very good idea of the extent of disease in the State. The enclosed bill was drawn up by an in- terested member of the legislature, who. with others, felt that something ought to be done. .Although it is quite unlike the origi- nal bill, it is believed an advance has been taken, and that better days are ahead for those unfortunate enough to be in infected localities, which seem to be getting numer- ous. James .\. .Smith. Hartford. Conn. The Foul Brood Bill referred to by Mr. Smith, reads thus : Be it enacted by tlic Semite and House of Repre- sentatives in General Assembly convened: Section i.— For the purpose of suppress- ing contagious or infectious diseases of the honev-bee, it shall be the duty of the State lintomologist. when complaint is duly made, to examine and verify, and treat or destroy cases of foul brood among honey-bees. Sec. 2. — In pursuance of the provisions of this Act, the State Entomologist, or any per- son whom he may appoint for that purpose, shall have access at reasonable times to such apiaries or places where bees are kept, and where honey-comb and appliances are stored, as may be designated in any such complaint. Sec. 3.— The State Entomologist is author- ized and empowered to prescribe suitable forms for and to make regulations regarding such complaints, and shall keep the same on file and open to public inspection; and he is further authorized and empowered to September, igcg. American Hee Journal make, in his discretion, reasonable rules to govern, and reasonable payments for the services of agents whom he may appoint to carry out the provisions of this Act. Sec. 4.— Any person who impedes, resists. or hinders tfie State Entomologist, or any agent whom he may appoint, in the perform- ance of the duties imposed by this Act. shall be fined not more than twenty-Hve dollars. Sec. 5.— To carry out the provisions of this Act the necessary expenses, to an amount not exceeding Hve hundred dollars, shall be paid by the comptroller on duly credited vouchers. € riQMci 'CI* '"-^^^-■'-■^•■■^^^■- — ,•<< AW».^^:Aiara«ib.^:..-.:.7..a 9 Xatioiial Couventioii at Siouv City, Sept. 22-23 Don't forget the annual meeting of the National Bee-Keepers' Association at Sioux City, Iowa, the 22d and 23d of this month. It is during the annual Tri-State Fair, when special railroad rates will be allowed within 20l1 miles of Sioux City. As there are a large number of bee-keepers in the territory surrounding the place of this year's tneeting, there will likely be a very large attendance. The National con- vention of bee-keepers has never been held in Sioux City. We shall not be surprised if the attendance is larger than it was at Detroit last year. We hope to meet there a large number of our friends and subscribers to the .American Bee Journal. (See page 310.) A Call from Prof. Cook Prof. A. J. Cook, the author of the " Bee-Keeper's Guide, or Manual of the .Apiary," spent a day with us when passing through Chicago last month. He had been visiting at Columbus, O.. Washington, D. C, and in Michigan. He was going to meet Mrs. Cook in Seattle, and then go on to Alaska, after which they will return to their home in Claremont, Calif. The Professor, although ()7 years old (or young?) is in fine health, and looks not a bit over ■'>'). California climate seems to agree with him. .-\nd, then, he agrees with the climate, and never tires of extol- ling its virtues. Honey Crop and Prices for li)09 In the central-northurn States tliere ap- pears to be a lame iimoinil of honcydew honey Kathercd Particularly is this true in Ohio. Indiana, and Illinois. The last .State has hardly anythine. for there seoms to be an almost entire dearth of white honey This is, no doubt, due to the drouth of last fall, which killed out the white cloyer. In Ohio and Indiana there is some white honey, but much of it is impaired by a general ad- mixture of honey-dew. In Michigan there appears to be some honey-dew and quite a quantity of white honey. This latter will averaKe from 2S to so percent, and in some sections there has been a very fair average. Crossini; over into Canada we find but very little honeydew and a i;ood crop of white honey. In .New York the yield is variously reported from a half to a full crop of white honey. The same is true to a ereat extent in New .Jersey and the New Kngland States in Ken- eral. In the States south of the Ohio River the reports vary considerably from full to no crop. Crossini; the Mississippi River we Hnd some honey-dew and considerable white honey in the Southwest. Throughout the alfalfa regions, with some exceptions, there has been a fair average crop. In Texas the yield has been good in some localities and different in others. Prices for igoo. In a general way we may say that there will be a good supply of alfalfa honey and a fair yield of California sage. This will have a tendency to ease up prices somewhat in the West. For the eastern section of the country it seems to be now reasonably certain that the crop of strictly pure clover, or clover and basswood mixed— that is. honey without honey-dew — will be light. During Septem- ber. October, and November prices on such honey should be considerably in excess of what they were last year, providing the in- flux of Western goods does not have too strong an effect. There will be considerable clover honey, or clover and basswood with little hone>- dew in it — not enough, however, to affect materially the flavor or color. This ought to have a fair market, and bring fair prices for table use. Where honey-dew is very plainly present we advise selling it for bakers' use. cjr for stimulating for next spring. It should not be used for wintering. If sold it must go under the name of ■'honey-dew honey"-- don't forget that, or Uncle Sam may exact a heavy penalty for misbranding. -ICditorial ju Gleanings in Bee Culture. ExtraotiiiK' Honey Without Open- ing Hives This is the somewhat startling head- ing to be found in Gleanin.gs, where L. W. Avant tells about a machine of his invention having a vacuum pump. stead of the ordinary midrib in each comb, there is a space between the two sets of cells on each side of the comb, which .allows the insertion of a suction-box to do its work. It is cer- tainly a very ingenious affair, which reflects credit upon the inventor, but whether it has any practical value, con- sidering the necessarily expensive hives and combs, remains to be seen. Iiee>s ill CJerniany .\ccording to official report, as given in Praktischer Wegweiser, in the Ger- man Empire the number of colonies of bees to the square mile of cultivated ground ranges from il..58 to 44.03, aver- aging Ul.ltj. Apiary of T. B. Kemiedy I am sending a picture of myself and part of the bee-yard, which had 20 good colonies after the winter was over. I have 35 colonies now, with prospects of a big crop of honey. I think that southwest Missouri is a fine country for bee-culture. I have been in the bee-busi- ness for only 4 years, and have had splendid success, having started with one colony. I use the 8-frame hive. T. B. Kennedy. Caplinger Mills, Mo., June 20. Heck's Repair Member Jacob Heck has gotten up a little device that he calls " Repair Member," which is intended to repair a section when it is broken apart at a joint, and also to fasten foundation in split sec- tions. \ small piece of tin made just a little after the manner of a paper clip fastens the two parts together in a substantial manner. It is ingenious, but the appearance of the finished product is hardly desirable. The .■>lassachusetts Bee-Keeper.s' Fielrt-l>ay The Massachusetts Society of Bee- Keepers' held its annual field-day at Stoughton, Saturday, Aug. 7, at the Ai'iAKV OK T. R. KENNKin, ui C.M-i.rxGEK .Mn.i.s, Mo. by which the honey may be sucked out of the cells without opening the hive, or at least the hive is not opened so bees can issue from the opening. In- bungalow "Apis" of Henry W. Brit- ton. There were 14(1 persons present. The guests from Uoston and other places in Massachusetts^ and adjoining September, 1909. American Vae Journal States were met at the train by Mr. Britton and friends with automobiles. A social hour was held from 11 :30 to 12:.3iX Lunch was then served, and at 1 :30 the meeting was called to order by Pres. E. Clinton Britton. A change was made in the consitu- eveu in talking, if one has a free flow of saliva. But, really, are bacilli alvei common denizens of American mouths? Suppose we ask Dr. Phillips, of the Department of Agriculture, at Wash- ington, D. C, to have Dr. White ex- amine a few moutlis of bee-keepers in .ii i^l .\i'iAK\ I 'I-' I. H. Baker, of Palmyra. Mi tion, increasing the dues after next April from oO cents to .$1.00 per year. Fifteen nevv members were admitted, making the total 75. For the best sample of honey shown by bee-keepers, Judges F. H. Palmer, X. A. Reed and M. W. Barrett awarded the first prize, a fancy queen-bee, to Mrs. E. G. Everbeck, of Winthrop Cen- ter. There was a demonstration of find- ing the queen-bee in a full hive, and after her " ladyship " had been shown those present, she was returned to the hive to be delivered in the spring to the winner. There was an address by Prof. Geo. E. Stone, of the Massachusetts -Agri- cultural College, on " Honey-Plants of Eastern Massachusetts." Commencing with the humble hollyhock, he showed its makeup to the bee-keepers, and then displayed a number of other flowers rich in honey-value, the white and sweet clovers being given high ranks. There were cornet and trombone solos bv E. Clinton Britton and Henrv W. Britton. Pres. E. C. Britton read an interest- ing paper on " How to secure 200 pounds of honey from one colony in eastern Massachusetts." This logical statement held the close attention of his audience. that locality. Perhaps "bjcality" would be important in the matter of saliva. Apiary of J. H. Baker I will send a picture of part of my apiary. I have 80 colonies. I like to work with bees. I also like the Ameri- can Bee Journal. J. H. Baker. Palmyra, Mo., May 25. Foul Brood in Illinois Word comes from Washington that European foul brood has appeared in different parts of Illinois. Dr. Miller reports that it is to be found in differ- for this pest. Watch sharp for the ap- pearance of larv;c dead in their cells. There is little occasion for chilled brood this time of year, and if any dead brood is found it should at once arouse suspicion. If, indeed, there is any suspicion of disease in brood, send at once a sam- ple to Dr. E. F. Phillips, Agricultural Dept, Washington, D. C. Don't send it to this ofiice nor to Dr. Miller. It will cost you only the postage to send it to Washington, and you will have reliable judgment from the highest authority. A Back- Yard Apiary I am sending you a picture of me and my 6 colonies, taken June 30. In the front is grass and alfalfa, and in the back are grape-vines with grapes. and the tree to the right is catalpa. It is all in my back yard. D.wiD R. Strader. East Prairie, Mo., July 1. A Finland Bee-Keeper Calls Mr. Paul Mickwitz, of Helsingfors, Finland, Europe, made us a brief call last month, when on his way to his native land. He has spent nearly two years in the United States and Canada, learning bee-keeping from the A. I. Root Co., R. F. Holtermann, Dadant & Sons, J. W. K. Shaw & Co., and others. He has become proficient in the ways of American bee-keepers, and in a month or two will go back to Finland to keep bees, perhaps in connection with his brother, who is a bee-keeper. Mr. Mickwitz is a very pleasant young man to meet, and from his general ap- pearance, etc., will be very successful with bees in Finland. He says that honey is worth two or three times as much there as here, although they don't harvest as large crops. Their main dependence is white and alsike clover, and also heather; the latter being al- most impossible to e.xtract on account of its quick granulation in the combs- Foiil Brood and Saliva Woodheadstateson the authority of \'it'nal that the bacillus alvei is an inhabitant of tlie human mouth — that great home of the bac- teria, wliere Leuwenlioek first discovered them. It is well, tliercfore. in workint; among bees to remember tliat human saliva can infect, and can start foul brood, and if the conditions are favorable to the bacteria, can destroy all the colonies in the apiary.— /ris/i Bee Journal. But why should one be spitting in a hive? Unless a tobacco-chewer? and the devotees to tobacco among bee- keepers are few. Still, there might be some danger in coughing, sneezing, or Apiary of David K. Strader. of East Pkaikie. Mo. ent directions around him, and has in- vaded his apiary. So it becomes Illi- nois bee-keepers to be on the lookout The American Bee Journal wishes Mr. Mickwitz every success in bee- keeping in far-away Finland. September, 1909. American Vae Journal Laug-sti-oth Book "Special" We have about 30 copies left of the book. "Langstroth on the Honey- Bee," of the edition just preceding the last. It is practically equal to the latest edition, and we will mail them so long as thev last, for OM cents a copy. (The regular price is $l.-5ii.) Or, we will send one of the above 00-cent copies with the American Bee Journal one year— both for $1.30. Surely this is a bargain. Remember, we have only about 30 copies left, so if yon want one of them you will need to get your or- o Conducted bv J. L.-BYER, Mount Joy, wnt. The Buckwheat Prospects liuckwheat is late with us this sea- son, and ordinarily we get our surplus from this plant before Aug. 'Z-j, in our locality. However, if we shotild get 2 weeks or 10 days of warm weather the prospects are good for a crop of honey from this source, as we have a large acreage and the recent rains have put it in great shape. Some of the Season's Experiences We were fortunate in lujlding our bees well together during the very short and rapid flow we had from clover, and naturally when the clover was passed no more trouble from swarming was anticipated. However, this is a year (jf e.xtremes and contra- dictions in the bee-keeper's line, and the swarming feature is not an excep- tion to the other problems cfinfronting us in the business. Although little sur- plus came in for two weeks or more after clover, yet there was a "picking" all the time, and then buckwheat came into bloom. At the .Altona yard the buckwheat bloomed earlier than at the other places, and whether because of very populous colonies or other reasons not accounted for, anyway the bees started to swarm. It may be supersedure, but in the most cases last year's queens are the ones that have been causing the trouble, while there arc a lot of 2-year- olds in the yard. On Aug. 13 I happened to be at the yard, and out came an enormous swarm with an old, clipped queen. By the number of dead bees around the en- trance of the hive nearest the one swarming. I could see that they had been out once before, anyway, and probably two or three times. Exami- nation showed the young queens to be emerging, so it is altogether likely they had been coming out for 4 or ■"> days hand-running. Today (Aug. 18) another big swarm came out, and in this case the young queen was with the swarm, and others were emerging inside of the hive. Clipped queens certainly saved both of these swarms for me, and although of not so much value as earlier in the sea- son, yet the prospects are that they will fill up in good shape for winter. Today 1 took an inventory of the yard under discussion, and I find that one swarm has absconded since the clover flow, yet the value of that one swarm would" not begin to pay for the time that would have been necessary for an occasional visit and examination of colonies. Canadian Honey Crop Crisis The Canadian Bee Journal for July was issued late, so as to include the report of the Honey Crop Committee. This says in part: It was somewhat of a surprise to us to find the average yield per colony only about 5g pounds— a trifle over that of last year, which reported 55 pounds. In the face of this the Committee concluded that honey should, command almost as good a price, and sug- gest No. I light extracted I'/i cents to lo'A cents per pound, wholesale, and 12'A cents per pound retail. For No. i white comb. S1.80 to $2.25 per dozen, wholesale. No. 2 comb. $1.50 to Si.75 per dozen, wholesale. Ontario Apicultural Experiment Station Everybody has been so busy that scarcely anything in the way of apicul- tural news has been circulating. Per- sonally, I have been wondering how the new .Apicultural Station has been progressing, but by reason of this busy time, as mentioned, I have not written Mr. Pettit. However, I had the pleas- ure of meeting Secretary Hodgetts for a few minutes just a day or so ago, and from what he tells me I believe the buildings, e<|uipment, etc., are going on nicely, and in the near future we will have a station for apicultural investi- gations that will be a credit to the in- dustrv. I have faith in .\lr. Pettit, and I be- lieve he enjoys the confidence of the bee-keepers as a body; this, with a friendly Government, should surely give us all we could reasonably ask for. Golden Italians and Black Brood When speaking about the black brood outbreak, I forgot to mention that Mr. Scott is very enthusiastic over the Golden Italians, as they seem much more immune to the disease than are other races of bees, the leather-colored Italians not excepted. I have been rather prejudiced against these bees, on account of their poor wintering outdoors in our latitude, but in the section where the disease is rag- ing, cellar-wintering is practiced almost American Vee Journal exclusively, and they seem to winter all right. Mr. Scott says he purchased a leather- colored breeding queen for $10, last spring, hut the disease broke out in the colony before the summer was spent, while all the Goldens in the yard re- mained immune. If the Goldens are immune to a certain extent from this plague, certainly that trait will counter- balance, and more, quite a multitude of faults, should they exist. Mr. House, at our convention, has strongly advised the introduction of all Italian stock in localities where black brood is present, but I do not remember him specifying the Golden strains in particular. will be a lot sadder if not wiser bee- keepers in the Province than is the case now. used to hear of, and obtained but otni since I have been keeping bees. Black Brood in Eastern Ontario I am sorry to say that the l.ilack brood outbreak in Eastern Ontario is spreading badly. A letter just received from Inspector Scott, informs me of this fact, and he is strongly of the opinion that it would pay the Govern- ment to step in and destroy outright all infected apiaries, and compensate the owners where good apiaries are so treated. It seems to be of a particularly virulent type, and while it yields to treatment temporarily, yet it is liable to break out again, when there has been no possible means of reinfection by robbing. Mr. Scott says that in our present methods we are simply " chasing " after it instead of "heading it off," and he says he sees no reason why, at its pres- ent rate of spreading, that it will not reach the bee-keepers of Western On- tario in a very few years. From my experience with the disease in the in- fected districts two years ago, I can readily believe that it will overtake us in a hurry, unless radical measures to stamp it out are taken at once. Foul brood as we have known it in the past, IS a mere ba.gatelle as compared with this new pest, and while it now seems to be under control in New York State, yet it has cost the State a lot of money to fight it, and it is a question if the work could not have been done more quickly and more cheaply if it had been stamped out vigorously when the out- break first was discovered. There is something peculiar about the spreading of this disease. Unlike American foul brood, it will go all through an apiary in a few weeks when there is not a bit of robbing going on. The old-time disease that we have been familiar with is chiefly spread by rob- bing, and knowing this we have been trained to guard against this point of attack. Under this new disease's insidi- ous methods of attack, we are almost entirely helpless, and it is all through an apiary in a hurry after the first cells of disease are noticed in a single col- ony. Where the disease is and has been raging, are situated some of On- tario's best bee-keepers, and naturally they feel sore when they see some who have never been near the infected dis- tricts, making light of the outbreak as though it were not anything out of the ordinary. I do not wish to pose as a prophet but I unhesitatingly venture to surmise that if the present condition prevails without checking, in a few years there Pollen from Basswood Since writing that note on basswood pollen, as reported in the August ."American Bee Journal, I have looked in the " A B C of Bee-Culture," and there I find that Mr. Doolittle says that in his belief basswood never yields pollen. A day or so after writing the note referred to, the weather turned warm and balmy — ideal conditions for basswood to yield honey, one would think, yet not enough honey came in from the basswood to give us a taste. However, pollen from the blossoms came in abundance, and for about 10 days from ti in the morning until about 10 or a little later, the trees were swarming with hundreds of bees, all laden with this light yellow pollen. In fact, some of the super-combs were half filled with the pollen, and it is plainly in evidence there yet. Why no nectar was in the blossotns is a mys- tery, but we know there was none, and the same condition prevailed for quite a large section of Ontario. Farther west I understand there was consider- able basswood honey gathered, yet nothing like the old-time crops we Color of Alsike Clover Honey It has been claimed by some that alsike clover does not produce as white a honey as does the white clover. Well, this year there was not enough white clover within 3 miles of my yards to fill a bushel basket with the blos- soms, if they had all been gathered, consequently all of our honey came from the alsike. Judging by the quality of this year's crop, I doubt if the white clover produces a honey any whiter than does the alsike ; and as for flavor, it would be hard to beat the clover honey that I have seen all over three or four counties, and all from the alsike. By the way, the prospects are none too good for the alsike next season, as the very severe and prolonged drouth that prevailed shortly after the clover was sown, literally dried the life out of the plants. After clover is rooted it is hard to kill by drouth, but for a few weeks after first being sown, a drouth like the one we had last spring will fix it. Farmers all around us are com- plaining of poor " catches " of both red clover and alsike. By W. A. PKYAL. Alden Station, Oakland. Calif. A Foul Brood Doctor As matters stand, too often politics has much to do with the appointment of foul brood inspectors in California, and frequently the qualification of the applicant is not taken into considera- tion. In this respect our bee-keepers have to suffer as do almost every other class of our population, since party practises, which are almost synony- mous with graft, demand the placing in position of the man with the biggest pull be he saloon manager or saloon bum, or something almost as bad. So hurry the day when merit and qualifi- cation shall rule this government from the humblest office to the most ex- alted position in the gift of the people! Let's take the case of how a bee-doc- tor is made; 'tis not a personal one. but it comes mighty near being a true one. Old Bill Bilkins is a sort of char- acter in his town near the Nevada State line. Bill likes whisky, and is very handy with his tongue, and this accounts for his being able to tell some mighty powerful stories — in fact, the boys say he can tell the biggest yarns of any man for a hundred miles around. Bill has a mining claim, and besides digging in his vegetable and berry- patch he sometimes turns over some of the red dirt in his search for the yel- low metal. Then he has a few colonies of bees in old box-hives. He secured the bees by "getting a line on a bee- tree" over towards Devil's Roost. In the fall of the year he robs the major portion of his colonies, as the neigh- bors down at the ford annually want some of his honey to lay by as a medi- cine for colds and croup. Some of the good women secure several gallons of Uncle Bill's ambrosial nectar, as they vouch for its being better for the chil- dren's bread than syrup. One year Bill's carelessness robbed him of all his colonies but one. He had a genuine case of foul brood, but he did not know it until the following season when he was telling an old-time bee-keeper, whom he chanced to meet, of the peculiar disease that caused his bees to die. The bee-keeper told him all he knew of the malady, and that there was a statute against the spread thereof, and that the supervisors had it in their power to appoint inspectors at so much " per diem," as the law-books put it. Ten minutes later Bill was glued to one end of a telephone line; at the other he had the i:)istrict Attorney. He wanted the county officer to. give him the law relating to foul brood, espe- September. 1909. 2qg American Vae Journal cially that portion concerning the ap- pointment of an inspector. Getting what he wanted he then proceeded to Denny McNuggett's shebean to formu- late a line of action on the dignified and honorable position of County Foul Brood Inspector. Denny, as the local dispenser of potheen, beer and politics was usually called, soon had the whole thing fixed, for didn't he know the ma- jority of the members of the Board of Supervisors? .And so at the next meeting of the Board boistrous Bill Bilkins was made bee-inspector ; he qualified that day and at once set out to drive the dread dis- ease from his county. He proceeded over the mountains on his strenuous old horse "' Teddy " to Mother O'Rankin's. This old lady and her husband went to the mines close to the days of Forty- nine, and as the golden metal did not come their way through the pan and cradle, they started a small roadside house or inn. .As the mining industry waned, they added farming to their line of occupation, and in time they secured a few colonies of bees. Inspector Bil- kins knew this, and he planned to in- spect the widow's bees, for the lord of the establishment had long since ceased to be a dweller of the mountains, for he left for that Land beyond the clouds. .And Bill knew that he would take advantage of the opportunity and secure a night's lodging and two square meals at the poor lady's expense, for it was now a part of Bill's religion that he, the honorable bee-doctor of his county, would not pay for anything during his inspection trips. " Dr." Bilkin's first official act after leaving Teddy's back, was to invade the small apiary in the rear of the inn. .As he came near the bees Mrs. O'Rankin approached him and said: "Phat is it that you wonld be afther having, Bill?" "Having.' nothin' mum ; I'm the Foul Brood Doctor, and I come to look after the health of your bees. mum. They have the disease, and I shall have to report your bees infected; don't you smell the dreadful stench that comes from your bees?'' he went on to say before he as much as had an op- portunity to open a colony. " My bays have the malajy, eh ; and you will rayport me, too. Phat's that you say, you a doctor? Bah ! .Away wid ye, or I'll drive you out, you mis- erable crayture, to be coming over here and saying a poor widdy's bays are rotten. 'Tis yer miserable self that's corrupted, and ye had better heal yer- self," the Lady of the mountains went on to say very indignantly. '■ But I say your bees have the dis- ease, and they shall have to be de- stroyed. Where are your senses if you can't smell the frightful odor ema- nates from those hives?" By this time the widow had come up to him, and as she was carrying a pail of swill to her pigs, she could not re- sist the temptation to throw the pail's contents on the "doctor," and she did, saying, "Take that ye miserable polt- roon, for insulting me and my bays." The woman's onslought was so sud- id.< of rheumatism adds to my mystification, for to the medical world there is but one kind of rheuma- tism— a disordered condition of the system caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood. However, to read what the non-medical healers assert, one might think that "lumbago," "sciatica," and " muscular rheumatism " were the result of entirely difterent causes; but as the contact of red-hot iron with the small of the back, the thigh, or the bicept muscle will cause a burn, so will uric acid crystallizing out in the lum- bar muscles cause lumbago; in prox- imity to the great sciatic nerve cause sciatica; and in any of the muscles of the arms and legs muscular rheuma- tism. That it becomes pleurodynia in the muscles ot the chest, neuralgia in the face, and gout in the toes, the writer holds, for it is capable of proof that uric acid will cause the troubles mentioned. Then we have rheumatic iritis in the microscopic muscles of the eye, rheu- matism of the heart, etc., to the inflam- matory rheumatism of the older writers, and the assertion that bee-stings will cure only one form of rheumatism only shows the dense ignorance of those who rush into print about a subject of which they know nothing, a matter which has been the despair of the most learned physicians that ever lived, and it is as much a problem today as it was in the time of Hunter. These self-con- stituted healers go so far as to take fffcci for ctiKse. for I verily believe more cases of rheumatism are caused by bee- stings than cured. Let us look into the matter a little. So far as the writer knows there is not a medical writer who asserts tliat bee- stings will " cure " the trouble men- tioned, or that it will even relieve. Oh, Cure! how many sins have been committed in thy name! There is a logic for the statement that a bee-sting will cause an attack of rheumatism, always remembering that medicine is far from a science; noth- ing more, in fact, than intelligent guess- work, which accounts for the hundreds and thousands of patent medicines (and there is no such a thing as a paleul on midiciuc), and the scores of schools from the old " Regular " to the new Osteopath. Centurv Dictionarv: "Urea: Car- bamide, CO (NH2) 3, a crystalline solid, soluble in icalir, and forming crystal- line compounds with both acids and basis." Being soluble in water the urea penetrates every part of the sys- tem, and the chemistry of the system changes it into (Century Dictionary) : " Uric acid, an acid, C.5N4H403, char- acteristic of urine. It crystallizes in scales of various shapes, * * is heavier than water, nearly insoluble in it when cold, and only to a slight cx- Unl dissoli'ed by if i<.-licn hot." The italics are mine, because I wish to call attention to the fact that vve have no (/«/i7o and true solvent for uric acid which now exists in every micro- scopic part of the body, brute or hu- man, for the lower forms of life have the same trouble. The crystals have to be eliminated by the pores of the skin and by the great sewer of the body— the urinary tract. True, it does seem sometimes as though electricity, hot baths and other things do good— " cure," if you will— but like cause (treatment) does not always produce like results (cure). The liver is constantly taking nitro- gen from the system and converting it into urea, which exists as one of the normal constituents of the blood, and some of it is converted into uric acid. In process of formation this is fluid, as are all crystalline bodies. After it is formed it is thrown from the body by the kidneys and through the perspira- tion, and here is the cause of rheuma- tism— the failure of the system to throw off or expel the surplus ot poison, the crystals of uric acid prick the tender nerves. This is rheumatism. If the system could be kept at pne temperature, if there were no physical or mental shocks, no bee-stings, no alcoholic intoxication, no exposure to c(dd winds, a person might never know of the existence in its circulation of an excess of uric acid. The cold, and wet, and mental shock, have been proven a cause of a rheumatic attack— I believe bee-stings will also cause it. Not the poison of the sting, but the shock, the pain. But a sudden change of temperature will not always cause rlieumatism, nor will mental shock, or bee-stings, even if the system is sur- charged with uric acid, and it may sur- prise the bee-sting doctors to learn that we can determine to a margin of one percent the amount of urea in the blood. By that same token, what will cure the disorder in one person may not in another, nor, for that matter, will it alwavs cure the same person twice. This applies to electricity, hot baths, and medicines. I shall not try to list the latter, for evei-y drug in the phar?naeopiea has at onetime or another been used by the doctors in their vain- hunt FOR ACURE FOR THIS UNIVERSAL AILMENT. And when a person states September, 1909. American Bae JoarnaJJ tliat he lias " cured" UK oO. ItIO cases by bee-stings, and that, too, witliout a fail- ure to report, I simply do not believe it. The printer made a mistake setting up the types, and if the bee-men who are writing about cures will wait awhile they will find themselves like the doc- tors, who, when they have found a cure, and about to publish it to the world, suddenly find that their pretty fabric was rotten at the foundation. Thirty years' experience in the prac- tice of medicine justifies me in the as- sertion that while the doctors know mightly little about curing disease, the laity knows a great deal less, and that the first thing a person does when he has an attack of rheiunatism, is to rush to the doctor or the drug-store. He will stay by the Medicine Man or the druggist until he loses faith, then go to taking hot baths, electricity, faith cure, osteopathy, and what not; and I have yet to find that they ever went to the bee-man /;/i/. The logic of this is, no one may know what effected a "cure," if there be such a thing. It might have been the doctor's prescription, for they do not always kill ; possibly the mud baths, the static machine, absent treat- ment— any of the hundred and one things they have experimented with ; or,- possibly, the true explanation is. Mother Nature stepped in, removed an obstruction, and the disease abated. It is not logical to give credit to the /as/ remedy used, but people always do it. and this popular weakness accounts for the success of certain "patent" medi- cines— that and advertising. Negative evidence in this vicinity is to the effect that bee-men " have rheu- matism more or less of the time," as they tell me. I have, though I am care- less with my bees and am stung daily. r do not know a bee-man who has not rheumatism some of the time, and be- ing stung (I quote), "does not seem to make a bit of difference one way or the other." .^n attack of rheumatism is self- limited; that is, even the articular or inflammatory type, will abate in a cer- tain number of days i^i/hoii/ Ireit/mcnl of any kind, if the patient has strength to survive; and in milder manifesta- tions of the disease, sometimes called myii/ffiit and myodynia, the patient will be down 'ears. Will Mr. Doolittle tell us in the .-Vnierican Bee .lournal what can be done to iire\'ent this? I use an 8-franu: Lanystroth hive. Years ago, when all of the hives which were in use contained from 201)0 to 250O cubic inches, brood in the surplus boxes was of rare occurrence, but since the movable-frame hive came into gen- eral use, and especially since many of our best bee-keepers have been recom- mending hives as small, and some even smaller than an 8-frame Langstroth hive, which is less than two-thirds the size which was formerly used, so as to secure a larger surplus of section honey, brood in the sections is of quite common occurrence. Nothing is much more provoking to an apiarist when he goes to a hive.e.xpecting to find all of the sections filled with nice white honey, than to find them filled with honey from half way to within an inch or so of the bottom, as he expected, and the rest filled out with brood. .Another thing which causes this state of affairs to exist is the exclud- ing of all drone-comb from the brood- chamber of all hives except .3 or 1 hav- ing our best breeding queens, as is recommended in our bee-papers and bee-books. I do not butt against this; but bees will have some drones, and if they cannot rear them in the brood- chamber, they will do so in the sec- tions, if any chance is offered for so doing there. Now there are three ways of keeping the queen down below where she be- longs, the first of which is a large brood-chamber, as has been hinted at. But as this is a kind of remedy the advocate of small brood-chambers does not like, he will, in all probability, not accept of it. About the time that con- traction of brooil-chambers began to be thought of, comb foundation was invented, and it soon became apparent that if the queen could not find any drone-comb in the surplus apartiuent. where the bees were averse to brood in any event, that with worker-comb foun- dation in the sections, the remedy would be complete. Then, again, honey stored in worker-comb presents a much finer appearance, so we were not long in deciding that if we would reach the best results we must fill our sections with foundation, which the larger part of our bee-keepers do today. But con- • traction became a fever in the minds of some, and was carried on to such an extent that the queen had not room enough left below in which to indulge her egg-laying capacity, even for work- er-brood ; so some of us would have sections completely filled with such brood. Not to be foiled, bee-keepers soon brought into use perforated zinc, the perforations of which were so nicely made that it would readily allow a worker-bee to pass through, but when the queen came to try she could not do the same. In this queen-excluding zinc we have a perfect thing, so where a a queen-e.xcluding honey-board is used it is impossible to have brood in the sections or supers of any kind, and all drones would also be kept out, which saved our nice white capped sections from being folded with their excre- ment when ridding our sections of bees, as was often the case previous to this. There has been quite a little theoriz- ing about this method of keeping the queen and drones where they belong, some claiming that not so much honey could be obtained where the bees were compelled to pass through so small an aperture to reach the sections, claim- ing that bees are often loth to enter the sections where the most open pas- sage-way possible is not given. How- ever, time, that prover of all things, has shown that these theories are more fallacies than otherwise, for facts have proven that as much honey is stored where perforated honey-boards are used as is stored without them, and so it has come to pass that such are considered one of the essential things by nearly if not quite all bee-keepers. But it was soon found that all metal' honey-boards were too expensive, as well as too frail to be taken from the hive after being glued down during the summer months without the per- forations being pulled out of shape ; so again the inventive genius of the api- arist was called into use, and we soon had a combination of zinc ami wood, which gave us a much better board, and one which was at the same time rigid enough not to get out of shape and spoiled by being kinked when it was taken from the hive; besides, it was much cheaper and answered the pur- pose even better than the board wholly of zinc. But I think I hear my questioner say- ing, " That may be all very well, but I am not so rigged. What shall I do?" Well, I think the best advice would be that you get so rigged. However, if you think otherwise, there are two or three ways of working without the wood-zinc honey-boards. When brood is found in the sections, the " what shall be done " will depend very largely September, 1909. American Bge Journal j upon what stage the brood is in when found. If in the egg or larva form. take such sections ofT the hive and carry them to the cellar, leaving them for 5 or 6 days till they all die from ex- posure to the cool damp air, when they are returned to the hive, and if the queen does not enter them again they will be tilled, if the season holds out, and look as good as if no brood had ever been in them; for the bees will remove every particle of offensive mat- ter, making all as good as new. If the brood is capped over, take an uncapping knife and shave off the brood down to within one-fourth of an inch of the septum of the comb and return it to the hive. The bees will now clean it up and build the cells out again, very much the same as they w-ould work out foundation, but the honey will not have quite as nice an appearance when held up to the light for looking through, as it would had there been no brood in it; especially so if any of the brood or larvae had be- gun spinning their cocoons before the combs were shaved. Then, the brood can be left till the mature bees emerge from their cells, when, if the season holds out it will be filled with honey, which will have to be sold as third or fourth quality, on account of its looks and the cocoons toughening the cell- walls of the combs. Years ago, where I found sealed brood in any sections, and at the same time had colonies which refused to en- ter the sections, I would take these sections, bees and all, and carry them to these obstinate colonies, when they would at once go to work above, in- stead of crowding the queen with honey below, to the detriment of the colony and my desires for section honey. At the end of the season these sections were uncapped, put in a pur- posely made frame, the frame holding 8 to 12, as the extractor would take, when 2 such frames of sections were put in the extractor and the honey thrown out, after which the combs were melted into wax. Borodino, N. Y. Getting Rid of Foul Brood BY .\[. M. BALDRIUGE. I am positive that I know how to get rid of foul brood in my own apiary, and I see no reason why others cannot do likewise. I think my plan is so very simple and practical that any bee- keeper, though a novice, can adopt it, and with the best results. In the first place, I cage the queen of the diseased colony so as to stop breed- ing, and then place the caged mother in the top of the hive where the bees can have ready access to her, and like- wise so I can get possession of the cage when needed and with the least possible disturbance of the bees. I then bore a hole — say an inch in diam- eter— in the front end of the hive, a few inches above the bottom entrance, and fasten a metal bee-escape over the hole and on the outside of the hive. I do the foregoing towards sunset, and then let the colony alone until the next morning. I now prepare an empty hive by fill- ing the brood-chamber with a set of frames — less one or two — filled with foundation or simply narrow strips of the same. I now go to any strong healthv colony and remove one or two combs' of brood, with or without the adhering bees, and place the same in the prepared hive. I now gently as possible reverse the diseased colony, or turn it end for end, and move it sidewise the width of the hive, or a trifle more, and leave the bee-entrance open ; when this is done I then place the prepared hive on the old stand, but with its bee-entrance in the opposite direction. This may all be done any time in the forenoon, or when the bees are busy getting honey from the flowers. The bees will now, on their return from work or play, en- ter the prepared hive and remain there, and within 2 or 3 days the main force of the matured bees will be transferred to their old location. Now towards sunset blow a few puffs of smoke upon the caged queen, to drive the bees away from it, and then transfer the queen to the colony in the prepared hive. She may be given her libertv at once, and by way of the bee- entrance. Now close the iiee-entrance to the diseased colony so that no bees can pass in nor out except through the bee-escape, and gently reverse the hive again so that both hives will now front the same way. Both hives should now set close together, or within an inch or so of each other. From now on all the bees in the diseased colony must pass out or through the bee-escape, and as they cannot return they must and will go into the prepared hive. In about three weeks all the healthy brood in the diseased colony will be hatched out and soon thereafter all the bees will be found in the prepared hive — and no loss of either bees or labor. The contents of the diseased colony may now be taken to some proper place and be disposed of l)y burning the same. This is best done in a room or building to which no outside bees can gain access and get at the honey. But it is not necessary that this should be a total loss. Such combs as con- tain honey and are free of diseased brood, may be extracted and saved for table use, and the empty combs melted and made into wax — those that contain brood may as well be burnt up at once — frames and all— as the cost of re- placing them nowadays is but a trifle anyway. By this time the prepared hive will or should be full of both comb and brood, and without any foul brood or any trace of the disease. In fact, it will be, and remain, a healthy colony. At least that has been my experience. The new empty hive may, by simply scraping it thoroughly, be used again with no recurrence of the disease. At least that is my belief. But should the reader believe otherwise then the empty hive may be thoroughly disin- fected by simply boiling it in water or by heating it with fire — and this can be done without doing the wooioi,.s you, you can be an independent grader; but if yoti sell with others, and the product goes to customers who do not know you or your associates, then you cease to be an independent producer, but you are a Colorado- or a Colorado Honey-Pro- ducers' Association producer — you cease absolutely to be John Smith, and are exactly what your associates are; the company becomes as one person, every bit of the product has to go on the market either by direct inspection and acceptance on the part of the pur- chaser, or upon the reputation of the association or middlemen. The Colorado Honey- Prmlucers' As- sociation has gone through this very experience, Colorado producers have banded together, losing their individ- ciation, which in turn has established its individuality and reputation in the business world, and on the other side educated its members up to more care- ful and uniform grading, and so put into practice a co-operative system of marketing. As it now stands, any in- dividal producer who can and will pre- pare his product so as to be accepta- ble to the Association, and puts his goods there to be disposed of, has practically the opportunity of a na- tionally wide market for his honey, although personally he may not be known outside his own neighborhood. This is not an advertisement for the Association — it does not need it. for it has fought the battle and won. An e.x- amination of commercial agencies will prove that to any one disposed to in- quire. But it does concern producers of Colorado and all districts- isolated — communities in remote districts, and all who have to market in the general markets and come under general trade conditions. The subject is a vital one of common interest. The producer, then, must not think he is simply//, and can "buck" the world and grade and sell as he pleases ; if he does, he will not please anybody, and himself least of all. Put yourself in touch with your fellows. Find out what others are doing, compare notes, get the grading rules, and in every way try to get your product up just as good as you can ; get it so it will fill the standard which buyers are asking for and expect in honest trade. I will not try to give you any rule of my own, but put before you a set of rules which are the product of the wisdom of some of our very best and most extensive producers, worked out after much in- dividual and collective experience. We had a set of rules for several years, and tested them perhaps more than any set of rules in existence, then in the light of this large experience revised and improved them. These rules are not the rules of The Colorado Honey-Pro- ducers' .Association, but of The Coi.- 0R,\i)0 St.vte Bf.f.-Kff.pers' .\ssoc'i.\tion. It is true these rules are used by the former organization, and that a very large percent of the producers who figured in their working out are its members, yet they were made and adopted first and officially by the State organization. I mf)St surely believe that successful marketing, that will mean not only success to the party immediately con- cerned, but to all others interested, is co-operatively carried out. The following are the New Comb Honey Grading Rules adopted by the Colorado State Bee- Keepers' Association : NO. 1 WHITE .Sections to hi- well tilli'dand uvuiily capped except the outside row. next to the wood; honey white or slithtiy amber; comb and capplnjfs wliite and not projectinK beyond the W(}od; woo^ oz.) of nuts, well skinned and pounded; 300 gr. (10>^ oz.) of liquid honey; si.x eggs, the whites of which must be beaten to a frofh; 100 gr. ViYz oz.) of sifted flour. 2. First mix the yolks of the eggs with A Brother's Mother Gone .\ note from R. B. Perry, of Tennes- see, speaks very feelingly of the loss of his mother wlio had been so much of a help with the bees. Yes, these dear mothers, how we miss them when they are .gone, and how glad we then are of any little act of kindness shown them iluring lifetime. Mi'l^li"'- .'-•'.^4:J Best and largest display of queens of various races in mailing cages 5 ^ Bust case of white section comb honej . 12 lbs. or more 5 i Best case of light amber section comb honey s i Bust and largest display of section comb hone>- 8 =y Best display of special designs of comb honey 5 ^ Best T2 lbs. friction-top pails white bulk comb honey i 2 Best 6 lbs. friction-top pails white hulk comb honey ^ 2 Best ■! lbs. friction-top pails white bulk comb honey ^ 2 Best display of bulk comb honey 10 (1 Best dozen jars white extracted lione\- 3 2 Best dozen jars light amber extracted honey 3 2 Best display extracted honey, granu- lated form .s 3 Best and largest display of extracted hones' 10 6 Best sample cake of bright yellow bees- wax, not less than 2 lbs s 3 Best display in special designs in bees- wax .^ 3 Best and largest display of beeswax... 8 s Best display of fruit preserved in honey .; 2 Best honey-vinegar, with recipe 3 2 Best collection of Texas honey-yielding plants, pressed and mounted 5 3 Best instructive display in apiarian products and of the various uses made of honey and beeswax 20 10 Best and largest display of bee-keep- ers' supplies Diploma cforMillerii ufistion-Bo .-,— >tfiitgte.-g Send Questions either to the office of the American Bee Journal or to DR. C. C. MILLER, Marentro, III. Dr. Miller does not answer Questions by mail. Money in Your Packet .<\llow niu to suggest tliu wa>' to invest a dollar or two in such a way as to make big money on it. It's very simple: Buy a bee- book. A number of the questions in this number — it's pretty much the same in ever\- number— show that those who ask the ques- tions have nothing in the way of a text-book on bee-keeping. Please don't think it's be- cause I'm too lazy to answer your questions that I say this. After you've done your best at studying the books there will still be jilunty of questions that will come uii in your individual experience, but in the book you will learn a lot of things that you would never think to ask about. If you get a book and find it was a mistake to have done so. please write me a savage letter, blowing me up for giving such advice. Then I'll apologize in the most humble man- ner for misleading you. But you will be the first one who has ever felt hard at me for giving such advice. C. C. M. Some Queen Questions 1. How long will it take after a queen is hatched for her to mate? 2. How long will she be on her mating flight? 3. How soon will a queen begin to lay after being fertilized? 4. Do queens change their color and lie much larger? 5. 'Will strange queens sometimes unite with a queenless colony? Kansas. Answers.— I. Five days or longer. 2. She may be successfully fertilized on her first trip, and she may in some cases not succeed for more than a week. 3. Generally in 2 or 3 days, but she may be longer. 4. There is considerable change in the ap- pearance of a queen. After she is 3 or 4 days old she is smaller than when she first leaves the cell, and will be larger after she gets to laying. 5. Yes. sometimes it happens that a young queen may go into another hive than her own. Flax for Honey — Defective Brood — Honey-Dew — Removing Supers in a Slow Flow 1. Is the blossom of the variety of Max com- monly planted in South Dakota nectar-giving enough to be classed as a good honey-plant? 2. I have a colony with a queen of m\' own rearing, from reliable stock. She was intro- duced about 2 weeks ago in a laying condi- tion. Her laying shows all the ordinary signs of a good, prolific queen. In spots here and there there will be cells of mature brood witli the cells built out as it the inmate was a drone, but they are never entirely sealed. .All the iiunates of these unsealed brood-cells seem to have died just about capping time, and at first they have two black spots on either side of the head, and gradually de- cay. The decaying brood is always dry. crumbling after a time, and never giving any scent. What is the trouble? ^1. How can one determine the existence of honey-dew in comb honey? 4. What should good, strong disease-free colonies of black bees and hybrids in 8-frame size Ai.i-hives be worth in the fall? =;. Do you keep any particular strain of bees? 6. Would it not be better in a year like this, when the honey is coming in so slowly as this year in August, to remove the supers to en- courage the storing of honey below? ILLINOI.S. .Answers.— I. I don't know. Perhaps some one there will tell us. 2. That's a new one on me. It's all easy enough at the start. Often brood is not sealed over. I think because of wax-worms, but when you say the young bee dies, dries, and crumbles, that beats me. Never heard of it before. Send sample to Dr. E. F. Phil- lips. .Agricultural Dept.. Washington. D. C. V Perhaps $2 or S3 a colony. 4. By its dark color and its taste, although some floral honey is dark and tastes bad. 5. My bees are Italians and mostly hybrids. 6. No. the bees will fill up below first. What Insect Is It? What kind of insect is it that I have sent you in the box. I found it on a sunHower; it makes its appearance every year, and catches quite a few bees by its sword-like tusk, which it thrusts through the bee's body. Penn. Answer.— I have looked very carefully through Prof. Cook's full list, and find noth- ing to tally with the specimen you send. Possibly Prof. H. -A. Surface, of Harrisburg, Pa., might help you out. A Queen Experience I have purchased 2 queens at different times. The colony to be requeened was the common black bee. The queen was killed and the cage containing the new untested queen was placed on the top of the frame as per the enclosed instructions. In 7 days I looked in the hive and saw a queen-cell which I cut out. so I supposed she was killed. I did not look farther I gave the colony an untested queen of my own rearing, with the wing clipped I looked in a week and saw a queen-cell started, but no brood. -As I had bought a new queen for another colony. I re- moved the black queen and just let her run in the former hive No. i. Later I secured another queen for colony No. 1. .In looking for the black queen in colony No. 1, I was September. loco. American Tiee JonrnaJj surprised to find tlic Italian queen— iin- clipped— laying, and I supposed It to be tlie Queen first introduced. I looked at colony Xo. 2 in a week and found ty fine queen-cells. 1 fed colony No. 2 pint of syrup every even- ing^. In feedinj^ I thought they would prob- ably receive the new queen better. After I made a mistake in No. i. I looked more cart- fully throuK^h No. 2. and found her layint; ejiys in one side of the hive and the queen- cells were on the other side. 1. Does the above often occur when no honey is coming in. wliile untested queens are introduced? 2. Would the queen have destroyed the cells if they were not destroyed by me, or would they have superseded the queen? This is a very poor year— not enough honey for bees to live right. Ohio. Answers. — i. Yes. when a new queen is in- troduced, of course she can not lay while she is in the cage, and even after she is out of the cage she does not lay for several days. This state of things makes the bees get busy starting queen-cells, so as to make sure of having something that will lay eggs. 2. The cell would probably Iiave been de- stroyed by the bees or tile queen, but possi- bly the queen may have been superseded. Honey-Dew I put some supers on my hives in June, and the 26th of July I looked to see if they had any honey in the super, and I found a whole lot of black honey, about 30 pounds, which is a good bit for one colony this year. 1. Will this black honey, which most peo- ple call honey-dew. hurt the bees if I winter them on it? It is not fit to eat. and I won- dered if it would not hurt the bees. 2.' Will the bees gather sucli stuff? Do bee- keepers know anything about it-- I am afraid that I will have to feed my bees if there is not a fall honey-flow. Ohio. Answers.— I. Honey-dtw is not generally good for winter stores. 2. Honey-dew is not always alike. The probability is that the disagreeable kind yon have is the secretion of aphids. or plant-lice. Hive-Location— Caucasians, Carniolans and Banats 1, Which is hi'st foi f;itu_> < oinh liom-N !»> the comjilele Dan/.eiibakei svsleni. an ex- posed sunny location, or a sheltered valley on which the sun shines only part of the day? 2. Can the queen be taken from a swarm at the time of hiving and a valuable queen in- troduced? If so. what is the method of pro- cedure? V Do Caucasian bees cap their honev whiter than other bees, as a rule? Two col- onies I liave certainly do. and store more of it also. 4. I would like your opinion of Carniolans and Banats also, for fancy comb honey. California. Answers. —I. Not sure I know: but I'd take n\y chances on the valley, oilier things being equal. I don't know, however, that the Dan- zenbaker system would require a different location from any other. 2. Yes. in a queen-cage the same as an in troduction at any other time. But the swarm might object to remaining with a strange queen in a cage. A frame of brood would help matters. 3. Your 2 colonies are probably fortunate exceptions. Still, something depends upon what vour " other bees " are. 4. I have had no personal experience. Removing Crooked Honey from Hive Sections I ordri I'd rlirl no! come fur 7 weeks. Honey was comuig m. and the bees tilled the empty supers with honey In alt sorts of shapes. Running a bread-knife under the cover I cut the honey loose from the cover, and put sections on the top. Bees have not done a great deal since, but the puzzle is to get off that crooked honey without killing a lot of bees. Can you help me out? Ohio. Answer.— Pry up carefully the lower super. blowing in a little smoke, and if the honey is attached to the tops of the frames you must rut in the same as vou did to get the cover off. Understand thai in doing this you leavi- on the cover and the upper super. If you have cut any comb so as to set honey to run ning. lei down the super again and let all stand quiet for an hour or so to let the bees clean up tlie drip. Take off the cover and blow smoke down from above, so as to drive down a good part of the bees. Now takeoff both supers together. There will still be bees to get out. You can set the supers in a cellar that is darkened only in one little spot through which the bees can get out. put the supers so far from this spot that the bees can not find their way back in the dark. Or. put the supers in a big box outdoors, cover over with a sheet, and as the bees gather on the sheet from time to time turn it over to let the bees out. Bees Act Oueerly The weather is very hot and sultry at this place, and about the hottest part of the day from noon until 4. tliere is a peculiar condi- tion present among some of my bees. A part of the bees issuing from the hive seem to be unable to i\y. There are no outward signs of any ailment, but they seem to have no wing- power. They crawl about for something like 5 minutes, and then after having made many vain attempts, they f\y away. This condition affects different colonies at different times. and never more than 2 or ^ at once. Missouri. Answer.— That beats me. Sounds a little like paralysis, only if it were paralysis the bees would hardly fly away after crawling about. Moreover there is a [leculiar tremb- ling in paralysis, and you make no mention of this. Bees that are kept too close and be- come sonaewhat suffocated, act somewhat as you say. It is barely possible that the hive- entrances are not large enough, and then the trouble comes in the hottest lime of day. Milkweed^Requeening 1. I enclose wliat we call milkweed. The bees work on it hard. A magnifying glass shows a sticky substance on it. Is it a good honey-plant? 2. Why do iiees stick to it? 1. Why do bees act as if they were intoxi- cated? 4. I have found some dead drones on the flowers- They seem to stick, and cannot get away. 5. What month is best to requeen? The bees seem to be crazy. Wisconsin. Answers. — I. Yes. except for the trouble you mention in next question. 2. The pollen-masses get fastened to their feet and stick so tight that the bees pull them from the plant and carry them away. .1. Not sure what you mean. Perhaps tumb- ling about on the ground. They do that when they have paralysis. 4. No. they do not have too heavy a load. They are probably on the milkweed, held fast there in the way already mentioned. 5. No better lime than last of liarvest or later. Feeding for Winter — Bee-Books 1. i will have lo feed my bees. What should I feed, and how often? 2. If pollen is short, what can I give in its place? 3. In putting in comb foundatiiiu. where should it be j)I;iced when first put In? 4. Would ■ A BC of Bee Culture" be as good a bee-book as I can buy? If not. please mention another. North Carolina. .\nswers, 1. Sugar syrup should be fed until the bees have all togetlier in the hive al>out 3i> pounds of honey and syrup. For full particulars sec your bee-book. 2. You can hardly give in the hive anything to take the place of pollen, but you can feed in boxes, in the open air. some substitute. Rye-flour is used— all the better if unbolted. You can use corn and oats ground together. and after the bees have used the fine parts, the balance may be fed to stock. ). I suppose you mean when the hive al- ready has some combs, in which case put the foundation between the combs, 4. Yes. it is good. Also Dadant's " Lang- stroth." and Cook's "Manual." After you have one or all of these, you can get Hutch- inson's "Advanced Bee Culture" and " Forty Years Among the Bees." Italian Bees Moving Bees — Other Questions 1. Am- III.- Ii.ili.in jpcis imoss' .\h- they largi- bees- 2. I will move niy bees this fall about a fjuarter of a mile. Will I lose many by their returning to the old location? i, I winter tlie bees on Ihe summer stands. atui I never lose to amount to anything. Will snow smother bees when the hive-entrance is full? I always keep it clear from snow and ice. 4. I leave some comb honey on each colony all winter. Is that a good idear- My bees all face the southeast, and have no shade at all. 5. In moving my bees a quarter of a mile I will put a board in front of each hive for them to bump against. Will that do anv good? 6. Is it best to take honey off as soon as the super is full? 7. Will a queen sting if you don't mash or squeeze her? 8. Tell me what to do with a cross colonv of bees. I have one that will attack me a hundred feet from the hive? 0. What makes bees cluster on the outside of the hive? They have room. Only one lot does that. Illinois. Ansvveks. — I. No. Italians are considered good-natured, but the cross between Italians and blacks is vicious. You will see no differ- ence in size. 2. If moved at a time when they are still gathering, a good many will return to the old place. After honey ceases to yield, very few. 3. Soft snow at the entrance will do no harm. If it becomes partlv thawed and then freezes into ice that prevents the entrance of air, it is bad. 4. It's all right for the bees, but bad for sections, if you leave it in that shape. 5. Yes. f). Yes. if it is comb honey. The comb be- comes darkened, and it does not sell so well. But the taste of the honey is as good as that in the whitest comb, perhaps better. 7- No. 8. Give it a queen of gentler stock. y. Likely the colony is very strong, the hive pretty close, and the weather hot; so they cluster outside where it is more comfortable. Why Loss off Queen ? 1. Some time ago I received an Italian queen, and introduced her successfully. On removing the empty cage and finding her laying, I clipped her wings very closely. After 18 days I went to the hive and found young bees hatching. No unsealed brood, numerous young drones, and a virgin queen in possession of the hive. Do you think that clipping the queen's wings caused super- sedure? If so. what explains the presence of the Italian drones in the colony? 2. Is it probable that I killed the queen in replacing the frames, or would that conflict with the presence of drones? Louisiana. Answkrs.— I. The queen may have been killed, not because of the loss of wings, but because of strange odor from handling, or merely because of the disturbance. N()th- ing strange about the presence of drones. They may have been from the previous queen, or from the new queen. 2. Possible; hardly probable- Disinfecting Combs — Bait-Sections 1. What i-^ the lust nietlmd to treat brood- combs, so as to be doublv sure that there will be no chances of foul brood getting into the apiary from those bought brood-combs. as I have a chance to buy old combs. 2. How would you treat sections partly filled, or how would you use them in the su- pers? On the outside rows, or in the center as baits? I have no extractor lo extract these bait-sections In the fall, so have to keep tliem until spring for baits and feeding. Some years I am caught with a lot of them on my hands. Last spring I put a lot of them in the supers that had the honey granulated, and put the top side of the section down, so as to get the section built out at the top and bot- tom. The bees did it. and this granulated honev left a dark color in the center of the section. New York. Answers, -i. I don't know of any way. At one time it was claimed that formaldehyde would disinfect them, but I think that is given up. Your only safe way is to buy them where you A-z/mv there has been no disease. 2. As soon as Ihe harvest is over, get the bees to empty them out. covering them up so that only one or two bees can enter at a time. Then the bees will not tear them to pieces. Some put them around the outside of the super. I prefer them in the center. Feeding a Weak Colony— Winter Hive-Ventilation I. An old bee-keeper told me a good way to feed a weak colony of bees through the win- ter, was to make a thick syrup and then take rye flour and mix it up until it was as thick as putty and lay a big bunch un the top-bars. September, 1909. American liee Journal He said that did tiKiii for bt>t!i bread and niual. What do you think of tlie plan? 2. How mucli sui^rar will it take to winter a fair colony? i. How well have your bees done this year? So far out of 25 colonies I have not sjot any honey. Only a or 5 pounds in sigrlit yet. No white clover as yet. 4. Last winter I used some board sealed rovers over the brood-chamber which were tight, and I lost several colonies. I am now making a ventilator hole 2x8 inches in the same covers, with wire-screen over the hole, and will lay some old carpet over it. How do you think tliat will work to let off some of the hot air? Will it keep tlie combs from molding as badly as they did last winter? I have a '4-inch space over the top-bars so that tiie bees can go over from one to an- other. Indiana. Answers.— I. Better leave out the' flour. Although they might do with it. they will do better without it. When they begin to rear brood in the spring, then they will need something as a substitute for pollen if they have no pollen. Better feed the sugar syrui> as early as possible, so it will be in good shape for winter. 2. About 30 pounds of honey is counted the right thing. As 5 pounds of sugar and 2 of water make a syrup about as strong as honey, you will feed about 22 pounds of sugar to equal the ^0 pounds of honey. Feed in August or September, giving a pound or a pint of water witli each pound of sugar. If you feed later the syrup must not be so thin. But better feed early. 3. My bees are doing no better than yours. If there is "no white clover as yet " in Au- gust, you needn't look for any before next year. 4. It will probably work all right. Location of Hives in the Apiary I have an idea on which I would be pleased to have your opinion before trying it myself. Place 4 colonies of bees as shown in ac- companying diagram. Interchange at inter- vals of a week or 10 days ,or longer, subject to one's opinion;, as shown in the diagram. Continue same through the entire honey season. What, if any. effect will this have upon swarming? Will this not have a similar effect tn "shaking?" Would bees coming in hom the field load- ed with pollen and nectar be molested? Changing the location of colonies is to be done through the middle of the day, and while the bees are busy in the field. Nebraska. Answer.— Continual changing of that kind would probably interfere enough with the plans of the bees to make swarming less, but hardly enough less to pay for the trouble. Bees returning from the Helds laden would be kindly received, although there might be some trouble if a dearth should occur. Very likely the effect would be something like shaking, but will shaking prevent swarm- ing? If it gives as much energy to a colony as some think, would that not be the very thing to promote swarming? Italianizing -Rearing Queens- Wintering -Swarming- 1. What time of theyear is best to Italianize bees? 2. I wish to Italianize my bees, but do not want to buy more than one-half dozen queens and rear the rest, Could 1 do tliis as late as August or September? ^. In rearing queens where you liave black bees, will not the youngqiieens meet with the black drones? 4. What is tin- best way to rear queens? 5. Ht)w would it do to put queen-excluding zinc between the hive and bottom-board to prevent swarming? h. When wintering bees on the summer stands, wliat is the best wav to pack or fix them? 7- I have a stone basement under our house, but it is rather damp. Would it be a good place (o winter my bees? Kansas. Answers, — I. That depends upon when you ask the question. If you ask it in the spring, the answer is. " Uon't wait till fall, but get in your Italian queen at least as early as the beginning of the honey harvest, so that you can breed from her the same season." But the right answer at the present time is: '■ The sooner the better, so as to have your new queen in a full colony in good working order next season early." 2. I'm afraid \ ou'll find it ratlier late to rear queens by the time you get your new queens established, but by all means don't wait till spring to get the new ones. At the present time you'll get good queens for less monev. \. Yes. 4. It takes a whole book to tell that. G. M. Doolittlehas written an excellent book on the subject. Doolittle's "Scientific Queen-Rear- ing, " and he knows what he's talking about. In " Forty Years Among the Bees ' you will find particulars of the way I rear queens for my own use. Also any good bee-book will tell about it. =.. It doesn't wi^rk. ti. There are almost as many ways as there are different bee-keepers. Use for packing what you have convenient— cork chips, leaves, planer shavings, rags, etc.. havings or 4 inches on all sides except the front, which may have less packing or none, and 4 or more inches of packing on top. well protected from rain. A, place well sheltered from the wind is desirable. 7. Dampness is not generally good, and yet with good ventilation and a temperature of 4.=^ to 48 degrees you may have good success. At any rate it may do no harm for you to try part of \niir colonies there. Putting on Supers— Colony Stopped Storing 1. When is the IilsI tlriii- to put supers on— how early in the spring? Would you put on two supers at once, or wait till one is filled, and then put on the other? 2. 1 have one swarm that I caught last year which filled the room about half, and win- tered ail right, and seemed to do pretty well for about ^ weeks, but seems to have stopped while the other bees are storing honev in the super. What is the matter? IoVa. Answers.— I. Don't put on supers till bees gather enough to fill their brood-chamber. About that time you will see bits of white wax at the upper part of the combs and top- bars. You are probably in a white clover region, and should put on supers as soon as chner is in bloom. 2. Hard to say what is the trouble without knowing more about it. Possibly the queen played out. They may have reared a new- one and will come up later. Getting Bees Out of Supers— Transferring— Keep- ing Queens — Queenless Bees 1. How do you get the bees (^ut of supers when you are taking off honey? 2. Do you use a queen-excluder on your hives to keep the queen from laying in the sections? If not. how do you prevent this? 3. The bee-pasture I have is as follows: Several large orchards of fruit-bloom, then 20 to 50 acres white clover, 5; to m acres alsike. hundreds of acres of red clover, with lots of wild flowers. With this pasturage could I keep 50 to loo'colonies and make it pay? 4. How can I get the bees to build queen- cells when I wish to form a nucleus? 5. What is the best time of year to transfer from box to standard hive? 6. Where I wish to transfer and requeen on full sheets of foundation, should I let the old queen go in with the bees, or should I intro- duce the new one at once? 7. When one receives a queen by mail in an introducing cage, and does not wish to in- troduce her for a few days, how can he keep her from dying? 8. How long will a queen live in a cage on the frames above the cluster, wliere the bees have access to her? g. I have 2 colonies that I know are queen- less, and still they are busy carrying in pol- len. Some say they will not do tliis when they have no queen. Is this so? If so. why do these carry pollen? Missouri. Answers.— 1. First blow smoke lively for a little while on top to drive a good share n( the bees down. Then, if honey is coming in a flood, the super may be set on end nn lop nf the hive till the bees leave it. Generally this would start robbing, so the usual plan is [0 pile the supers ui) 10 to 15 high, put a Miller escape on top. and let the bees come out at leisure. You will find the matter fully illus- trated in " Forty Years Among the Ht rs. " 2, With />/// sheets of foundation in sec- tions, and frames not too shallow in the brood-chamber, the queen so seldom makes trouble in the supers that I never use an ex- cluder to keep her down. H. Xo. That is. if your bees have only about an acre to the colony of white and alsike clover, for red clover hardly counts. But its prettv safe guess that more than you have stated is in reach of vour bees, for thev spread out probably 2 miles on each side. At best one can only guess at such things, but I d put my guess at more than 50 colonies. 4- Make a strong colony »iueenless. 5. Wlien tlie bees swarm naturally. Hive the swarm in the hive desired, and 21 davs later there will be no worker-brood left, and you can then cut out the combs and dispose of the remaining bees as you think best. 6. You may do either way. but the bees will be better satisfied with their new quar- ters if their old queen is with them. 7- Leave her in the cage in the house, lie ingsure there is enough food present. It may be still better to put her in the hive where she is eventually to be introduced, only not allowing the bees of the colonv to get at the candy to let her out. 8. I don't know. I never tried it more than 3 or 4 weeks. tj. Queenless bees do carry pollen; but after they have been queenless for a time they have a surplus of pollen on hand, and then they carr>- less pollen and smaller loads. Foul Brood Origin and Treatment I noticed VDur reply to "Michigan" on page 27'i. I will say that "Michigan" is not alone in his belief. His idea has been creep- ing in my gray matter for many years. I am not a scientific man. but I have great respect for it. If I am rightly informed, the germs of all diseases are in our system all the time, and arc only waiting for the proper conditions to arise, when they will get the best of us. Then we are sick. I think the easiest and safest way for you to handle your foul brood is to remove the queen, and when dark comes so no bees will possibly fly, take tlie hive in the shop and let the bees fly out of the window, having a bee- escape to it. When the brood is all hatched out. and the bees all out, melt up the comb. This is a perfectly safe plan, for there'll be no tinkering, and no bees will get any of the honey. I would like to have just one " fill " of nice white clover honey of this year's vintage. Illinois Answer.— It is quite true mat germs abound and are kept in subjection in a healthy body; but don't you think it's rather sweeping to say that germs of all diseases are in our sys- tems? I am loth to believe that germs of yellow fever are keeping company with you and me. It is also true that some of the scientists across the water have said that the miscreant that causes foul brood is nothing but a common bacillus that is to be found everywhere. But Dr. Phillips and his ■■gang" at Washington don't tell us any- thing of the kind, and Ive great faith that they know what they're talking about. They tell us that foul brood is due to a specific bacillus, and if I understand rightly it is iio( common everywhere. If it were, why did it never attack my bees till now? In my ex perience of nearly half a century, I feel sure that, especially in my first years, my bees- were many a time in as good condition to be overcome as this year. Why didn't they have foul brood? Certainly they should have had it if the proper germs are every where present. But when the right seed came along, it grew and flourished, much to my sorrow. Your plan of shutting up the diseased col- ony in a shop and letting the bees make their exit through an escape in the window seems to provide against spreading the dis- ease, but I don't quite see how it will come out at the last. Of course you can furnish water, which bees must have, but what will become of the bees that have never flowa to mark the old location? Will they be scat- tered about among the hives of the apiary, or will they stay clustered on the shop-win- dow ? Drawn Combs— Queens Graded "Breeders" I frequently need "drawn combs " in frames, and want your plan to get as many as needed— 1. At or around swarming season. 2. At anv time during the "working sea- son" that ! may need them, up to Octooer. V Best plan to get bees to enter supers. 4. How and when can i have extra drawn combs in supers of sections, and how late will bees draw out foundation? Having a good ' fall flow." I would like to have sec- tions drawn and ready for this, if I can have it done in June. July and August. <;. " Extra-select queen) breeders." Prices run from "virgins" up to extra-select breed- ers. The grades up to breeders I under- stand: but the breeders and grades I do not.. September, 1909. American VeeJonmal ' to the public, but I may as well confess that 1 too am puz- zled to understand exactly what is meant by the different names. I don't know of any standard by which the grading is done. So far as I know, an untested queen that sells for a dollar or less is reared exactly like the extra-select breeder. I suppose the latter ought to be one that has been tested for at least a full season, its worker progeny hav- ing shown by the extra harvest gathered that it is an extra-good queen to breed from. If any of those who use the terms can tell better just how the terms are used. I'll be glad to yield the floor. A Queen Experience .\ queen I ordered last spring came to hand the first week in luiu. and not being at home at the time, a lirotlur beekeeper near by made a strong colony queenless by taking the old queen with .: frames of bees out of the hive, and thereby made a nucleus which left the old colony miiuis a queen, and put the new queen, cage and all, in between 2 combs and closed the hive. The next day I came home, and was sur- prised as to what had been done with the (jucen. On the fourth day I released her. and was successful with her introduction. She was an extraordinarly good layer, but I found that she laid from i to < eggs in a cell, which did not hatch the first 1 weeks, but being patient with her, being the first queen to do that kind of work under my years of observation, and being bus\- with other work, and could not attend her. and so left her to her own good will, and the bees being contented. I was satisfied she was there all right. July 15th I notice well-colored Italian worker-bees outside the entrance, which pleased me very much. (Jn the ibtli. for the want of more room. I transferred her front the B-frame hive into a it^-frame hive, and saw her the first time since I had released Iier--a beautiful queen. Her progeny are well marked, from 2 to 3 banded Italian bees. I would like to have an explanation as to why her eggs would not hatch at first; and also as to laying so many eggs in each cell. As far as I can see at presint. she seems to be all right, and has a few frames well filled with brood from the egg to tlie emerg- ing bees. 1 hey are very quiet under manitv ulation. I am anxious to know what success I am going to have with them in the future. Ontario. .\SSWER.— I don't know. Kees do freaky things that are hard to exrilain. Sometimes a queen lays eggs that are all right, and the bees fail to hatch them. I bis is common in the fall. After a journey through the mails a queen is sometimes a little slow to get to work all right. She may for a time lay eggs irregularly, perhaps i in a cell. If a good 'S of good weather this sea- son. It has been cold and wet. and then hot and dry. There were very few swarms throughout the country. We had a good rain Aug. 3. U we get more soon the fall flow mav hel|» out some. A. X. Cooke & Son. Woodhull. 111.. Aug. 4. Not Much Surplus Honey. I don't think there will be much surplus honey offered from my locality. It has been too wet. Maybe we will get a fall flow from asters and goldenrod. Buckwheat is not producing much. Young white clover looks extra-fine. J. R. Cooi'EK. Spargursville. Ohio. Aug. 3. A Good Swarm I had a swarm of bees ci>me days that bees worked on white clover. and the last 4 weeks have been too dry and hot. The farmers cut the sweet clover just when the bec-s want it. A. N. CooKK. Woodhull. Ill,, .^ug. 10. Poor Quality of Honey My bees are doing fine. Some of them have filled 4 supers. The Carniolans are storing more honey than the Italians Last year and this it has been so. They build up sooner in the si)ring. and swarm sooner than the Italians. The honey they are bringing in is of very iioor quality. It is honev-dew and very dark in color. Thev are not bring- ing very much now. I think the fall flow will be good here, as we have had so much rain this summer. Goldenrod. smartweeil. and aster are growing everywhere. Tlu' honey all over this iiart of Indiana is very dai k. 1 get I2j^ cents a pound for it. or iiM cents a section, at my bee-yard. We had no white clover here this summer, but if nothing happens to it we will have the finest white clover flow next year we have had for vears. We had a good white clover bloom last year, but it lasted only about 6 or 7 days. It got so hot and dry that it all dried up, but it left an abundance of seed on the around, and some fields are white with bloom now, and bees are working on it fine. Scottsburg. Iiid.. Aug. 2. K. C. Martin. Fine Fall Honey Prospect 1 haviS 31) colonies of bees in my home api- ary, and we have 136 colonies in an outapi- arv. We got about 2500 pounds of honey from the willow blossoms this spring. The home apiary I run for comb honey and the other for extracted. There is a fine prospect for a fall honey crop here. There are thousands of acres of smartweed beginning in about^- mile from the home apiary, and the other apiary is right in the middle of it. Shreveport, La., Aug. 24. B. \. CosTON. About Half a Crop I am delighted to read reports and expe- riences, so I believe I should write some also, I started bee-keeping in igoi with one col- ony. Last spring I had 07 colonies. I run my apiary for comb honey. I have 4300 sec- tions on the hives yet— about half of them finished. We will have about half a crop this year. The bees are not doing much now. White clover is about all gone. I win- ter my bees in the cellar. Swarming was very bad this year. J. C. Donahue. Holbrook. Iowa. July 27. Fairly Good Honey Season Bee-keepers are scarce in this part of Idaho. I don't know of any bees in this val- lev outside of my own. I have 60 colonies. I started the season with ti. I have had a fairly good season for luiuey. and had con- siderable honey-dew. 1 depend altogether upon wild pasturage fiu" the bees— buck- bush, willow-herb, goldenrod. and asters; souu' white clover. No alfalfa or irrigation here as they have in the southern part of the State. Bees do not winter very well, as a rule, on account of the aster honey, I think, as they work ou it very late in the fall. Of course, one could extract and then feed for winter stores, but that would be quite a job so late in the season. The "Old Reliable" is a welcome visitor. I feel grateful to Dr. Miller and Mr. Doolittle for what they write. F. R. Jordan. Bonners Ferry, Idaho, Aug, 21, Some Experience With Bees I have charge of the Electric Light and Power Plant here at Princeton, but my home and apiary are at Kuttawa. Ky., and as I could not be with my bees at home. I had a colony in a box-hive there, so I transferred them and brought them to Princeton in April, and the first swarm that came out after 1 brought them here was when I was at home to spend Sunday. I love to handle bees so well 1 could not do without a few to pass the time with. 1 had a swarm come to me— a fine queen and about a pint of bees. I built them up to a Hue colony, then took iheiii to Kuttawa. , , , t^, ^ 1 keep mv bees on the roof of the Plant, where they do not bother any one, and no one bothers them. While at Kuttawa, in July, a man cut a bee-tree on Saturday night, and on Sunday I went and put the bees in a box. That night my mother went and got them, and Monday uiiuniug put them into a hive, and in the eve- ning they came out and went into a hive next to them. It was a small swarm that had been hived about 2 weeks, and when I was home Vug 2. thev had 10 frames nicely filled with Inood. and were working in the super. On Aug. 2 I went home to siiend a week. and cut a bee-tree. I got one of the finest and largest' swarms I ever saw. 'I hey were in a limb of a big tree, and when the tree fell the part the bees were in split off. and 1 moved it out where 1 could gel at it easily. Some of the combs were i% to 4 feet long, and from =; to lu inches wide. The bees were golden Italians, and as gentle as any bees in my home yard. I put them in a large box that night with the brood, and the next morn- ing made a hive, fit the comb in the frames, and shook the bees in. All went well until about i:j(i. and they swarmed out, I heard 3IO September, 1909. American Vae Journal them coming out. and went to see what was the trouble. Having a queen-guard handy I put it on. but too late. The queen had already come out. but I was too wise for them. I had clipped her wing the evening before. I found her on the ground, put her back, and very soon tlie bees settled, and I smoked them, and back to the hive they went, but in about ^ minutes out thev came again, so I let them settle and smoked them and they went back. I decided that they were hungry, for there was no honey in the combs given them, so I got some of the old comb with honey in it and ted them, and the next morning they were bringing in pollen and seemed contented with their new liome. They had 15 or 20 pounds of honey in the tree, but the most of it was dark. AH the honey I liave gotten at Kuttawa has been dark, but I have taken, from the 2 colonies at Princeton, about iv pounds of light honey with a fine flavor. The dark honey has a line flavor, too. The bees have gotten barely enough to rear brood since .June 2? until about July 27. when they began to gain a little, and are now storing in the supers. On page 264 Mr. L. Boomhower seems to have had bad luck with 2 swarms with dipt queens, and has become discouraged; says he wants no more clipped queens. Well, for me. I want no other way but clipped queens. If f have a young queen, as soon as 1 lind eggs I cMp her. and all queens that I have must be clipped. I think it the only way to save swarms. L. S. Dickson. Princeton. Ky.. Aug. 16. Not Quite So Large a Crop In the .\ngust .American Bee Journal the helper reported to Mr. Pryal incorrectly. N'ot any helper knew the amount of mv crop, i wish it had been the amount stated, but it was nearly a tons less. The amount of bees was beyond the loo-colony mark in the spring, so you see the average was small. The season was cold and backward, and the working force decreased during the cold spell to half the amount of the usual work- ing force, and hot winds finished up. Mv average in good years is from 200 to 300 pounds per colony. M. H. Menui.eson. Ventura. Calif.. Aug. 21. A Foul-Broody County In almost all the bee-papers nowadavs we see quite a discussion on foul brood. A short time ago our deputy foul brood inspector. .\Ir. G. DeMuth. called on me. He invited me to go out with him a day. which invita- tion I gladly accepted- Our first was a visit to an apiary of about 12s colojiies— as nearly as we could find out about half diseased. The owner had treated some. Our next was to an apiary of 8 colonies, i diseased. The owner did not know any- thing about foul brood. Next was to a one-colony aniarj-, diseased; laying worker: and old combs scattered all over, as he had transferred them. 'I'he next was to a lady with 2 box-hive colonies. They were simply rotten. When we gave her instructions, she wanted to know who we were and where from. She said she had had bees pretty nearly all her life and did not believe they were sick — only moth. She said this was like Chicago tuber- culosis wave with cattle-tirst tear every- thing to pieces and then die out. It was very amusing. The next apiary was i colonies, all dis- eased. Our next was a large-sized apiary; as nearly as I can remember about H diseased. Although he was treating them, from the foregoing you can see that this county is a hotbed of disease. And I think it is high time something is done, as it is pretty hard on an up-to-date bee-keeper to keep his bees healthy when such conditions exist around him. Most slipshod bee-keepers are afraid to tackle the job of transferring. Hknhv Rookt:>a. Fair Oaks. Ind.. Aug. 16. A Discouraging Season Another year for hones' harvest is gone for this localit}". as buckwheat is not grown here any more to speak of. Bees came out of the cellar very strong, but light in stores. Soft maple, box-elder and willow pollen were all lost on account of cold. Ai^ple blossom was immense, and the weather just right: dande- lion the same. Bees built up fine and re- quired from one to i supers for room. White clover dried out last fall, but plenty came up from last year's seed, but no bees on it. It has been a hand-to-mouth affair for the bees. Alsike clover was fine, but the weather conditions were such that some days no nectar was gathered: some davs one to 1 hours' work, then some days nothing again. Bees were as cross as hornets. I began to think I must use a veil. Then perhaps the next afternoon the bees would come into the hives like a returning swarm, all cross- ness gone. Then basswood came verv good, but strong winds hindered. The bees went northeast 2^2 to 4 miles, and the flow- was so good the bees roared early in the morning, but by g o'clock a heavy west or southwest wind came up and they could not fly against it when heavily loaded. There would not one bee plunk down at the entrance where there would be 20 on alsike— all inside of H of a mile. Bees 3 or 4 miles from alsike clover or basswood are on the verge of star- vation, even to tearing out the brood. Sweet clover is on now. but that is so liable to get cut. The honey harvest will be the poorest in years. Just last year it was the best goldenrod in iK \ears. Bees worked one fall, A long, black bug infests it and spoils the flower for nectar. Only one sear did I see bees on mamniotli clover; never on medium. But plenty of bumble-bees and plenty of nectar. The bees' tongues are too short, N, A, Kt.uck, Lena. 111,. July 26. Bees Having Hard Time Last year was a good one for the bees, but they are now having a hard time to live. We have not had a good rain since last October. E. W. SuTcr.iFFE. Weatherford. Tex.. .\ug. 0. White Clover a Failure Bees in this locality are doing but little good. White clover was an entire failure. I have not had a swarm this year. Not nev*' honey enough to sweeten a pancake, (Rev,) Milton Maiiin, Newcastle, Ind,, July ii. IWostly Fair-Quality Honey-Dew The past season has been a poor one. The honey that has been secured is mostly hone.v-dew. though of fair quality. We will feed all such back to the bees for winter stores, and at the same time hope for better results next season. Grant Stanley, Nisbet. Pa.. Aug. 24. About Half a Crop — Introducing Queens The honey crop in this locality is about half, amounting to a superful to the colony in my yard of >o. and gathered exclusively from basswood. which bloomed and yielded nectar more than in many years past. The bee-keepers of this section sutTered also from the honey-dew scourge, said by old residents to be the first since the year I856. The bees gathered continuously from this Sfiurce for over 3 weeks, and filled the supers with the stuff. When basswood began to bloom I took all supers off and replaced them with new' empty sections, and as the bees had been accustomed to going above they were storing nice basswood honey in a day or two. in the new sections. I gave the honey-dew honey away and found ready applicants for same. I see from the reports of amateurs in the bee-papers that a great many have trouble in introducing queens by following instruc- tions sent out by most queen-breeders with the queens sold. These losses happen moie frequently by trying to introduce during a honey-dearth. I have had their experience, losing as many as four-fifths of the queens 1 tried to introduce, by following instructions on the mailing cage, and during a time when bees were gathering no honey, I can intro- duce every queen during a honey-dearthlby the following method: I'^irst, take the queen from the colony you wish to requeen, A day or two before put- ting the strange queen in said colony, take a Miller division-board feeder, putting it in place of a frame of honey next to the side of the hive. Place the ne«' queen, caged and with attendants, across the feeder so as not to fall in the feeder. Pour in a quart of syrup made from equal parts of granulated sugar and water. This should be done late in the evening. Then the next morning early go to the hive and lift the quilt gently, and pour another pint of syrup in the feeder; after pouring a thin stream of luke warm syrup between each frame, and when all bees are busy taking up the syrup release the queen and let her run down between the frames, and close the hive. In 3 days after her release I always find her laying. This method should be used in colonies that are of sufficient numbers so as not to be attacked by robbers, although I have never had the least trouble by bees trying to rob, James Wolfe, Captina. W, Va,, ,'\ug, 17, A New Departure in the book business has been taken by the Werner Company. Akron. Ohio, as you will note from their advertise- ment in -this issue. As the largest actual manufacturers of books in the world, they are now making their product direct to the farmer at factory prices. We believe it to the interest of our readers to send for their catalog now, whether you contemplate pur- chasing any books or not. Please mention the ,\merican Bee .Journal when writing. A Great Poultry Offer The particular at- tention of our readers is called to an adver- tisement in this issue under which Poultry Success, of Springfield. Ohio, the world's leading and best poultry journal is offering in connection with a year's subscription the great Briggs System and Secret books, mak- ing it possible for every one. beginner or ex- perienced poultry-raiser, in confined quar- ters or where poultry has free range, to be more successful in handling poultry than by any other system. The price of the Briggs Book has just been reduced from S5.00. and is now offered in connection with a year's subscription to Poultry Success at only Si-25. We feel confident it will be profitable for our readers who are interested in poultry matters to investigate this offer and send to l^oultry Success. Springfield. Ohio, for sam- ples and circulars, although the advertise- ment appearing in this issue gives full in- formation. You will make no mistake if you send the Si.2f; at once, being very careful to address your letter in full as follows: Hosterman Pub. Co.. Briggs Desk 40, Spring- field. Ohio, and mention the American Bee Journal when w'riting. National Convention at Siou-vt'ltv, Sept. ti'2 and 2:i, 1 t)Ot> The 40th convention of the above Association -will hold its first session at 10 a.m., of Wednesday. Sept. 22, in the Armory room on tlie upper floor of the City Hall, in Sioux City, Iowa. The Chicago House will be the headquarters for bee-keepers during the convention. General Manager France expects to be there the day before the convention opens, and have a reception committee at each train as it arrives with bee-keepers. Tlie program will consist of papers by some of the leading beedomites, question-box, etc. A large attendance is expected, among which will doubt- less be many new faces. Come and meet your fellow bee-keepers, and en- joy the two-days' convention. Western Illinois Convention The annual convention of the West- ern Illinois Bee-Keepers' Association will be held in the County Court room, at Galesburg, on Wednesday, Oct. 1.3, 1909. .Ml interested in bee-keeping are invited to attend. W. B. Moore, J'i;s., Altona, 111. F. B. Hazlett, .S'<<-., Galesburg, 111. September. 1909. American Vae Jonrnal SPECIAL CLUBBING M PREMIUM OFFERS In Connection With Tiie AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL Sample copies free to help you interest your friends and get subscriptions. If ym will send us names of your neighbors or friends we will mail tbem sample copies free. After they have received their copies, with a little talk, you can get some to sub- scribe and so either eet your own subscription free or receive some of the useful premiums below. They're worth getting. We 5lve yon a year's subscription free for sending us two new subscriptions at 75 cents each. BEE-KEEPERS' NOVELTY POCKET-KNIFE Your name and address pot on one side of the handle as shown in cnt, anii on the other side pictures of a queen-bee, a worker, and a drone. The handle is celluloid and transparent, through which is seen your name. If you lose this knife it can be re- turned to you, or serves to identify you if yiiu happen to be injured fatal- ly, or are nncon- sclous. Cut is exact size. Be 3ure to write exact name and address. Knife delivered in two weeks. Priceof knife alone, postpaid, $1.25, With year's aubscrip- t i o n , $l.T5. Free for 4 new T.ir sub- scriptions. n \14B BEE-KEEPERS* GOLD-NIB FOUNTAIN PEN A really good pen. As far as true use- fulness goes is f'lual to any a n y o f t h e higher- priced, much -adver- ii.'^ed pens. If ou pay more it's I a m e you're barged for. The old Nil) is guar- anteed 14 Karat golfl, Iridium point- ed. The holder is hard rubber, hand- somely finished. The cover fits snugly, and can't slip off because it slightly wedges <^iver the barrel at either end This pen is non- leakable It is very easily cleaned, the pen-point and feeder being quickly removed. Tne simple feeder gives a uniform supply of ink to the ^>en-point without drop- glng, bl.^tting or spotting. Every ee-keeper ought to carry one in his vest-pocket. Comes in box with directions and filler. Each pen guaranteed. Here shown two- thirds actual size. Price alone, [>ostpaid, tl.OO. With ayear'fl subscription, »l.»y. Given free fori new subscriptions at 75 cents each. MONETTE QUEEN-CLIPPING DEVICE A The Monette Queen- rj Clipping Device is a f^ fine thing for use In /si catching and clipping /£5 Queens* wings. F-rur : '. ■' m| one-half i-- > -^ --h. It is u^ any bee-k". jh r . Fall printed direction- .'I'-nt with each one. Price alone, powr- paid, 23 cents. With ., year's sabscription, '.*>• cents. Given free for sending one new subscription at 75 cents. IDEAL HIVE-TOOL A special tool invent- ed by a Minnesota bee-keeper. adapt ed for prying up supers and for general work around the api- ary. Made of malleable iron, 8H inches loni^. The middle part is 1 1-16 inches wide and 7-32 thick. The smaller, end is Vi inches long, H inch wide, and 7-32 thick, end- ing like a screw- driver. The larger end is wedge-shaped having a sharp, semi- circular edge, mak- ing It almostperfect for prying up cov- ers, supers, etc.. as it does not mar the wood. Dr. Miller, who has used it since 1903 says, Jan. 7, 1907; " I thinkas much of the tool as ever." Price alone, post- paid. 40 cents. With a year's subscrip- tion.ll.OO. Given tree tor 2 new subscrip- tions at 75c each. PREMIUM QUEENS Taese are untested, dard-bred Italian Queens, reports of which have been highly satisfactory. They are active breeders. and produce good work- ers. Sent only after May Ist. Orders booked any time for queens. Safe de- livery guaranteed. Price, 75 cents each, 6 for $4.00, or 12 for $7.50. One queen with a year s sub- scription, $1.20. Queen Iree fi)r 3 new 75c subscriptions. HUMOROUS BEE POST-CARDS ■' O wot4T ,ou BEE rr, HOt'EY. AjO CMtCH TmiS LONELf nf.BT? Fob 1 wouLB kuo yco all the ^n^ Am) wt WOULD iJfVEfl PyiftT A "Teddy Bear" on eood terms with everybody, including thebeesswarming out of the old-fashioned "skep." Size 3'/4x5'/i printed in four colors. Blank space lvfx3 inches for writing. Prices -3 postpaid. 10 cents: 10 for 25 cents. Ten with a year's subscription. 90 cents. Six given free for one new 75c subscription. BOOKS FOR BEE'KEEPEI 3 Forty Years Among the Bees, by Br. C. C. Miller.— 3:i4 pages, bound in handsome cloth, with g"Id letters and design, illustrated with 112 beautiful half-tone pictures, taken by Dr. Mdler. Ii is a good, new story of successful bee-keepingby one ot the masters, and shows in minutest detail just how Dr. Miller does thini-'3 with bees. Price alone, $1.00. With a gear's subscription, $1.50. Given free for new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Advanced Bee-Cultnre, by W. Z. Hutch- inson.—The author is a practical and helpful writer. 330 pages; bound in cloth, beautifully illustrated. Price alone. $1.20. With ayear'a subscription, $1.70. Given free for 4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. A B C & X Y Z of Bee Culture, by A. I. & E. R. Root.— Over 500 pages describing everything pertaining to the care of honey- bees. 400 engravings. Bound in cloth, price alone, $1.50. With a year's subscription, $2.00. Given free for 6 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Scientific Oueen-Rearing, as Practically Applieil.by G. M. D«'nlittle.-H..w the very- best queens are reared. Bounil In cloth ami illustrated. Price alone, $1.00. With a year's subscription, $1.40. Given free for3 hew subscriptions at 75 cents each. In leath- erette binding, price alone, 75 cents. With a year's subscription, $1.16. Given free for 2 new subscriptions at T5 cents each. Bee-Keeper's Guide, or Manual of the Apiarv, by Prof. A. J. Cook.— This book is in- structive, heli)fal, interest! PS, thoroughly practical and scientific. It al.^o enntains anat- omy and i>hysiving a fullj>ape. Has 33 tine illustrations of apiaries or apiarian scenes, it also cantains 3 bee-song's. This booklet should be placed in the hands of everybody n»>t familiar with the fond-valueof hone'v, for its main object is to interest peo- ple l.i honey as a dail v (able article. Price 25 cents. With a year's sul'-^criptjon, 90 cents. Given free for om* new subscrijition at 75c. Three copies Jor 50 cents- or the 3 with ft year's subscrip' Ion, $1,00; 'T the 3 copies given free for 2 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Amerikanisclie Blenenzncht, by Hans Buschbaiier, Is a bee-keepers' handbook of 13S pages, which is jusr what our German friends will want. It is fullv illustrated and neatly bound in cloth. Price alone, $1.00. With" a year's subscription, $1.50. Given free for 3 new subscript iohh at 75 cents each. THE EMERSON BINDER A stiff boarutonthe pages of a bee-journal^not because he was not willing to im- part what he knew; but because, when he sat down to write a book, one thing after another suggested itself until he un- folded a new story that is as good as a story and far more profitable. — Editor E. R. Root, in Gleanings in Bee Culture. The book is bound in substantial cloth, gold-lettered, and is sent postpaid for only $1.00 ; or with the American Bee Journal one year— both for $1.50. (Or, send us 4 suI)scriptions to the Bee Journal — with $3.00— and we will mail you the book free as a premium.) Every bee-keeper really ought to have both the book and the American Bee Jour- nal, if not already possessors of them. As Dr. Miller gets a royalty on his book — so may cents on each copy — every bee-keeper who buys it is thus helping a little to repay him for his effort to lead others to success through his writings on bee-culture. As we have a good supply of these books on hand, we call till all ox-cler.s by return mail. This is the time of year to read up on bee-keeping. Better send us your oider at once for a copy of Dr. Miller's book, and study it carefully so as to make the MKjst possible out of your bees. Address all orders to GEORGE W. YORK & OO. 146 West Superior St. - CHICAGO, ILL. E3lfl ITALIAN QUEENS Untested. -5c; tested. Sioa Two-frame nuclei with untested (lueen.Si Su. with tested queen. 12.75. 8Ait E. M. COLLYER, 75 Broadway, Ossining, N. Y. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. BEES FOR SALE. r4'> <-*olonics of Hces in 8-franic liive: also about 4<' eniplv Hives, most of tlieni new; with r^iMj conih-houey Supers, a lot of I'"otinda- tion and Sections, and other bee-snpplics. No foul brood in this Valley, .\ddri-ss. 'J.\2t H. CHRISTENSEN, (■r)].V.V]]J.K. .Monoid . (■ \r,IF. Italian Queens For Sale Untested, 7SC each. Reared from imported queens. Price-list free. 5A7t 0. F. FULLER, Blackstone, Mass. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. September, 1909. American l^ee Journaij National Bee-Keepers' Association Sioux City, Sept. 22-23, 1909 Be sure vour tickets to the Convention read via Fast tlirougli train service daily from Chicago, Milwaukee, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Kansas City, St. Paul and Minne- apolis, and all points West and Northwest. Direct connections at Chicago with all lines from the East and Southeast. All Agents sell tickets via this line. W. B. Kniskern, P. T. M., Chicago & North Western Ry., Chicago, III. Standard Breed Queens from Our Superior Golden Stock Untested, i for $i.oo: o. Ss-oo; 12. Sq.oo. None superior to our queens, and but few equals. Mr. F. Danzenbaker. the inventor of the 20th Century Smoker, wrote us March 5. 1^08. that he has a good opinion of our strain of Italian bees: I- If they are as grood as the one Mr. L. I-. Brock- well, of Edlow, Va.. sent me to exhibit at James- town Exposition. I didn't g:et her until Sept. l»th. on a singrle frame in an observatory hive. Her bees stored and capped 9 lbs. of honey in ready-built combs of 4x5 sections in two weeks or 9 working: days, as ,5 days of that time were rainy or too cool for bees to fly. If it had been a 10-frame colony they surely would have gath- ered 60 lbs. or more. I offered Mr. Brockwell $10 and i young: queens in May. but he declined. I then asked him if he would let me have her for $25: he said no. I would have given that for her to breed from. I then asked if he would sell her for J50. He said no. but that I could have eggs from her in May. So you see what we both think of her for a breeder. Very truly. F. Danzexbakek. Norfork. Va. Bit; discount on large orders. No disease. Write for list. T. S. HALL, Jasper, Pickens Co., Ga. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. CYPRIANS for fall delivery. Bred from specially se- lected imported mothers. Select untested queens, mated from Caucasian yard, splen- did honey-sratherers. $i each; five for $4. Im- l,)orted Quei-ns Si each. SAjt FRANK BENTON p. O. Box 17, Washington, D. C. fteMiC ii»ntion Am. Bee Journal when writing. Say, Mr. Bee-man GRANT How about that old, played-out Queen? Now is the time to replace her, or make increase. Try the famous BANATS and CARNIOLANS. 75 cts each ; $8.00 per doz. ANDERSON 8.\tf Sabinal, Texas Please mention Am. Bee journal when writing. Pacific Homestead Do you want direct information on the bee. stock, horticultural and agricultural industries of Oregon, Washington and Idaho ? Then send ^5c in stamps right now for a three months' trial subscription to our Pacific Homestead, the illustrated farm paper of the Pacific Northwest. We give with this our big Holiday number (equiva- lent to a {2.00 book) containing articles on, and over 100 illustrations of the entire Pacific Northwest. 6Atf Sample copies of CDrrenl numbers tree. Address Pacific Homestead Dept. C. Salem, Oregon Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. QUEENS of Moore's Strain of Italians Produce workers that fill the supers, and are not inclined to swarm. They have won a world-wide reputation for honey-gathering, hardiness, gentleness, etc. Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson, editor of the Bee- Keepers' Review. Flint. Mich., says: "As workers. I have never seen them equaled. They seem possessed of a steady, quiet determination that enables them to lay up surplus ahead of others. Easier bees to handle I have never seen." My queeens' are all bred from my best long-tonguedlthree-banded red-clover stock (no other race bred in my apiaries), and the cells are built in strong colonies well sup- plied with young bees. I Am Now Filling Orders By RETURN MAIL REDUCED PRICES Untested queens, 7=;c. each; six, $4.00: doz., $7.50. Select untested, $1.00 each : six, Ss.oo; doz., S'j. Select tested. $2.00. Extra select tested, $3.00. Breeders, $10.00. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. Descriptive circular free. Address, 7Atf J. P. MOOR.E. Queen-Breeder. Rt. 1, Morgan, Ky. QUEENS Italian BY RETURN MAIL Carniolan Caucasian Tested, each Si. 00 Doz $10.00 Warranted n? '' 7.00 Virgins 25 " 2,^0 Choice Breeding Queens, Each, $2.00 ARTHUR STANLEY, Dixon, 111. Doolittle & Clark are now sending out choice IT.-\LL-VN QUEENS at the following prices: Untested. Si. 00 each; 3, $2.50; 12, Sq.oo. Tested, S2.00 each; 3. $5. 00; 12, $i8.og. Breeders, $2. 50, S5 00, $10.00. sAtf Borodino, Onondaga Co., New York HONEY FOR SALE Bv members of the Michigan Bee-Keepers' .Association. For free annual booklet giving names and addresses of members, address the Secretary. 7Atf E. B. TYRRELL, 230 Woodland Ave., Detroit, Mich. The American Institute of Phrenology incorporated 1866 by Special Act of the New York Legislature, will open its next session the first Wednesday in September. Sub- sects embraced: Phrenology: Physiognomy: Ethnology; Psychology; Physiology ; Anat. omy; Hygiene: Heredity; Anthropology. For terms and particulars apply to M. H. Piercy, Secretary, care of FOWLER & WELLS CO., 18 East %Sd St.. New York. N. Y. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. September, iqcq. American Hee Journal| BE SURE TO READ ALL OF THIS COLUMN After Jan. 1, 1910 American Bee Journal $1 a Year For some time we have been considering tlie increase of the yearly subscrip- tion price of tlie American Bee Journal from 7.'i cents a year to $1.00. In fact, many of our best subscribers have written us that it really never should have been reduced in price, in view of the richness of its contents and general helpfulness to its readers. But among the real reasons for such increase are the greater cost of its production, and that the present price of 7oc is, and has been, too low to main- tain the "old reliable" American Bee Journal at its present high standard of ex- cellence. .\nd. surely, no reader would want us to lower that standard in any particular. We may say further that we are planning certain improvements that will in- crease greatly the cost of publishing the .\merican Bee Journal another year — improvements that will more than offset the small increase of 25 cents a year in subscription price — even contemplating a 48-page Journal, if possible to do it. The Editor is now devoting all of his time to the Bee Journal, which fact alone should tend to make it more valuable as the months pass on. More than 3 Months Before the Raise in Price is to Go into Effect But it will be noticed that the $1.IHI price does not become effective until Jan. 1st next, or over 4 months yet. And during the time interveiiin.g we are going to allow all who wish to do so, to pay their subscriptions two years in advance at the present 75-cent rate. That is, you can pay all back dues (if any) and for all of lOln and 1911 at "•') cents a year. So, really, there will be no raise in price for over 'I years to all who pay their subscriptions before next tTan. 1. Save 50 Cents by Subscribing Before Jan. 1st By paying subscriptions for lOKl and lit! I any time between now and the end of this year (1900), you will save just 2.j cents a year, or .")(> cents. But we cannot allow subscriptions to be paid beyond the year 1911 at the present 7.')-cent rate. Please tell your neighbor bee-keepers about this, so that they, too, can take ad- vantage of the special offer for 2 years beyond 1009. Clubbing and Special Offers to Stand the Rest of this Year Our Special and Clubbing Offers will all stand until tlie end of this year (1900). So none of our present subscribers can really object ti) the increase in subscrip- tion price, for they have the opportunity of paying their subscriptions two whole years beyond this year at the present 75-cent price — by sending them in before next January 1. St. (Of course, if any have already paid their subscriptions beyond 1011. such will stand as now cn-if(couDtB to the Trade. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. CAPO] '^life' ^jflf CAPONS bring thelargest profits 7 — lUO per cent more than other poul- try. Caponlzing is easy and soon learned. Progressive poultrymen use PILLING SAT^s'k'ls Postpaid $".,'00 per set with free instruc- ■ tlons. The convenient, durable, ready- i J for-use kind. Bestmaterial. Wealsomake ' ' Pnultry Marker Z'jc. O ape Worm. Extract or 25o f Frettch Killi'i'j Kni/e50c, Capon Book Free. [ G. P. Pilling & Son, Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa. Please niL-ntion Am. Uee Journal when writing. Wanted Honey I want tu buy for cash Extracted White and Alsikc Clover Honey. Will not object to a little sweet clover mixed, but cannot use basswood. Mail average sample with best price delivered here. 8Atf Albert G. Hann, Pittstown, Hunterdon Co., N. J. Please mention Am. Bee ' irnal when writing. Superior Queens Extra-k'ond IcatlK-r-colored Italian Queens. 7oc; h for S.i.7.S; doz.. $6.50; 20 or more, 50c each. Properly reared. No disease. .Satis- faction Kiiarantccd. iiAtf S. F. Trego, Swedona, III. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. American Hee Journal September, 1909. Established 1847. Most elegant descriptive and agricultaral magazine in America. Goes in town and counfry. Subscription per year $2.00 General circulation among twenty-five million people west of St. Paul and north of San Francisco. Highest authority on Irrigation. Demands one billion dollars direct appropn ation by Congress for Irrigation to increase America's population to one billioD. Dairy aod Live Stock and Poultry and Pet Stock consolidated with Northwest Farm aod Home. SONS AND DAUGHTERS GRADUATES OF THIS COLLEGE are fittedto occupy the highest walks In llle— professlonalljr. socially and In business. THREE COILEGIATE CURRICUtUMS with liberal ElectlveCourses. Graduates enter the proles- slonal schools ol leading universities without conditions. College faculty ol broad schol- arship and great teachlngablllty. ISdlHerent unlversllles at home and abroad represented. ACAOEMV with selected, separate faculty prepares for College. Thoroughly efficient NORMAL COMMERCIAL, MOSIC and ORATORY Departments. Bulletins describe each. Campus, Cymnaslum, Library. Reading Room. Christian Associations, Lecture Courses, Athletic Field, Clean Athletics under great Coaches. Location Healthful and Beautiful. FALL TERM OPENS SEPT. 21. For Catalogoe or Special Bulletins, write to President William H. McMaster, Alliance, 0 Bee - Supplies Shipped Promptly SEND FOR FREE CATALOG Honey for Sale. Ask fur PricfS , Extracted Honey Wanted. Sfiu! Sample and I'lirr ARND HONEY & BEE-SUPPLY CO. flf/ (Successors to tlie York Honey & Bee-Suiiply L'o, H. M. ARND, Proprietor. 148 West Superior St., CHICAGO, ILL. HAND-MADE SMOKERS BINGHAM M Extracts from Catalogs— 1907: CLEAN ^^tA Chas. Dadant & Son, Hamilton, 111.— This is the Smoker we BEE SMOKER 1^^ S recommend atrave all others. «. B. Lewis Co., Watertown, Wis.— We have sold these Smok- ers for a good many years and never received a single complaint. '^ A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio.— The cone fits inside of the cup so that the liquid creosote runs down inside of the smoker. All Bingham Smokers are stamped on the tin, " Patented 1878, 1893, and 1903," and have all the new improvements. Smoke Engine — largest smoker made $1.50 — 4 inch stove Doctor- cheapest made to use 1.10 — 3J^ " Conqueror— right for most apiaries 1.00—3 " Large— lasts longer than any other 90—23^ " Little Wonder— as its name implies 65—2 " The above prices deliver 8m oker at your post-office free. We send circular if requested. Orlgloal Biogham cS: Hetherington Uncapping-Knife. T. F. BINGttflM, Farwell, Mien Patented, May 20, 1879. BEST ON EARTH. BEE-SUPPLIES Wholesale and Retail Ask us for prices on the goods you will need for this season. Discount for early or- ders. Send us your subscription for Glean- ings—one year and a Bee-Veil for $1.15, post- paid. Send for catalog. M. H. HUNT & SON, 0pp. Lake Short Depot, Liming, Mich. Big Song Hits Send 10c for four sample issues of our b i e fruit magazine and we will send you any one of the following highly popular songs: "My Rancho Girl, " Some Time in After Years," " A Boy and a Girl," " Molly Dear," " Falling Leaf," free. Don't wait, send today to the Fruit Belt Pub- lishing Co, 187 E. Fulton St., Grand Rapids. Mich. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. FREE GEO.S.GRAFFAM&BRO. .^RE LOCATED AT 105 Third Street, Bangor, Maine They have there yards for the production of comb and extracted honey, a yard by it- self for the breeding of their Black Diamond Bees, a large warehouse filled with Root Supplies Black Diamond Brand Honey, and honey- packages of all descriptions. Their office is at the same address, and here they are fitted to receive bee-keepers or their orders, enter- taining the one and handling the other with a service that cannot be surpassed. If you are interested in bees, live in New England, and have not their catalog and circulars, drop them a postal. You will be well re- paid. 5A6t PIfease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. APIS AMERICANA That is. Naturalized Italian Bees, and accli- mated to Northern Latitudes. No better bees on the face of the earth. Send postal for price-list. Address, 6A4t W. J. DAVIS, P. O. Box 148 Youn^sville, Pa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. On Woodcraft and Nature Is always fascinating to bim who lores hnnting' and fishing especially. There are many eniuyable and profitable facts that you should know about the great '"' OUT O'DOORS plTa^u-'L^i profit abound. Do you know of the habiti, value and methods of taking lur bearing animals, in your own locality? Also about Steel Traps. Snares. Scents. Deadfalls, Trapping Secrets, Raw Fur Market. Coon Hunting, Fox Chtsing, Hunting Dogs. Big Game Hunting, Wild Fowl Shooting. , JjjjS] Fishing, Prospecting. Camping. Guns, Ammunition, Ginseng and Golden Seal Growing. Fur Farming, Bee Hunting, etc. | Some of these are ! Great Source of Profit ?,: Farm During the Winter. You will find these topics all dealt with entertainingly and authoratively in that splendid 160 to 200 page, illuitrated monthly magazine HUNTER - TRADER - TRAPPER IT IS ALONF IN ITS CLASS. * «• ,.»> ^. SPECIAL:- Send lOe, to this oitice ana get a sampife copy of the H-T-T. also a 64 page book of Interesting Information, containing late Game Laws, etc. * Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Engravings for Sale. We are accamulatinLT Quite a lartje stock of bee-yard en;iravin^'s and other pictures used from time to time in the American Bee Journal. No doubt inMuy of them could be used by bee-keepers in their local newspa- pers, on their letterluads.on souvenir cards, or in other prohtabh' or interesting ways. If we can sell them it will help us to pay tnv others that we are constantly having made and using in these columns. We do not have a catalog or printed list of the engravings, but if you will let us know just which you want we will be pleased to quote you a very low price, postpaid. Just look through the copies of the Bee Journal and make your selection. Then write to us. GEORGE W. YORK & CO. 146 West Superior Street, • CHICAGO, ILL, Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Septi-mber. 19C9. American fUse Journal Langstroth Honey-Bee on the Revised by Dadant. Latest Edition. This is one of the standard books on bee-culture, and ought to be in the lilirary of every bee-keeper. Bound in substantial cloth, and has nearly 6IHI pages. Revised by that large, practical bee-keeper, so well known to all bee- doni — Mr. C. P. Dadant. Each topic is clearly and thoroughly explained, so that by following the instructions of this book one can not fait to be won- derfully helped on the way to success with bees. We mail the book for $1.20, or club it with the American Bee Journal for one year — both for $1.7ti. This is in- deed a splendid chance to get a grand bee-book for a very little money. GEORGE W. YORK & CO. 146 W. Superior SL • CHICAGO, ILL. BIG BARGAIN SALE on Bee-Supplies I have bought all the bee-supplies and machines of the Minneapolis Wood and Machinery Co. Send me a list of what you need, and get the right price. Also Adel, CarDiolan, Italian, and Caacasian Queens. CHAS. MONDENG, 4Atf 160 Newton Ave. N., Minneapolis, Minn. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. My Beautiful Tvfelve-page Circular in col'jrs is taking like hot-cakes. If you have failed to get one, your library table is incomplete, and you have not learned of the two best races of bees on earth, the Pioneer Ranch of im- ported Italian and Caucasian bees. Just a postal gets it. A. D. D. WOOD, Box 61, Lansing, Mich. PU-ase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Are You Interested Months Trial SobscriplioD 10 cents in raising poultry, live stock, produce, fruit, hon- ey, or other farm products.' I£ so, send ten cents for a 3-months' trial subscrip- tion tothe"BLRALFARMER." It Tells You all aboat farm cultivation, oro rents per year; i years tor $1-00, or*l.oo per year for club of 3 persona. "RURAL FARMER/' 44 8. 3rd Street, • Philadelphia. Pa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Bock on Fertilizers, Free Every progressive farmer is making a study of this important subject. We have an 80-paKe book with fine colored cover which treats every phase of the fertiliza- tion question. Send 10c for 3 sample issuer of The Fruit Belt and fcet this book free. Send today. Fruit Belt Publishing Co. 187 Herald Square, Grand Kapids, Mich. Pliease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. " // Gooiis are Wanted Quick Send to Touder. " ESTABLISHED ;?89 Bee-Supplies. Root's Goods in Indiana Standard Hives with latest improvements, Danzenbaker Hives. Honey-Boxes, Comb Foundation and everything that is used in the bee-yard. Large illustrated catalog mailed free. Finest White Clover Extracted Honey for sale in any quantity desired. WALTER S. POUDER, 859 Massachusetts Ave,, Indianapolis, Ind. Tennessee-Bred Queens 37 Years Experience, breed 3-band Italians only. November 1st to July 1st | July 1st to Nov. 1st 1 6 la 1 6 IS Untested.. $1.00 $500 $900 $ .75 $4.00 $ 7.50 1.25 6 50 12.00 1.00 5.0O 9.00 1.75 9. 00 17.00 1.50 8.00 15.00 2.50 13.50 25. 00 2. 00 10.00 18.00 Breeders $4.00. Add twenty percent for queens to be exported. Nuclei, without queens: 1-frame, $2.50; 2-frame, $3.50: 3-frame, $4.50. 1 Full Colony, 8-frame. $9.00. Select the queen wanted and add to the above prices. NOTE I have transferred to my son, Benj. G. Davis, my straij,'ht S-band and Golden depart- ment, and In order to receive the promptest attention, all correspondence for these should be sent direct to him. He practically grew up in my queen yards, rears queens by my methods, has had charge of this department for years, and understands his business. Prices same as above except Breeders, which are (4.00 to |10.00. No disease. JOHN M. DAVIS, Spring Hill, Tennessee, U. S. A. 50,000 Copies "Honey as a Health-Food" To Help Increase the Demand for Honey We have had printed an edition of over 50,000 copies of the 16-page pamphlet on " Honey as a Health-Food." It is envelope size, and just the thing to create a local demand for honey. The first part of it contains a short article on " Honey as Food," written by Dr. C. C. Miller. It tells where to keep honey, how to liquefy it, etc. The last is devoted to "Honey Cooking Recipes " and "Remedies Using Honey." It should be widely circulated by those selling honey. The more the people are educated on the value and uses of honey as a food, the more honey they will buy. Prices. prepaid-Sample copy for a 2-cent stamp : 50 copies for 90 cents : 100 copies for $1.50: 250 copies for $3.00: 500 for $5.00 : or 1000 for $9.00. Your business card printed free at the bottom of front page on all orders fur 100 or more copies. Address all orders to GEOR.GE W. YORK ^H. CO., Chicago, III. SIMPLY DELICIOUS TIr- iinest car of Sage Honey that ever crossed the "Rockies" just ar- rived, and we are selling it like "hot cakes" in crates of two 60-lb. cans at '••>2C per lb. Samples 10c. If vou want Honey that's truly delicious, send for some today. The Fred W. Muth Co. The Busy Bee-Men 51 Walnut St. Cincinnati, Ohio September, 1909. American Hee Journal FOR QUICK DELIVERY and LOW FREIGHT send your orders for BEE-SUPPLIES to The A. I. Root Company, 42-60 Institute Place ( 4' blocks north of former location ) CHICAGO, ILLINOIS We are now fully moved, located, and well stocked with a FULL LINE of supplies. We have the best shipping facilities, and with plenty of help we promise to get goods to you promptly. There are only two reasons why we might fail ; viz., the neglect of some transportation company to give its usual good service, and our inability to turn out stock fast enough to care for your orders. We are promised a large car-load from our factory every TEN days, so you see we expect to take good care of your orders. If you haven't our new catalog let us send you one. Remember our new location, four blocks north of our former place. The A. I. Root Co., Chicago, IHinois 42-60 Institute Place R. W. Boyden, Resident Manager. Jeffrey Building Take Elevator to Sixth Floor. Telephone 1484 North. Bee-Supplies Distributor of Lewis and Root Bee-Sup- plies. We are now prepared to furnish promptly a full line of Supplies and Berry Boxes. Choice new stock just from factory. Beeswax wanted. Send fur Catalog. W. 3. McCARTY, Emmettsbur^, Iowa Pkase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. BEE-SUPPLIES. 40-page catalog free. Brimful of the latest make of hives, etc. Our supplies will please you in every way. Prices are right. We can make prompt shipments as we carry a full line of A. I. Root Co. '8 supplies in stock. Don't fail to write us if you are m need of supplies. 8Atf JOHN NEBEL& SON SUPPLY CO.. High HIM. Montg. Co., Mo PBease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. . Cut-i scr;ip Feed your hfn^ Tn jh cut gn^=D l)-nie rt;iily and gel more niU'iii. Si-nd for catalocuc WILSON BROS., Box 618, Eastoo. Pa. Italian Bees for Sale 1 colony, $5 ; 2 for $9 ; S for $20. Queens— Unteste'l, 75c each ; 6 for $4 ; Tested, $1 each ; 6 for $S. Will put swarms into any style hive to suit pur- chaser. SAtf L. BOOMHOWER. Freehold. Greene Co., N. Y. Please mention .^m. Bee Journal when writing. UNTESTED IT.4LIAN QUEENS, 50c : Se- lect. 75c : Tested, $1.00. 7A2t Robt. B. Spicer, Rt. 163, Wharton, N. J. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Crown Bone Cutter Best Made Lowest In Price MARSHFIELD BEE-GOODS FRIEND BEE-KEEPER— We are prepared to fill your orders for Sections. A large stock on hand. Also a Full Line of Bee-Supplies. We make prompt shipments. MARSHFIELD MFG. CO., Marshfield, Wis. lOWA-J. W. Bittenbender, Kno.xville. Gregory & Son. Ottumwa. KANSAS-S. C. Walker & Son. Smith Center. MICHItiAN-Lenest & Koenig, 127 South 13th St.. Saginaw. E. S. S. D. Buell. tJnion Citv. NEBRASKA— Collier Bee-Supply Co., Fairbury. CANADA- N. H. Smith, Tilbury. Ont, ARIZONA— H, W. Ryder, Phoenix. MINNESOTA-Northwestem Bee-Snp- plv Co.. Harmony, ILLINOIS-D, L, Durham, Kankakee. OHIO-F, M, Hollowell Harrison, TEXAS-White Mfg, Co.. Blossom. WISCONSIN-S. W, Hines Mercantile Co., Cumberland. J. Gobeli. Glenwood. FOR SALE Italian Queens- hustlers. Select. 750; Tested, $1,25, Untested, 60c; 3.-\2t Mrs. J. W. Bacon, Waterloo, N. Y. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. 1000 Colonies of Bees to sell in lots to suit purchaser. Address, SAtf Dr. Geo. D. Mitchell & Co., Ogden, Utah 1 iease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. September. IQ09. 319 American Hee Jonrnal j (i FALCON QUEENS 99 Three-Band Golden Italians Caucasians Carniolans 1 6 13 Untested $0.75 $4.25 $ 8.00 Select Untested 1.00 5. .50 10. Oo Tested, $1.50; Select Tested, $2.00 We have in charije of this department Mr. Leslie Martin, formerly queen-breeder in the Apiary of the U. S. Dept. of Agricul- ture. Washington. D. C. Send for our free catolog of "Falcon" Bee-Keepers' Supplies. W.T. FALCONER MFG. CO. Jamestown, N. Y. 4 Beestpax^ Chka<;(j, Ail;:. 2h.— The new crop is appear- ing on the market, and sells ciuite well at ic,'^?i*>c for A Xo. I to fancy comb that is pro- duced frf>m white clover and basswood; other kinds and grades from i@ic less per pound. Kxtracted.7@8c for white, and 6@7C for ambers. Beeswax. 30c. R. A. BlKNETT & Co. Boston. Aue. n. -Good demand for fancy white comb honey ati6@i7c; No. 1. i=;@i6c. Fancy white extracted. Hf^igc; lieht amber. 7@Bc; amber. 6@7c. Beeswax, ^zc. Blakk. I-kk Co. CiNriNNATi. Ana. 2h.— There is just begin ning to arrive here in Cincinnati some West crn comb honey, which finds ready sale in a small way at i6c. larger quantities at n%c. Extracted table honey is exceptionally brisk in ririces. ranging from 8(Sgc. Amber honey. fair demand, is selling at b@h*/2C. Beeswax slow at Sis per i'»o lbs. Tliis is our selling price, not what we pay. C. H. W. Wkbkr & Co. Phii.auki.I'HIA. Aug. 2=;-— There has been considerable activity in the honey market in the last 10 days. The uncertainty as to the amount of honey-dew in the local market has kept dealers guessing, and has caused considerable inquiry. 'Ihere liave been some few sales, but it is a little early for de- liveries as yet. Fancy comb honey. i(>@i8c in small lots; light amber. m'^I4C: fancy water-white extracted in 6(;-lb cans. 7J^c; am ber. 654c: in barrels. 6c. Wm. A. Sei.ser. Nkw York. Aug. 27 —We are now beginning to receive small shipments of new crop comb honey, principally from New York State. 'I'here is a fairly good demand at i<;c for fancy white: I^<"l^(' per lb. for No i: and lifn-uc for No. 2. No buckwheat honey on the market as yet. and do not expect to have any for some time to come on account of the season being late. Extracted honey is in fair demand. New crop California is now on the market andsellingat following prices: Water-white sage. 8@8S4c. white sage. 7^ Headquarters for Bee-Suppiies Honey Wanted! If it is Extracted Honey, mail us sample and quote us lowest price; if it is Comb Honey, state what kind it is and how it is put up. We are always in the market for honey. Give us a trial on Red Clover and Golden Yellow Italian Queens. Ours cannot be excelled. C. H.W.WEBER =:' Office and Salesrooms. 2146-48 Central Ave. Warehouses. Freeman and Central Aves. liglit amber. b(?^t,'Ac. Ver.v little extracted clover or basswood honey on the market as vet. and same is selling at about the same prices as California. Southern. ()o@-5C per gallon, according to quality. Beeswax. 2g@joc. HlI.DKETH & SECEI.KEN. /,.\NEsvii.i,E, Oiiin. ..\uK. 2t>.— The local lionev market is about normal. The demand for best grades of comb exceeds the supply. Prices are still unsettled. Producers would receive for No i to fancy white clover 14^1 = ^. and for best extracted ma'^c. Wholesale prices practically unchanged. For good clean beeswax I offer zUc cash, or 32 in ex change for merchandise. ICdmunu W. Peikce. iNDiA.SAi'or.is, .\ug. 26,— There is a good demand for host grades of honey, but tlu- market is now well supplied. Indiana bei- keepers, as wtHl as mercliants. are good buyers. Producers are being paid the fol- lowing prices: l*'ancy wliite comb. i6c; No. I white. 14c. I'inest extracted in ^gallon cans. 8c. No demand for amber or oft grades. Producers of beeswax are receiving 28@3QO. WaI.TEK S. POI'IIEK. I Want to Sell my Apiary Of luo Colonies and some Nuclei. .-\ numlier of extra hive-bf)dies and supers for botli comb and extracted honey go with the bees. which are almost wholly Italian, of thi* best stains to be found in .America. Soniethiui; like IOC) shipping-cases, half of them made up. will go in with the deal; also some t»j-lb shipping-cans never used;; quite a lot of queen-excluders; Alley trai>; Lewis founda- tion fastener; Novice extractor; a few crates of sections i'Axi'A; 1 Rietsche press (never used/; a number of btu'-escapes; some at- mospheric feeders; several volumes of .-Vm Bee Journal. Gleanings in Bee Culture, and Bee-Keepers' Review; copy of ' I.angstrotli on the Honey- Bee." Doolittle's "Scientilic Queen-Rearing." aiul Miller's " l'"orty Years .Among the Bees." .Also a lot of queen-e\ eluding /.inc and honey-boards. There will | be quite a lot of any more work in the bee line or anywhere else. Denver. .Aug. 2H. -There is a good demand for wliite comb honey in carload lots, and we commenced shipping last week. Local demand is fair at following prices: .Strictly No. I white, Sj-io per case of 24 sections; No. I light amber. Sj.i?; No. 2. $3.00. 'VA'hlte ex- tracted 7'^@HHc; light amber. hf4@7i-2C. We pay 24c for clean yellow beeswax delivered liere. Fhe Colo. Honey Producers' Ass'.n. We will Buy and Sell HONEY ^*3^ of the different grades and kinds. If you have any to dispose of, or if you intend to buy, correspond with us. We are always in the market for Beeswax at highest market prices. Hildreth & 5egelken 265 & 267 Qreenwlch Street NEW YORK, N. Y. Edwin Bevins, Leon, Iowa I'Uaso mention Am. Hcc Journal when writing. I'l" asc iiuiition Am. !'(c jdiiriial when writing. Western Bee- Keepers ^o^"Ju how to saTe mosey. Send for our new cata- log of the best Be»-ware made. TIR OOIOKIDO HIDRt-rBODCCEU' IMI'll. RtiTiir. M: Pk-ase mention Am. Bcc Journal when writing. BEE-KEEPERS OF THE NORTH H 0) UJ ^ UJ z I- o (A UJ Q. UJ U ^ U UJ m Be Sure to get our PRICES on BEESWAX BEESWAX Before selling your season's Wax or Let us send to you our Prices for Working your Wax into DADANT'S FOUNDATION iNIany large Honey-Producers prefer our Fouiulation to other makes, because the bees like it best. We can use almost an unlimited quantity of BEESWAX, and we are buying at all times of the year at highest cash prices. During the season of 1909 we handled over 150,000 pounds of Beeswax. If your Honey supply is short we can supply you with either White or Amber Extracted Honey. SEND FOR PRICES AT ONCE. DADANT & SONS, Hamilton, Illinois. a m m m m ■D m o ■n H Z m m > BEE-KEEPERS OF THE SOUTH i ATA COMPLETE SAVING TO YOU OF OVER DIRECT FROM FACTORY CO CON EVERY 9W. DOLLAR Here— right now — is an opportunity, for the first time, to buy books direct from the biggest book factory in tWe v^orld, A chance for you to secure, delivered to your station, transportation charges paid, the best books, at the bare rapcr and ink cost, plus our ONE SMALL PROFIT. A saving to you of over 50c on every dollar. AS ACTUAL MANUFACTURERS turning out more than 14,OfiO complete books every day, our line is composed of the best Standard Authors. Edu- cational works (Dictionaries and Encyclopedias) Histories, Philos- ophy, Science, Fiction, Ro- I ^Hc i' ji^£ THE » ij THE •' ^^^ fNEWAMERlCAN NHWAMERlW NEWAMERION NEWAMERIWN ^fWAMERJCAN fNCYaOPEDlC ENCYCLOPED-, ENWOjOPEDK ENCYCLOPEDIC E^CYCLOPEDli- D1CTI0NAR.Y DlCTIONAr DICTIONARV DICTIONARV _J>CnONAR> THESE BOOKS PRODUCED AT A COST OF OVER. S750.000.00. COUPON The Werner Company, Akron, Ohio. Gentlemen: — Send me. express prepaid, your 5 vol. Encyclopedic Dictionary (Buck- ram Binding) at your direct from fac- tory price of §16.50. Also send FREF the So.lH) Modern Atlas. I'll examine the books 10 days. Then if I like them 1*11 send you S .50 and S2.0f) each month for eight months. mances, standard Author's' (Dickens. Scott. Thackeray Ppe, etc.). Religious a"d Art Works Oratory French and English Classics, Natural History, Cook Books, etc., all contained in our new Catalog at| factory pnces-sent^free^on^re^uest.^ mean exactly what we say, that we CAN and DO sell books at factory prices, we Ust you here a C Special Direct From Tactory Summer Offer. We will send you. charges paid, for your examination and approval this magnificent -■' m fivrvolume New American Encyclopedic Dictionary (see cut revised to 191 la. conta n- inJr^Z fu llTages set in large clear type, each page 11!^ x 9H, plain y defining measy-to- un,ler- pounds of honev if the How lasts this week. CHAS. MITCHELL. Ontario, Canada, July 22, 1905. George W. Yofk & Co. :— The queen 1 bougbl of you has proven agoo(> one, and has Viven me some of my best colonies, N. P. OGLKSBY. WashiugLUD Co., Va., July 22, 1905. George W. York & Co.:— The queen I received of yonafew days ago came thruugh O.K., and 1 want to say that she is a beauty. 1 immediately introduced her inioacoloav which had been queenJess for 2" days. Sshe was accepted by tbeoi, and hap ^one to work nicely. 1 am highly pleased with her and your promptness m rilling my order. My father, who Is an tiUI bee-keeper, pronounced her very fine. You will hear from me again when I am in nned of something in the bee-line. B. E. McColm. Marion Co., 111., July 13. We usually begin mailing Queens in May, and continue there- after, on the plan of '' first cooie first served." The price of one of our Untested Queens alone is 75 cents, or with the monthly American Bee Jcimal one year — both for $1, 20, Three Queens (without Journal) would be . j.^orGfoT^ *- . Full instructions for introducing are sent with each Queen, being printed on the underFide of t> e addrepscard on the mailing-cage Y"U ".annot do better than to get one or more of our fine Siatidiiid-Bn >) Qiiecnt George W. York & Co., ue w. superior st. Chicago, 111. Dittmer's Comb Foundation Is the Best. Not because we say so, but because the Bees prefer it to other makes. Dittmer*s Process is Dittmer's It has built its Reputation and established its Merits, on its own Foundation and its own Name. We make a Specialty of Working Wax into Founda- tion for Cash. Write for free catalog and prices on full Line of Supplies. GUS DITTMER CO.. Augusta. Wi«. Imported CARNIOLANS, BANATS, CYPRIANS. Select Queens bred this year in Carniola. Austr^; in Banat, Hungary ; and in Cyprus — reaoll' for immediate delivery— $4.00 each, with guarantee. FRANK BENTON, Box17, Washington, D.C. Phase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. M. H. HUNT & SON 'V\iv bust time to lni\ \inir t,^0()ds is duriny tiu- fall and winter months. W'r are niaU- int' Liberal Discounts for Early Orders, and would lilie to quote you net prices on your needs for next season. -BEESWAX WANTED- LANSING, - MICHIGAN. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. October. 1909. American lUie Jonrnalj BEE- MAN Wc h.indlu tin- well- LEWIS BEEWARE at Factory Prices, such as Dovetailed Wiscon- sin Hives, Sections, and everything: that is need- ed by bee-keepers. Also Dadant ■r/ Foundation BINGHAM SMOKERS Illustrated Catalog Krre. The C. M. SCOTT CO. 1009 E. Washington St., INDIANAPOLIS, IND. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. ROOT'S GOODS Are money-savers. We have a full line of Supplies, Bees, Queens, etc., and can supply you with anything in the BEE-LINE Queens any quantity. Tested, $1.00; Untested, 7Sc each. 4Atf Rea Bee & Honey Go.^ Reynoldsville, Pa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Closing Out Offer We Have Some Copies Left of the Book ROOT'S Bee-Keepers' Supplies at factory prices, f. o. b., San Antonio. Weed New Process Comb Foundation We manufacture this right here, out of clean Southern wax which is superior to all other. We are careful to retain the original fra- grant odor of the hives. It takes skill and care to do this. If you desire to have your beeswax worked up in this way send it here. We wish large quantities of wax from asso- ciations to be worked into comb foundation. Write for rates. Reliable agents wanted everywhere. Illustrated catalog free. 5A6t TOEPPERWEIH « MAYFIELD, 1322 S. riorex St., San Antonio, Tex. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. EXTRACTING MADE EASY by using MILLER AUTOMATIC DECAPPERS $5 to $35. Catalog Free. APICULTURAl MANUFACTURING CO., Provjtience, R. I. 7Atf A WONDERFUL INVENTION CLARK'S DOUBLE ACTION COM- BINED CULT I- V ATOR AND HARROW, <-iin l.e Uhid to cultivate crops in rows, as a Listing H a r ro w. and when closed together is a Disk Ilarr<)W cutting 4hi Drawn by two nie«iium horses. IVrfect eentro draft. A labor KKKK Booklet feet wide. Jointed pole, saver. Sen. I today CUTAWAY HARROW CO. 9U Main St..Hlggaoum.U. I'l'-.iM.- mi.ntii'n Am. Ht-c Journal when writing. I We Have Some Copies Lett ot the Book || £ O I "Bees and Honey" "•"®y *®'' ^^'®- ■vwww «■■■«■ ■■WIIWJ Choice, well ripened Extracti-.l -clear. By Thomas G. Newman bound in cloth, that we offer cheap to close out. It contains 160 pages, and is bound in cloth. It used to be a one- dollar book, but we will mail them, so long as they last, at 'iD cents each; or with the .American Bee Journal one year— both for only $1.00. Surely this is a bargain. The book is well illustrated, and has some good infor- mation in it, especially for beginners. .Aildress all orders to George W. York & Co., 146 W. Superior St., Chicago, III. Carniolan Queens iiy seiuiiiiy to several ditteri-iit (Jucen- Rearcrs in Austria for the last few years, we have succeeded in gettinK a desirable strain of Carniolan bees. To any of the beekeep- ers wisliini; to try a pure Carniolan queen, it will be sent by return mail. One tested for $1.00; 6. $;.oo; 12. J';.oo. One untested. 75c; 6, $4.25; 12. $11.00. Address. 8Atf Wm. Kernan, R. R. No. 2, Dushore, Pa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. 1Alanf<»rl -extracted honey To ■*"'"■*'" buy. or will trade a two H.P. I-airl»,uiks A Morse Gasoline iMU'ine in fine order, for either WliJK' or Amber Extract ed Honey, Cjood. reclcatu-rl Alsike Clover Seed for Sale. loAit O. R, CARR. Avon. Ii,i., Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Choice, well - ripened Extractecl — clear, lit'ht golden color and delicious flavor— 7^ to He. Sample 6c. deducted from order. Comb Honey. No. i and Kancy. in M plain and scalloped sections. 14 to i6c. loAat F. B. Cavanagh, Hebron, Ind. Please mention -'\m. Bee Touriial when writing. HONEY FOR SALE — several tons fall crop Comb and Extracted. State your w.iiits BEES and QUEENS fur sale ill srnsoii. Address, QUiRIN-THE-QUEEN-BREEDER, Bellevue, Ohio. I'leasc mrntion ,\m. Bee Journal when writing. IF you need a nice yellow Ital- ian Queen at once, send to J. I,. Knjen, Alma, Mo. Untested, only 75c. Tested, J1.25. 3-frame nucleus with Queen. $2,7.S. Full colony, in 8-frame hive, $5.50. 6A6t Pk-ase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Suriilns Tested Red Clover and Golden Queens, at 5uc. each, tr) close the season on i.>ueens, H. A. ROSS, 17" Van liuren ,\ve , lo.Alt EVANSVII.J.K, Inu. Please mention .Am. Bee Journal when writing. Rnhv fthirkc "cts. each. Ekks for hatcli- DdBjr blllbKb ine. $4perioo. All kindsponl- try at lowest prices. Guarantee safe arrival anvwhert-. Write for price- I isl iu,,\(,t CDIVER PODLTKY FARM 101 S Retil. BENSON. NEBR, Please mention .\m. iiee Journal when writing. 300 QUEEN^ demons' strain of three-banded Italians hai no equal. Mr. M. R. Juckett, Poultney, Vt. writes : " I have queens from seven dirferen breeders, and yours are the only ones whict have produced honey in the sections." ( Mr. N. L. Stevens, president of New York Bee-, Keepers' Society, Moravia, N. Y., whn purchased of nie in 1907, 46 of my eheajiest untested queens, writes Jan. 22, 1909 : " The queens I purchased ot you in 1907 proved very satisfactory. I boug-ht over 300 queens that season from 10 different breeders, and your bees averaged the best of any of them the past season, and only one strain was a close conipetitt)r. Your bees built up very rapidly, and were jjimd honev-gatherers." Why pay a high price lor the common kind when others repor; such results? If you don't try a few of my queens we shall both lose money. : Untested queens. (JO cts. each ; select untested, 75 cts.: tested, $1.00: fine breeding queens, $2.00 to $5.00. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranr teed. 7A4t H. C. CLEMONS, Boyd, Ky. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY Has the latest report of all the best work in practical entomology. Articles upon apicul- ture by national authorities appear in it. If you wish the best entomological journal for the practical man, subscribe for it. $2 a year. E. DWIGHT SANDERSON, Business Met., DURHAM, N. H. Celluloid Queen-Buttons These are very pretty things for bee-kecD- ers or honey-sellers to wear on their coat- lapels. They often serve to introduce the subject of honey, which might frequently lead to a sale. NOTK. — One bee-keeper writes: "I have every reason to believe that it would boa very good idea for every bee- keeper to wear one [of these buttons], as it will cause peo- ple to ask questions about the busy bee. and many a conversation thus started wind up with the sale of more or less honey; at any rate it would give the bee- keeper a superior opportu- nity to enlighten many a person in regard to honey and bees." The picture shown above is a reproduc- tion of a motto queen-button that we offer to bee-keepers. It has a pin on the under- side to fasten it. PRiCEs-by mail-i for 6 cts.; 2 for to cts.; or 6 for 25 cts. Address, GEORGE W. YORK & CO. 146 West Superior Street, ■ CHICAGO. ILL Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. I Want to Sell my Apiary Of 100 Colonies and sc:ime Nuclei, A number of extra hive-bodies and supers for both comb and extracted honey go with the bees, which are almost wholly Italian, of the best stains to be found in America. Something like 100 shippinir-cases. half of them made up. will go in with the deal; also some bo-lb. shipiiiug-cans (never used); quite a lot of queen-excluders; Alley trap; Lewis founda- tion fastener; Novice extractor; a few crates of sections i'Axi'/ii; i Rietsche press (never used); a number of bee-escapes; some at- mospheric feeders; several volumes of Am. Ree .Journal. Gleanings in Bee Culture, and Bee-Keepers' Review; copy of 'Langstroth on the Honey - Bee." Doolittle's "Scientific Queen-Rearing." and Miller's " Forty Years Among the Bees." Also a lot of queen-ex- cluding zinc and honey-boards. There will be quite a lot of drawn combs both for ex- tracted and comb honey to go with the bees, if sale is made. I would like to have some man who wants bees, come here and look the stuff over and take charge of its removal if the sale is made. My health c sub- scriptions. 14£ BEE-KEEPERS' GOLD-NIB FOUNTAIN PEN A really good pen. As far as true use- fulness R-o e a is eiiual to any any of the higher- priced, much -adver- tised pens. If you pay more It's name vuu're charj?o(I for. The Gold Nib is guar- anteed 14 Karat g-old, Iridium point- ed. The holder is hard rubber, hand- somely finished. The cover fits snugly, and can't slip off because it slightly weilges over the barrel at either end This pen is non- leakable It is very easilv cleaned, the pen-point and feeiler being quickly removed. Tne simple feeder gives a uniform supply of ink to the pen-point without drop- ging. blotting or spotting. Every ee-keepertmght to carry one In his vest-pocket. Oomea in box with directions and filler. Each pen guarantee'l. Here shown two- thiras actual .size. Price alone, iiostpaid, $1.00. With a year's subscription, fLM. Given free for.j new subscriptions at 75 cents each. MONETTE QUEEN-CLIPPING DEVICE The Monette Queen- Clipping Device is a fine thing for us© in catching and clipping Queens' wings. Four and one-half inches high. It is used by many bee-keepers. Full printed directions Sent with each one. Price alone, post- paid, 2.> cents. With a year's subscription, 90 cents. Given free for sending one new subscription at 75 cents. S9S Ml IDEAL HIVE-TOOL A special tool invent- ed by a Minnesota bee-keeper, adapt- ed for prying up supers and for general work around the api- ary. Made of malleable iron, 8H inches long. The middle part is 1 1-16 inches wide and 7-32 thick. The smaller end is l'» inches long, Yt inch wide, and 7-32 thick, end- ing like a screw- driver. The larger end is wedge-shaped having a sharp, semi- circular edge, mak- ing it almostperfect for prying up cov- ers, supers, etc.. as it does not mar the wood. Dr. Miller, who has used it since 1903 says, Jan. 7, 1907: ■■ I think as much of the tool as ever." Price alone, post- paid, 40 cents. With a year's subscrip- tion.il.OO. Given free for 2 new subscrip- tions at 75c each. PREMIUM QUEENS T jese are untested, stan- dard-bred Italian Queens, reports of which have been highly satisfactory. They are active breeders, and produce good work- ers. Sent only after May 1st, Orders booked any time for queens. Safe de- livery- guaranteed. Price, 75 cents each, 6 for S4.00, or 12 for $7.50. One quesn with a year's sub- scriptiou, $1.20. Queen free for 3 new 75c subscriptions. HUMOROUS BEE POST-CARDS -^T^^^V.?"' O WCMT TOu BEE m HONEX _;,^C?^^ ' 0>.mf2| ^^ '"EtR THIS LONELY HCABT? ^:^ 1 CANNOT ^»T^ For I WOULD HL6 TOu ALL THE TlTl^ ^-;. BEAR TO ^^1^ fi^^ (^ WOULD mvia pari 1 «a>- af* Av^ A "Teddy Bear" on good terms with everybody, including the bees swarming out of the old-fashioned "skep." Size 3/!x5V4, printed in four colors. Blank space 1Hx3 inches for writing. Prices -3 postpaid, 10 cents: 10 for 25 cents. Ten with a year's subscription, 90 cents. Si.x given free for one new 75c subscription. BOOKS FOR BEE-KEEPEI 3 Forty Years Among the Bees, by Dr. O, G. Miller.— 334 pages, bound in handsome cloth, with gold letters and tlf.-«igii, illustraied with Hi bt-autiful half-tone pictures, taken by Dr. Miller. Ii is a good, new striry of successful bee-keeping by one ot the masters, and shows in minutest detail just how Dr. Miller does thint^a with bees. Price alone, $1.0i). With a year's subscription, $1.50. GWen free for new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Advanced Bee-Culture, bv W. Z. Hutch- inson.—The author is a practical and heli>ful writer. ;s3U pages; bound in cloth, heautifully illustrated. Price alone. $I.L'0. With a year's subscription, $1,70. gy of bees. 54+ [lages, 295 illustrations. Bound in cloth. Price alone, $1.20. With a year'ssubscription. $1.70. Given free for4new subscriptions at 75 cents each. rjangstroth on the Honey-Bee, revi.-'ed by Dadant.— This classic has been entirely rewritten. Fully illustrated. No apiarian library is complete wjthout this standard work by "The Father of American Bee-Cul- ture." 5".'0 pages, bound in cloth. Price alone, $1.-0. With a year's 9ul>scription, $1.70. Given free for 4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. •*The Honey-Money Stories."- A fi4- page booklet containing many short, bright stories interspersed with facta and interest- ing items about honey. The manufactured comb-honey misrepresentation is contradict- ed in two items, each occupying a full page. Has 33 tine illustrations of apiaries or apiarian scenes. It also cantaina 3 bee-songs. This booklet should be placed in the hands of everybody not familiar with the food-value of honey, for its main object is to interest peo- ple ia honey as a daily table article. Price 25 cents. Witn a year's subscription, 90 cents. Given free for one new subscription at 75c. Three copies for 50 cents- or the 3 with a v*^ar's subscription, $l.oo; or the 3 copies given free lor 2 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Amerikanische Bienenzuoht, by Hans Buschhauer, is a bee-keepers' handbook of 13>< pages, which is jusr what our German frientls will want. It is fullv illustrated and neatly bound in cloth. Price alone, $1.00. With a year's subscription, $1.50. Given free for 3 new subscriptums at 75 cents each. THE EMERSON BINDER A stiff board outside like a book-cover with cloth b;K-k. Will hold easily 3 volumes {36 number-^) of the American Bee Journal. Makes reference easy, preserves copies from loss, oust and mutilation. Price postpaid, 75 cents. With a year 's subscription, $1.25. Given free for 3 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. WOOD BINDER Holds 3 volumes. Has wood back but no covers. Price, po.-itpaid, 20 cents. With a year's subscription m) cents. Given free for one new subscription at 75 cents. BEE-HIVE CLOCK A few cC tJiese handsome "bronze-metal'* clocks left. Base lo'-j inches wide by y^4 inches high. Design is a straw skep with clock face in middle. Keeps excellent time, 0. With a year's subscription, $:;.00. <;iven free for 6 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. SEND ALL ORDERS TO THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. Chicago, III. i^AMER^ICAN "!*■ D 1^ *'^ ':^ i » V^- (Entered as second-class matter Jub" 30. 1907, at the Post-Offlce at Chicago, 111., under Act of March 3, 1879.) Published Monthly at 75 cents a Year, by George W. York & Company, 146 West Superior Street, GEORGE W. YORK. Editor. DR. C. C. MILLER. Associate Editor. CHICAGO, ILL., OCTOBER, 1909 Vol. XLIX- -No. 10 C'auueil Comb Honey— lis It Com- ing? There are signs that the Texas idea is gaining ground in other parts of the country. There are a number of rea- sons for this. First, there is the very excellent rea- son that the number of colonies cared for by any one person is largely in- creased by this method. The second reason is also important; practically no swarming with its at- tendant worries. The third is equally important — less expense in management. Fourth, less technical knowledge re- quired. Fifth, quick sales at good prices. The last reason is the one that car- ries weight, and we know that since the Texans adopted the canned comb- honey idea they have had no difficulty in disposing of their crop at fair prices. Now, if this plan works well in Texas, why will it not work in other parts of the country as well? They use the same appliances as we do, and the con- ditions are practically the same. What we need at present is the ad- vice and help of men who have tried this plan, and succeeded, and who know the details. Their experience would be valued by many of our readers. Milk and Honey— A Cood Mixture D. M. Macdonald says in the Irish Bee Journal, "' Milk and honey' is a scriptural phrase, showing that even in early times the mixture was highly ap- preciated." Now what authority has that canny Scotchman for saying that those emigrants to the land of Canaan took their milk and honey " mixed?" After all, why not? Foul-lJrood .Sample.s There are indications that foul brood of both kinds .-Kmerican and European (the latter is also called " black brood") is distributed more generally than is supposed. To a greater or less degree there is a tendency to suppress the knowledge of the presence of foul brood. The wisdom of such a policy may well be doubted. It is no disgrace to have one's bees attacked by foul brood, and the knowledge that the dis- ease has appeared in any given region is likely to put on his guard any bee- keeper who may be in that region. The approach of foul brood is often insidious. By some unknown means it may be carried to a spot many miles distant from any known case. The bee-keeper whose bees have never had foul brood, and on that account thinks he has no personal interest in it, is making a mistake. Every bee-keeper owes it to himself, and to his bee-keep- ing neighbors, to be somewhat familiar with the literature of foul brood. It is a matter of hearty congratula- tion that we have at Washington such a man as Dr. Phillips, who with his able corps of assistants, is always ready to render prompt aid to bee-keepers. If any reader of this paper finds in his apiary anything that makes liim sus- picious that disease of any kind may be present, let liim promptly send a dis- eased sample to Dr. 1-2. F. Phillips, Ag- ricultural Dept., Washington, D. C. If uncertain as to the best way to send, ask Dr. Phillips to send a container in which the diseased sample may be safely mailed. Don't send samples tt) this office ; don't send to Dr. Miller. At neither Chicago nor Marengo are there the facilities for examination and determi- nation— such as there are at Washing- ton— nor the skill to use them. There is no charge whatever made for exam- ination and information. The highest skill is at the command of the humblest bee-keeper, tree as the air he breathes. Nailinff Honey-Pacliage.s H. C. Ahlers, in the Bee-Keepers' Re- view, urges the importance of thor- oughly and carefully nailing the boxes that contain cans of extracted honey. He buys and sells, and says: " Frcuuently sliipments reacli me in wliich cans and l^oxes have parted company: or the bottom lias pulled off one end of tlie box and till' nails run up tlirouKli the can. * * Every box lliat I nail contains i6 8-penny nails and the balance 6-penny box nails." Editor Hutchinson says, "Yes, and we learned that nailing alone was not sufficient for the two-can case of five gallon cans — they must be bound with iron at the ends." Honey-I>ew— What About It? So much is said about honey-dew this year that an Ohio correspondent thinks a discussion of the subject edi- torially would be appropriate. On page 21)9, he will find honey-dew so ably dis- cussed by that practical writer, C. P. Dadant, that little is left to be said. The chemists tell us that the main difference between honey and honey- dew is that the latter contains cane- sugar, and shows polarization to the right, while the bees have inverted the cane-sugar of the floral nectar, chang- ing it to grape sugar, showing polariza- tion to the left. According to the pure- food laws, it cannot be sold as honey, only as '' honey-dew honey." As to wholesomeness, it depends upon whether it is meant to be used as food for man or bee. For man it is not unwholesome, except for its bad taste, for no food can favor digestion that tastes as vile as does some honey- dew. But there is honey-dew and honey-dew. Prof. Cook says in the American Bee Journal for January, 1809 : ■■ It is not to be inft-rred that this hoiiey- di-w is uuwiiok-soinc. It is a secretion, and not au rxcretion. It lias a similar orinin to lioiu-v. aud may be as delicious. Much aphid iioiiiy duw is deliciously wholesome, and the hnuiv from it is superior. Most if not all of October, 1909. [Morican Bee Journajj the coccid honey-dew [that from scale-lice], on the other hand, is dark and of ill-flavor, and its presence in hones', or as iioney. is ereatly injurious, and it can never be sold for the table. I have sold it by the barrel for manufacturing. This was used to make cookies, and was said to be all right by the manufacturer." As winter food for bees, if in quan- tity, honey-dew is dangerous, produc- ing diarrliea, and perhaps death. Root's "ABC and X Y Z of Bee-Culture," says : "We occasionally have it scattered in lit- tle patches in our combs; but In late years w"e have let our bees have all such combs, and no bad results have followed: but if there is very much honey-dew in the combs we extract it and put in its place granulated sugar syrup." Mr. Dadant says, page 300 : "I have never seen any production of honey-dew at other times than June." If this be true in general, there ought to be little difficulty in getting it out of the hives in good season, replacing with sugar syrup if a later flow does not make this unnecessary. Bad as honey-dew is, it is possible that its presence should not generally be deplored. When it comes so as to flavor and color otherwise white honey, its presence is deplorable. But bees are dainty in their tastes, and it may be doubted whether they store honey-dew when anything better is to be had. The great prevalence of honey-dew this year may not be so much that honey- dew is plenty, but that floral nectar is scarce, the bees being in a sense forced to gatlier what in other years they neg- lect. Instead of having the bees en- tirely idle, it may be better to have them gathering honey-dew. It will at least keep up breeding, and it is all right to sell it for what it really is. Propoli.s in Supei'.s Wesley Foster, in Gleanings, says that if sections are to be kept spotlessly white, propolis must be scraped clean from hives and frames, and the scrap- ings must be kept out of the reach of the bees. " Leaving the scrapings be- side or in front of the hive is almost as bad as leaving them in the hive, for the bees will be found working on those little bits, carrying them back into the hives." Producing Honey— A Critic Criti- cised In Leslie's Weekly appears an article written by H. G. Hertel, the general trend of which will be understood by reading the opening paragraph, as fol- lows : Editor of Leslie's Weekly: — On the editorial page of a recent issueof your paper appears the question. " Do bees make bad honey?" Whereas there are so many silly notions current, and so many erroneous ideas entertained by the public concerning bees and honey. I feel it incumbent upon me. for the sake of disseminating the truth. to answer this question, and have therefore resolved to write you. As the dissemination of truth is the thing Mr. Hertel is after, he will not take it unkindly if some things in his article are pointed out which will be likely to lead the readers into error. He starts out by saying, " let us re- member that bees do not make honey, but collect it." But in the very next paragraph he says that when only in- ferior nectar can lie had, the bee has no choice in the matter ; " he simply gathers it, and, of course, makes bad honey." " Let us remember that bees do not make honey," and in the next breath, " he * * * makes bad honey." Which is the reader to believe? Mr. Hertel says that bees " must gather the nectar the flower offers." They cannot gather honey from the flower, for there is no honey there — only nectar. As that nectar, after being put through a certain process by the bees becomes honey, it appears to the common mind quite plain that bees do make honey. When Mr. Hertel says, " he simply gathers it," he misleads the general reader into believing that the male bee does the work. The male bee, or drone, does no work; the worker-bee does all. The worker is a female ; not fully developed, to be sure, but certainly not a male. Mr. Hertel says, " It is a well authen- ticated fact that plant-lice produce a sweet excretion known as honey-dew." That is a libel on honey-dew, some of which is good to eat, and all of it un- objectionable on the score of cleanli- ness. Honey-dew is not an excretion but a secretion, tliere being a wide dif- ference between the two. We cheer- fully accept the secretion of the cow in the form of milk, but would seriously object to a diet of her excretion in the form of cowdung. "The fixing of a standard of honey by Dr. Wiley," says Mr. Hertel, "ap- peals to one familiar with bee-culture and the production of honey as being decidedly ridiculous." That standard was fixed by Dr. Wiley in consultation with practical bee-keepers, men " famil- iar with bee-culture and the production of honey." and heretofore there has probably been no voice raised in the entire ranks of bee-keepers to pro- nounce it ridiculous. At any rate, it is now embodied in the pure food law, and Mr. Hertel may find himself in trouble if he attempts to sell as honey anything that does not come up to that standard. Mr. Hertel says, " Bees can gather 1.5 pounds of honey while they produce one of wax." This is something new. Bee-keepers will be under lasting obli- gations if Mr. Hertel will tell just how long it takes to gather a pound of honey or to produce a pound of wax, and just how he determined the length of time. Possibly he has confused this statement with another, that bees con- sume 15 pounds of honey (some think much less) in producing a pound of wax. Misunderstanding upon any or all of these points is not likely to lead to serious results. The same cannot be said of Mr. Hertel's last point. He says : Most people think that honey in the comb escapes adulteration. It does; but the adul- teration of comb honey is still an easy mat- ter—the adulteration takes place prior to the product's being placed in the comb and sealed by the bee. There is nothing physical which will prevent a bee-keeper from feed- ing his bees with cheap synui and letting them deposit it in the comb and cap it nicely. To the unsuspecting, such a comb, capped by the bee himself, is a guarantee of purity; yet the customer might be buying ingeniously sealed glucose. Plainly, that will leave on the minds of many of the thousands of readers of Leslie's the impression that when one buys on the open market a section of comb honey there is no small chance that it may be glucose. What ground has he for his assertion that "the cus- tomer might be buying ingeniously sealed glucose?" Has he ever seen anything of the kind? Has he ever heard of it? True, there is the canard that went the rounds of the press of artificial comb filled with glucose and sealed with a hot iron without ever having been near a bee-hive, but if Mr. Hertel is informed he must know that for years there has been a standing offer of $1000 for a single pound of comb honey made without the aid of bees — an offer that has never been taken. But has he any reliable infor- mation of a single pound of glucose that has ever been sold under the guise of comb honey? Some who have tried it report that bees cannot be induced to store and seal the stuff. Has Mr. Hertel been any more successful? If Mr. Hertel is at all "familiar with bee-culture and the production of honey," he ought to " feel it incumbent upon him, for the sake of disseminating the truth," to hasten to say that the customer who buys a section of honey is just as sure to find honey and not glucose within the cell as he is to find apple-pulp and not sawdust within the skin of an apple. Foiil Brood Treatment A. W. Smyth, M. D., says in the Irish Bee Journal, that in America foul- broody bees are thrown on starters, and again on new foundation after 48 hours. Not 48, Doctor, but 96 hours, or 4 davs. Weather to Put Bees Out of Cel- lars It is generally agreed that it is best tliat the weather should be such that bees can fly immediately after being taken out. It is well, however, to know that one may do otherwise without dis- aster. Morley Pettit reports, in the Bee-Keepers' Review, that he uncellared 38 colonies March 24, moved them at once }i of a mile, when it turned cold and rained with no flight for a week. They did well. But lie says, "The bees were in good condition ; there was no extreme cold, and the day of flight was calm, bright, and warm." Position of Bait-Sections The Bee-Keepers' Review, endorsing E. D. Townsend, says : Bees are inclined to begin work first in the center of the super, hence the sections in the center are finished first. Now. if you will place the "baits " in the corners it will induce the bees to begin there first, and they will very soon spread out to the center much more readily than from the center outwards, hence the sections are finished up very evenly all over the case. Put the " baits " in the corner, every time. It is understood, of course, that no baits are given in any super except the first, the object being to get the bees to start work in the super sooner than they would without any bait. As Edi- tor Huthinson savs, " bees are inclined October, 1909. 327 American Hee Jonrnalj to begin work first in the center of the super," so they will begin work sooner in a bait in the center of the super than in one that is in the corner. Still more will they be inclined to begin on a single central bait than to' begin sim- ultaneously on 4 outside baits located at 4 different points. The difference of time of starting, short though it be, may make all the difference between promptly starting in the super and swarming. As the so/e object of the bait is to start the bees at work promptly, there will no doubt be many who will con- sider promptness of starting of more consequence than evenness of finish, and who will say, " Put the bait in the center, every time." SgETFTSTTFT' O)lsc!eiiane0 Does Shaking Bees Increase the Crop? Xot so much has been said lately about the matter. Adrian Getaz, after having tried it the past season, reports this in the Bee-Keepers' Review: The results, so far as I am concerned, are a complete failure. I cannot see that any of the shaken colonies have done an.v better than the others in any case. Furthermore. I 00 members in tlie National .Association. There really ought to be 20,000, at least. For some time the officers of the Association have seen the weakness of the method of nominating the candidates for the annual election. The constitution provides that they shall be nominated by mail ballot in September, and there are so few of the whole membership that really know who would make the best officers, that it is very difficult for them to select. Thus it has come to pass that the nomi- nation ballots have been so very scat- tering. Out of the total membership there are perhaps not more than 10 percent who respond when invited to assist in nominating candidates. This provision of the constitution was sup- plemented at the Sioux City convention by the appointment of a committee made up of one from each State repre- sented, which committee was authorized to nominate two candidates for each office, to be placed before the inember- ship for Ifalloting in addition to the nominees made through the prescribed mail ballot. In this way there will be three names to select from for each office at the election in November — next month. That is, tlicre will be 3 candidates for President, 3 for Vice- President, 3 for Secretary, 3 for each of three directors, or 9 candidates in all for directors, as 3 of the 12 directors are elected each year for a term of 4 years. There was an exception made in the case of the General Manager, as practically all the members were in favor of retaining Mr. France so long as he will consent to accept the posi- tion and do the work so satisfactorily as he has done for many years. Personally, we believe that this new departure is a wise move, and would favor an amendment to the constitution so as to provide for such nomination at each annual meeting, rather than what is now required by the constitu- tion. At least, we would recommend this for the nominations for the three directors whose terms expire each year, and also for the General Manager and Treasurer, in case Mr. France should decide to drop out at some future time. However, we believe that the offices of President, Vice-President, and Sec- retary should be filled at each annual meeting, as those three officers have to do only with the annual meetings. The Board of Directors with the Gen- eral Manager and Treasurer conduct the business of the Association between the annual meetings. This was the plan followed regarding the three offi- cers named, before the last change in the constitution, which put the election of all officers and directors in the hands of the whole membership, by mail. It has proven to be quite un- satisfactory, or at least the method of nomination has been more than un- satisfactory. Next month we hope to have room to refer more at length to this last meeting of the National Bee-Keepers' Association, including a picture of most of the members present at Sioux City, and other matters of personal ob- servation. New Bee-liocations in the West It is our intention, when we get our new office into smooth working order, to devote more time to the interests of bee-keepers. We shall be able to furnish reliable information about new bee-localities in the great Southwest, in Western Oklahoma, West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, in the territory served by the vast Santa Fe railway system. Great developments are also taking place in the Northwest, along the Burlington, Chicago North- western, and Chicago, Milwaukee & St. I'aul roads. These lines have, within the last few months, made great exten- sions of their rails, so that much new October, 1909. American Hee Journal j land has been opened for settlement. Nearly all this development work is taking place in the alfalfa coimtry where bees do well. Most of the great land companies have their headquarters in Chicago, hence it is we can readily find the information desired by per- sonal investigation. We shall aim to get reliable information that can be de- pended on. We also expect to have a competent bee-keeper visit some of these new territories and report, and we shall also endeavor personally to cover some of this new ground from time to time. Of course, there will be no charge for such services on our part. All we e.xpect is, that our read- ers will help us increase the circulation of the American Bee Journal in any way most agreeable to them. Much of the information will appear in the Jour- nal, but there are some things that can only be dealt with by private corres- pondence which shall be confidential, of course. If you are contemplating a move to a better bee-territory, feel free to avail yourself of our services. Henceforth our whole time is the prop- erty of our readers. ludiaua Fair Apiariau Exhibit At our State Fair the bee and honey industry was well represented, there being four exhibits and each of them very creditable. The exhibitors were Geo. M. Rumler, of Mohawk, Ind. ; E. L. Barnes, of Bedford, Ky. ; C. M. Scott Co. and myself of Indianapolis. Awards were made as follows : Bee-Supplies— 1st. Walter S. Pouder; 2d. C. M. Scott Co.; sd, E. L. Barnes. General Display— ist. Walter S. Pouder; 2d. C. M. Scott Co.; ?d, E. L. Barnes. Beeswax— ist, Walter S. Pouder; 2d. C. M. Scott Co.: 3d, E. L. Barnes. Italian Bees— ist. Walter S. Pouder; 2d. C. M. Scott Co.; 3d. E. L. Barnes. Foreign Bees— ist. E. L. Barnes; 2d, Walter S. Pouder. Comb Honey— 1st. E. L. Barnes; 2d. Wal- ter S. Pouder; 3d, C. M. Scott Co. Extracted Honey— ist. G. M. Rumler; 2d, Walter S. Pouder; 3d. C. M. Scott Co. Honey-Vinegar— 1st. C. M. Scott Co.; 2d. E. L. Barnes; 3d. Walter S. Pouder. Mr. Jay Smith, of Vincennes, Ind., acted as judge, and so far as I know each exhibitor was satisfied. Mr. Geo. S. Demuth, of Peru, Ind., gave lectures, exhibited modern bee- appliances, and showed specimens of foul brood and other diseased brood in glass cases as an educational affair in connection with our new State Foul Brood Law, Mr. Demuth being chief inspector of apiaries. Walter S. Pouder. The O. B. Lewis Company It was our privilege to drop in to see the G. B. Lewis Co., of Watertown, Wis., one day last month. Mr. Geo. C. Lewis, the head of the firm which his father established over 3.3 years ago, was in his office, and was as affable and courteous as ever. As most of our readers will recall, the large manufacturing building of the firm was totally destroyed by fire June 20, 1909. It is said that three moves are equal to a fire. In this case fire equaled one big move, or was the cause of the G. B. Lewis Co. seeking a larger space, where they will erect perhaps the largest plant in the world for the manufacture of bee-keepers' supplies. It is to have the best possi- ble modern equipment throughout, and will be ready for business about Nov. 15th. The manufacturina building will have a total of nearly 17,(100 square feet, and the warehouse llJ.OOO square feet; other buildings will bring the total floor area up to about 40,000 square feet ; or nearly Geo will be added as soon as the plant is well under way. Many people were thrown out of employment by the de- struction of the old plant, but work was given as many as possible in re- moving the debris and other work nec- essary, so that the cessation of work in the factory was not a total loss to its employes, and the near resumption of activities at the new plant will be hailed with pleasure by the community gen- erally and the employes of the firm. Mr. G. E. Bacon, who is the chief office assistant of Mr. Lewis, was ab- sent on a very enjoyable vacation, he having just secured a " queen" for his "hive." Our heartiest congratulations are extended to Mr. Bacon. He has attended several conventions of the National Bee-Keepers' .'Vssociation, and is a most valuable acquisition to the G. B. Lewis Co., with whom he has been connected for 4 or 5 years. We also congratulate the G. B. Lewis Co. on their new and beautiful plant, which is so richly deserved, in view of thei-r over a third of a century of square dealing with bee-keepers. Lewis Co. one acre. In addition to the buildings will be lumber sheds 500 feet long, all of which will be connected with private railroad tracks equalling a half-mile in length. The total ground area to be occupied will be about 5 acres. The space and complete equipment will en- able the G. B. Lewis Co. to take care of all the bee-supply patronage that can possibly come to them in the bus- iest honey season imaginable for years to come. All the machinery, which will be new and of the latest improved patterns, will be run by a private elec- tric plant, the whole requiring about 40 motors, or a total of 300 horse-power. When operations are begun the Com- pany will employ 130 people, and more Honey on a Tree- Limb John Egenes, of Iowa, sends us a clipping from a local newspaper telling about a swarm of bees that settled on a limb of an apple-tree, remaining there through all the heavy rainstorms of the season, and at last accounts had stored about 60 pounds of honey, caus- ing the limb to bend nearly to the ground with its load of sweetness. He doesn't say whether they are the giant bees of India (Apis dorsata) or some other variety. Evidently they are open- air bees, and certainly ought never to die from tuberculosis ! O. O. Poppleton Visits the North Mr. O. O. Poppleton, of Florida, called on us last month. He is one of the most extensive bee-keepers in Florida. He has been there for 23 ^ggS^gg^t'i WATERTOWN. wisconsin.""-;^^ October. 1909. American Hee Jonrnal] 329 years, having gone from Iowa where he had kept bees for 17 years. During the present season he worked 280 colo- nies, from which he secured a crop of about 30,000 pounds of extracted honey. It was mostly gathered from a variety of blossoms on the Florida Keys, Yi^hich are small islands of coral forma- tion. Mr. Poppleton moves his bees on a gasoline launch to a certain dis- trict to build them up for the honey harvest, and takes them to the Keyes to gather the surplus. He puts his honey in barrels of about 400 pounds each, and it is practically sold before it is gathered. Mr. Poppleton is one of the best bee- keepers in this country, although he is not heard from very often through the bee-papers. He lives a very retired, quiet life, practically all of his time be- ing spent with his bees or on his launch. He is a veteran of the Civil War, and for a number of years at- tended the Annual Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic. This year, however, he was on a trip Nortli to visit a daughter in Iowa and another in the State of Washington, at the same time taking in the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. It is indeed a pleasure to meet the old-time bee-keepers of which Mr. Poppleton is such a good specimen. He is 0(5 years old, and says that he has worked harder this year than in any other year of the 23 he has spent in Florida. We met him first about 15 years ago, and once or twice since, and it seems to us that he appears in better health and more vigorous strength than at any time before. Our Frout-Page Ulustrations The following descriptions of the pictures of apiaries shown on the front page this month will doubtless be of interest : No. 1. — Apiary ol 0. K. Rice lam sendiriK you two pictures of my apiary in the orchard. The biggest shows my house also. It is built east and west and fronts south, with the southwest corner toward the bee-hives. The hives front southeast. The picture was taken just before the leaves came out on the trees. The yard has 36 colonies, and the winter-cases are on all tlie hives except three. The man examining the frames is myself. I had only about 8 swarms this year. The spring was very late in com- ing, and no warm weather all summer, so again we will have to hope for next year. The small picture (No. i] was taken in the first part of July with the winter-cases and roofs removed, and from the east, or from where the tall birch trees stand. I stand more to the left in the picture with a frame of queen-cages in my hands. In the right- hand corner, that is the west end of the api- ary, a lot of winter-cases are piled up close to a spruce stump. I cut that tree in 1883. The stump measures v'A feet in diameter. 10 feet from the ground. Along the south side there is a line fence and some more birch trees. Near there are more piles of winter- cases. Birch is not native to this country. I got them from the East and planted them years ago. The winter-cases are made 6 inches deep. 24 inches by 20 inches inside; that gives 2 inches for packing all around. Each is separate, mitered and nailed to- gether in the corners. It takes 1 for a single story, and 5 for a 2-story. They have a slant on one edge and rabbet on the other. The roofs have a rim of the same and tit on top. The ones used for the bottom have a slat nailed across in the front 2H inches wide to fit in the rabbet, and 2-inch space, and the rabbet is cut out lit inches, the width of the bottom-board. The bottom-boards I use are if>x24 inches, and the strips that make the bee-space are clear to the end of the board. The first case rests in front on the bottom- board without blocking the entrance, and in the rear rests on a a-inch bottom. One slat laid on each side, and one across in the rear stops the packing. I do not expect much honey, if any. this season. O. K. Rice. Wahkiakum Co.. Wash. No. 2 A Preacher's Bee-Keeping and Apiary I have been keeping bees since the year iQoo. A friend of mine gave me 2 colonies to start with, lliey soon increased to 20 colo- nies. I sold the entire apiary in the spring of IQ05. I had been called to the ministry and had been doing some local work up to this time. In September I went to Confer- ence and was appointed to the Weaver cir- cuit, 12 miles south of Oil City. Pa. When I left my home at Colyer. Pa., to go to my new- field of labor, two of my friends gave me a colony of bees each, which I took with me. and bee-keeping has been a pleasure to me along with my ministerial work. I have had very good success, with .15 colonies, all in 10- frame hives. I make my own hives, as seen in the picture. The top is made in 2 parts, which feature has several good advantages. In the first place, the supers are in the in- side and protected from the hot sun. The first rim is 6 inches high, making it very con- venient for winter packing. The top-cover and oil-cloth are removed; from the brood- chamber, and the Hill's Device placed over the frames, then covered carefully with bur- lap and a sack of dry leaves placed on top of that. Then the telescope top, which is also <) inches, is very easily put on. ' Then the top-board and oil-cloth are stored away till spring. I leave the hives on the summer stand without any other shelter, and my bees winter successfully. In fact. I never lost one when packed in this way. Being packed this way gives them the ventilation so much needed for successful wintering. My bees winter so well, and are in such a healthy cc^ndition in tlie spring that I am convinced that this is the secret of wintering bees suc- cessfully. (Rev.) A. J. Horner. Mayburg. Pa.. Aug. 17. Nos. 3 and 6. — The Mount Nebo Apiary The honey product of the Mt. Nebo .\piary vip to this time :.-\ug. i) has reached the 8i:k)- pound mark— section honey. A recent boun- tiful rain has refreshed the pastures and meadows and caused the wind-driven forest trees to clap their hands in glee. Bees are still making fairly good time on white clover, which continues to bitiom much longer than last year. No doubt the blossoms are from the last year seed. After locust bloom a dark honey came in from some source I cannot account for. and about half of the honey in the apiaries of this section seems to be of a dark color. I gathered some pictures in beedom on a photographic trip across those mountains to a country town. On trips to different apiaries since May. investigation proved that even these mountain localities have some marked facilities for honey-gathering. One picture I send [No. 3] shows the little girl and myself looking for the queen, and was snapped by my driver one afternoon in May. This was in the heart of the very sum- mit of Negro Mountain. The little girl's father had gone to a new barn-raising of logs. .She had difficulty to get the swarm which is clustered on the small plum-tree, to remain in the hive, when we happened there. She showed us the colony that had filled 5 supers of honey last year. She went about the hives as if the bees were gentle as kittens, as will be seen by her garb and the lilac flowers on her hat, and said. " They are not a bit hasty " I had found the queen and had her in my hand. The other picture [No. 61 is the Boaz Trent apiary, at Boynton. Pa. On July ist I found a golden Italian colony at work on its sixth lo- pound super, making a total of 180 iioutids for the season up to that time. The glass covers over his sections instead of cloth, the gentleness of his bees, the split sections, the arrangement of his hives under his apple- trees struck me most favorably in his bee- yard. The glass cover was not laid flat on the sections, but had a little wooden block, about a half-inch cube under each end of the glass to afford a bee-way between the top of the sections and the glass. 'I'here were no travel-stains on top of the sections nor wax, and th(' owner claimed that when they had a passage over the toji of the sec- tions there were but verv few pop-holes in the honey. My prejudice had whispered to me that perhaps the split sections are only a new fad on the market, and are not quite as good as the manufacturers " blow them " to be. But now I believe emphatically that the split sections are the thing. I'd say send a sample section to every bee-man with other goods. Seeing is believing. The api- ary spoken of above had 6 colonies in IQ08, spring count, with a crop of over 700 pounds. In IQOQ the spring count was 10 colonies; es- timated crop over 1200 pounds. Garrett Co.. Md. L. J. Beachy. No. 4. — Apiary of Mr. Mathews I am enclosing a pictiu'e of myself and bees. The bees are from a queen I got last year. Where is the old queen? The hive next to me has the colony I introduced the queen to. and the next one is the first swarm, and so on. I did not see the queen in the first swarm, but saw all the rest. The sec- ond queen was a match for the old queen. The other two were darker, and the worker- bees in the old hive I think are a shade darker than the rest. Last spring I had 2 good colonies of bees— the Italian and one black colony. The blacks swarmed once and the Italians cast 4 swarms, and the last swarm of the Italians is stronger than the black swarm. My bees are doing very well. There is not much bloom this year, but we hope for a better honey year next season. I hope the honey-flow is better in other locali- ties. J. T. Mathews. Saline. Mo., Aug. 3. No. 5. — Apiary of Mr. Tyler I am sending you a view of my bee-yard taken from the southeast. It shows my neighbor's cottage across the street. The shop I have built since I was burned out on July 6. I have 30 colonies. We had no white clover honey. I will probably have 150 pounds of surplus from heartsease. San Jose, III., Aug. 23. Kkkd Tyler. No. 7 Apiary of John Seldelman This picture shows the apiary of John Seidelman, of Oswego. III., and his little bee- keeper helpers. It is indeed a neat apiary. No. 8. — Apiary of Mr. Lampher I am sending a picture of my apiary. I like the American Bee Journal very much, but I have kerit bees ever since I was a small boy. so I have learned their traits so well that I go by that mostly in taking care of them, but I like to read of others' experiences with them. I make my own hives. I use the closed-end frames made the same size as the Hoffman, I use mostly 8-frame size. This has been a very poor season. I usually get from 2 to 6 supers of honey from a col- ony, but 4 is the most I have had this season, and some haven't stored any surplus. We have only clover here, and this season there hasn't seemed to be much honey in it. We have no basswood here now, as it has been all cut for linid.)er. and we have no buck- wheat in this whole county that I know of. We have hardly any fruit-bloom here. The two last seasons have been very dry so the clover hasn't done as well. We generally have an abundance of sweet and alsike clover. We get a very nice quality of honey. .North Troy. Vt.. Aug. 2. A. O. Lampher. Connecticut Couveution The fall convention of the Connecti- cut Bee-Keepers' Association will be held Saturday, Oct. 16, 1909, in Room 50, State Capitol, Hartford, beginning at 10:.'50 a.m. No bee-keeper can afford to miss this meeting. A special invita- tion is extended to lady apiarists. James A. Smith, Sec. Box 38, Hartford, Conn. N. Illinois and S. Wi.scon.sin Con- vontioii The annual meeting of the Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin Bee- Keepers' Association will be held in the Court House in Freeport, 111., on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 1909. B. Kennedy, Sec Cherry Valley, III. October, 1909. American Hw Journal oiifhern Conducted by LOUIS H. SCHOLL, New Braunfels, Tex. The Production of "Bulk," "Chunk," or "Canned" Comb Honey No. 1. — Introductory. The more the writer has watched the honey markets of both the South and the North, and compared the prices of both, the more I have been convinced that the Southern bee-keeper who pro- duces what is known as bulk comb, " chunk " honey, has the better end of the argument when it comes right down to the most-doUars-and-cents stand- point of comb-honey production. Even though it be granted that we are far behind here in the South, it is coming to be a well-known fact that there is more money in following a method that some of the Northern bee-men have called "going back to 30 years ago" of producing comb honey; and this method does not only apply to Southern bee-culture, but would make bee-keeping everywhere worth millions of dollars more if it were adopted uni- versally. It is a most sensible way of producing comb honey, although the most of the fraternity have looked down upon such slovenly, old-fash- ioned methods. I well remember when this subject was first mentioned, we were laughed at and ridiculed. Even many of the Texas bee-keepers ridiculed the idea, while they kept on producing section honey. Some of these who saw me during the first two or three years, packing comb honey in this way, scoffed at the idea, and predicted that we would soon abandon it and get back to where we belonged. Did we? No, emphatically, >io.' Instead, all the other fellows came over to where t/iey be- longed ; they, one by one, began to produce comb honey in a more sensi- ble, more certain, and more profitable way. The result is, that today there is no other way in Te.xas. The sections of honey produced in our State can be counted, and these are produced by a very feiL\ the most of whom are often beginners who are not yet informed, or who have been led astray by supply- dealers' catalogs, which give pre-emi- nence to the hive with the pretty sec- tions. Pretty things they are, but let me tell you (but you would not believe it), that the production of section honey has cost our great United States mil- lions upon millions of dollars in icas/e- fulness. Just figure for a moment the enor- mous amount of basswood required alone to supply only the sections and shipping-cases, with glass thrown in. Then figure the labor that is wasted on every pound of honey thus produced, from the making of these sections and cases until tliey have served their pur- pose only to be thrown away — wasted. Study a little the expensiveness of the wliole thing — waste again. Nor is this all the waste, for we must add to this the great — yea, the enormous — loss of honey that is not obtained, because the bee-keeper insists on forcing his bees to produce honey in sections. There is a great loss in this respect, which none can deny. Careful experiments will bear tliis out. In this we must also include the loss of time and extra labor with swarms (as this exists to a greater extent if section honey is pro- duced), and the lesser amount of mark- etable product. Here again S good deal of waste is met with if many un- finished sections result, no matter what method be pursued in disposing of them. Scraping each individual sec- tion, assorting and grading them, and then the necessary care that must be exercised in casing them, are other time-wasters. A further waste is that of extra crates necessary for shipping, and the extra amount of care and packing. Nor is this all, for the freight-rates are con- siderably higher, "double first-class rates " over fourth-class rates at which bulk comb honey is shipped. To this must be added the greater danger of smash-ups and losses in transportation, which, here in the South, on account of the long distances and the greater heat, was the real reason why honey- producers were forced to turn away from section honey in disgust. Taking all these things into the most earnest consideration there is waste, waste, in my estimation at every turn in section-honey production. There- fore, was I to be blamed for adopting methods of producing comb honey that to many seemed like going back to 30 years ago when "chunk" honey was the thing? No. That time has passed now. and " chunk " honey, as it is often called, or hulk comb honey as we know it, will become known more and more, and its production will advance and spread until we shall see it in all parts of the world. That a beginning has already been made in this respect is evidenced by occasional items that ap- pear in print in the journals of the last few years, showing that there are scat- tered, here and there, bee-keepers who produce it on a small scale, even in some of the Northern States. Besides this, the scores of letters rela- tive to this subject that I have received from all parts of the country, show that a great interest has already been taken in the matter, and that bulk-comb- honey production will be adopted by a large number of bee-keepers. These letters pertain to information regarding one phase or another of the hives, frames, etc., used, and the method of production, manner of packing, and the kinds of packages used. Another proof of this fact is that one of our foremost bee-supply manufactur- ing firms has advertised to contract for a large amount of choice comb honey in shallow frames, expecting to use it year after year. And right in line with this article they say in the same adver- tisement, "When you are once supplied with the proper equipment you are at no further expense for supplies each year except for foundation. You save the cost of sections and shipping-cases if you produce comb honey," etc. Just opposite this advertisement we find the following head-line, " SEC- TION FAMINE." Under this, after referring to orders for sections, etc., we read : "We seem unable to turn these out fast enough to supply the demand. We make upward of 100. oou a day. Our surplus stock is exhausted not only here at the factory, but to a great extent with our branch offices and dealers, and it is impossible to supply them all at once. We are arranging to increase our output, if possible, by a double shift of men to run the machines." etc. This is to show the enormity of the number of sections used up annually ; yet this is not the only factory that grinds them out by the millions, year after year. Is it any wonder that sev- eral times there have been mentioned a fear that the supply of basswood tim- ber for sections and shipping-cases might soon be exhausted? And will the honey-producers keep right on along the same lines of producing sec- tion honey until that time comes, of will they change to some other more profitable way? This is an important question that will be considered more seriously sooner or later. Having an- ticipated this, and knowing that the production of bulk comb honey, as it is practiced here in Texas, has something to commend it to all of the rest of the country, because it would be more profitable all around, as there would be more honey produced and more people would get a taste of it, I have prom- ised to write a series of illustrated arti- cles on this subject to follow this in- troductory. I believe that there is a great future for honey produced in our way, and that there are more real dol- lars and cents to be made out of it than by the way most of the comb honey is now produced. L. H. S. Some Characteristics of the Season As I grow older I find I do much less actual work in the apiary than 1 form- erly did. From long years of experi- ence I have learned to diagnose from outside appearances, which saves many unnecessary manipulations. The mesquite — our surest honey- plant of a very dry year, such as we are having the present year — has been a flat failure this year. This was owing to the worms destroying the buds as fast as they formed on the trees. This is a new pest for the bee-keepers, caused, no doubt, from the great de- struction of the little birds that is con- tinually going on here in the South. The cotton-bloom and sumac are our last hope for honey in this locality for October, 1909. American ^ee Journal the present year. There is no "broom- weed " this year, and if we don't get rain soon both the cotton-bloom and sumac will be a failure, and we will have to score our first flat failure in a honey crop in 19 years. So much for drouth, heat, and insects. This is one of the }"ears that honey- dew was welcomed in this locality. Had it not been for the so-called honey-dew. we would have been forced to feed at least another month. This would have meant several more barrels of sugar. This year has proved very plainly what I have several times before stated in the various papers I have written for. That is, it is not all in the amount of bloom we have that insures a honey- flow. We have seen the whole face of the earth covered with honey-produc- ing plants, and yet the bees had to be fed to prevent starvation ; and in a few instances tlie weather conditions seem- ed favorable for honey secretion, too. The present year there has been less bloom than I can ever remember see- ing, and still some few colonies that were well supplied with old pollen of last year's gathering, stored some sur- plus honey. (There has been a scarcity of pollen the whole spring here, so much so that it has been impossible to keep the bees up to the proper strength for honey-gathering.) Could I have had all up to proper strength, I should have secured a small crop of honey, and it was not honey-dew either. Rescue, Tex. L. B. Smith. The Texas Convention The Texas Bee-Keepers' Association held a very profitable meeting at Col- lege Station in connection with the Farmers' Congress which convened July 27 to 30, 1909. The meetings of the bee-keepers were invaluable to the members present, and better prepared them for meeting their apicultural struggles of the future. Many ques- tions were discussed that were verv The convention adjourned to meet next year as usual with the Farmers' Congress at College Station. Something New for Bee and Honey Ex- hibits at Fairs As there will be fairs and fairs for centuries to come, and as all of these in time will have their apiarian exhib- T. P. Robinson. Rartlett. Tex. Pres. Texas Bee-Keepers Association. its, it has occurred to me that some of our work of this fall would be not only of interest but of some benefit, and not only to the exhibitors of bees and honey, but to the fair associations also. Those who have had experience know that it is a difficult task to send bees in glass observatory hives and honey in glass packages without having trouble from leakage in route, especially when such e.xhibits are sent long distances. Besides this, the shipping expenses are ^r:m'sm Members of the Texas Staie bEt-KtEi-EKs' Association. interesting to the veterans as well as to the younger members of the apicul- tural craft. The meeting was harmo- nious throughout, and a brotherly spirit prevailed that made all feel that it was a pleasure to be there. T. P. Robinson, of Bartlctt, Tex., was elected president; and W. T. Child- ress, of Batesville, was elected secre- tary-treasurer. very high on glass packages, and they must be packed into very bulky boxes or crates to go safely; and, even then, where rough handling at many transfer stations occurs, some of the glass is broken. It is very exasperating to the exhibi- tor, and also to those who take charge of the stuff at the fairs, to find leaking honey, or the glass of observatory hives broken, and most if not all of the bees escaped. It is no agreeable task to wash honey jars and bottles, especially if these are labeled. Another trouble that has to be over- come to get a larger number of exliibi- tors, is to help them to get the proper containers in which to exhibit their stuff. There are many annually who have either very fine bees or honey worthy the place at any fair, but which does not find its way there because it is difficult to procure the necessary material to put it in an attractive shape for exhibition. Having all these things in view, the following letter has been sent out to a number of bee-keepers who, it was thought, may be able to furnish some of the things mentioned. The letter is self-explanatory : Dear Sir:— lam in Dallas preparing for the biggest and best bee and honey exhibit that the South has overbad. In this we want your co-operation. It will not talie very much of your time nor be any great expense to you. yet you will help us do a wonderful thing toward advertising our bees, queens, honey and wax, and other by-products of the apiary. We are going to have the biggest show of bees of the different races in one-frame ob- servatory hives that the world has ever seen at one place, and for this purpose we are getting made up here a big lot of the glass hives ready to receive the bees that are sent here. All you have to do is to send the one- frame nuclei in their shipping-cases, and we will put tlicm into the glass hives and care for them in the best possible manner while they are here. In this way we will get a great number of competitors to show their best stuff, and it will be an advertisement for all who participate. We are writing you this at the present time so that you can pre- pare your best bees and have them ready to ship to us 4 or 5 days before the opening of the fair. We also want the greatest number of ex- hibits of different kinds of honey, and we have struck on the following plan; We will procure a large nuiidier cjf white flint glass jars holding ?, pountls each. All that will be required for the exhibitor will be to send enough honey 136 pounds) in the regular (K>-[iound cans. We will [lut the honey in the jars, properly labeled with the number of the exhibitor. After tlu' fair all of the honey will be sold, and that sent by the ex- hibitor paid for. 'I'his will save the risk and expense of shipping glass packages. As there are premiums on white and am- ber honey, two cans can be shipped in one case by freight. Include with this shipment other things named in the premium list en- closed— comb lione>'. wax. vinegar, etc. All these shiijments should be sent early to ar- rive here in due time, while bees and queens are rushed through by express later. Ad- dress all shipments and send all bills of lading to me. Write me at once a list of what you will send us. so we can arrange for it promptly. Remember the dates c>f the fair are Oct. i6 to -\\. and all exhibits must reach us by the 15th. We will take the best care of them here. Lotus H. Sciioll. Sti-M- Afiiariiiii Defil. It is hoped in this way to obtain a greater number of e-xhibits; and to make it easier and less expensive to the exhibitor. We have every confidence in this plan, although it is our first ex- perience along that line. Whereas there have only been a dozen or 20 ob- servatory hives of bees on exhibition, there should be 50 or more when the glass hives arc furnished by the Fair association, which keeps them as perma- nent property from year to year. The plan for the honey exhibits should make possible a much larger showing also. If the necessary jars are procured in gross lots or more, they will not only be cheaper but the ex- hibits will be of more uniform sizes. Another advantage gained is that the October, 1909. American Vee Journal jars being filled here, and placed on exhibition, will present a fresher and inore sparkling appearance than when honey has been bottled for any length of time. Being specially equipped right on the grounds for doing this, makes it an easy matter. Thus, not only heavy shipping expenses and breakage of glass en route, together with the difficulty of obtaining suitable containers, are done away with, but the stuff will come on exhibition present- ing a uniform and neat appearance. This should appeal not only to the ex- hibitors, but also to the Fair associa- tions and their superintendents who desire to create more interest in bee and honey exhibits. Conducted bv J. 1.. B\KK. M.iunt J..y. Honey Crop and Prices Along with good crops, the Canadian bee-keepers have had good prices as well — truly a combination that even the veriest pessimist could not grumble over. Buckwheat honey shows a ten- dency to be a little lower in price than for a few years, this being explained by the rather limited demand for dark honey in Canada. While the clover is sent in every direction, nearly all the buckwheat goes East, so naturally the market is more easily supplied for the darker article. It has never been clear to me as to why our biscuit factories use no dark honey, as, over the line, I understand that the National Biscuit Co. and other concerns use large quan- tities of all the darker grades of honey. However, here in Ontario our biscuit manufacturers will have nothing but the best of clover honey if they can get it, and when that is too high they send off to Jamaica for logwood honey which is quite a white article. Drouth and the Clover Some of those who are saying, " I told you so," when the matter of drouth killing clover is mentioned, would bet- ter explain why Ontario has a real good crop (barring a few localities) this sea- son, after one of the worst drouths last year that has ever been experienced. To help them out a bit, 1 might say that the most of the honey referred to was gathered from the alsike clover. However, it was not last year's drouth that stopped the white clover from blooming in this section, as last spring the clover showed up as well as ever in April and May. Since the latter end of May, though, the drouth in Ontario has been very severe and the clover never came to the blooming stage. Alsike in the cultivated fields stood the dry weather better, and yielded very heavy for a few days. The drouth this year is worse with us than last season, as it came earlier, before the fresh-seeded clover got rooted, and now the result is that here in our vicinity, at least, prospects are slim for a crop of clover next year. However, it is too soon to borrow trouble, and perhaps there may be enough for a crop of honey again. Anyway, worrying about it would do no good, so we will keep on (as a bee- keeper always does) hoping for some- thing to turn up even if the clover should fail. A Bee-Tight Honey-House Editor Hutchinson quite properly tells the writer in the last Bee-Keepers' Review that a honey-house should al- ways be bee-tight, and he says that a bunch of lath and a roll of building paper will do the job cheaply. Agreed that the bee-tight house is a good thing to have, yet there is no question but that there are a whole lot of apiaries in the country that have not this requisite, and a number of these bee-keepers get along fairly well with- out any robbing, too, by using good judgment in their manipulations. As to the paper, I want none of it, as the red squirrels are such a nuisance here that past experience with the paper has disgusted me with its use. At one time I had a good-sized honey-house com- pletely "peeled " inside of a week, and two or three other times all of our papering was ruined so as to be of no use as a bee-excluder. It is easy to make a building bee- proof, a little harder to make it motisc- proof, and almost impossible to make it squirrel proof. At the one yard in particular I have to wage a constant warfare against those little destroyers, and while I dislike to kill them, yet I find it almost the only thing that can be done. Within the last ten days I have caught two in traps, and there are lots more still around the place look- ing for trouble. A Good Buckwheat Swarm The chap who wrote that ancient rhyme about a swarm of bees in July not being worth a fly, either did not know what he was talking about, or else he never lived and kept bees in a buckwheat section. I might as well confess in justice to the ancient rhymer, that previous to the past few years the assertion was pretty true in our locality in the majority of seasons. With such a negative value placed on a July swarm, we might reasonably assume that a swarm in August would be still more worthless, yet on Aug. 13th a large swarm issued at the Altona yard, and it not only stored enough for win- ter, but has put a little over .50 pounds of honey in the supers as well. This is my first experience in the matter of " buckwheat swarms," and naturally I am well pleased with this colony's good showing. The yard in which this swarm issued was very strong for the buckwheat, only 4 out of the 60 colonies having swarmed during the season, and the average for buckwheat was 65 pounds per colony. Not so very much, yet this is the heaviest yield I have ever had from that source since they started to grow it in this section. What I was trying to come at, was to show that this young swarm actually stored more honey from the buckwheat than was the average in the yard, /. c, when the amount stored in the brood-chamber is taken into account. While I am glad to cut out swarming as much as possi- ble, yet I have always contended that if a swarm issued at just the right time as much honey will be secured as though there had been no swarming; and the bee-keeper is the richer by one more swarm for each one that goes through the program. But the trouble is, that we cannot always have the swarms at the right time, and so I sup- pose we will continue to test non- swarming plans with varying success in the future as we have done in the past. The Long Tongue, Red Clover Fad Hurrah for the long-tongued bees that will work on red clover! Now, don't all speak at once and say we've got them, else there will be so much confusion that we will not know just whom to buy our queens from. The fact is, that nearly any bee-keeper in this part of Ontario can {this year) honestly claim to have bees that store surplus from red clover, as about half of the buckwheat (?) honey through here this season has been gathered from the red clover. We have been, and are at the present time experiencing even a worse drouth than last year, but owing to copious showers just after the clover was cut the first time, quite a heavy aftermath was started. Whether because oi the shortness of the tubes of the clo\«, or because of their being extra full of nectar, I know not. but be the cause what it may, the clover is swarming with bees gathering nectar and pollen every warm afternoon. As I have Ital- ians, blacks and Carniolans in the home apiary here, I have had a good chance to observe the dififerent races as to how they work on red clover, and after watching them for days on the clover, as well as comparing super- work, I have no hesitation in saying that the long-tongue idea, in so far as it refers to the different races, is pretty much a humbug. On the flowers at work, no difference could be seen in the numbers of bees present, as all three races seemed to be about equally represented. The Car- October, 1909. 333 American "Bee Joarnal j niolans stored the most, with the Ital- ians second, they being slightly ahead of the blacks. " There," some one who worships the Italians exclaims, "that proves that the Italians have longer tongues." But as to how they will ex- plain the position of the Carniolans, will be left for us to guess at. Let me here digress to say that the Carniolan race of bees has been libeled beyond measure by certain breeders of Italians, without any just reason what- ever. In my humble opinion, the Car- niolans stored more from the red clover than did either the blacks or Italians, simply because they were ever so much more populous than the others. The Italians stored a little more than the blacks because they will work better in a poor flow than will the native bees. No doubt it will be admitted by all who have tried the dif- ferent races, that in a heavy flow of honey the blacks will store just as much as will other races, but when nectar is scarce, thev are more easilv discouraged, and lack the " sticktoitive- ness " of the other races. This unfortunate trait explains, to me at least, why they stored a little less than did the Italians, and I do not for a moment believe that the length of tongue had anything to do. Not that I would try to discourage research along the line of improve- ment in bees for the purpose of work- ing on red clover, or for the propaga- tion of any other valuable traits in our bees, but one thing is certain that no change of any account is going to be made in a few years, let alone for a few months, as a whole lot of queen- breeders tried to make believe was the case only a very few years ago. After all is said and done, it seems more than possible that more headway would be made in experimenting along the line of producing red clover with shorter tubes, than in an effort to get bees with longer tongues ; but up to the present no Burbank has seen fit to carrv out anv work in this line. Coiivcntio roceedin^s The Pennsylvania Convention The 6th annual convention of the Pennsylvania State Bee-Keepers' Asso- ciation was held at Lebanon, Pa., on Sept. 8 and 9, 1909. Quite an enthusiastic body of mem- bers and visitors were present, among them being Prof. H.A. Surface, presi- dent of the association ; Vice-Presi- dents Beard and Hornor, active respec- tively in the Lebanon and in the Phila- delphia associations; Dr. E. F. Phillips, in charge of apiculture at Washington, D. C. ; Dr. S. P. Heilman, secretary of the Lebanon County Agricultural and Horticultural Association ; Mr. Wm. A. Selser, widely known in apicultural circles; Messrs. Hahman, Rambo, Cas- sel and Snyder of the Philadelphia As- sociation ; Mr. J. H. Miller, ex-presi- dent of the Lebanon Association, and Mr. E. L. Brown, their present efficient secretary; Messrs. Hacker, Shilling, M. F. Smith, VVengert, Klees, and others of Lebanon or near-by points ; Messrs. Watson and Shirk, of Hanover; Prof. H. C. Klinger, for two years president of our Association ; and a number of ladies, among them being Mrs. H. K. Beard and Mrs. M. L. Laudermilch. The program was executed as fol- lows: Wednesday Afternoon— Business. President's Address. Prof. H, A. Siirfacf. State Zoolocist. of Harrisburg. Election of officers. Wednesday EvENisf;. Address of Welcome by John H. Miller, ex-president of tlie Lebanon Bee-Keepers' Association, of Myerstown. Response by the President. " The Distribution of F^rood Diseases in Pennsylvania." liy Dr. l'^. V. Philips, in Charge of Apiculture. Washington. D. C "Origin and Progrt'ss of the Lebanon Bee- Keepers' Association." by Mr. FC. L. Brown, secretary of tin- .Association, of Lebanon. " .-Vniculture in Juniata County and Vicin- ity." by Prof. F-F. C. Klinger. ex-presidcnt of the State Association, of Liverpool. " Kruit and Honey— Can What You Can." by .\Frs. H. K. Beard, of Manheim. 'IHUKSDAV Morning. " Arconi[)lishnuMUs and Aims of the F^hila- delphia Bee-Keepers' Association." by Mr. !•'. llaliman. of I'hiladelphia. " Qualities to Be Secured in Queen-Breed- ing," by Mr, Penn G. .Snyder, of Swarthmore, ' Kxtracted Honey. " by Mr. Harold Hor- nor, of .Jcnkintown. " Honey-Dc!W and tlic Pure Food Law," by Mr. Wm. A. Selser, 6f Philadelphia. " Conditi.;■•»'?!»««?«; tk Send Questions either to the office of the Amciicaij bee J DR. C. C. MILLER. Marengro. 111. Dr. Miller does not answer Questions by mail Wintering a Strong Colony Will bees winter well in 8*frame hives, one on top of the other, making ib frames in all. and an empty comb-honey super on top of all. filled with burlap? New York. Answer.— That's a good arrangement for a strong colony. Late Feeding for Winter Will it be best to feed late in the fall, and keep it up all winter? North Carolina. Answer.— No; better feed up early enough to last till bloom comes again next spring. Painting Bottom-Boards Inside Should bottom-boards of liives be painted inside? California. Answer.— It is not necessary, although of course a bottom-board will last longer if the under side be painted, especially where quite near the ground. But there is no gain in painting the inside. Combs of Honey for Spring Feeding I have about \o brood-frames full of honey. Would it be wisdom for me to keep them until spring to feed or extract them now and feed syrup if needed in the spring? If I keep them over how can I do it to best ad- vantage? lOW'A. Answer.— I should certainly keep all I thought I could use in spring and up to the time of harvest. .A. dry room where they will not freeze much is the best place for them. If you haven't that, put them in the cellar. Look out for wax-worms, and if they trouble, fumigate the combs with carbon bisulphide. Two Queens in One Hive Something a little strangle to me has hap- pened in my apiary, and I cannot under- stand it. On July iQ. I opened the hive of my best colony of Italian bees and took 2 frames of bees and brood, leaving the queen in the hive. The frames of brood and bees I put into a 3-frame nucleus. One side of it is glass with a door that shuts over it, so that I can see what the bees and queen are doing at any time. ,\ugust 3, I went back to the same hive, and after a long search I succeeded in finding the yellow queen, a year-old one that I rear- ed myself. Now after I looked the 2 frames over and removed 2 small queen-cells that the bees had started. I introduced the queen with a cage, and she was accepted. August 6, I put in a frame with starters as directed in " Forty Years Among the Bees." It was several days before she deposited eggs in it. but she proved all right, only a little slow. But you know this is a slow year for bees. But the strange part of it is this: While lookingthrough theglass today. I thought the queen looked smaller and a shade darker than a few days before. But while I sat watching, behold the large yellow queen that I had introduced came in sight also, and I had the satisfaction of watching both queens at once on the same side of the comb. Now I have always read and been told that 2 queens could not live in the same colony un- less the old one was going to be superseded. But in this case the queen I put in is not old. And. besides, it is not a colony— only a small nucleus. I am going to watch them with a good deal of interest to see the result. How did the second queen get there? Illinois. Answer.— This is a very unusual case. Just once in all my experience have I had 2 queens in the same colony, with neither queen more than a year old. One can only guess as to how the second queen got into the nucleus. It's a fairly safe guess to say that slie was reared there. It was 15 days from the time the nucleus was formed till you introduced the queen, during which time a virgin queen might easily have been reared. But the strange part is that this virgin should suffer the introduction of the older queen. Bees Stopping Storing — Wired Combs — Entrance- Blocks 1. I thank you very much for the way in which you answered the questions in the September number. Will you give a little more information on question 2. page 308, re- garding bees stopping storing? These bees did not stop till they swarmed, when they seemed to get weaker every day. so I looked in and found moths on the comb and not a bit of honey. Did the queen die before the moth got in? 2. I had one of my colonies destroyed by comb falling down. Will wiring keep it from breaking? or would you wire horizontally or diagonally? 3. I use the Acme hive and Wisconsin style. Which is best, in your judgment? 4. Are those entrance-blocks used on the hive all year around? or when would you advise me to put them on. and what opening? lOWA. Answers. — 1. The further information that the colony had swarmed makes the an- October. 1909. American liee Journal swer easier. The swarm took away a large part of the force, of course leaving it weaker, and as the old bees were dying off all the while and no bees from the new queen could hatch out for something like a month, it would become weaker still. More than that, probably the young queen was lost, and then the colony became so weak and discouraged that the moths took possession, especially if they were black bees. 2. Yes, wiring will help: horizontal wiring being more used than diagonal. Foundation splints have the advantage over both that they prevent the upper part of the founda- tion from stretching. With wiring there is generally a space at the upper part where the cells are so stretched that the queen does not lay in them. With foundation splints she lays clear up to the top-bar dur- ing the height of breeding. 3. I like the Wisconsin the better of the two because it has the regular Langstroth frame. The dovetailed is still better, be- cause the portico of the Wisconsin makes a good shelter for spiders. 4. The entrance blocks should be taken away entirely during hot weather, or while in the dellar. For outdoor wintering they should be used to make a small entrance. Then in spring enlarge them only as the en- trance becomes crowded. Space Between End-Bars and Hive Would there be trouble with frames made short enough so that there would be a J^-inch bee-space between the end-bars and the in- side of the hive? I have trouble with the standard frame on account of smashing bees. Would the bees fill the space between the end-bars and hive-ends with comb? I use the staple-spaced frame. New York. Answer.— You would be badly troubled with combs built in such a large space; at least in some cases. Possibly you might like W. L. Coggshalls plan: Drive staples into end-bars at the lower-end. so the end-bars cannot crowd against the end-wall of hive. Handling Comb Honey 1. What do yuu do with your honey-sec- tions for safe keeping when taken from the hive full of honey? 2. 1 believe you take them off a few at a time. Is that so? 3. Is there much danger of moth in it? 4. Do you get shipping-cases returned? Illinois. Answers.— I. The supers are piled up in the honey-room crosswise, or with blocks between them to allow air. until time to scrape and put in shipping-cases. 2. Not so very few; generally from 240 to 2400 at a time. 3. No. but years ago. when I had black bees the worms troubled. The eggs are laid while the sections are on the hive. 4. No. Probably Bee-Paralysis I have 2 or 3 colonies of bees that are af- fected with some disease which I don't un- derstand. What is the trouble with them? The bees affected are small and dark, and the bees try to drag them out of the hive and pick and pull at them all the time. Is it con- tagious? What can be done to eradicate it? The bees affected don't store much honey. Missouri. Answer.— It is probably bee-paralysis, and is hardly considered contagious. The diseased bees will be seen to be trembling. Many cures have been given, but they do not prove efficacious, unless it be the one given by O. O. Poppleton— sprinkling with sulphur In the North the malady is of lit- tle consequence, disappearing of itself; but in the South it is a very serious matter, re- sulting in the loss of the colony. Wood Splints in Foundation „..,„ 4 iioii^oiiiai wireb. i pui a luii sei of them, lu frames in a hive, but the bees cut the foundation to pieces to get them out. I use the clipped-queen plan and hive the swarms on the old stands. I had a full super on top, so I took the brood-nest away, and placed that hive in its place, the same as usual. What do you think was the reason that they cut the splints out? They were all covered with wax. or rather '' tried " in wax. I have tried only one whole hive, but now have 10 of them fixed that way — 100 frames. I should like to know what was wrong, for I was pretty sure it will prevent sagging. I use full-depth frames and extract all together. Could the wax that the splints were in have been burned and thus spoiled? 2. Do you buy or make the splints? Washington. Answers.— I. I have had quite a little of the same trouble. It comes from giving the bees the splinted foundation at a time when no honey is yielding. When bees have noth- ing to do they are likely to gnaw foundation, and all the worse if splinted. Don't let them have foundation when they are not gather- ing, unless you feed. Possibly there was some other trouble with you. 2. I buy the splints. Italianizing Bees I have some weak colonies of hybrid or black bees. If I would put an Italian queen with them, would they get stronger and do better? And when is the best time to change them? Indiana. Answer.— Giving an Italian queen would probably make little or no difference in the strength of the colony this fall. But it might make a big difference in the colony for next year, providing the present queen is poor, in September is a good time to put in a new queen, or even in October. Then the colony will have a chance to start out all right next spring. Stores for Winter- Supers in Winter Bees Wintering 1. Will bees in a dovetailed hive when run- ning for section honey, be sure to keep enough for themselves, or is it best to look through them? .\n old bee-man says they will take care of themselves, and that I need not bother about them. 2. When should I take off the supers for winter? 3. If I put 2 strong colonies together, will they winter as well? or would I better wait till spring and then unite them? 4. Will they winter on the summer stands if wrapped in heavy paper? 5. Which is the better, to leave one-inch opening or about M-inch for winter? Pennsylvania. Answers— I. They will generally lookout for themselves, especialb' in a ii>-fraint- hive, but sometimes an 8-frame may need watch- ing. 2. Don't take them off for winter, but for fall, as soon as they stop storing. 3. Vou may as well not unite j/nw^' colonies till spring. 4. Yes, although they might possibly do better in a good cellar. =,. For outdoors an entrance J4 inch deep, or perhaps H is better, as mice cannot get in so easily. In the cellar the larger the en- trance the better. Supers — Covers — Feeder — Separators T-Super 1. What is the best way to add em[)tv su- pers to a colony that has the first super about half full when honey is coming in freely? 2. In giving empty supers when the honey- flow Is beginning to fall short, do you put them next to the brood-chamber, or on top or a partly filled super? 3. I have a lot of telescope covers 11 inches deep. Will it be all right to put them on in winter, or will they keep the bees too warm? 4. Would this cover I speak of in question 3. if put on hives in summer, keep them cooler, or would they be too hot for summer? 5. In this locality it looks as if there is not going to be any fall bloom. If it fails, should I feed to stimulate brood-rearing? If so, when should I begin, and how long should I feed them? 6. If there is plenty of honey, at about what time do bees quit rearing brood? 7. If bees are getting plenty of pollen and no honey, will they go to rearing brood the same as if they were getting honey, too. 8. What is the best feeder to use to stimu- late brood-rearing? Q. My beehives are all facing the north, but the wind cannot strike them hard. Is this any disadvantage to them? Ill, In putting sui>ers on a newly-hived swarm that is now on the stand where an old colony was. should I put a queen-excluding honev-board over the brood-chamber for a few days to keep the queen from laying in the partly filled supers that were taken from the old colony? 11. Do you use full sheets of foundation in brood-frames? 12. Do you use separators in your supers? 13. Will the T-super that you use fit the standards-frame hive? 14. Please give directions for making the T-super that you use. Kentucky. Answers.— I. Put the super under so long as there is a fair prospect of its being filled. In a good flow it may be well to put on top also. 2. On top. 3. No danger of keeping too warm on top. 4. They would hardly do any harm. 5. Even with what you would call no fall flow, there is generally enough to keep up brood-rearing. If not, the sooner you feed the better, so as to keep up brood-rearing, through September. 6. Somewhere about Oct. i, some earlier and some later, depending upon age of queen and condition of colony. 7. No: but if plenty of honey is in the hive the pollen will stimulate to brood-rearing, especially in spring. 8. I don't know. Perhaps the kind of feeder makes no difference. 0. Probably not. 10. Yes. or else don't put on the supers for 3 days. 11. Yes. 12. Yes. 13. It is shorter, allowing ventilation, or a strip to close it. I use it on the standard 8- frame hive. 14. A plain box without top or bottom. Mine svere made, inside measure, i7;*^xi2H ithe width of the hive) XiH. Seasoning has made some of them shallower. If it were to do over again, I would make them 11% long. A Beginner's Experience and Questions I am a beginner in the bee-business. I pur- chased 3 colonies of bees last spring with all attachments. I have had i swarms. 2 each from 2 of the colonies. The other did not swarm at all. All were strong colonies, es- pecially the one that did not swarm, which one liad its supers crowded with bees. I had one swarm in May; the other 3 in June. It was necessary, on account of my inexperi- ence, to hive the first swarm without even starters in the brood-frames. The others were started with one-inch strips. They all seem to have done well considering the year. The first two have some honey stored in their supers. But to return to the old colonies. , , , , , One has stored but 8 pounds of honey all season. Another has. I should judge, stored in its super about 2^ iiounds. Now to come to the one which did not swarm, and first experience. As I said before, they had not swarmed, and about the last week in Au- gust I decided to take the honey off. I had never endeavored to handle the bees farther than opening the top of the hive and looking in. I opened the hive, and seeing how quiet and docile they were, I endeavored to loosen a section-box. The bees resented this, and although I had on a veil, I desisted and went away. I came back again, and thinking to loosen the supers I rapped them sharply with the hammer. Never again! The bees went wild and buzzed around my head so that I could not hear a sound 2 feet from me. Not content with trying to " fix " me, they stung everything and everybody in the neigliborhood. I had to run a half a mile away before the bees left me, I was mad, being stung about a dozen times, for they had. in spite of me, gotten under my veil. I was not ready to give up. I vowed to get the better of them if it took me a hundred years. I suddenly thought of smoke. I started the homemade smoker and again went at them. I smoked them at the entrance, in the su- pers, and everywhere I could think of. I then gained the upiier hand. I pried off the supers and smoked the bees until they left them, and then took out the honey, .^las! It was not yet ready to come off. I could re- move only 14 pounds. The rest was partly uncapped. I returned it to the hive. 1 have left them alone for 2 weeks, and now. upon looking in. I find every drop of honey left (which was nigh 16 pounds) gone, and the combs hanging there with the pees on them. 1. What is the reason for this? 2. The bees are very lively, but only about half as many as there were before. Did I kill them with too much smoke? Are they dead inside the hive, none being dead out- side? 3. I have never tried to open a brood-cham- ber. How can it be done? If you smoke the bees, which you must to pry the frames American ^ee Journal October, 1909. loose, they are sulky and sting every one who comes near. How can this be remedied? 4. What do you think of this? The col on v which stored 8 pounds of honey thus far han^s out a great deal. Several days agro they hangout all day while it rained, and a great number were drowned. What is the cause of this? 5. When can I tell the ti.me to take off honey? It looks capped over at the top. and yet it is uncapped at the bottom. This made me make the mistake I did with the colony that did not swarm. 6. What do you think of my work so far? [ think it is poor, but I do not intend to give up. New Jersey. Answers.— I. There was nothing unusual. During that 2 weeks no honey was coming in. and the bees carried down into the brood- chamber the honey that was in the super. 2. It is not likely that you killed any bees, and certainly there are none dead in the hive, for the bees would promptly carry them out. Possibly there is not the differ- ence you suppose in the number of bees. Possibly the queen has not been laying much lately, and the old bees dying off has left the number less. Possibly the colony has swarmed without your knowledge and the swarm has gone off. 3. Do just about the opposite of what you did. Give a little smoke at the entrance before you do anything else. Then when you pry up the cover, blow a little smoke into the crack as you raise the cover, and the same when you raise a super, blowing smoke under the super and then over the tops of the frames. At any time when the bees be- come belligerent, give a little more smoke, but don't deluge them with smoke. Your hammering on the hive when they were not yet subdued infuriated them. X. Nothing wrong. Little or nothing to be done in the field, the bees stay at home and the colony being strong it is more comfort- able outside than in. You are probably mis- taken about the bees being drowned by the rain. Next time watch closely and you will find that the wet bees dry off all right. 5. You must examine the bottom as well as the top. 6. I think you did very well for one who probably had nothing but his own experience to go by. W^hat you need is to learn from the experience of others. You can get the ex- gerience of thousands packed together in a ee-book, and it will be worth to you ten times its cost. Don't think of getting along without a bee-book. A Beginner's Questions 1. Mine bein;;; ihf only Italian bees in the country, how may 1 have my queens purely mated? 2. Are drone-eggs always laid by a virgin, or can a queen lay drone or worker eggs at wiir- 3. Will bees store syrup for winter? Is syrup good for them? 4. Are the so-called Red Clover Italians better than other strains? 5. How about a separate entrance to su- pers? Missouri. Answers.— I. By allowing no drones in your black colonies. Cut out drone-comb and re- place with worker; shave heads of sealed drone-brood and trap all mature drones with drone-traps at entrance of black colonies. 2. Very few drone-eggs are laid by any other than normal, fertilized queens, which lay drone-eggs in drone-cells, either at their own will or at the will of the workers. 3. Yes. It i^ good for them to winter on, and for brood-rearing in spring. 4. They are better if they work on red clover better than others. J. Some advise it. but generally it is not vised. An opening above for ventilation, however, may be a fine thing. Preventing Swarming What shall I do with bees that don't do anything but swarm all summer? I have no trouble with afterswarms, but after the first swarm is hived about 10 days I find the hive and supers all full of eggs and larvae, when they will start to swarm and keep it up all summer. JuneistI put on supers— 2 on each hive, one with sections and one with extracting- frames. But they wouldn't work in them to amount to anything. So I don't think there was lack of room, I have some of the very best Italian queens that I could get last spring, but they are just as bad as my com- mon bees. Could anything be done to pre- vent the swarming fever? I am planning on having some hives made that hold 12 Hoffman frames. Would that be as good as a iJs-story hive? I had 6 colonies in the spring, but would have at least 25 now if I would have saved all the swarms. I got 12 gallons of extracted honey and 100 sections— all clover honev. Last year I got that amount of honey from 2 colonies. Minnesota. Answer.— Your case is rather unusual. It would seem as if the strain of bees might have something to do with it, only you say that the colonies with newly acquired queens are as bad as the old ones. The sea- son may have something to do with it. Larger hives will no doubt help. Then if you run for extracted honey and have plenty of ventilation, no swarm ought to swarm that same season. Besides having a large entrance for ventilation, move backward or forward each upper story, so there will be a space of % inch for air between each 2 stories. Cyprian Bees— Queen-Rearing 1. What was your experience with the Cyprians, from a comb-honey producer's standpoint? 2. I see you use the Alley method of queen- rearing. Could you in this way rear queens enough to requeen an apiary of 100 colonies before the swarming season, using only one queen as a breeder, and how would you do it? 3. I have been using a queen-rearing outfit the last ^ years, but cannot get more than 15 or 20 percent of the cells accepted. I would like to know how to get more accepted. N. P. A. Answers.— 1. I hadn't experience enough to judge, but I think they are much like Ital- ians. 2. I haven't used the Alley method for years. I wouldn't think of requeening an apiary so early by any method. Such early queens are too poor. 3. I have no trouble whatever about getting queen-cells accepted, and you needn't have. I go back to the simple plan of letting the bees start their own cells, and with these they are always satisfied. You will no doubt be interested to read about 20 pages on the subject in "Forty Years Among the Bees." beginning at page 228. giving very full par- ticulars. I've tried perhaps all the different plans, and 1 think by this very simple plan I get as good queens as can be reared. Preventing Swarming— Putting On Supers 1. As I do not like the idea of cutting out queen-cells during swarming time, and I also want to keep my force of bees together, not desiring any increase, how would it work by giving strict attention, to have a queen-trap for about every 5 colonies and a bee-en- trance-guard for every colony, thus prevent- ing the queen from escaping? I tried a queen-trap on 2 hives this year for prevent- ing afterswarms. and it worked to perfec- tion. 2. With a strong colony, how many supers of 24 sections each would they need on at once In a heavy honey-flow? and how do you tier them up. by adding the new super un- derneath, or on top of the one being worked in? 3. Is there any such a device used among the bee-keepers as a super-lifter to liold the supers up while adding a new one. etc.? Iowa. Answers.— I. Although it may have suc- ceeded in 2 cases, it will not generally suc- ceed without close watching and some trouble. If you put the trap on before the prime swarm, the bees will keep swarming and returning. Finally a young queen will emerge, and the swarming will be still fiercer. If you remove the trap too soon, a swarm may go off; if too late, you will have a drone- layer. 2. A strong colony in the height of a heavy honey-flow will have not less than 3. and may have 7- The new supers are added under, till near the close of the flow, when they are put on top. You will be interested in read- ing particulars in " Forty Years Among the Bees." 3. Yes. several have been devised, but not many use them. Kept Them in the Archives Mcjigger— Of course Noah must have taken bees with him. Thingumbob— Oh! of course. Mcjigger— Just think how they must have stung the animals as they flew about. Thingumbob— Oh I I guess Noah had sense enough to keep them in the archives. A Hot Time in Texas We have had no rain for q weeks. The thermometer is at 114 degrees in the shade, and everything is burned up. The honey crop is short, but of excellent quality. Bees will be in good condition for winter if they don't have to use up their present stores be- fore. There is a good supply of alfalfa honey in the brood-chambers, which I will leave there, as I don't think honey is ever too good for bees in winter. O. Saunders. Trenton. Tex.. Aug. 18. Swamp Milkweed What is the name of the enclosed flower, and what kind of honey do the bees get from it? My bees are working on it in full force. Chas. D. Blaker. Minneapolis, Minn.. Aug. 4. [The plant is the swamp milkweed— As- clepias incarnata— and as it depends wholly upon insect visits for fertilization, it amply repays them by offering a generous lot of sweet in return.— C. L. Walton.] Short Honey Crop The honey season here started fine, with a good flow from first crop of alfalfa and sweet clover, but August was dry. and from some cause the second and third crop of alfalfa yielded almost nothing. I bought 20 colonies in early June, and as most of these were weak I got them all built up strong just when the flow let up. 1 had only 5 swarms from 35 colonies. All are in good shape for wintering. My cron. all told, is about 800 pounds, and probably 100 unfinished sec- tions that I will feed back. Louis Macey. North Platte. Nebr.. Sept. 20. Honey Crop Almost a Failure The honey crop this year in this section is almost a total failure. Last year (1008) I pro- duced 3070 sections, grading No. i and fancy, from 23 colonies, spring count, and increased by natural swarming to \b colonies. This year (iqoq) I started with the 46 colonies, in- creased to 52 by natural swarming, and got less than 500 sections of a poor grade honey. I removed all supers the first of September, and my bees have filled their hives and are in fine shape for the winter. In 5 years I have not lost a colony \n wintering in the cellar. S. L. Mottinger. Plainfield. 111.. Sept. 27. Hiving Swarms — Poor Season On page 267. Mr. Doolittle goes to a good deal of unnecessary work to get a pole, etc.. to hive his bees. My plan is to have the hive ready, and when a swarm issues cage the queen, move the old hive from the stand, and place the new one in its place, and in a very short time the swarm will be returning (often not clustering at all). As soon as they commence to return release the queen at the entrance of the hive and she will march in. and as soon as all are in move the swarm to where you want it and return the old hive to its former place, and all is done. They will not begone very long, as they soon miss the queen. It was a very poor season here for honey, as it has been pretty wet. cool and windy, and hardly any white clover, as the clover was nearly all killed by the dry season of 1008. and the honey of this season is of poor quality and pretty dark. JOSIAH SWINEHART. West Salem. Ohio, Sept. 6. Good Season for Honey — Hogwort This has been a very good season with me for honey. Thegoldenrod is in bloom, and we have iiad a good rain to break the long dry spell. It has been very dry here. I have 5 colonies from which to take the honey, although I have taken it off once before. October, igog. Amc»rican Hee Journal Now the rain will put some nectar in the fall flowers, and I will get some honey yet. Everybody seeing my success is wanting to go in the bee-business, and is wanting bees or honev. What is the name of the weed I send you? It grows abundantly here. I see a bee on it once in a while. Is it any good for bees? R. B. Fkrry. Greenfield, Tenn.. Sept. lo. [The name of the plant asked about is Hog- wort— Croton capitatus— and is somewhat abundant in dry fields South and West. So far as I know it is of little if any value as a bee-plant.— C. L. Walton.] Poorest Season in Years I have been keeping bees for i years, and have got up against the real thing this year. The early honey was as black as crude oil— no white clover at all. and the fall crop is as poor. I will have to feed all of my bees for winter. I haven't had a bee go up in the supers. We have had the poorest season for years. W. T. Kelsey. St. Francisville, 111.. Sept. 28. More Than An Average We have harvested more than an average crop of honev in Georgia this season, and our increase has been more. We have never harvested an overwhelming crop of honey here or had a total failure, except in a few- locations where we have only one soiirce of honey. Our average is never very high, nor varies much in some localities. Bee-keeping here pays a large percent on the capital and time expended, and can be depended upon for the only source of living, and some sur- plus money with a reasonable investment and proper management. Cordele, Ga. J- J. Wilder. Only Half a Crop 1 will give an outline of the honey crop here so far. The first small gain was in fruit- bloom. Bees hardly held their own until June 5. June 18 to 20 there was a great flow. On the i/th. i8th and 20th (just i days), the scale colony made m pounds clear gain— the greatest for 3 days I ever had— all white clover. The first of July the flow seemed to stop, and by the loth bees were doing noth- ing. I have only half a crop to report for tliis part of Missouri. We have had very little noney-dew here at home, but I hear some complaint among my neighbors. I never saw- so bright prospects cut short so ouicklv. Bees are doing nothing now. hut the fields are yellow with fall flowers. We expect a fall flow. Irving Long. Marceline. Mo.. Sept. u- Foul Brood in New York Who told Mr. Byer. page zvH. that black brood seemed to be under control in New York State? Somebody has been fooling him. It is raging as badly as it ever did. but in new sections. Where it has spent itself and destroyed nearly all the bees in sight " it seems to be under control," but still keeps marching on. and I ought to know what I am talking about, for it has marched into t> of my yards this year. And after I had shaken it out and begun to boast that I was on top, back it came again this fall, hitting every colony in one yard of 45. and a large number in the home apiary. You might as well get the old-fashioned chills and fever if you get black brood, for you will have to shake and shake until all the careless and indifferent bee-keepers about you lose their bees. " .-\ Nkw Yorker." Rendering Combs Into Wax Where exhaust steam is available let the puff below the bottom of the hive be 1 inches extra deep with a sieve bottom. When these combs have fallen down shovel them with a fire shovel in a bushel bag. tie it and tread it over slats over a box or tub one foot deep, with large rubber boots having felt socks in them. Then to make a clean job of it throw the pressed slumgum into a boiler of boiling water and tread againover a separate tub or box. if yon desire the best separate, a foot or 10 inches deep, and 2 feet square with taps to let out the wax and water if many combs are to be done. If melting combs over a cook-stove with 2 boilers on, one can place the hive with sieve bottom over the front one. then after the combs have fallen, shovel them into the back one. then dip into the tread-mill bag; or. better, first have a bag to fit the inside of the above hive, and when combs fall into it. tie it and tread again over another tub or box, thus securing superior wax. having never touched water in the first box. R. F. Whiteside. Little Britain. Ont.. Sept. 2. Poor Honey Crop The honey crop is poor here this year. The bees filled only the brood-chamber— just enough for winter. Lawrence McDonald. Turlock. Calif.. Sept. 16. Severe Stinging A friend of mine, a few weeks ago. in cut- ting a bee-tree was stung on the arm. which produced unconsciousness lasting about one and a half hours, but no further ill effects. Spargursville. Ohio. J. R. Cooper. Very Light Honey Crop The honey crop here this year has been very light. From 25 colonies I have received about 300 pounds of comb honey, as com- pared with 800 ponnds from only 15 colonies last year. I will try to winter about 65 colo- nies next winter, and hope for more honey next year. John Egenes. Story City. Iowa. Sept. 15. Better Than Last Year I have done better this year than last, starting in the spring with s colonies, one queenless. and now have 15 colonies. 1 have taken off 150 pounds of fine alfalfa honey and 3oopoundsor more are on yet. It has been dry this year, having only 4 rains from 2 to g weeks apart, just when the flow was on. I have increased by swarming and artificial increase. E. Carly Goldsmith. Pond Creek. Okla. Not Much Surplus — Too Dry Bees did not give much surplus here on account of dry weather in July and August. Goldenrod is blooming now and bees are getting pollen. I am going to try for some strawberry honey next season. There are several hun- dred acres of strawberries around here. Several people keeii bees here, but there are none whom the bees keep. One man 711 years old has kept bees 30 years. He said to me that the bees will kill off one of their Queens when honey gets scarce! I thought to myself, a man can get too old to learn unless he reads a bee-paper. The beeS here are nearly all blacks. The moth is bad on black bees or vacated combs. I find this out by inspecting hives all over the county. I bought 20 colonies of bees that I am feeding up for winter. I wired all my frames and used full sheets of foundation. I will run for comb honey. L. W. Benson. Anderson. Mo.. Sept. 27. Hunting Bees in Trees I see in the last Bee Journal an enquiry as to some method of hunting wild bees, or to locate bee-trees in the timber. I here give an old-time method; Prei)are a small box with a slide in the top large enough to hold a one-pound box of honey flying flat. Now take a small oil-can. fill it with syrup made with sugar, or a little strained hoiu'y thinned with water, and a very small box. small enough to put in a vest- Eocket. filled with fine white flour. .And last, ut not least, a large piece of old strong honey-comb witliout honey in it. Thus eauii)ped proceed into the timber where yon wish to locate bee-trees, on some nice, still. warm morning after the first light frost. Select an open place where the flight of a bee can be traced some distance. Now light a little fire with bark or chips. If conven- ient take with you an old pan or skillet. Drop a T>iece of the old honeycomb into the fire. The odor of it burning will soon attract bees if there are any in that vicinity. Now open the slide on the box in which you have the pound of honey. Uncap the cells on the upper side, and a be filling with honey. Now take your can with honey and drop a little just back of theihead and between the wings. Be careful and don't get any on the wings. Now drop on a little of the' flour. ,A.s soon as the bee is filled watch it and the direction it takes. If it re- turns soon its home isn't far. It will soon come back with others. Move on in the line, burn some comb, and yini will soon "line" them home. Joseph Richards. Hampshire, III.. Sept. 3. Comb Honey Production One of the comb honey specialists here has tried Doolittle's system of comb honey pro- duction, and is eloquent in its praise. He simply puts the frames containing brood right over the comb honey sections. An ex- cluder is then placed over the brood-frames, and the bee-escape taken out. The hive containing old brood is then removed at the end of 6 days, and a new colony formed. His entire stock of comb honey has been sold. to a Detroit firm for I3>t cents per pound, and the extracted honey to a Michigan firm for 10 cents. A Minnesota lady, last year, got is cents per pound for extracted, and custo- mers bought it right at her apiaries. She took the first prize for extracted honey at the St. Louis Fair, and people had confi- dence in. the purity of the honey. The article by W. K. Morrison, in the Sep- tember Review, was read by me with great interest. It relates to the production of comb honey without separators. This has been a great honey seasqn here. Geo. J. Moloney. Wolverine. Mich.. Sept. 14. Mountain Mint — Bees Doing Well I am enclosing a small sample of flowers and leaves of which I would like to know the name. I see quite a lot of it. and it must certainly be a fine honey-plant. I don't think I ever saw bees work so eagerly in any bloom as this, as manyas a half-dozen being on a single stem like the sample, at onetime. I think it furnishes only honey, as I have never seen any bees working on it with pollen on them, it grows about iH inches high, and on ground tliat has not been cultivated. Bees are doing well here, the second crop of white clover being now in bloom. We need rain very badly. We had a heavy crop or fall of honey-dew here which we would have been glad to have done without, as it was badly mixed with the first crop of white clover. Swarming was light, not quite an average of one swarm per colony. There seems to be a good demand for honey at 10 cents for chunk or extracted, and I2}4 cents for nice section honey. H. S. Carroll. Lentner. Mo.. July 25. [The flower is mountain mint— Koellia vir- giniana— a plant infesting old fields and thickets all through the Middle West. The mint family to which this flower belongs is famous for rich nectar, and bees visit these flowers wherever found.— C. L. Walton.] oee or bees will soon be Preventing Overheated Brood I will give "Michigan" a tip or two (see page 270). and he will not have any more over- lieated brood at least. By taking a small bit. 3-16 or '4 inch, and filling the outside case with small holes, then dropi.iiug a few down around at the top between the two walls, as his cases are airtight or less, they would not be so hot. or hot at all. While I do not think much of the 2-inch double-walled hives sent out by the factories today, yet when they are well ventilated they are much better than single-walled hives— for me. at least. (I have .■; of them). And what few bees I keep here in the city are in a very hot place. By setting the single-walled hives in a box 6 inches longer and 8 inches wider, making an air-space 3 inches at the end and 4 inches on each side, and a i^i-inch entrance, the box is kept from 6 to 8 inches above the supers, a gable cover over the supers with the 2 lower boards of the cover slightly apart in the center of the gable cover, and no cover during the summer over the box. The bottom of the box is 4 inches froin the ground filled with these small holes, and the inside bottom-board 2 to 4 inches above the lower one. I have had no trouble this summer— no queen-cells, no loafing at the en- trance, or laying out in front in colonies in these boxes. The colonies transferred in these boxes in Inly and August quit their bad ways and almost stopped their fanning at the entrance during the hottest days. Oregon. 344 October, 1909. American ~Bee Joarnal Glass Jars for Retailing Honey. We are able to furnish several sizes of glass jars for retailing honey. Each has a patent American cap, which is easy to put on, and also to remove, and yet is unleakable. The illustrations show the various jars on which we quote as follows, by freight : Admiral-Holding One Pound of Honey With patent American cap, in reshipping cases of 2 dozen each — one case, $1.00 ; 6 cases, $5.60. In one-gross crates, $5.00 per crate. Capital-Holding 34 Pound of Honey With patent American cap, in reshipping cases of a dozen each — one case, 90 cents; 6 cases, $5.25. In one-gross crates, $4.90 per crate. Small-Holding 1-4 Pound of Honey With patent American cap, in reshipping cases of 4 dozen each — one case, $1.50; 3 cases for $4.35. In one-gross crates, $4.00 per crate. Send all orders to Arnd Honey & Bee-Supply Co, 148 W.Superior St. Chicago, Illinois. One-fourth Pound. Three-quarters Pound. One Pound. Engravings for Sale. We are accumulating quite a large stock of bee-yard enj^ravin^s and other pictures used from time to time in the American Bee Journal. No doubt many of them could be used by bee-keepers in their local newspa- pers, on their letterheads, on souvenir cards. or in other profitable or interesting ways. If we can sell them it will help us to pay for others that we are constantly having made and using in these columns. We do not have a catalog or printed list of the engravings, but if you will let us know just which you want we will be pleased to quote you a very low price, postpaid. Just look through the copies of the Bee Journal and make your selection. Then write to us. GEORGE W. YORK & CO. 146 West Superior Street, - CHICAGO, ILL. A Wonderful Plant The Sacred Resur- rection Plain is one of the wonders of tlio plant world. It lives naturally in water, and when placed in a vessel containing a little water grows and thrives and becomes green in color; but when removed it dries and curls up. apparently asleep, and in this condition will live for years. One needs only to place it in water again, however, to bring it back to life. The publishers of Farm News, that interesting monthly published in Springfield. Ohio, have secured a limited number of these curious plants which they are offering on another page. These pub- lishers are also offering a line of beautiful Christmas post cards. See their announce- ments in this issue. GEO. S. GRAFFAM & BRO. ARE LOCATED AT 103 Third Street, Bangor, Maine They have there yards for the production of comb and extracted honey, a yard by it- self for the breeding of their Black Diamond Bees, a large warehouse fiUed with Root Supplies Black Diamond Brand Honey, and honey- packages of all descriptions. Their ofiiee is at the same address, and here they are fitted to receive bee-keepers or their orders, enter- taining the one and handling the other with a service that cannot be surpassed. If you are interested in bees, live in New England, and have not their catalog and circulars, drop them a postal. You will be well re- paid. 5A6t Wanted— White Honey. State kind, lutw put up. and lowest cash ^ "^"^CHAS. KOEPPEN, iso8 Main St.. pAtf KREDERICKSBURG. VA. CYPRIAN. Camiolan. Caucasian, Italian Queens Select untested, Sl.OO. Select tested. $2.00. Bees $8 colony. Supplies and Honey. tJ.^ly W. C. MORRIS, Nepperhan Hts., Yonkers, N. Y. Souvenir Bee Postal Cards We have gotten up 4 Souvenir Postal Cards of interest to bee-keepers. No. i is a Teddy Bear card, with a stanza of rhyme, a straw bee-hive, a jar and sec- tion of honey, etc. It is quite senti- mental. No. 2 has the words and mu- sic of the song, "The Bee-Keeper's Lul- laby;" No. 3, the words and music of "Buckwheat Cakes and Honey ;" and No. 4, the words and music of "The Hum- ming of the Bees." We send these cards, postpaid, as follows : 4 cards for 10 cents, ID cards for 20 cents; or 10 cards with the American Bee Journal one year for 80 cents. Send all orders to the of- fice of the American Bee Journal, ^ Laugstroth Book "Special" We have about 30 copies left of the book, " Langstroth on the Honey- Bee," of the edition just preceding the last. It is practically equal to the latest edition, and we will mail them so long as they last, for 90 cents a copy. (The regular price is $1.20.) Or, we will send one of the above 90-cent copies with the .American Bee Journal one year — both for $1.50. Surely this •is a bargain. Remember, we have only about 30 copies left, so if you want one of them you will need to get your or- der in quickly. Send to the office of the American Bee Journal, 14(1 W. Superior St., Chicago, 111. October, 1909. American Hee Jomnaj) .25 ALWAYS FULL eRICCS SYSTEM DOES IT $5^" Value for Only $1 The Secret of Successful Poultry Raising Found at Last. Read This It Is now possible to have a sure cash In- come and profit of $3500.00 from 1000 hens in five months, at a minimum cost for help, feed and other necessities, making a profit of more than $7.00 per hen per year. It is a demonstrated suc- cess. This has been easily done and YoiT can do it. ALL POULTRY LOSSES are STOPPED and PROFITS ASSURED by this wonderful and revolutionary system of Poultry Culture. Read What the Briggs System WiU Do for You The Brtgrgrs System can be applied to any EDGAR BRIG08 poultry plant, large or small, with equal suc- cess. Equally as valuable to the begrlnner as to the experienced poultry raiser. It contains poultry secrets never before published. Success with Poultry Absolutely Guaranteed by the Use of the Great BRIGGS SYSTEM AND SECRETS Feed for growing chicks and making eggs, at 15 cents per bushel explained by the Brigrgs System. £Jo machmcry; no coolting-. 95 Percent of All Chicks Hatched Can Be Raised 2000 layers and 3000 chicks can be cared for without help by one person and still have lime for other work. $25.00 saved on every one hundred chicks raised to maturity by this wonderful Brlggrs System. EXDOHSED BY HrXDREDS OF LEADING SUCCESSFrL POrLTKY-MEV — HUNDREDS OF f.N- yUALIFIED TESTIMONIALS IN OUB POSSESSION. " Profits in Poultry Keeping Solved " This great book by Edgrar Brlg-g-s tells how to Increase your present profits or start a profitable and easy occupation. Failures unknown when the Bkigqs System la used. It meuls every condition and covers every part of the business. Keeps hens In the pink of condition and produces more eggrs than any other System; molts hens early, and fowls are rarely sick when this wonderful System la followed. The Secret of Turkey Raising is also Bared Tht8 book has NEVER BEEN SOLD FOR LESS THAN 15.00 PER COPY, and thousands Cov- ering Bcveral editions are beiiiK followed by equal numbers of successful poultry-raisers. WE HAVE PURCHASED THE SOLE RIGHTS OP PUBLICATION FROM THE AU- THOR. MR. BRIGGS. and have just REnrcED the price from $6.00 to $1.25 per copy, Inclu- Oing one year's subscrlptlun tu ' POULTRY SUCCESS." regrular price 50 cents: sounder this Kreat offer you gret the BriKiCH System book for only 75 cents. We have also just taken off the press "BRIGGS SECRETS IN POULTRY CULTURE," containing- most valuable and never before published secrets that have produced wonderful and easily obtainable results. These secrets are alone worth the the price of the book, but under our grreat offer you get them FREE. SPECIAL OFFER While the present edition of the Briggs System and Secret Books lasts: If you will remit us 11.26 we will send Immediately a copy of BrlpES wonderful System book — " Profits In Poultry Keeping: Solved." also a set of Brlgrg-s" Secrets In Poultry Culture." and Include also PorLTKY SrccEss one year. Even If you already have a copy of " Profits In Poultry Keeping Solved." you are losing- money every day by not having the supple- menial publication. "Secrets In Poultry Culture." Pon^THV St'CCESs Is admittedly the world's leading and best Poultry Journal. 20 years old. m to 114 pages, beautifully Illustrated and printed. Most competent and experienced writers In the country— 50 cts. a year. It Is the 20Ui Century Poultry Magazine. Sample and Circulars Free. Address, HOSTERMAN PUBLISHING CO., Briggs Desk 49, SPRINGFIELD, OHIO An Orphanage Appeal for Help 1 he ICdi- tor of the -American Bee Journal is the sec- retary of the board of trustees of an orphan- age or children's home located at Laks Bluff, III., 30 miles north of Chicaeo. He has won- dered if there were not quite a number of the benevolently inclined among the readers of the American Bee Journal who would like to send to that orphanage somethins either to eat or to wear, or even money, for the H5 children cared for there. They are all the way in size and age from infants to 12 years. The way to do is to ship by freight, atwavs prepaying tlie charges. Perhaps we might suggest vegetables, extracted honey, o ts and corn they have a horse), clothing (new. or good second-hand), etc. Any mother will know just what boys and girls 12 years or under will need to wear or to eat. It is the most economically managed institution of the kind that we know anything about. Many of the children there are for adoption. If you feel thatyou can. or would like to help such a worthy cause, send what you can spare from your abundance to Lucy J. Jud- son. Supt.. Lake Bluff Orphanage. Lake Bluff. III., and please don't forget to prepay chargcson whatyouship. Also put your name and address on each package, and. if you like, write a letter to accompany it. either in the package or by mail. If you desire more particulars, write the superintendent. The Chicago-Northwestern Convention. The annual meeting of the Chicago-North- western Bee-Keepers' Association will be held in the Briggs House, northeast corner Fifth Avenue and Kandolph .St.. Chicago. III.. Wednesday and Thursday. Dec. 1 and 2. 1900. The first session will be at 10 a.m.. Dec. 1st. The Executive Committee is planning for the best convention this Association has ever held. A good many bee-keepers know what tliat will mean, for they have attended former meetings. The time is during the International Live Stock Exposition, which is held annually for one week in Chicago, this year beginning Nov. 27th and ending Dec. 4th. It is hoped that bee-keepers both far and lu'ar will arrange to come to Chicago during this time, so as to attend the conven- tion of bee-keepers. It is expected that there will be the best representation of the leading bee-keepers of America that has met together for many years. You will miss it if yon are not there also. While the Ques- tion-Box will not be slighted, a very complete program is being arranged that will cover some of the most vital questions of interest U) bee-keepers jnst now. Come and help make it a banner convention in every way. H. K. Moore, Sec. Park Ridge. III. George W. 'Vork, Pres.. Chicago. III. Our Clubbing Liste We have arranged with some of the best magazines and other publications to offer them in connection with a year's subscription to the American Bee Journal. If there are any others that you would like to subscribe for. be sure to let us know what they are, and we will quote prices applying only to the United States, outside of Chicago : American Bee Journal one year (75 cts.) Both With American Agriculturist. ..$1.00 Si.So American Sheep Breeder, i.oo 1.60 Bee-Keepers' Review (new) 1. 00 1.60 "^ Breeders' Gazette 1.75 2.20 " Canadian Bee Journal i.oo 1.60 Century Magazine 4.00 4.50 '\ Circle Magazine. The i.,^o 2.00 '\ Commoner. The 1.00 1.50 Country Life in America.. 4.00 4.S0 Delineator. The i.oo 1.60 '\ Designer. The 50 1.15 Dressmaking at Home 1.00 1.60 '^ Etude. The imusical) 1.50 2.00 '] Everybody's Magazine 1.50 2.00 Garden Magazine i.oo 1.60 '] Gleanings in Bee Culture. 1.00 1.50 Good Housekeeping i.oo 1.50 CJuide to Nature. The 1.00 1.60 Harper's Weekly 4.00 4.50 " House Beautiful. The 2.50 3.00 Hi:)usekeeper. The 75 1.25 Human Life 1.00 1.50 Ladies' Home Jburnal 1.50 2.00 Little Folks I.oo 1.60 '] McCall's Magazine 50 i.is McClure's Magazine 1.50 2.C0 Modern Priscilla 75 135 '' Mothers' Magazine 50 1.15 Munsey's Magazine i.oo i.bo New Idea Woman's Maga- zine so 1.15 Ohio Farmer 75 i.35 Outing 3.00 .3.50 Popular Science Monthly. 3.00 3.50 Recreation 3.00 3.50 Review of Reviews 3.00 3.50 ■' Scrap-Book i.oo 1.60 .Scribner's Magazine 3.00 3.50 St. Nicholas 3.00 3-50 Suburban Life 3.00 3.S0 Suct^ess Magazine 1.00 1.60 Sunday-School 'Times 1.00 1.60 Wallace's Farmer i.oo 1.60 Woman Beautiful. The 1.00 1.50 Woman's Home Compan- ion 1.50 2.00 World's Work 3.00 3.50 World Today. The i.so 2.00 Youth's Companion (newj. 1.75 2.25 Address ail orders to GEORGE W. YORK & CO., 146 W. Superior St., - CHICAGO, ILL. FREE XMAS POST CARDS III Prlntad In Colors and Cold ||| ■V THESE SIX AND FOUR MORE lU The ErandcRt and moat beautiful Xmas Cards in thf world , cinbdHHi'd iLtid prlntt'd in many tjonrfous cnlorB with back- trround and bordi-rs of iTold. Krnd 1 ct'nlH in stainits. aay you will Hliow them to 10 frlendH; we will ncnd thom and tell you how you fan u^'t our u'r<'iit Xma« Box contuininp 60 irrand Hollrlny I'nstf'ardH. ali^olutclv frc.'. Send today itnl wf'will hiflmh- an "IK- of tlif 10 oup nuiBTiifk-ent XOio Cil' n^hirCird- liv <'. Allim Oillicrf. tli.- (■.■l.t.nit.-d nrtist. FARM NEWS. 107 Factory St.. Springfield. Ohio PDcasc mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. October, 1909. American "Bcc ■JoarnalJ QUEENS of Moore's Strain of Italians Produce workers that fill the supers, and are not inclined to swarm. They have won a world-wide reputation for honey-gathering, hardiness, gentleness, etc. Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson, editor of the Bee- Keepers' Review, Flint, Mich., says: "As workers. I have never seen them equaled. . They seem possessed of a steady, quiet determination that enables them to lay up surplus ahead of others. Easier bees to handle I have never seen." My queeens'are all bred from my best long-tongued;three-banded red-clover stock (no other race bred in my apiaries), and the cells are built in strong colonies well sup- plied with young bees. I Am Now Filling Orders By RETURN MAIL REDUCED PRICES Untested queens. ;;c. each: six, %\.ao\ doz.,$7.5o. Select untested, Ji.u.i each; six. $5.00: doz., $0. Select tested. $2.00. Extra select tested. i3.00. Breeders, $10.00. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. Descriptive circular free. Address, 7Atf J. P. MOORE, Queen-Breeder, Rt. 1. Morgan. Ky. Standard Breed Queens from Our Superior Golden Stock Unttstud. I for Si.oo; 6. SS-oo: u. So.oo. None superior to our queens, and but few equals. Mr. F. Danzenbaker, the inventor of the 2oth Century Smoker, wrote us March 5. 1008. that he has a good opinion of our strain of Italian bees: - If they are as grood as the one Mr. L. L. Brock- well, of Edlow. Va.. sent me to exhibit at James- town Exposition. I didnl gret her until Sept. IStth, on a single frame in an obser\'atory hive. Her bees stored and capped y lbs. of honey in ready-built combs of 4x6 sections in two weeks or y working- days, as 5 days of that time were rainy or too cool for bees to fly. If it had been a 10-frame colony they surely would have gath- ered (iO lbs. or more. I offered Mr. Brockwell $10 and 4 young queens in May. but he declined. I then asked him if he would let me have her for $2o: he said no. I would have given that for her to breed from. I then asked if he would sell her for 850. He said no. but that I could have eggs from her in May. So you see what we both think of her for a breeder. Very truly. F. Danzexbaker. Norfork, Va. Big discount on large orders. No disease. Write for list. T. S. HALL, Jasper, Pickens Co., Ga. Pacific Homestead Do you want direct information on the bee. stock, horticultural and agricultural industries of Oregon, Washington and Idaho? Then send 2ic in stamps right now for a three months' trial subscription to our Pacific Bomesteiid, the illustrated farm paper of the Pacific Northwest. We give with this our big Holiday number (equiva- lent to a $2.00 book) containing articles on, and over 100 illustrations of the entire Pacific Northwest. 6Atf Sample copies of current numbers free. Address Pacific Homestead DOOLITTLE'S Depf. C, Salem, Oregon HONEY FOR SALE By members of the Michigan I'.i '■ !<• • pcrs' Association. For free annual 1 kl. i i;iving names and addresses of mcniln i>, .idihess the Secretarv, 7.Atf E. B. TYRRELL, 230 Woodland Ave., Detroit, Mich. • « Scientific Queen-Rearing" This is G. M. Doolittle's tnaster-piece on rearing the best of queens in perfect accord with Nature's way. It is for the amateur and the veteran in bee-keeping. The A. I. Root Co.. who ought to know, say this about Doolit- tle s queen-rearing book : ' It is practically the only comprehensive book on queen-rearing now in print. It is looked upon by many as the foundation of mod- ern methods of rearing queens wholesale." Mr. Doolittle's book also gives his method of producing comb honey, and the care of same: his management of swarming, weak colonies, etc. It is a book of 12fi pages, and is mailed at the following prices : Bound in cloth, $1.00 : bound in leatherette..75,cents. Special Clubbing Offer We offer a cloth-bound copy of this book with the American Bee Journal one year— both for JI.40: cr a copy of the leatherette-bound edition, with the American Bee Journal one year— both for $1.15. The cljth-bound book given free for getting 3 new subscribers at 75c each : or the leatherette-bound copy given for 2 new subscribers. Every bee-keeper should have a copy of Mr. Doolittle's book, as he is one of the stan- dard authorities of the world on the subject of queen-rearing and everything else connected with bee-keeping and honey-production. George W. York © Co., Chicago, 111. DOLL SHIPPING -CASES ARE VERY WELL MADE of fine white basswoc^d with one-piece cover and bottom. Can furnish with either corrugated paper or " no - drip DOLL SHIPPING-CASES are made for an\ minihL'r or size of sec- tiiins witii either 2 or i inch glass front. We have a large stock on hand which means i^rompt shiimiunt. and our prices are h.)svest. HONEY-PACKAGES IN TIN i-gallon Cans— 10 in a box 5-&allon Cans— I or 2 in a box. SEND FOR OUR ESTIMATE FOR 1909 MINNESOTA BEE-SUPPLY CO. 152 Nicollet Island, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. Italian Queens For Sale Untested. 75c each. Reared from imported queens. Price-list free. =;A7t 0. F. FULLER, Blackstone, Mass. Doolittle & Clark are now sending: out choice ITALIAN QUEfi^NS at the following prices: Untested. Si.oo each: 3. S2.50: 12. $0.00. Tested. $2,00 each: 3. S5.00; 12. $i8.oq. Breeders. $2.50. Ss. 00. $10.00. 5.\tf Borodino, Onondaga Co., New York Italian Queens 50 Select Tested Queens $1.25 each. These are Red Clover Queens ma- ted to the Golden Italian Drones. Select Untested Queens, $1.00 each : six, $5.00; 12, $9.00; 20 or more, 65c each. W. M. PARRISH, LAWRENCE, KANSAS. PUasc mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Say, Mr. Bee-man How about that old, played-out Queen? Now is the time to replace her, or make increase. Try the famous BANATS and CARNIOLANS. 75 cts each ; $8.00 per doz. GRANT ANDERSON 8Atf Sabinal, Texas Please mention Am. fiee Journal when writing. How About Your Advertising? Have you anything to sell? Any bees, lioiiey, hives, or anything else that you think the readers of the American Bee Journal might want to buy? If so, why not offer it through our advertis- ing columns? See rates in the first column of the second page of every number of the Bee Journal. We try to keep our columns clean and free from any dishonest advertising. Such can- not get in, if we know it. We want the patronage of just as many clean, straight, square-dealing advertisers as we can secure. No others need apply to us for space. October, 1909. American ^ec JournaJj BE SURE TO READ ALL OF THIS COLUMN After Jan. 1, 1910 American Bee Journal $1 a Year For some time we have been considering the increase of the yearly subscrip- tion price of the American Bee Journal from 75 cents a year to $1.00. In fact, many of our best subscribers have written us that it really never should have been reduced in price, in view of the richness of its contents and general helpfulness to its readers. But among the real reasons for such increase are the greater cost of its production, and that the present price of 75c is, and has been, too low to main- tain the "old reliable" American Bee Journal at its present high standard of ex- cellence. And, surely, no reader would want us to lower that standard in any particular. We may say further that we are planning certain improvements that will in- crease greatly the cost of publishing the American Bee Journal another year — improvements that will more than offset the small increase of 25 cents a year in subscription price — even contemplating a 48-page Journal, if possible to do it. The Editor is now devoting all of his time to the Bee Journal, which fact alone should tend to make it more valuable as the months pass on. Nearly Three Months Before the Raise in Price is to Go into Effect But it will be noticed that the $1.00 price does not become effective until Jan. 1st next, or nearly 3 months yet. And during the time intervening we are going to allow all who wish to do so, to pay their subscriptions two year.s In advance at the present 75-cent rate. That is, you can pay all back dues (if any) and for all of 1910 and 1911 at 75 cents a year. So, really, there will be no raise in price for over 2 years to all who pay their subscription?; before next .Tan. 1. Save 50 Cents by Subscribing Before Jan. 1st By paying subscriptions for HUO and I!)ll any time between now and the end of this year (I'JOO), you will save just 25 cents a year, or .")0 cents. But we cannot allow subscriptions to be paid beyond the year lllll at the present 75-cent rate. Please tell your neighbor bee-keepers about this, so that they, too, can take ad- vantage of the special offer for 2 years beyond li)Oi>. Clubbing and Special Offers to Stand the Rest of this Year Our Special and Clubbing Offers will all stand until the end of this year (100!)). So none of our present subscribers can really object to the increase in subscrip- tion price, for they have the opportunity of paying their subscriptions two whole years beyond this year at the present 7.5-cent price — by sending them in before next January 1st. (Of course, if any have already paid their subscriptions beyond I'Jll, such will stand as now credited.) You are Invited to Help Increase the Bee Journal Subscription List We offer many liberal premiums for getting new subscriptions for the .Amer- ican Bee Journal. We hope our readers will do what they can to get their bee- keeping neighbors to subscribe, and thus earn some of the premiums we offer. Let us work together for each other's interest and advancement, and for the good of bee-keepers everywh»-r(-. GEORGE W. YORK & COMPANY, ^ 146 West Superior St., - ..CHICAGO, TEl! QUEENS Of High Quality Our queens are reared by the most ap- proved methods by a queen specialist of 30 years' experience. We breed the Leather-Colored, Red Clover, and Golden Italians. We solicit the trade of all bee-keepers wishing to secure a hardy, prolific race of Italians, whose honey-getting qualities have been proven superior. Select untested $.75 ^ doz. $4.00 1 doz. $ 7.50 Tested 1.00 " " 5.50 " " 10.00 Select tested 1.50 " " 8.00 " " 14.00 Qtieens by return mail. Prices for large quantities on application. Circular free. SIRES BROS. & CO.. North Y'akima, Wash. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. D A D M C C ' Foot-Power DAnllLO Machinery Read what J. L Parent, of Charl- ton, N. Y., Bays; "We cut with one of your Combined Machines, last winter. 50 chaff hives with 7-in. cap, 100 houey-racke, 500 brood-frames, 2.000 honey boxes, and a great deai of other work. Thie winter we hav* donble theaniount of bee-hives, etc., to make, and we expecttodo it with this Saw. It will do all you say It will." Catalog and price-list fi«e. Addrens, W. T. ft JOHN BARNES. 99fi Ruby St., Rookford. 111. Please uieiition Am. Hee Journal when writing. IF YOU WANT THE BEE-BOOK That covers the whole Aplcultural Field more completely than any other pub- lished, send $1.20 to Prof. A. J. Cook, Claremont, Cal., -FOR HIS— ", BEE-KEEPER'S GUIDE" Liberal l>i8couDts to the Trade. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. CAPQI mi CAI'ONS hrini; thf> largest profits — mo per i-ent nmre than other poul- try. Caponizing Is easy and soon learned. Progressive poultrymen use PILLING Sfo^^^E'li Postpaid $.' :')() |.cr Ret with free instruc- tions. '1 lit; L'onvenient, durable, ready- 1 for-use kind. Bestmaterial. Wealsomake 1 poultry Mnrkfr'J.'tc. Gape Worm Extractor 25o I I French KilUuii Kui/cSOr. Capon Book Free. G. P. Pilling & Son, Arch St.. Philadelphia, Pi. Please niciuiun Am. Bee Journal when writing. BEES FOR SALE. Hit Colonies of Bees in fi-frame hive; also about 4l' empty Hives, most of them new; witli 500 comb-honey Supers, a lot of Founda- tion and Sections, and other bee-supplies. No f(jul lirood in this Vnllcy, Address. H. CHRISTENSEN, (;A2t C(>L1':VILI.I':. M(Min Co.. CALIF. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. AGENTS: - IF I KNEW YOUR NAME, I would Hcnd yon our $^. tit Mdniplu (nillit free this very minute. Let mc start you In a profitable buslneHH. You do not need one cent of capital. Kxpcriencc unncccHHary. fiO percent profit. Cre- dit K"lven. PreTiiiumH. Frelgrht paid, f 'banco to win $.')00 in tfold extra. Kvery man and wom- an whould write me for free outtit. 'jA<>t JAY BUCK. Prei., 305 Beverly St.: Boston, liass. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. October, 1909. ,,v^.S3^fH::;; Established 1847. Mos( elegant descriptive and agricultural magazine in America. Goes in town and country. Subscription per year $2.00 General circulation among twenlyfive million people west of St. Paul and north of San FranciSco. Highest authority on Irrigation. Demands one billion dollars direct appropn ation by Congress for Irrigation to increase America's population to one billton. Dairy and Live Stock and t^oultrv and Fet Stock consolidated with Northwest Farm and Home. SONS AND DAUGHTERS GRADUATES OF THIS COLLEGE are flttedta occupy the highest walks In llle — iirolessloiiallif, socially and In business THREE COUEEIATE CURRICUltlMS with liberal Elective Courses. Grailuates enter the proles, slonal schools of leading universities without conditions. College faculty of hroad schol- arship and great teaching ability, 19 different universities at home and abroad represented. ACADEMY with selected, separate faculty prepares for College. Thoroughly efliclent NORMAL COMMERCIAL, MUSIC and ORATORV Oepartments. Bulletins describe each. Campus. Gymnasium, Library, Reading Room, Christian Associations, Lecture Courses, Atblellc Field. Clean Athletics under great Coaches. Location Healthful and Beautiful. FALL TERM OPENS SEPT. 21. For Catalcgue or Special Bulletins, write to President William H. McMaster, Alliance, 0 Bee - Supplies Shipped Promptly SEND FOR FREE CATALOG Honey for Sale. (Ask for Prices.) Extracted Honey Wanted. Send Sampk' and Price.) ARND HONEY & BEE-SUPPLY CO. ^^l (Successors to the York Honey & Bee-Supply Co.) H. M, ARND, Proprietor. 148 West Superior St., CHICAGO, ILL. HAND-MADE SMOKERS BINGHAM ^ EitracU from Catalogs— 1907: OLEAH *^^A Chas. Dadant & Son, Hamilton, 111.— This is the Smoker \vc BEE <;M0KFR ^^^ 0 recommend aboye all others. u. B. Lewis Co., Watertown, Wis.- We have sold these Smok- ers for a good man; jears and never received a single complaint. I P A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio.— The cone fits Inside of the'oup BO that the liquid creosote runs down inside of the smoker. All Bingham Smokers are stamped on the tin, " Patented 1878, 1892, and 1903," and have all the new improvements. Smoke Engine— largest smoker made $1.50 — 4 inch stove Doctor— cheapest made to use 1.10 — 3)^ " Conqueror— right for most apiaries 1.00 — 3 " Large — lasts longer than any other 90— 2>^ " Little Wonder — as its name implies 65—2 " The above prices deliver SmDker at joor post-ofl5ce free. We send circular if requested. Original Bingham & Hetherington Uncapping-KniJe. T. F. BINGHAM, FarWGll, MiGll Patented. May:20, 1879. BEST ON EARTH. HONEY *!!° BEESWAX When consigning, buying, or selling, consult R. A. BURNETT & CO. 199 South Water St. Ghlcaeo, III There are many of these in this town who BEE-KEEPERS Write us now for our Catalog and get low prices on good, honest, BEE-KEEPERS' SUPPLIES Onr specialty is making Sections. All other goods up-to-date. AUQ. LOTZ & SON, Cadott, Wis. 10A34t Please mention the Bee Journal. An English Honey-Spoon Over in old England they have a handy honey-spoon, or at least a spoon that has a device in its handle that will prevent it from drop- ping down in the jar of hon- ey on the dining-table, thus soiling the fingers and spoil- ing the table-cloth. It is a very ingenious idea, and should have extensive de- mand among honey-consu- mers, especially bee-keep- ers. It is well plated on high-class nickel, and has a beautiful raised design on tlie upper side of the handle, as indicated in the picture herewith. We have secured some of tliese very unique spoons, and will mail itliem at 00 cents each. l( )r, we will send spoon !id the American Bee [Journal one year— both 1 for Si. 50. The spoon would be fine as a gift for Christ- mas, birthdays, etc. The editor of the Bee Journal has used one of these spoons for a num- ber of months in the honey-glass which is al- ways on his table, and he would not like to be without this spoon again, as it is so con- venient, and also unusual in this country. We can fill orders promptly now. You cer- tainly would be pleased with this honey- spoon, and so would anyone to whom you might present it. Send all orders to, GEORGE W. YORK & CO., 146 W. Superior St., CHICAGO, ILL. ^>e#^ %^ INFORMATION On Woodcraft and Nature Is always fascinitine to him who lorea banting and fiihine eipccially. There arc many enioyable and profitable facts thai ypii shtiulil know about the great OUT O'DOORS tTJ:,V\^. profit abound. Do yoj know of the habitt. value and methods •f taking fur bearing animals, in your own locality? Also about Steel Traps. Snares. Scents, Deadfalls, Trapping Secrets. Raw Fur Market. Coon Hunting, Fox Chasing, Hunting Dogs. Big Game Huntine, Wild Fowl Shooting, jjKI Fishing, Prospecting. Camping. Guns. Ammunition, Ginseng and Golden Seal Growing. Fur Farming. Bee Hunting, etc. Some of these are Great Source of Profit ."" Farm During the Winter. You will find these topics all dealt with entertainingly and authorativety in that eplcndid 160 to 200 page, iiluitrated monthly magazine HUNTER - TRADER - TRAPPER IT IS ALONE IN ITS CLISS. ft * SPECIAL:- Send 10c. to this oftice ano" get a sampife copy of the H-T-T. also a 64 page book of Interesting Information. coBtainlug late Game Laws, etc. October, igoQ. American liw Jonrnal Langstroth -eHoney-Bee Revised by Dadant. Latest Edition. This is one of the standard books on bee-culture, and ought to be in the library of every bee-keeper. Bound in substantial cloth, and has nearly 60(i pages. Revised by that large, practical bee-keeper, so well known to all bee- dom^^Ir. C. P. Dadant. Each topic is clearly and thoroughly explained, so that by following the instructions of this book one can not fail to be won- derfully helped on the way to success with bees. We mail the book for $1.20, or club it with the American Bee Journal for one year — both for $1.70. This is in- deed a splendid chance to get a grand bee-book for a very little money. GEORGE W, 146 W. Superior St. YORK & CO. CHICAGO, ILL. BIG BARGAIN SALE on Bee-Supplies I have bought all the bee-supplies and machines of the Minneapolis Wood and Machinery Co. Send me a list of what you need, and eet the right price. Also Adel, Carniolan, Italian, and Caucasian Qneens. CHAS. MONDENG, 4Atf 160 Newton Ave. N., Minneapolis, Minn. Are You Interested Months Trial Sabscription 10 cents in raising poultry, live stock, produce, fruit, hon- ey, or other farm products? 1£ so, send ten cents for a 3-months' trial subscrip- tion to the "RLRAL FARMER." It Tells You all abont farm cuJtivation, orcharMinfr, live stoclc and poultry breeding-. Hfw tu market crops auoceaftfully, informs you how to ship, pacK, orate, bill and get returns. "RUEAL F.\RMER" culunitis are rich in things yoa should know. Three Months for 10 cents. Published weekly— .^0 renta per year; 3 years for $1.00, orSl.oO per year for club of 3 persons. ••RURAL FARMER." 44 8. Srd Street, - Philadelphia, Pa. FREE! Two Sacred Resurrection Plants (THP. F:f)sn OK .iKRIfilOJ T>ip^e rarp and curious plants grow and Rtp.yprnen by ijlacin*; thum In water. When taken out of water tbey dry and curl up and CO to sleep. Tht-y will keep Id ihlastatc for voara. Simply place the whole plant Into water; It will ocen up and start to crow lo about twenty minutes. We will S'rid Farm News, the big- ff-^t little p-iperlnthe world for the farm home, on rial 3 rnontiis for 6 cenrs. Send 4 cents lo prepay po::ta''e and expense on tiie plant:^. andO i.int ^ fnr trial fubacriptfoo to Ifirm News, only 10 cents In all. KitUer offer <5''parntp?y if fic-lrt ■!. FARM NEWS, 122 Waftblogtoo St.. SpriDjcfleld. OhlJ l'(/aw mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. " // Goods are Wanted Quick Send to Touder. " ESTABLISHED 1S89 Bee-Supplies. Root's Goods in Indiana Standard Hives with latest improvements, Danzenbal^er Hives. Honey-Boxes. Comb Foundation and everythina tliat is used in the bee-yard. Large illustrated catalog mailed free. Finest White Clover Extracted Honey for sale in any quantity desired. WALTER S. POUDER, 859 Massachusens Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. Tennessee- Bred Queens 37 Years Experience, breed 3-band Italians only. November 1st to July 1st 1 6 IS $1.00 $5.00 $9.00 Selerl" Untested 1.25 6. 50 12.00 Tested 1.75 9 OO 17.00 Select Tested 2.50 1350 25.00 July 1st to Nov. Isl $ .75 1.00 1.50 2.00 6 $400 5. 00 100 10.00 18 $7.50 9.00 15.00 18.00 Breeders $4.00. Add twenty percent for queens to be exported. Narlei. without queens: 1-frame, $2.50; 2-frame, $3.50: 3-frame, $4.50. 1 Full Colony, gframe, $9.00. Select the queen wanted and add to the above prices. NOTE I have transferred to my son, Benj. G. Davis, my straight 5-band and Golden depart- ment, and in order to receive the promptest attention, all correspondence for these should be sent direct to him. He practically grew up in my queen yards, rears queens by my methods, has had charge of this department for years, and understands his business. Prices same as above except Breeders, which are $4.00 to $10.00. No disease. JOHN M. DAVIS, Spring Hill, Tennessee, U. S. A. 50,000 Copies "Honey as a Health-Food" To Help Increase the Demand for Honey We have had printed an edition of over 50,000 copies of the IB-page pamphlet on " Honey as a Health-Food." It is envelope size, and just the thing to create a local demand for honey. The first part of it contains a short article on " Honey as Food," written by Dr. C. C. Miller. It tells where to keep honey, how to liquefy it, etc. The last is devoted to "Honey Cooking Recipes" and "Remedies Using Honey." It should be widely circulated by those selling honey. The more the people are educated on the value and uses of honey as a food, the more honey they will buy. Prices, prepaid-Sample copy for a 2-cent stamp : 50 copies for 90 cents : 100 copies for $1.50: 250 copies for $3.00: 500 for $5.00 : or 1000 for $9.00. Your business card printed free at the bottom of front page on all orders for 100 or more copies. Address all orders to GEOUGE W. YORK -d. CO., Chicago. III. SIMPLY DELICIOUS The finest car of Sage Honey that ever crossed the "Rockies" just ar- rived, and we are selling it like "hot cakes" in crates of two 60-lb. cans at '■)yic per lb. Samples 10c. If you want Honey that's truly delicious, send for some today. The Fred W. Muth Co. The Busy Bee-Men 51 Walnut St. Cincinnati, Ohio 35° American ^ec JournaJj October, 1909. FOR QUICK DELIVERY and LOW FREIGHT send your orders for BEE-SUPPLIES to The A. I. Root Company, 42-60 Institute Place ( 4 blocks north of former location ) CHICAGO, ILLINOIS We are now fully moved, located, and well stocked with a FULL LINE of supplies. We have the best shipping facilities, and with plenty of help we promise to get goods to you promptly. There are only two reasons why we might fail ; viz., the neglect of some transportation company to give its usual good service, and our inability to turn out stock fast enough to care for your orders. We are promised a large car-load from our factory every TEN days, so you see we expect to take good care of your orders. If you haven't our new catalog let us send you one. Remember our new location, four blocks north of our former place. The A. I. Root Co., Chicago, lUinois 42-60 Institute Place R. W. Boyden. Resident Manager. Jeffrey Building Take Elevator to Sixth Floor. Telephone 1484 North. Bee-Supplies Distributor of Lewis and Root Bee-Sup- plies. We are now prepared to furnish promptly a full line of Supplies and Berry Boxes. Choice new stock just from factory. Beeswax wanted. Send fur Catalog. W. J. McCARTY. Emmettsbur^, Iowa Pkase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. RFF-^IIPPI IF^ ^°"-?"' oT^ll'dllti DLL our r LILOl makeof hives, etc. Our supfilies will please you in everv wav. Prices are right. We can malie Srompt shipments as we carry a full line of A. I. cot Co. '8 supplies in stocii. Don't fail to write ns if you are in need of supplies. 8Atf JOHN NEBEL& SON SUPPLY CO., High Hill, Montg. Co.. Mo Pkase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Italian Bees for Sale 1 colony, $S ; 2 for $9 ; 5 for $20. Queens— Unteste-l, 75c each ; 6 for $i ; Tested, $1 each ; 6 for $S. Will put swarms into any style hive to suit pur- chaser. 5Atf L. BOOMHOWER. Freehold. Greene Co., N. Y. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. FENCE SJriS' Mailoof High Carbon Double Strength r'Ulnl Wire. Heavily Galvanized to pri'vi-rit nist. Have no agents. Sell at factory prices on 30 days* free trial. Wt) pav all freight. :i7helfcflils of farm auU piiulcry Ifiir-e. Catalog Free. COILED SPRING FENCE CO. Box 8tf Winchester, Indiana. I'Lcase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. m MARSHFIELD BEE-GOODS FRIEND BEE-KEEPER— We are prepared to fill your orders for Sections. A large stock on hand. Also a Full Line of Bee-Supplies. We make prompt shipments. MARSHFIELD MFG. CO., Marshfield, Wis. lOWA-J. W. Bittenbender, Knoxville, Gregory & Son. Ottumwa. KANSAS— S. C. Walker & Son, Smith Center. MICHIliAN-Lengst&Koenig, 127 South 13th St.S.isrinaw, E. S. S, I). Buell. Union City. NEBRASKA— Collier Bee-Supply Co., Fairbury. CANADA- N. H. Smith. Tilbury, Ont. ARIZONA— H. W. Ryder, Phoenix. M IN N ESOTA- Northwestern Bee-Sup- ply Co., Harmony. ILLINOIS-D. L. Durham. Kankakee. OHIO— F. M. Hollowell Harrison. TEXAS-White Mffr. Co-. Blossom. WISCONSIN— S. W. Hines Mercantile Co., Cumberland. J. Gobeli, Glenwood. 1000 Colonies of Bees to sell in lots to suit purchaser. Address. 8Atf Dr. Geo. D. Mitchell & Co., Ogden, Utah I uease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Crown Bone Cutter Cuts up scrap bones easily nnd Bcst Made (juH'kly — no trouble. Feed jour hens Lowesl fresh "cut green bone daily and get » p i_- more egga. Send for cntiiloeue. "• rriCC WILSON BROS.. Box 618. Eastoo, Pa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. October, 1909. "FALCON QUEENS ff American Hee JonrnaJj Headquarters for Bee-Supplies Three-Band Golden Italians Caucasians Carniolans 1 Untested $0.75 Select Untested 1.00 Tested, $1.50; Select 6 13 $4.25 $ 8.00 5.50 10.00 Tested, $2.00 We have in charge of this department M R. Leslie Martin, formerly queen-breeder in the Apiary of the U. S. Dept. of Agricul- ture, Washington, D. C. Send for our free catolog of "Falcon" Bee-Keepers' Supplies. W.T. FALCONER MFG. CO. Jamestown, N. Y. Chicago. Sept. 22.— The receipts of honey have been taken upon arrival at from i,s'"i6c for No. I to fancy white comb honey, other srrades from iSic less per pound. White ex- tracted. ;®8c. accordinK to kind, quality and packaKe; amber. 6@7c; dark erades, s@6c. Beeswax in good demand at ?oc. R. A. Burnett & Co. Los Ancei.es. Oct. I.— The quoiations on honey at the present time arc about as fol- lows: Water-white extracted, hhc: white. i'A@bc: lieht amber. 4!^@5c. H. J. Mercer. Kansas City. Mo., Sept. 2^.— Receipts of comb honey are lieht ana the demand eood; receipts of extracted are huavy and the de- mand lik'ht. We quote: White comb honey, -No. I, 24-section cases. $).2;; .Mo. 2. $3.00; am- ber. Mo. 2. Jj.oo. White extracted, per lb., 7C. Beeswax. 25@3oc. C. C. Clemo.ns Produce Co. Philadelphia. Sept. 20.— The time has now arrived when dealers are laying in their stock of honey. The amount of honey-dew scattered throughout the Kast lias stiffened up the prices since last quotation. We quote: Fancy comb honey. i6@iSc; light amber. I4@- 13c. Fancy water-white extracted, SVj@'(^c; amber in barrels, 6)4c. Beeswax firm at 28c. Wm. a. .Sei.ser. Boston, Sept 25.— Fancy white comb honey at I')@i7c; No. i. I5@i6c. White, extracted. S'*oc, light amber, 7@8c: amber, 6@7c. Bees- wax. 3o@32c. Blake, Lee Co. New York. Sept, 24.— The new crop of comb honey is now beginning to arrive quite freely from York State and near-by. It is moving rather slowly as yet. but we expect the demand to increase within the next few weeks. We quote: Fancy white, isc; No, I, I4C; off grades, Ii«i2c, .No :buckwheat comb honey on the market yet. and no prices established. Extracted is in fairly good de- mand, mostly for California. Prices as a HONEY! HONEY! If you are in want of EXTRACTED or COMB HONEY, we will be pleased to quote you, as we have several cars of California honey in stock. Write to- day for prices and samples. If you have any Honey to offer, state kind it is, how it is put up, and lowest price you expect for same, delivered in Cincinnati. c. H.W.WEBER :sr Office and Salesr«6ms, 2146-48 Central Av«. Warehouses. Freeman and Central Avett. rule are about the same, and we quote as follows: Water-white sage. 7l^c: light am- ber. 65i@7c, Honey in barrels is rather scarce. Southern and West Indian is selling at from 5Hi?<)8c per gallon, according to qual- ity. Beeswax quiet at 28@2qc, HiLDRETH &.SEGELKEN. Denver, Sept, 25,— We quote our local market as follows: No, i white comb honey, per case of 24 sections, $3,30; No, 1 light am- ber, per case, S*,is: No, 2. comb per case. $3.00, Extracted, white. ^H&H'/iC: light am- ber, bh@7Wc per pound. We pay 24c per pound for clean yellow beeswax delivered here. The Colo. Honey Producers' Ass'n. F. Rauchfuss, Mgr, Indianapolis, Sept. 23.— There is a good demand for best grades of honev. but the market is now well supplied. Indiana bee- keepers, as well as merchants, are good buyers. Producers are being paid the fol- lowing prices: Fancy white comb, I6c; No, I white. 14c. Finest extracted in s-gallon cans. 8c. No demand for amber or off grades. Producers of beeswax are receiving 28@3Qc. Walter S, Pouder, Zanesvii.i.e. Ohio, Sept. 24,— The demand for honey is normal, the call for best grades being in excess of the supply. For white clover comb honey, grading No, i to fancv, producers would receive froiu the jobbing trade I4@i6c. and for best extracted 8;^c de- livered here. Best grades of white comb wholesale at I7@i8c. extracted in 5-gallon cans. qJ^C^ioc, Good clean beeswax 2tjc cash, 30c in exchange, Edmund W. Peirce. Cincinnati. Sept. 24. — The market on comb honey is exceedingly brisk. We have had four cars to arrive, and sold same in large quantities from 100 to 200 cases at I4;2C; in a retail way at i6c. Extracted table honey is brisk; sage at 8i*@gc: amber in barrels, fair demand at 6@!6!4c. Beeswax slow at $33 per 100 llis, .Above prices are our selling price, not what we are paying, C, H, W. Weber & Co, Toledo. Sept. 24,— The market on comb honey remains about the same as our last quotations. Owing to the high prices asked by bee-men. honey is not selling as well as expected, and when the prices go to extreme people do not seem to care for it. Fancy white comb honey brings in a retail way i!;f*i6c: No, i. i4feisc. Whiteclover extracted is rather scarce, and would bring t'/i&H'Ac: ambers. i'A('ih'/,c. Beeswax, 2W"iwc, These are our selling prices, and not what we pay. The Grigcjs Bros, Co. ^m We will Buy and Sell HONEY of the different ^adee and kinds. If you have any to dispose of, or if you intend to buy, correspond with us. We are always in the market for Beeswax at highest market prices. ^3 Hildreth & Segelken J 265 & 367 areenwich Street ^ NEW YORK, N.V. ^ Western Bee- Keepers ^r.^Vou how to save money. Send for our new cata- log of the best Bee-ware made. TDK GOLOMDII ROSBV-PKODIICEM' JSS'J, Bearer. M», Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. ADVERSITY is iomclimes hard upon man; but for one man whocan stanj prcipcrily ihcrc are a hundred that will stand adversity. — Car/yle. BEE-KEEPERS OF THE NORTH H o ■n H Z m m > 0) H BEE-KEEPERS OF THE SOUTH $400,000,000 WORTH OF EGGS!!! Mr. Poultryman: — Uncle Sam says the annual Egg crop is worth $400,000,000! And that the value of Poultry and Eggs produced this year will exceed $700,000,000!! Did you get your share of this money? If not, why not? Milo M.Hastlnes, nntil recently the Commercial Poultry Expert for the United States Government, has written I " ' 1 a Poultry Book : " Tne Dollar Hen." This book is a complete, thorough and concise work of 222 pages, containing over 106,000 ; words, also several charts, maps, etc. The purpose of this book is to tell the reader : — HOW TO MAKE MONEY RAISING POULTRY ana NOT HOW TO LOSE: IT j "The Dollar Heti" Is not a "boom" poultry book. It tells as much about what uot to do as what to do. It thoroughly I discusses every phase of the poultry busluess. aud tells how money can be made or may be lost. It gives a full account of all - methods and systems of poultry raising as taught by private individuals. Mr. Hastings does not advocate complicated and expensive methods ; in fact, he found such to be universal money losers. ; As a Government rm ^ *^f ***",'!,*,? ^^"V*", ".***"' u „ I r A «|^^^^^^^^^^^^BB|^^^^^H| Why spend several dollars per heu for bousing when Mr. tXpBrt ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^I^^^^^H Hastings teaches you the construction of a system of housing '^^•^ -Asa GovernnieDt Expert fll^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^l ^^^^ ^^^ been eminently successful and costs only thirty cents •SshS^^^ ^fr. Hastinsrs investigated ^^■J^^^H^H^H^^H per ben? . „ ..^ , ^ .. J^ MB^^m alItlievuriousj>nvatesys- ^^^■RT^v, , . rs i^^^S^B . Why pay high prices for theoretically "balanced rations" ^»^M A. m^^^^^^ tt-riis, patfiit iri-ils, and so ^^^^HP-'^ ■'^ •^''- *''-'THi '"'"^n ^ practical food chemist who has personally investi- ^^fllNlBji^^^^^^^^l ciillrd j'oujtrv .^frrets. He HH^^RI' m^h gated the work of a score of experiment stations has found ^^HHP JJV^^^^^^^^^H visited the great successful ^^^^^k' ^S ^^^ ^'^^^ Profitable poultry rations to be as simple as the corn ^^^K QtB^^^^^^^^ poultry farming districts of i^^^^K^' 'wlm ^^^ alfalfa diet of a Kansas steer? ^^^H ■^■A^^^^^^H Petaluma, Little Comton, ^^^^K ^ ^B ^^7 invest money in patent "systems," patent feeds, ]^^^^m.^^^^^^^^^^^m ■Watertown, the South Shore ^^^^Rl fifi^-as^^MH P^^^^, remedies, etc., of little or no value, or capable of only and other regions — some ^^^^HP'- »S^«HHi^H local application, when a Government Esjiert who has inves- MILO M. HASTINGS wholly unkuown to the poul- ^^^^^Bl ^QB^^^^^^^I tigated the industry thoughout the United States and Canada try press— and gathered from all these sources the best ^^^^Rf ^^^^^SHI^^I basproven the worthorworthlessnessof thesethines and tells ideas and most profitable practices. ^^^^E^ ^^ ™~"^^« you how to apply this knowledge to your particular circum- From his long practical experience on farm, poultry plant, ^^^^R' ^^1 stances and climate ? „.-„„ „-*i, ^«„u^ with State Experiment Station work and Federal service, and ^^^fe ^ - JH , ^*^y ^aste money and time espenmenting with poultij with his unprecedented opportunity to get at the actual facts ^^^■hAII^BIBBn^l whenforavery small sum you can buy a complete guide to prof- of the poultry industrj', Mr. Hastings has laid out a typical l^^B^^^^^^^^B itable poultry production? Why not make money at some one money making poultry nlant, called ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H else's expense? ThoDollarHen telln > on 'THir nr^T Y ai> hiTM V-AUM ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H howinplain, simplelanguage.andproves XxlAl* UC9Lrl^A.K, K1.ML.P* W I^n.r'a. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^1 every statement made. Remember you are and has described the various necessary adaptations for ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H getting facts and tlguresthat cost the U. ^. different localities and conditions. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| Government thousands of dollars. THE DOI^LAR HEN TELLS ABOUT: ^^^^^H^H^HH Poultry Press Endorses The Hen's Ancestors, The Caasesof Poultry Diseases, tHe Dollar HeUk Chinese Ponltry Cnltnre, Grading, Packing and Storage There are no exaggerated get-rich-quick schemes discussed. It is IhePabhc Hatcheries of of Poultry Products, plain common-sense from cover to cover and is well worth reading by i-gypt, The Fattening Methods of the any one that wants to loam the facts about the poultry business: Recent biscovenes in Incn- Big Paokers, Inland Poultry Journal. bation, , . „, Cooperative Egg Marketing It is the best book forthebeginnerthathaslately appeared because and Over a Hundred Other Subjects of Vital Interest to it deals in straight facts without theorizing. What it says has been Every Ponltr>Tnan. worked out in the poultry yard. Miller Purvis, Editor of Poultry. The Dollar Hen brings out some ideas that are novel and valuable to all potiltrymen: American Poultry Advocate. THE DOLLAR HEN is a real book, substantially bound — not a paper-bound pamphlet of "System," "Secrets," or "Methods," but a book worth several dollars of any poultryman's money. The Dollar Hen has a vast fund of real, practical information that can not be elsewhere secured. And think of it ! You can have this authoritative and complete guide to profitable poultry production, postpaid, for only $1.00. And if you'll order now, mentioning this publication, we will include the Poultry Digest for one year. Remember, we guarantee The Dollar Hen to give entire satisfaction. Order to-day. POULTRY DIGEST PUB. CO., 57 J Ann St., NEW YORK CITY \i Year No. 11 NOVEMBER, 1909 li«^ November, 1909. American ^ge Journal j PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY GEORGE W.YORK S COMPANY 146 W. Superior St, Chicago, 111. IMPORTANT NOTICE. THE SUBSCRIPTION PRICE of this Journal is 71 cents a year, In the United States of America, (except Chicag'O, where it is $1.00), and Mexico; In Canada 85 cents; and in all other countries in the Postal Union, 25 cents a year extra for poat- %se. Sample copy free. THE WRAPPER-LABEL DATE Indicates the end of the month to which your subscription is peld. For instance, " dec09"on your label shows that it is paid to the end of December, 1909. SUBSCRIPTION RECEIPTS. -We do not send ft receipt for money sent us to pay subscription, but change the date on your wrapper-label, which Bbowa that the money has been received and credited. Advertising Rate, per ftgate Line, 15c. 14 lines make one inch. Nothine less than 4 lines accepted. Discounts: 3 times 14c a line 9 times lie a line 6 " 12c" " 12 *' (1 yr.) lOcaline Beading Notices, 25 cents, count line. Ooes to press the 6th of each month. National Bee-Keepers' Association Objects •< the Association. Ist,— To promote the Interests of its members. 2d.— To protect and defend Its members In their awful riKhts. 8d.— To enforce laws against the adulteration of honey. Annual Membership Dues, Si.oo. Genera] Manager and Treasurer - N. B. France, Piatteville, Wis. tW If more conTCnient, Dues may be sent to the publishers of the American Bee Journal. Books for Bee-Keepers Have you a good bee-book? Many bee-keepers do not have. And that is where they make a big mistake. A bee- paper cannot take the place of a good bee-book. The paper is a splendid thing to read in connection with the book. On another page we make some generous clubbing offers of bee-books with the American Bee Journal. Swarming Prevented Anew method, just publisliud. worthy of investigation by all progressive bee-lseep- ers. Advantages claimed for the plan of treatment. No clipping of queens' wings— no caging of queens— not even necessary to looli for queens: no pinching of queen-cells — no shooit swarming— no dividing— no extra expense connected with the plan— plan sim- ple and easy to carry out— satisfactory hon- ey crop— saves time and labor. Send to Dr. H. JONES, Pre.stou, »Iiim., for his booklet, describing his method of treatment. Price, 25 cts. Process protected by copyright. . „ ., , , l-lease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Untested Italian Queen-Bees Booking Orders for 1910 6 Queens for $4 ; 3 for $2.10 ; 1 for 75 cents For a number of yatn we have been oending out to bee-keep- ers exceptionally fine Untested Italian Queens, purely mated, and all right in every respect. Here is what a few of those who re- ceived our Queens have to say about them : What They Say of Our Qiueens George W. York & Co. :— The two queens received of you some time ago are flue. They are govd breeders, and the workers are showing up flne. I introduced them among black bees, and the bees are nearly yellow now« and are dding good work. A. W. SWAN. Nemaha, Co., Kan., July 15, 1905. George W. Yopk & Co.:— After importing queens for 15 years yon have sent me the be^t. She keeps 9X i^angstrotb frames fully occupied to date, and, altbuuKh 1 kept the hive well contracted, to force them to swarm, they have never built a queen-cell, and will put up lOO pounds of honev if the flow lasts this week. CHA8. MITCHELL. Ontario, Canada, July 22, 1905. •^♦* George W. Tofk & Co.:— Theqneenlbought of you bss proven agooO one, and bau Kiven nie some of my best colonies. N. P. OGLEsbv. Washingtqn Co., Va., July 22. 19u5. •^^^ George W.YoKK & Co.:— The queen I received of you a few days aeo came throueh O.K., and 1 want to say that she is a "seauty. I Immediately introduced her into a colony which had been queenJess for 2. . Full instructions for introducing are sent with each Queen, being printed on tbe underside of the address-card on the mailing-cage Yuu cannot do better than to get one or more of our fine Standard-Bred Quecnc, George W. York & Co., i« w superior st. Chicago, 111. Dittmer's Comb Foundation Is BEST, not because WE say so, but because in every case where it was tested side by side with other makes, THE BEES PREFER- RED IT; and the reason for this is, ITS ABSOLUTE PURITY, of which the BEES ARE THE BEST JUDGES, and which can be obtained only by the use of DITTMER'S PROCESS for CLEAN- ING AND PURIFYING WAX. Our entire Process is ORIGINAL AND INDEPENDENT, and its entire Success is demonstrated by its EXCLUSIVE USE by thousands of Bee-Keepers in every part of the country, in prefer- ence to any other MAKE OR PROCESS. We make a Specialty of Working your Wax for Cash. Write us for Prices and Samples, which must be seen to be ap- preciated. We carry a full line of Bee-Supplies, Wholesale and Retail, and will be pleased to mail you our Catalog and Prices. Address, GUS DITTMER COMPANY, AUGUSTA, WIS. November, 1909. American "Bee Jonrnal| ROOT'S GOODS Are money-savers. We have a full line of Supplies, Bees, Queens, etc., and can supply you with anything in the BEE-LINE Queens any quantity. Untested, 7Sc each. Tested, $1.00; 4Atf Rea Bee & Honey Go.^ Reynoldsville, Pa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Closing Out Offer We Have Some Copies Left of the Book "Bees and Honey" By Thomas C. Newman bound in cloth, that we oiifer cheap to close out. It contains 160 pages, and is bound in cloth. It used to be a one- dollar book, but we will mail them, so long as they last, at .50 cents each; or with the .•\merican Bee Journal one year^both for only $1.00. Surely this is a bargain. The book is well illustrated, and has some good infor- mation in it, especially for beginners. Address all orders to George W. York & Co., 146 W. Superior St., Chicago, III. C Oj»ljk 4" Acres of Land and 150 Col - rnr dfllR '^"i^^ of Bees. Die land is ■ VI wMiw ^11 cleared and there is a 4- rooni house on it. The bees are mostly Ital- ians, in »-frame dovetailed hives, all painted, with wired Hoffman frames. There arc also 40 empty Hives of the same description with all fixtures, and a quantity of Sections. This is in one of the best bee-ranires that can be found. Added to the early flow of maples, willows and dandelion^s. are sumac, white clover, and some basswood. followed by buckwheat and several hundred acres of goldenrod and asters, with manv other wild flowers. A BARGAIN, but will be sold soon. Address. E. H. JACKSON. iiAtf FennvlMe, Mich. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Bee-Keepers' Supplies. Sold at reduced prices. Dovetailed Hives. Sections, and everything iiertainini; to bee- keeping of the very best kept in stock. Large Warehouse on of I,. S. & M S. R. R. Wholesale and Retail. New price-list just oiii Free. !.'( me hgure on your wants. iiAtf W. D. Soper, Jackson, Mich. Please mention Am. Bee Journal wh^n wrttinK. Carniolan Queens By sending to several different (Jueen- Rearers in Austria for the last few years, we have succeeded in getting a desirable strain of Carniolan bees. To any of the bee-keep- ers wishing to try a pure Carniolan queen, it will be sent by return mail. One tested for $1,00: 6, $5.00; 12. $0.00. One untested. 75C-. 6. $i.2i, 12. 5«.oo. Address. 8,-\tf Wm. Kernan, R. R. No. 2, Dushore, Pa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Fur ^al* '^"« lbs. Hulled Yellow Sweet rwi Adie fjiovcr Seed. Small lots. 15 cts. in rill., ii«-ll),, n cents, I'ostage extra, K. L, SNoiJf;KASs. Rt, 4, Augusta, Kan. Plea»e mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. r. BEE-MAN : We bandle tbe well-known Lewis Beeware At the Wisconsin FACTORY PRICES, such as Dovetailed Wisconsin Hives, Sections, and Everything Needed by Bee-Keepers. We also have in stock a good supply of Dadant Comb Foundation and Bingham Bee-Smokers. Illustrated Catalos 1-REK. THE C. M. SCOTT CO. 1009 E. Washington St. INDIANAPOLIS, IND. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Something New i1910! Roumanians For the new year: a new race of bees. I am wintering Queens received from northern Roumania, and offer daughters bred from them early next season; price. $1 each. Roumanians are good bees. After over a third of a century's experience in handling foreign races I can tell this much without having tested them through a honey season. I shall be glad to have some of my friends give them a fair test bv the side of other races and then give an nriinion as to their rank. In aiipearance I could not have told tlie Roumanians I have seen fiom li.niat bees. FRANK BENTON, P. O. Box 17, Washington, D. C. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Write Us for Prices We will make you ilelivcred prices by return mail, on anything you may want for your apiary. We Manufacture Dovetailed Hives, Hoffman Frames, Sections, Separators, .Shiiiping- Cases, etc. Also Berry Boxes and Crates. There are no better HIVES than ours. Prices the lowest. Satisfaction guaranteed, or money refunded. Minnesota Bee-Supply Co. Nicollet Island MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. American Vee Journal November, 1909. SPECIAL CLUBBING M PREMIUM OFFERS In Connection With Tlie AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL a Sample copies free to help you interest your friends and get subscriptions. If you will send us names of your neighbors or friends we will mail them sample copies free. After they have received their copies, with a little talk, you can get some to sub- scribe and so either tret your own subscription free or receive some of the useful premiums below. They're worth getting. We give you a year's subscription free for sending US two new subscriptions at 75 cents each. BEE-KEEPERS' NOVELTY POGKET>KNIFE Tour name and address put on one side uf the handle as shown in cut, and on the other side pictures of a queen-bee, a worker, and a drone. The handle is celluloid and transparent, through which is seen your name. If you lose this knife it can be re- turned tn you, or serves to identify you if yuu happen to be injured fatal- ly, or are uncon- scious. Cutis exact size. Be sure to write exact name and address. Knife delivered in two weeks. Price of knife alone, postpaid, $1.25, With year's subscrip- t i o n , $1.75. Free for 4 new 75c sub- scriptions. 'il BEE-KEEPERS' GOLD-NIB FOUNTAIN PEN A really good pen. As far as true use- fulness goes is equal to any any of the higher- priced, much -adver- tised pens. If you pay more It's name y':)U're charu-ed for. The Gold Kib is guar- anteed 14 Karat gitid, Iridium point- ed. The holder is hard rubber, hand- somely finished. The cover tits snugly, and can't slip off because it slightly we^' O **.■' ™" BEE m HOKEY And CnilK THIS LONELY HEART? Foft I WOULD HUO TOU «LL THE TIOEj And WE WOULD NfVEft PART -^=^^23 Mui/U il a MQ* ■ ^e A "Teddy Bear" on good terms with everybody, including the beesswarmmg out of the old-fashioned "skep." Size 3^x5!4, printed in four colors. Blank space i!4x3 inches for writing. Prices - 3 postpaid, 10 cents: 10 for 25 cents. Ten with a year's subscription. 90 cents. Six given free for one new 75c subscription. BCMKS FOR BEE-KEEPEI 3 Forty Years Among the Bees, by Dr. O. C. Miller.— 3;i4 pages, bound in handsome cloth, with giilil letters and design, iliustraicd with ir_' beautiful half-tone pictures, taken by Dr. Miller. Ic is a good, new stcry of successful bee-keeping by one ol the masters, and shows in minutest detail just h<)w Dr. Miller does things with bees. Price alone, $1.00. With a year's subscription, $1.50. Given free for new subscriptions at 75 cents each. Advanced Bee-Culture, by W. Z. Hutch- inson.—The author is a practical and helpful writer. 331) pages; bound in cloth, hnautifuUy illustrated. Price alone, $I.'JO. With a year's subscription, $1.70, Given free for 4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. ABC&XYZof Bee Culture, by A. I. & E. R. Root.— Over 500 pages describing everything pertaining to the care of honey- bees. 400 enj-'ravinus. Bound in cloth, price alone, $1.50. With a year's subscription, $2.00. (jiiveu free for 6 new subscriptions at 75 cents eaeh. Scientific Queen-Rearing, aa Practically Applied, by G. M. Dooliitle.— How the very best queens are reared. Bound in clotn and illustrated. Price alone, |;i.uo. With a yearM subscription, *1, 40. iis. Bound in cloth. Price alone, tl.2ii. With a year's sul)script inn, $1.70. Given ree for4 new subscriptions at 75 cents each, Langstroth on the Honey-Bee, revised by Dadant.— This classic has been entirely rewritten. Fully illustrated. No apiarian library is coniplete wjthout this standard work by 'The Father ni American Bee-Cul- ture." 5JI) paK'es, bound in cloth. Price alone, $l.'-'0. With a year's subscription, $1.70. Given free for 4 new subscriptions at 73 cents each. **The Honey-Money Stones."— A 64- page booklet (.-Miitaining many short, bright stories interspersed with facts and interest- ing items al>MUt honey. The manufactured comb-honev misrepresentation is contradict- ed in two item-*, t-ach ^x-ciipyinLr a full page. Has 33 tine illustrations ot apiaries or apiarian scenes. It also cantains 3 V)ee-.songs. This booklet should be placed in the hands of everyl)ody not familiar with the food- value of honey, for its main otiject is to interest peo- ple i.i honev as a daily table article. Price 25 cents. Witn a year's subscription, 90 cents. Given free for one new snljscription at 75c. Three copies for 5u cents* w the 3 with a Tear's subscription, $l.ou; .-r the 3 copies "eiven free fur 2 new subscriptions at To cents each. Amerikanisehe Bienenzucht, by Hana Buschhauer, is a bee-keepers' handbook of 13>i p;iges, which is just what our German friends will want. It is fully illustrated and neatly bound in cloth. Price alone, $1.00, With a Year's subscription, $1.50. Given free for 3 new subscriptions at 75 cents each, THE EHUERSON BINDER A stiff board outside like a book-cover with cloth back. Will hold easily i vo'umes (36 numbers) of the American Bee Journal. Makes reference easy, presetTescopit'S from loss, dust and mutilation. Price postpaid, 75 cents. With a year 's subscription, $1.25. Given free for 3 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. WOOD BINDER Holds 3 volumes. Has wood back but no covers. Price, postpaid, 20 cents. With a year's subscrii'tion so cents. Given free for one new subscription at 75 cents. BEE-HIVE CLOCK A few c" i,!iese ha[jdsomi' '■ hronze-metal '* clocks left. Basi'Ul'-j inches wide by 9:'4 inches high. Pesiirn is a straw skep with clock faco in middle. Keeps excellent time, durable and reliable. Weight. boxed, 4 pound.s. You pay express charges. Price $l.r.o. With a year's subscriptittn, $2.00. fiiven free for 6 new subscriptions at 75 cents each. SEND ALL ORDEHS TO THE AMERICAN BEE JOVUNAL. Chicago, III. (Entered as second-class matter Jaly 30, 1907. at the Post-Offlce at Chicago, III., under Act of March 3, 1879.) Published Monthly at 75 cents a Year, by George W. York & Company, 146 West Superior Street, GEORGE W, YORK. Editor. DR. C. C. MILLER. Associate Editor CHICAGO. ILL.. NOVEMBER. 1909 VoLXLIX— No. II jiKiforial ^ofes and CommeTifs The Price of Honey Further reports confirm the view that in many places there is a shortage of the crop, and where is no more than can be consumed in the home market the bee-keeper has the matter of prices to an extent in his own hands. The slipshod bee-keeper may put what little he has on the market at a price below what is reasonable, but that cannot last long. The up-to-date bee-keeper can bide his time, holding his honey for what he thinks is a reasonable price. Just at this point — deciding what is a reasonable price — there is one mis- take that even well-informed bee-keep- ers are apt to make. In a good season, when there is enough honey produced in the vicinity to supply the local mar- ket and a little more, Mr. Bee-Keeper decides between sending to a commis- sion merchant and selling in his own market, and concludes that after taking into consideration freight, commission, risk of loss in transportation, etc., he prefers to sell comb honey in his home market for 2% cents a pound less than the price quoted by the commission man — a fair way to do, providing he has made the proper estimate. Then comes a poor season; all the home product, and more too, is needed to supply the home market. Mr. B. follows the saftie rule ; looks at the commission quotations, and fixes his price at so much below. He reasons just as he did before, that it is all the same to him whether he sends what little he has to the commission man, or sells it at home for lyi cents less. Well, if it is all the same, suppose he sends away. The grocer will, in that case, send to the commission man, and the cost to the grocer will be the quo- tation of the commission man plus the freight. Even if he sends none away, the grocer will buy from the commis- sion man afterthe home product is dis- posed of. Now is there any sort of reason why the grocer should not pay the bee-keeper at least as much as he pays the commission man, to say noth- ing of the freight? A case may easily happen where an injustice to others may happen by fol- lowing the same rule in a year of fail- ure as in a flush year. Mr. B. is the only one who has any surplus in the place, and sells it to a grocer, Mr. C, at the usual 'Z'/i cents below the com- mission price. The other grocers, who have to send oflf for their honey, must meet the price set by Mr. C, or else wait till he is sold out. Mr. B. gains nothing by it; he loses. He should learn tliat in short seasons, when there is no more honey produced locally than will be consumed in the home market, his price should be at least as much as the price quoted by the com- mission man. Top Hive-Protection for Winter To insist that for winter protection it is of greater importance to cover the top than the sides of the hive is noth- ing new. So far, however, there has been nothing said to lead one to be- lieve that with a given amount of top protection there would not be an ad- vantage in having along with it the most protection possible for the sides. Now comes Jay Smith, in Gleanings, and argues that it is important that the sides be colder than the top. His rea- soning seems good. If the sides be colder the moisture will condense there and run down without disturbing the bees. Otherwise it will condense overhead and drop upon them. He uses top cushions of ground cork, sewed through and tied like a com- forter; paints the inside of a telescope cover, drops in the cushion on the wet paint and lets it dry there, so as to be a permanent part of the cover. Texas Enterprise in Fair Exhibits Tlie plan of having as a permanent outfit for the Texas State Fair observa- tory hives and attractive containers for honey is something that deserves com- mendation and imitation. Many a would-be exhibitor is deterred from exhibiting by the unusual trouble and expense of getting up these things. If they are provided he can send his stuff almost any old way, just so that it will arrive in good condition at the fair grounds. Bees Killed Near Smelting Works In the British Bee Journal an ac- count is given of great fatality among bees near copper-smelting works. The smelters started in November. The bees in that vicinity wintered well, but began dying in March, and toward the end of May every colony within 1.5 kilometers of the works was extermi- nated. It seems almost incredible that the effect of the fumes should carry so far — more than 9 miles. The British Bee Journal raises the question whether similar cases have been known. K few years ago heavy losses from smelters were sustained by Utah bee-keepers, if indeed any colonies in their vicinity finally survived. SjTwp for Feeding Bees In the German Praktischer Weg- weiser it is advised to make syrup of equal parts of sugar and water, adding an ounce of citric acid (likely tartaric would serve the same purpose) to each 30 pounds of sugar. This is to be boiled slowly for a quarter of an hour. Some have said that sugar has already been thorougly cooked, and that the syrup will be all the same whether boiled a long time or the sugar merely stirred into cold water. In this case, however, the presence of the acid is supposed to produce inversion of the cane-sugar, and although there may American ^gg Joarnal| November, 1909. not be entire inversion, the inversion of even part is an important matter. Latterly it is a common thing to use eqnal parts of sugar and water, the idea being that during the evaporati6n of so much water the bees have a chance to invert the sugar. If the acid pro- duces the inversion, it seems hardly necessary to submit the bees to so much extra labor. Indeed, there seems some indication that there is to be a swing of the pendulum in the opposite direction, and that there will be a re- turn to the old plan of having thicker syrup. Editor Root, who has been an advocate of the half-and-half syrup, at least when fed early enough, now thinks that giving such thin syrup has a wearing effect on the bees, and pre- fers a proportion of 2 pounds of sugar to 1 of water; or, what is about the same thing, 2 pints of sugar to 1 pint of water. The writer has fed hundreds of pounds of syrup with excellent results, the syrup being prepared as follows: Into boiling water on the stove sugar was stirred in the proportion of 5 pounds of sugar to a quart of water. When it was thoroughly dissolved it was taken from the stove, and at the same time an even teaspoonful of tar- taric acid, previously dissolved in water, was added for each 25 pounds of sugar. Quite likely the result might be still better to have the acid added to the water before adding the sugar, thus giving a better chance for inver- sion. Energy of Swarms The generally accepted view that a newly hived swarm displays an energy that can be secured in no other way is getting some raps nowadays. R. F. Holtermann says this in Gleanings : " A swarm does not have to look after brood, the fruit of 3 weeks' la.ving in the liive. and almost all the bees in the swarm can go to the field; but in 3 weeks' time, and if a virgin queen has issued with the swarm in Derhaps 5 weeks' time, tliere are far less bees in the colony; and if at that time a honey-flow is available the bee-keeper who has kept his bees content without swarming will gather with his one colony more than the one who allowed the colony to fall to pieces." Nosema Api.s — A New Bee-Foe This is the name given to a new foe to bees discovered by Dr. Enoch Zan- der, as reported in Praktischer Weg- weiser. Instead of being plantlike, as the bacilli of foul brood, this tiny mis- creant belongs to the animal kingdom, and is a one-celled affair. It differs also from the foul-brood microbe in the fact that it attacks the mature bee, and not the larvae. Nor does it respect royalty, for the queen may be affected as well as one of her workers, although as yet no drone has been affected. Let a spore find its way into the mid- dle intestine of a bee, and a longish parasite emerges from it, which eats its way into the wall of the intestine, in- creasing rapidly in size, and in the course of 4 days spores are produced. These spores are egg-shaped 1-5000 of an inch in length and 1-12500 of an inch in thickness. A bee once attacked is doomed. The wall of the intestine be- comes so crowded with these spores that its own proper texture seems to disappear, and it seems composed en- tirely of a mass of the spores. This causes such a change in appearance that the disease can be readily diag- nosed, even without the aid of a micro- scope. The wall of the healthy intes- tine is somewhat transparent, and of a reddish color. In the diseased condi- tion it becomes opaque and milk-white in color. Dr. Zander counts the Nosema dis- ease more deadly than foul brood. Yet a colony mildly affected may recover of its own account. It appears in spring as a sort of diarrhea, and may appear again in May, and sometimes in June. But in the advanced stages the dejections of the diseased bee may be solid. No sort of treatment can benefit a diseased bee, but attention must be given to prevent further spread, espe- cially in other colonies. The chief means by which the disease is spread is by means of the soiled combs. A soiled comb given to a healthy colony carries with it the disease, as also do robber-bees, and the discharges of the diseased bees being scattered all about, the drinking water of the bees may be contaminated and the disease thus conveyed. In a severe case it is recommended to melt up the combs, throwing the bees on foundation in a clean hive, the old hive before being used again to be thoroughly cleansed with hot soda- water. Yet there is some intimation that this may be done in a gradual manner, the brood being left to hatch out. Sweet Clover as a Fertilizer Prof. Thorne, of the Ohio Experi- ment Station, excellent agricultural authority, is quoted in Gleanings as saying, " There is no clover known of so much value in bringing up poor soils and preparing them for alfalfa and other clovers as sweet clover." Add to this the fact that sweet clover is a most excellent honey-plant, and it is made something pretty choice for bee- keepers to encourage. Helping- Bee-Patsturage As a rule it does not pay to provide pasturage for bees. The bee-keeper goes where pasturage is already pro- vided, and it is generally conceded that there is no paying crop that can be planted for bees alone. The crop must have some value aside from the nectar it furnishes. Yet there are at least two ways by which the bee-keeper — or at least some bee-keepers — may do some- thing to increase their pasturage. There are places where the linden, or basswood, is very scarce, perhaps entirely absent, and yet soil and climate are entirely adapted to its growth. It needs but the planting. In such a place an acre rjf ground covered with basswoods, perhaps 100 trees, would be quite an item, and a larger number would be better. But will it pay to buy an acre of ground for this purpose alone? Probably not. But if the bee- keeper can furnish the young trees and get some one else to furnish the ground for them, plant them, and take all the care of them, it would pay, and pay big. And that is exactly what may be done in not a few cases. Sav the bee- keeper lives not more than a mile or two from some town where shade-trees are being planted on the streets. Even in some old towns quite a few trees are planted from time to time. Those who plant the trees may have a choice as to kinds, but are guided no little by the matter of convenience and cost. The basswood is undoubtedly a good shade-trees, and if the planter can get it without cost, he is likely to prefer it to any and all others. Perhaps a local nurseryiTian furnishes the shade-trees. It ought not to be a difficult thing for the bee-keeper to make an arrangement with him, by which the bee-keeper would pay a fair price for the young trees, to be furnished free to the planters. In some places alsike clover suc- ceeds well, but is little sown because little known. The bee-keeper, either personally or through the local seed merchants, can make it an inducement for the farmer to sow alsike by offer- ing to furnish the seed at a bargain, frankly saying what his object is in so doing. The A. I. Root Co. have been acting on this plan, and say this in Gleanings : "The farmers have been putting this in. to a considerable extent, in the vicinity of all our yards. 'The last few years red clover failed to do w'ell. and the price for seed has been exorbitant; and when they could get alsike clover seed at half price, or furnished free if the field was near one of the apiaries, it is not at all strange that they should put in large acreages of it." Proportion of Egg.s and Brood It is a matter of interest to know what proportion of the cells of a brood- nest are at any given time occupied with eggs, with unsealed brood, and with sealed brood. .A.t a time when the laying of the queen is constant, that is, at any time when for a previous period of 21 days the queen has been laying the same number of eggs daily, the problem is not difficult. Figuring ac- cording to Cowan, 3 days for the egg, 5 for the larva, and 13 for the sealed state, 3-21, or 1-7, of the cells will con- tain eggs, while the unsealed larva will occupy 5-21, or a little less than '4 of the cells, and the sealed brood 13-21, or not quite 73. But the queen is not always constant in her laying — perhaps never for as much as 21 days in succession. Look into a hive early enough in a season, and it may be found that all the eggs and brood do not amount to more than a single frameful. Look again 21 days later, and 4 frames will be occupied. The queen has been increasing her output, laying daily 4 or 5 times as many eggs at the close of the 21 days as she did at the beginning. If the in- crease has been more rapid at the latter part, it is not impossible that half the cells may be occupied with eggs, the other half with sealed and unsealed brood. As the season for swarming ap- proaches, the laying of the queen slackens, and U to ;4 of the cells may be occupied with sealed brood, and not one cell in 20 occupied with eggs. AVood Splint.s for Foundation Some report failure with foundation splints; others are enthusiastic over November, 1909. American Hee Journal their success. E. M. Gibson, whose business is on such a scale that he runs three S-frame power extracting outfits, says in Gleanings, that with full sheets of foundation, " if splints are used in the way that Dr. Miller recommends, the combs will be almost perfect. I bless the Doctor every day as I look at those combs built clear down to the bottom-bar with no buckling or elon- gated cells — a result that is impossible for me to get by the use of wires." Where the splints work successfully, their advantage is to be seen at two parts of the comb — at the top. and at the^bottom. At the top all the cells will be perfect, whereas with horizontal wiring more or less of the cells will be more or less stretched — perhaps not enough to be readily recognized by the eye. but enough so that the queen will not occupy them. At the bottom — and originally this was the only object sought by the use of splints — the comb is built entirely down to bottom-bar. Some of the failures — probably the great majority — come from giving splinted foundation to the bees at a time when they are not building — in other words, when they are not gath- ering. At such times bees are not likely to use foundation in a kindly manner, and if splints are present the bees, not being crowded with other work, employ their leisure in gnawing at them, beginning at the lower part. Even in that case there will still be the benefit of perfect cells at the top. which is the more important consid- eration. Aiiierifan Bee Journal's oOth Year— 1910 Next year will be the American Bee Journal's 50th or Jubilee Year. We want to make it memorable by cele- brating this unusual anniversary in several ways. First, we want the contents of the American Bee Journal next year to be better than anything that has appeared before in its columns. Second, we want to increase its list of regular subscribers to lo.OOO. In this we shall hope to have the hearty co-operation of all of its present read- ers. As mentioned on another page, the subscription price after ne.xt Jan. 1st, will be $1.00 a year. Until then, 7.") cents. We oflfer many premiums to our present subscribers for the work of securing and sending in /lea- subscrip- tions. But if any do not care for the premiums oflfered, we will accept SO (fills (in stamps or otherwise) for each and every iie;f subscription sent us by a present regular subscriber before next Jan. 1st. This will give you 2."j cents for your trouble. Now it seems to us that ei'ery one of our present sub- scribers could get at least one new sub- scriber during the next 50 days. If that were done, we'd have several thou- sand over the 15,000 before Jan. 1st. Then we could go on to 20,000 by the end of rjlD. But let's get that 15,000 /'list. Who will help do this? Don't stop at just one new subscription, but send in all you can. But any one could order the American Bee Journal for a bee-keeping friend for 1910 as a Christ- mas present. Why not do that? It would be only 50 cents, as before stated. Third, we want to increase our adver- tising patronage for 1910. It ought to be two or three times what it is now. With the increased circulation it will not be a difficult matter to secure much more advertising of a general character. .\nd when that is had. i will help us to improve the contents again ; will enable us to give more pages each month ; in fact, will aid in doing a number of things that we have in mind for the great benefit of our readers. The foregoing is a part of our pro- gram during the coming year. Can we not have the earnest co-operation of n// OUT readers in this effort for mutual advancement and benefit? Hoiie.v-Dew Stores The editor of the Bee-Keepers' Re- view says this in his November num- ber: " Mr. D. K. L'liommedieu. of Iowa. asks why not feed about is poinids of sugar late in the fall, and leave tlic honey-dew riglit in the hive for rearintf bees next spring? Tins is certainly a good suggestion. If I had colo- nies of bees with much honey-dew in their combs. I would sooner try this ijlan tliau that of extracting and feeding at this lati- date." • . This is a valuable suggestion. In such a case, if the honey-dew is of the dangerous kind — and generally it is — it might be better to feed the syrup in December than to leave the bees to the tender mercies of honey-dew. Almost certainly the bees would consume first the syrup, and if later the honey-dew is used the result would be better than an earlier diet of that article. Pictures of Apiarists aiKl Apiaries EoiTOR Amkrkan Hf.k Journai.:— I am sure you are too modest and courteous to your subscribers to complain or ignore the egotistic wishes of some of them, therefore for the hcnt-Ht of a few of a different turn of mind (inchiding myself) I will say: 'I'licreare certain subscribers wlio think ^and they an- more often than f)therwise be- ginners) that simply because they take your valuable Journal, they have a right to place their faces and a few hives of bees before the gaze of the readers of the American Bee Journal every month. One says, "I am send- ing a picture of mvse/f and part of my apiary, which consists of 20 colonies." Another says, "lam sending a picture of »;f and my f) colonies." It seems to me that iiiyse/f and me in each case is the weightiest side of the business. Now, my dear brother apiarists, I mean no harm or ill-feeling toward anyone by these remarks. We are not all similarly consti- tuted, by any means, but I, for one, of your subscribers, feel that space in your valuable Journal is far too \'aluable and always con- tains too much good bee-talk to be taken up in this way. I will venture far enough beyond the pale of modesty to say, that others have said that I have one of the neatest, best kept, and most beautiful apiaries in Southern California, and I am quite sure there would be nothing that would tempt or induce me to offer the picture of my apiarj- {which con- sists of 164 colonies) and of myself, for publi- cation, unless the request were made of me to do so by some brother apiarist and a sub- scriber. C. L. Grigsev. EI Casco, Calif., Sept. 23. We believe that zee for some time published a request that our readers send us pictures of their apiaries for use in the American Bee Journal. Really, we don't see just why anj' one should object to such pictures being used in these columns. They certainly are appropriate to a bee-paper, and the small space they occupy — well, it isn't much. And they help to brighten the pa.ges. we think. We really hope that some one of our subscribers will write to Mr. Grigsby, asking to send to us a picture of his beautiful apiary. We'd like to see it. The Chicago daily newspaper that we take has two pages in each issue de- voted to sporting events. Now, we never look at that department at all, and yet we would never ask the pub- lishers to omit it. Why? Because the rest of the paper is worth the price, any way. But, after all, we are glad to receive criticisms that are meant to be helpful, though we may not always agree with them. ••■ Honey and Beeswax Imports The Year-Book of the Department of Agriculture for 1908. shows that during the year ending with June 30, 1908, there was brought into the United States, 211.992 gallons of honey (or at 12 pounds to the gallon, 2,543,904 pounds) ; and 071,526 pounds of bees- wax. It would seem from this that the home demand for both honey and beeswax is not as yet met by the home production. Ozokerite — Looks Like Beeswax Mr. C. P. Dadant recently sent us a clipping taken from "The Oregonian." which was forwarded to him by a friend in the West, telling something about ozokerite, which Mr. Dadant says " looks very much like beeswax, but is lighter and harder." The clipping gives the following information : That the product found in the sand at the mouth of the Nchalcm River, popularly be- lieved to be beeswax from a wrecked Span- ish galleon, is valuable substance known to chemistry as ozokerite, was the statement made yesterday by J. J. Walter, president of the Necarney City Hydrocarbon Oil Com- pany, a corporation organized to exploit the product, l-'or years visitors to that coast nave picked up the wax-like lumiis that have strewn the beach there. The general opin- ion has prevailed that it was beeswax brought from Manila for one of the Spanish settlements in California, and that the ship was wrecked there. Tlie discovery was made as early as iBij by the Indians who American Hee Journal brought specimens of the substance to the trading post founded by John Jacob Astor at the moutli of the Columbia. Prior to last April a company of wliicli Mr. Walter was a member was engaged in selling lots near where the discovery was made. At that time Kit Carson, the famous scout, now employed as an assayer by the Government, visited the place and announced that the supposed beeswax was none other than ozokerite, a product of hydrocarbon oil, found only in South America and in small quantities in Xorthern Europe. At Nehalem the oil comes from a great depth to the surface, and in passing through the sand the cruder elements are worked out. This is used mainly as a lubricant. It is also used in the preparation of certain drugs. The records used by the phono- graphs are made from the unrefined product. Machinery has been purchased by Mr. Wal- ter's company, and the work of developing the property is to be undertaken at once. Oiir Trip to the Northwest Last month we told of visiting the new plant now being completed by the G. B. Lewis Co., at Watertown, Wis. From there we went on to Minneapolis, and called on the Minnesota Bee-Sup- ply Co., of which P. J. Doll is the chief moving spirit. Their business was es- tablished about 13 years ago by Chas. Mondeng and Christ Miller, w'ho, after 1>2 years failed. Business was resumed by Chas. Mondeng until in January, 1901, when P. J. Doll bought in as one-half partner. They continued to do business for another l>i years, when Mr. Mondeng sold out to John Doll, the father. From that time on the business has been steadily increasing, being doubled nearly every year in sales. They have continuously added machines and floor space, and even this year their increase is larger than ever. In 1903 they occupied a space in a basement of 2500 square feet. They now occupy three floors, amounting to 15,000 square feet of floor space. Their warehouses at home and at Buffalo have a floor space of 3000 square feet, and the factory at Buffalo 6800 square feet. This makes a total floor space, not including their lumber sheds, of 24.800 square feet. At the Minneapolis factory are only manufactured goods made of pine lum- ber, such as hives, frames, etc. The capacity here is about 200 hives per day, besides, of course, manufacturing several other articles. All shipping is done from Minneapolis, as they find they can serve their customers a great deal better and quicker at Minneapolis than in a smaller town. Their factory at Buffalo really ought to be called a mill. This is where they saw veneer logs for whatever purpose intended. All sections, shipping-cases, pattern slats — in fact, everything made of basswood is sawed and manufac- tured there, and sent in a finished state to Minneapolis, ready to be re-shipped or re-packed with other goods. On ac- count of having their own veneer mill, they have been able to produce a supe- rior shipping-case. It was four years ago they first put out a veneer shipping- case, and since then it has grown in favor nearly all over the country. They also manufacture berry boxes and crates. These are sold only in the flat, and mostly to large buyers, such as will take car-load lots, because the freight on this class of stock makes too much difference in the price. They have about 4 acres of ground at Buf- falo, with a railroad spur running through the full length of it, enabling them to load cars at the factory door, or in the yard or warehouse, wherever the stock may be that they wish to load. Last season they had a great many more orders than they could fill. They are making preparations now so they can take care of their increasing busi- ness. Two years ago they incorporated un- der the law-s of Minnesota for a capital of $50,000, of which only $30,000 has been issued. Business at the present time is not very rushing, but the pros- pects are for a good year. The Dolls are an energetic firm, and mean to get their share of the bee-sup- ply trade. They certainly are hustlers for business, and know how to do things. Next we went to Augusta. Wis., where the Gus Dittmer Co. make such quantities of their well-known comb foundation. "Gus" is a genius. He Little Horace Dittmer. invented his own process and made all his equipment (except the usual roller machines) without ever having seen any one else make comb foundation. They had the greatest season's business in their history, having handled over 50,- 000 pounds of their foundation. Mr. Fred Dittmer, the oldest son of Gus Dittmer, is rapidly getting hold of the whole comb foundation business of the firm, so that his father can stay at home and play with Baby Horace, whom his grandpa' and all the rest of the family consider just about "the whole thing." And he is a dear little fellow, as will be seen by his picture herewith. Our ne.xt stop was at Marshfield, Wis., where we called on the Marshfield Mfg. Co. They, too, had the most rush- ing season in 1909 that they ever had, according to Mr. George Donhard, who has charge of the ofiice work, and who very cordially entertained us during the afternoon. We regretted not being able to see either Mr. Hafer or Mr. Kalsched, the members of the firm. Mr. Hafer is now residing in Milwau- kee, having retired from active busi- ness about two years ago. So Mr. Kalsched, who is a nephew of Mr. Hafer, manages the factory, and, with the assistance of Mr. Donhard, handles their large business. They have in- stalled several new machines and will be in a better position to take care of their increasing trade next season. They expected to start the factory with the full crew Oct. 18, manufacturing sections and hives to fill their ware- house, so as to be ready for whatever the demand is another season. Awards at the lUiuois State Fair The Illinois annual Fair was held Oct. 1 to 9, 1909. The premiums award- ed were as follows, Messrs. Becker and Coppin having the only two exhibits of comb honey : ist to Aaron Coppin and wife. Wenona, 111.. 2d to C. Becker. Pleasant Plains. III. Collection of white honey. I2 lbs.— ist to Coppin. 2d to Becker. Collection of amber honey or dark honey 12 lbs.— ist to Becker. 2d to Coppin. Case of white clover comb honej' — 1st to Coppin, 2d to Becker. Case of sweet clover comb honey — ist to Becker. 2d to Coppin. Case of basswood comb honey— ist to Cop- pin. 2d to Becker. 3d to Jas. A. Stone & Son, Springfield, III. Case of amber comb honey— ist to Becker. 2d to Coppin. Display of samples of extracted honey— ist to Becker. 2d to Stone, jd to Coppin. Display of extracted honey — ist to Geo. M. Rumler. Mohawk. Ind.. 2d to Becker. 3d to Stone. Honey extracting on the grounds— 1st to Coppin. 2d to Stone, 3d to Becker. Frame of comb honey for extracting— ist to Coppin. 2d to Becker, 3d to Stone. Candied honey— ist to Becker. 2d to Stone. 3d to Coppin. Display of beeswax— ist to Coppin. 2d to Becker, 3d to Stone. Dark Italian bees— ist to Louis Werner. Edwardsville. HI.; 2d to Becker; 3d to Cop- pin. Golden Italian bees— ist to Louis 'Werner, 2d to Becker. 3d to Coppin. Carniolan bees— 1st to Coppin, 2d to Beck- er, id to Werner. Honev-vinegar— M gallon and recipe for making— 1st to Becker, 2d to Coppin, .3d to .Stone. Designs in honey— ist to Coppin. 2d to Werner, 3d to Becker. Designs in beeswax— ist to Stone. 2d to Becker. 3d to Coppin. For manipulating a colony of bees m cage —1st to Werner. The National Election of Ottlcers The following notice was mailed to members of the National Bee-Keepers' Association by General Manager France, last month : Brother Bee-Keeper:— .August 12,1000. I sent each member of the .Association, Infor- mation Bulletin No. 12 and a nomination pos- tal card. Only J20 cards were returned to me to be counted Sept. 30. Several hundred members wrote me they were not posted and did not vote, or ask me whom to vote for. I cannot advise in this case. Result of nominations received, gave each of present officers a large majority of votes cast, as follows: President Geo. E. Hilton. Fremont. Mich.. Vice-President George W. York. Chicago. III.; Secretary E. .M. Hunt. Lansing. Mich.: General Manager X. E. France, Platteville. Wis.; Director C. A. Hatch. Richland Cen- ter. Wis.; Director F. Wilcox. Mauston. Wis.; and Director M. H. Mendleson. Ven- tura, Calif. At the annual convention. Sept. 22 and 23. 1000, at Sioux City, Iowa, after the President's Address, the following was unanimously adopted: " Whereas. The present method of nomi- nating officers for the annual election of the National Bee-Keepers' Association seems inadequate; be it " K'esohcii. That a committee of as many members as there are States represented at the National Convention be appointed to se- lect and report the names of two candidates November, 1909. American Hee Joarnal for each office in addition to tlie nominations obtained in the usual way." This Committee from 11 States reported nominations as follows; Kor President— George W. York. Chicaeo. 111., and Thomas Chantry, Price. Utah. For Vice-President— W. D. Wright. Alta- mont. N. Y.. and G. M. Bently. Knoxyille. Tenn. ¥oT Secretary— Morley Pettit. Jordan Sta- tion. Ont.. Can., and Louis H. SchoU. New Braunfels. Tex. General Manager and Treasurer— N. E. France. Platteville, Wis. For the 3 Directors— J. E. Crane. Middle- bury, Vt.: J, J. Wilder. Cordele. Ga.; R. A. Morgan. Vermillion. S. Dak.; Edwin G. Brown. Sergeant Bluff. Iowa; B. A. Hadsell, Buckeye. .Ariz.; and E. F. Atwater, Meri- dian. Idaho. From the above nominations for each office, please select your choice, and mail enclosed postal so as to reach Chairman R. L. Taylor before Nov. w. 1000. the day all the postal ballots will be counted. The -Annual Report is now in the printers' hands, and will be out soon. Very truly yours, N. E. France. There are, of course, many of our subscribers who are not members of the National, and thus cannot vote. If so, why not send the dollar dues at once to the General Manager, N. E. France, Platteville, Wis., with your selections from the above nominations for officers? We feel that every live bee-keeper in America should be a member of the National Bee-Keepers' Association. It is the largest and best organization of bee-keepers on this continent, and so deserves the support of all beedom. No. 2 is a view of his " Hot Springs Apiary," near San Juan Capastrano. No. 3 is Mr. Joplin himself with a swarm of bees in his hand. again at fairs in competition with separa- tored honey. I used 7-to-the-foot sections, also those only 1% inches in width, and I think the latter are narrow enough. There are some additional advantages in the use ^^^B^^^^KI^K^^BsSt *ff Vtt^*^- - '^JHH^^Wi HHbv' ■tuMtj^ '^^?BBB ^^^'^^" "^^^Iffl -^ti^.^i^l^J m^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^m -C*-' 'ijkM/K^ m „ j^jM[ ^^^^Ihpv HH Api.\rv of George Hodces. of Belmont, N. V.— Past 81 years of age. The honey season was very good in this locality this year. I get lots of useful information from the American Bee Journal. El Toro, Calif. T. O. Sharp. Lo.ss of Honey from Smoke? Reidenbach, in a lecture, is reported to have said (Prakt. Weg.) that accord- ing to observations of .Americans there had been a loss of 2-5 percent of the honey from using too much smoke. That statement is a little vague. Does it mean a fourth of the season's crop, or a fourth of the intake of a day or an hour.' In any case, what .-Vmericans have given any definite data on the subject? Don't all speak at once. Comb Honey Without Separators W. K. Morrison says, in the Bee- Keepers' Review, this can be made an entire success. Many of the veterans will shake their heads and say they ktio-.c better. But before judging too hastily it may be well to consider the conditions necessary for success. The most important item is the width, or rather, the narrowness of the sections. Mr. Morrison says they must be only 1 '4 inches, making the comb 1 inch thick. These, with full sheets of foun- dation well fastened, and hives perfectly I.— Fox Apiary. .AlTAKIES ()[•■ AnOKKW JoPMN. 2.— Hot Springs Apiary. 3.— Mr. J. with .Swarm. Apiaries of Andrew .Toplin I send herewith some views of Mr. Andrew Joplin's apiaries. No. 1 is a view of his " Fox Apiary," near El Toro, with himself leaning on a hive. level in all directions, are the principal requirements. Editor Hutchinson adds : I have produced thousands of pounds of comb honey without separators, and this honey has been sold at the highest market I)rice. and secured first prizes time and of these narrow sections. The honey is ripened and sealed over more quickly, al- lowing the super to come off sooner and be replaced with another; and retail dealers prefer these thinner combs. ee-Keepiif Conducted by EMMA M. WILSON, Marengo. III. Various Uses of Honey An able article on the " Uses of Honey," by D. M. Macdonald, the well known Scotch writer, appears in the Irish Bee Journal. One paragraph reads : Used instead of salt, it prcsct-ucs meat. I should like that some readers would test this and inform us of results, I am not cer- tain how it should be apiilied. or how much should be used, but I have read somewhere that the results are good. It can also be tried as a substitute for lurinn biiller. It does its duty well, and keeps the butter fresh and sweet for a long time, if it is cleanly handled and carefully sealed up until it is required for use. That is tantalizingly vague. In this country the cheaper grades of honey are used (are they not?) in the prep- aration of sugar-cured hams — hardly, however, as a substitute for salt, but in connection with it. Does Mr. Mac- donald mean that honey is also used to keep meat in its fresh state, without being salted? The same question might be asked about the use of honey in butter. In this locality honey has been used to some extent mixed with butter, all the way from an ounce of honey to a pound of butter up to equal parts of honey and butter. It is not difficult to mix the two by warming them a little. Most people would probably accept butter with an ounce of honey to the pound as an unusually good article of butter, while many would think the half-and-half article a very convenient "spread." Another paragraph reads: To sweeten tea and coffee, honey is better than sugar, and many who cannot use the latter might well use honey in its place, as it has no til effect on the digestive organs. .Vlany honey cookies, biscuits, jumbles. cakes and drops can be made delightful in taste, and several books supply various recipes for their making. Very good, so far as it goes ; but why, oh why does Mr. Macdonald omit to mention the very important fact that honey makes a very great difference in the keeping qualities of any article of cookery when used in place of sugar? Use sugar in making a batch of cook- ies, and they are at their best when fresh baked. When a week old they will hardly do to place before company, and if kept much beyond that time they are likely to find their way into the chicken-feed. On the other hand, a honey cooky is just as good when 3 weeks old as it is the day after it is baked, perhaps better; and just how many weeks or months it would keep good has never been discovered here — there is too good a market for honey- cookies. One important advantage of this — to say nothing of the fact that most people count a honey-cooky more toothsome than a sugar-cooky — is that a large batch of honey-cookies can be made at a time, while it is not wise to make at one time more sugar-cookies than will be used up in a very few days. Mr. Macdonald has much to answer for that he made no mention of this important matter. It is to be hoped that he will make proper apologies to the bee-keeping sisters of Scotland and Ireland. The Fig-Wasp Like the Honey-Bee The fidlowing clipping was sent by that bright sister of the bee-keeping family, Mrs. Mary E. Null. While not November, 1909. American IRee Journal j directly connected with bee-keeping, it strikingly illustrates the fact that suc- cess in the growth of an important crop may depend greatly upon the work of tiny members of the insect world. However important the work of this wasp may be, it is nothing com- pared with what the honey-bee is quietly doing year after year, in most cases getting no credit whatever for its indispensable aid in securing crops that mount up into the millions. If all the bees in the country were suddenly wiped out, the Department of Agricul- ture would no doubt promptly get busy scouring the world to get bees to stock the country, not so much for their honey as for their still greater value in fertilizing the flowers. Here is the clipping referred to : Has Solved the Fig Problem. The United States Department of Agricul- ture has solved the question of growing the Smyrna fig in Fresno Co.. Calif., in the heart of the San Joaauin valley, one of the biggest and most prosperous irrigation districts of California. This was accomplished by im- porting a pecular kind of wasp, which fruc- tifies the figs from Smyrna. George C. Roeding, one of the early set- tlers of the San Joaquin valley, began ex- perimenting with the Asiatic fig some time ago. but the fruit failed to mature. After much study it was found that the insects were a necessary factor. The Government sent an expert to Asia who brought back a number of little caprifigs containing the in- sects. The bugs were placed on the caprifig trees in the Roeding orchard, and carefully protected during the winter. With the coming of spring many colonies of the wasps appeared, and the crop of Smyrna figs has since been a big success. A Sister's Report and Her Stung Dog Dear Miss Wilson: — With 5 colo- nies I got in all about 140 pounds of extracted honey, and 25 pounds of comb honey. The wet, cold spring was very hard on the bees. The long drouth last year seemed to kill many of the roots, and from what roots were left the cold weather last spring made a yield almost impossible. Then as soon as the white clover was gone the weather turned hot almost immediately and spoiled the sweet clover around here. My first honey is basswood and honey locust. The last I am not sure about. It seems to be several kinds, but fair honey at that. I have been feeding my bees this fall. I have fed them 21 pounds each of syrup that is half buckwheat honey. I had several gallons of buckwheat honey last fall and we did not care for it. But I find it just the thing to feed with. The weather has turned so suddenly cold and wet this week. Only for that I should have had the cushions on by now. But I will have to put them on very soon. Did any one ever raise a puppy and keep bees at the saiue time? Well, I had another experience since the bees stung me and my eye was swollen shut. We got a 4-weeks-old fo.x -terrier pup about July 10. " Bob " was possessed to see what we kept in those " little koops." He tried to catch the bees, and being fearful of having him badly stung, we had to watch him pretty closely. About Aug. 20. I was working with the bees one morning and sent him to the house. After I got through ,' Mr. Bob " goes out to tend the bees all unbeknown to us. We missed him and looked to find him, but no Bob was to be seen. Just then the door-bell rang, and I went to answer the bell, and some boys had come to ask if I knew my dog was dead. There lay Bob apparently dead. His head and body were swollen to twice the size. I put my hand on him and spoke to him, but he never moved a muscle. Then I turned him over and I could see he was terribly sick. I picked him up and carried him into the house. I found a stinger on his very eye-lid. I took it out and looked to see if there were any more, but could not find any. We came to the conclusion that he swallowed a bee and it stung him in his stomach. He was pretty quiet that day, but he was all right in a few days. But it cured Bob of bee-keeping. Elsie A. Cutter. Grand Rapids, Mich., Oct. 16. camel's-hair paint-brush, moistened be- tween the lips, with which it is easy to re- move from the bee's legs, as she runs up the alighting-board, any "load" of pollen one may wish to examine. The lumps of pollen so obtained are then placed on a clean glass slip, care being taken to keep them separate, and also to wipe the brush carefully on a clean cloth after each capture; so that each " load " of pollen remains as it was collected by the bee; and, if it be found to contain two or more kinds of pollen, we may infer that the bee has visited two or more kinds of flower during that journey. I have so far collected samples of pollen in this way on some 70 days; and on 18 of these have come across at least one mixed "load" of pollen. That is. on rather more than one day out of four, mixtures have been observed. Of course the percentage of mixed to pure " loads " of pollen brought in by the bees is very much smaller than this. Bees and Pollen Painstaking observers are not lack- ing among the bee-keeping sisters of England. In the British Bee Journal Annie D. Belts says: During the last two summers I have made a practice of going down to the hives and collecting samples of pollen from the pollen- baskets of home-coming bees. I use a small Some cases of working on different kinds of flowers on the same trip have been reported heretofore (in this locality bees have been seen going from one kind to another), but gen- erally it has been supposed that this was in a time of scarcity. Our British sister, however, reports that she has found in the same load pollen from are not lack- heather and from dwarf gorse, both kinds being plentiful at the time. All of this, however, must still be considered exceptional, the rule being that the bee works on only one kind of flower upon the same journey, and likely the same rule holds good for the day and for successive days. mS •uthern Conducted by LOUIS H. SCHOLL, New Braunfels. Tex. Production oi Chunk or Canned Comb Honey Comb honey cut out of the frames in which it is produced and known as " chunk " or " bulk comb " honey, is not a new thing. The world at large has no idea of the large quantities of this kind of honey that has been pro- duced in the great State of Texas alone, amounting to millions upon mil- lions of pounds since it was first in- troduced to replace comb honey in sections. And this latter it has not only done almost entirely, but more than that, it has increased the demand for honey to a greater extent than could ever have been accomplished with section comb honey in three times the length of time. Bulk coiub honey became popular from the very start, and the demand for it has been on a steady increase. Bulk comb honey has found its way into more homes than section honey would ever have done, which was inducive toward spreading the good news about the value and the healthfulness of honey as a food. Buik comb honey has found a place on tables where section honey would never have gone, especially 'On the tables in the homes of the less well to do classes of people. In this it has not only been an encouragement to the producer but a blessing to those who could have comb honey on their tables but could not afford section honey. Right here will be a loop-hole for the opponets, who object to this pro- duct, to make their arguments, as we have often heard them say, " Let the poor people use extracted honey if they cannot pay for section honey." Since I can speak from experience, and am one of those who likes to enjoy such " luxuries " as comb honey occasionally, I wish to put my foot down flat on any such arguments at the very start. If I like comb honey I do not want to be forced to eat extracted honey just be- cause I cannot afford the comb honey. Perhaps I do not care for extracted honey at all, but the price of section honey is entirely out of .my reach on account of the price. Perhaps I have been brought up on an occasional " feed of honey as it came from the box- hive or the bee-tree " even, after which a taste for that "rich " comb honey of by-gone days has left a taste for "just one bit of such honey as we used to have;" which was not so very different from the fine, " rich," bulk comb honey of today. Would section honey ever take the place of this? Or would the November, 1909. American Vae Journal arrangement of extracted honey ap- peal to me? No! Neither of these is what is wanted. What's the result? The increase in the demand for honey is slow, the price is dull, and the bee- keeper generally feels dull about it. Put bulk comb honey in the place of the above, and you till the bill. Now there are just thousands of those " bills " to fill. That's what we have been doing here in Te.xas. It can be done in other States. Neither will it only help to increase the demand for more honey, but it will make bee-keep- ing more profitable. My own experi- ence of nearly 20 years has proven that beyond a doubt ; it has been profitable to me, and n'hy should it not be so with you? That is the question. Bee-Stings for Rheumatism Since writing my article on the above subject, on page 236, the follow- ing letters have been received. I gladly place them before the readers for sev- eral reasons. The first is, because they may help to draw out further informa- tion on this subject, from the bee- keepers, as to whether bee-stings are or are not a "cure" for rheumatism; and, second, such information may be of enough value to settle this widely spread question, "bee-stings for rheu- matism." Bee-Stings for Rheumatism. Of all the words in the English language which have been butchered to make the Romans howl a day. " cure ' is the worst. The newly fledged doctor, the patent medi- cine fakir, the faith-curist, all "cure," by claim, when the old. experienced medical man smiles sadly, knowing that there are but four diseases for which we have remedies which come anywhere near meeting the demands of the word " cure," to make well; to banish disease. Had our big Tehana brother. Scholl, prac- ticed medicine for a matter of 30 years, as has the writer, he would hestitate to claim a cure for any kind of human ill. big or little. and pause at rheumatism longer than any of the rest. Bee-stings never "cured" rheumatism. Mr. Scholl. I know this is an impolite view of your positive statement that " a cure was made in every case." I, and others, have failed utterly to relieve the symptoms of uric acid poisoning by the aid of bee-stings, consequently you saw cases that had had other treatment before the patient was stung. This is a guess, based on the knowl- edge that a rheumatic patient will begin at once taking anything and everything recom- mended from doctor's stuff to bee-stings, and while I shall not deny that the symp- toms alluded to abated at once after the bee did her work, it is no proof that the sting caused the relief. Neither does your own experience apply. for rheumatism is more often than not a self-limited disease; it will "get well "with astonishing frequency witliout treatment. Perhaps you had a cold spell just before going to work witli the bees, and felt the trouble, and getting out-of-doors in the sun- shine caused the system to throw off the uric acid so that you " got well. ' Were this bee-sting cure a new theory I should not wonder that it attracted atten- tion, but I have heard of it since childhood. Think you, Mr. Scholl. that the human race would still be suffering, and the doctors looking for a remedy, if bee-stings cured? No. sir! the disease would be banished poco I'ronto, for the treatment is available all the time. I have spells of muscular rheumatism — though there is really and truly nodifference in the disease, only in the severity of the manifestations, which come on regardless of bee-stings. Part of the time last spring the weather was cold and damp, and I suf- ferctl severely, notwithstanding 1 was stung many times daily, for I am nervous and care- less with my bees, and I suffered until the *veather turned warm, when the trouble left in an hour, but the next cold, wet spell de- veloped the symptoms again. I believe a sudden and severe stinging might develop a case of rheumatism, for a .r// colonies, and had only 2 swarms. It was too wet in the spring and too dry in the fall. I think the bees have enough in the hives to winter well, so we will hope for better times next year. LUDWIG Brendle. Linville. Ark.. Oct. 15. A Discouraging Bee-Season I have packed my bees for the winter. I got scarcely any honey at all. They did no good on the goldenrod. The wax-moth has destroyed a great many bees here this year. I have thrown away b colonies myself, and my neighbors have thrown away a lot. My bees have to be fed. as they have very little to live on, I think. R. B. Perry. Greenfield, Tenn.. Oct. 18. Successful Honey Season I have had a very successful year. From 36 colonies, spring count, I have taken 4500 pounds of extracted honey, and increased to 66 colonies. I want to tell how I appreciate the Ameri- can Bee Journal, as I consider the success with my bees is from what I have learned from reading the different writings in it. Edward T. Knoll. Clarksburg. Ont.. Oct. n. Marketing Honey, Etc. Last year, with a heavy crop of excellent honey all through the middle States, some bee-keepers were induced to sell their fine extracted honey to dealers for a net price of =; cents or less per pound. I advised against this, and said that I would hold what I could not sell for 8 cents or dump it. I did hold some of it, and now with a short crop in the same territory, I cannot fill my orders at my price of Ss per can of 5 gallons of this same honey. What do you think now, those of you who let your honey go last year for about .=; cents? Bee-keepers must have confidence in their business, and not get scared and sell out to the sharks as soon as they get a good crop. Remember, a shortage will come, and your honey will be in demand. Besides, if you hold your honey for a fair figure, those who want honey will buy it at the price. It is the cheapest commodity that is turned off the farm today. I would like to give notice through the American Bee Journal that we have sold our bee-keeper's home and apiary at Mon- roe. Wis., to a friend and well-known bee- keeper, Mr. H. H. Moe. of Woodford, Wis. Both Mr. Moe and his wife are graduates of the Wisconsin University, class of i8qu. Mr. Moe has had a nice apiary on his farm near Woodford for many years, and is an Book Notices By LEWIS EDWIN YORK, Supt. Public Schools, MARTINS FERRY, Belmont Co.. OHIO. Why the Chimes Rang— By Raymond Mac- dona id Alden. Illustrated by Katharine Hay ward Greenland. Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company. Cloth. I4Q PP- Price. 1.25. This book is one of real merit, appealing to boys and girls from 10 to 15 years of age. The stories are told most charmingly, and the moral lessons are not too deeply covered up. The first of the 11 stories gives its name to the book. This is an ideal Christmas gift. The Happy Heart Family— By Virginia Gerson. Highlv illustrated in colors. New York: Duffield & Company. Half cloth. {SJixio. Price, $1.25. Here is a really artistic little treasure of a book for children of the kindergarten and primary school age. It appeals directly to the finest tastes through the eye. the pictures being exceptionally clever and full of mean- ing. Hide and Seek in Forest-Land— ^By Robert W. Chambers. NewYt)rk: D. Appleton & Company. Clolh. Price, Si. 50. In this book there are 17 chapters begin- ning with "The Voice of the Woods." and dealing with many forms of animal life. The narratives are told with exquisite touches of vivacity, pathos and human interest. Boys and girls in grammer. school will be more than pleased with the book; they will be deeply interested in the life that it por- trays. ** Boy Wanted "—By Nixon Waterman. Illustrated. Chicago: Forbes & Company. Decorated, full cloth. (6x8j4.) 134 PP. Price. S1.2S. This is surely a "book of cheerful coun- sel " that will be read from beginning to end with interest. Delightful short poems are interspersed throughout the 10 chapters of inspiring and helpful counsel. Every boy old enough to read " The American Boy " or "The Youth's Companion" will greatly profit by the reading of this attractive work. Stories of Brave Dogs— Retold from St. Nicholas.) Edited by M. H. Carter. New York: The Century Company. Price, 65 cents. This book of nearly 200 pages contains a fine collection of the best stories of dogs that have shown unusual intelligence, dis- crimination and attachment to their mas- ters. It is the '■ brave, devoted side of dog life ■ that is found here. Any boy or man who loves dogs will find in this book many hours ()f real satisfaction, and those who know little of dog heroism will be truly awakened to the facts relating to man's closest animal companion. Wonderful Little Lives— By Julia Augusta Schwartz. Illustrated by Clara E. Alwood. Boston: Little. Brown lS: Company. Cloth. 251 pp. Price. Si. 50. This book of 10 chapters on animal life tells the stories of the grasshopper, the earthworm, the mosquito, the fly. the bee. the toad. etc. The style of the book is clear andaltogether satisfactory ; thesubject mat- ter wholesome and worth while. IW" Any of the above books may be ordered through the American Bee Journal, 146 W. Superior St.. Chicago, 111. Send us 60 cents in addition to the price of any book as given, and we will credit your subscription to the American Bee Journal for one year. November, 1909. American Vee Journal enthusiastic and painstaking bee-keeper. His purpose is to enlarge the Monroe api- ary and make it his home apiary. This api- ary dates back over 35 years, and was pur- chased by me from the late Al Wolcott, who had occupied the field for 25 years. My purpose is to enlarge my apiaries at Bridgeport. Wis., unless I make up my mind to go West. If I should do the latter, my objective point would be southeastern Xew Me.xico. among the alfalfa fields and apple orchards. Harry L.^throp. Bridgeport. Wis.. Oct. 14. Bait-Sections in Super Center I agree with the contention that the place for bait-sections is in the center of the su- per. I have tried them both in the corners and in the center, and will never put any more baits in the corners. Bees naturally commence work in the center of the supers, and as supers contain- ing baits are generally put on at the season when there are more or less cold days and nights, the heat of the super should be kept where it naturally belongs. Baits in corners divide the working force too much. My practise is not to wait for the bees to fill the outside sections, but to remove the super when the central sections are finished, and take out all the finished ones and fill up the super with other unfinished sections. and put on some hive as "go-backs." Leon. Iowa. Edwin Bevins. Colorado State Convention The annual meeting of the Colorado State Bee-Keeoers Association will be held Tues- day, and Wednesday. Dec. 7 and 8. iooq. in the benate Chamber of the State Capitol. Den- ver Colo X. L. Henthorne. .SVc. Platteville. Colo. Northern Michigan Convention The Northern Michigan Bee-Keepers' .As- sociation will hold its next .Vational conven- tjon at Mancelona. .Mich.. Wednesday and Ihiirsday. Dec. i and 2. I'joo. A\l interested in bee-culture and its advancement should attend. \Ve will have a good and profitable meeting. Try to be there. IKA D. Bartlett. Ser.. E. Jordan. Mich. h. D. TOWNSEND. Pres.. Remus. Mich. Illinois State Convention cJ.'^^d''"'.'.'""""' convention of the Illinois State Bee-keepers .Association will be held in Room 17 of the State House, at Springfield. wVik2''-."',i^"^-"'"^j '''h<-' headquarters will be at the .Normandie Hotel, at a rate of JI.2; a day-the only hotel in the city that has no bar. On account of the I. O. O. F. meet- ing the same week, most of the railroads in this State will give a fare and a half for the r.?ii."i. u r'P- A^"* >;°"'' railroad agent the k5?k before what his instructions are. and by that time he will know Because of the death of Pres. J. O. Smith °resid''^' ^'ice-president. A. L. Kildow, will aPJ, '^i ^'"■'?r- of Lvons. Kans.. C. P. Da- Sj".'' °f^ Hamilton. 111.. George W. York bditor of the -American Bee Journal, and we hope also Dr. C. C. Miller, of .Marengo. Ill will be present and on the program. As our membership is the largest in the history of the Association, we can reasonably expect a good meeting— because we have no other kind. It IS quite important that all bee- keepers have a vote for President and for toul brood inspector, which we recommend to be hlled by two persons instead of one as heretofore. W hen our late President. J. Q :smith. was appointed inspector in the first place, we looked all around before we found one who would consent, fhis difficulty will not happen now We feel that the welfare ot our Association hangs largely on the question of who fills the offices of President and foul brood inspector, next to and equal with the Executive Committee, Come and help make this annual conven- tifjn a good one. Jas. A. .Stone. Sec. Rouie4. Springfield. III. Chicago-Northwestern Convention Dec. 1 and 2 As announced in the October American Bee .lournal. the next meeting of the Chi- cago-.Northwestern Bee-Keepers' Associa- tion will be held Wednesday and Thursday. Dec. I and 2, I'wi, at the Briggs House. Chi- cago, northeast corner of Fifth Ave. and Randolph St. Judging from the letters the President and Secretary have received from leading bee-keepers all over the country, this is going to be the largest and best con- vention held in America this year. 'I'he in- dications are that there will be more leading bee-keepers present than there were at the Xational Convention at Sioux City in Sep- tember. The Chicago-Northwestern meet- ing comes at a time when bee-keepers can more easily get away from home for a few days. Among those who have written that they expect to be present, or will be represented by papers, are the following: Dr. C. C. Mil- ler. Miss Emma Wilson. C. P. Dadant. F. Wilcox, Geo. E. Hilton, Morley Pettit. R. .A. Morgan. W. Z. Hutchinson, J, J. Wilder, Ernest R. Root. X. E. France. M. E. Darbv. Mrs. H. K. Beard, etc. It is expected that there will be. in addition to the usual very helpful question-box discussions, many short papers on subjects that are of deep interest to bee-keepers. This will help to start dis- cussions that are bound to draw out much information that will be invaluable to those who are present. We hope it may prove to be a regular bee-keepers' rally. There are a great many bee-keepers who like to visit Chicago at least once a year, and this is a good time for them to come. Don't forget the time and place of meeting —Dec. I and 2, at the Briggs House, Chicago. The first session will begin at 10:30 a.m.. Wednesday. Dec. i. Come and help make it a large and profitable convention of bee- keepers. An Orphanage Appeal for Help The Edi- tor of the .American Bee Journal is the sec- retary of the board of trustees of an orphan- age or children's home locatedat Lake Bluff. III.. 30 miles north of Chicago. He has won- dered if there were not quite a number of the benevolently inclined among the readers of the American Bee Journal who would like tosend to that orphanage something either to eat or to wear, or even money, for the 135 children cared for there. They are all the way in size and age from infants to 12 years. The way to do is to ship by freight, always prepaying the charges. Perhaps we might suggest vegetables, extracted honey, oats and corn they have a horse), clothing (new. or good second-hand), etc. Any mother will know just what boys and girls 12 years or under will need to wear or to eat. It is the most economically managed institution of the kind that we know anything about. Many of the children there are for adoption. If you feel that you can. or would like to help such a worthy cause, send what you can spare from your abundance to Lucy J. Jud- son. Supt.. Lake Bluff Orphanage. Lake Bluff. III., and please don't forget to prepay charges on what you ship. Also put your name and address on each package, and, if you like, write a letter to accompany it. either in the package or by mail. If you desire more particulars, write the superintendent. 250 Good Stories.-The Youth's Com panioii abounds in stirring stories of adven- ture and heroism. One may describe an escape from accidental peril, another a strange encounter with wild creatures— man or beast. Many of these stories arc true as to facts. and only disguise as to names and places. .A score or more of such stories will be pub- lished during iqki in addition to nearly 200 others— 250 good stories in all. and no two alike. And this is not counting the serial stories, which it is believed will be consid- ered by old Companion readers as the best The Companion has ever published. Every new subscriber will find it of spe- cial advantage to send at once the $1.7^ for the new igio Volume. Xot only does he get the beautiful " Venetian " Calendar for loio. lithographed in thirteen colors and gold, but all the issues of The Companion for the re- maining weeks of iqoo. from the time the sub- scription is received. THE YOUTH'S COMPANION, Companion Building. Boston. Mass. New Subscriptions Received at the oflScc of the American Bee .Journal. Rahv Rhirbc « cts. each. Eggs for hatcli- DdDy VnibKb ing. $4 I>er 100. All kinds poul- try at lowest prices. Guarantee safe arrival anywhere. Write for price-list. in.Aiit CDLVEK POULTItr TARN lOIS Retd. BENSON. NEBR. Please mention .Am. Ilcc Jr)urnal when writing. Our Clubbing List. We have arranged with some of the best magazines and other publications to offer them in connection with a year's subscription to the American Bee Journal. If there are any others that you vv'ould like to subscribe for, be sure to let us know what they are, and we will quote you price. Our list so far as made up is as follows, the prices applying only to the United States, out- side of Chicago : American Bee Journal one year (75 cts.) Both With American Agriculturist. ..Si. 00 Si. 50 Bee-Keepers' Review. new) 1. 00 1.60 American Poultry World. . .50 1.15 .American Sheep Breeder, i.oo 1.60 '[ Breeders' Gazette 1.7.S 2.20 Canadian Bee Journal i.oo 1.60 Century Magazine 400 4.50 Circle ^lagazine. The 1.50 2.00 Commoner. The i.oo 1.50 Country Life in America.. 4.00 4.50 Delineator. The 1.00 1.60 Designer. 'The 50 1.15 Dressmaking at Home i.oo 1.60 Etude. The (musical) 1.50 2.00 Everyday Housekeeping.. .50 1.15 Everybody's Magazine 1.50 2.00 Garden Magazine 1.00 1.60 Gleanings in Bee Culture, i.oo 1.50 Good Housekeeping i.oo 1.50 Guide to Nature. The i.oo 1.60 Harper's Weekly 4.00 4. So House Beautiful. The 2.50 3.00 Housekeeper. The 75 125 Human Life i.oo i.so Ladies' Home Journal 1.50 2.00 Little P'olks 1.00 i.5o Market Growers' Journal, i.oo i.so McCall's Magazine 50 1.15 McClure's Magazine 1.50 2.C0 Modern Priscilla 75 i.35 Mothers' Magazine 50 1.15 Munsey's Magazine i.oo 1.60 Nat'l Stockman & Farmer, i.oo 1.60 New Idea Woman's Maga- zine 50 1. 15 Ohio Farmer 75 1-35 Outing 3.00 3.50 Popular Science Monthly. 3.00 3.50 Recreation 3.00 3.50 Review of Reviews 3.00 3.50 Scrap-Book i.oo 1.60 Scribner's Magazine 3.00 3.50 St. Nicholas 3.00 3.50 Suburban Life 300 3.50 Success Magazine 1.00 1.60 Sunday-School Times i.oo 1.60 Wallace's P^armer i.oo 1 6« Woman Beautiful. The 1.00 150 Woman's Home Compan- ion 1.50 2.00 " World's Work 3.00 3.50 " World Today. The 1.50 2.00 Youth's Companion (new). 1.7S 2.25 Address all orders to GEORGE W. YORK & CO., 146 W. Superior St., - CHICAGO, ILL. Laiigstrotli Book "Special" We have about 30 copies left of the book, " Langstroth on the Honey- Bee," of the edition just preceding the last. It is practically equal to the latest edition, and we will mail them so long as they last, for 90 cents a copy. (The regular price is $1.20.) Or, we will send one of the above 90-cent copies with the American Bee Journal one year — both for $1..50. Surely this is a bargain. Remember, we have only about 30 copies left, so if you want one of them you will need to get your or- der in quickly. Send to the office of the American Bee Journal, 146 W. Superior St., Chicago, 111. 1 ATA COMPLETE SAVING TOVOUOFOVER DIRECT FROM FACTORY RA Con EVERY 9 W. DOLLAR Here— right now — is an opportunity, for the first time, to buy books direct from the biggest Ijook f aclory in tKe world. A chance for you to secure, delivered to your station, transportation charges paid, the best books, at the bare paper and ink cost, plus our ONE SMALL PROFIT. A saving to you of over 50c on everv dollar. AS ACTUAL MANUFACTURERS turning out more than 14,000 complete books every day, our line is composed of the best Standard Authors. Edu- cational works (Dictionaries and Encyclopedias) Histories. Philos- ophy. Science, Fiction, Ro- ,,„ ■"^'^ , -THE. ,?!THE < ■ tHE >\ THE NEWAMERiCAN NRVAMERICA- ICWAMERICA^' NEWAMERKAN NEWAVIERICAN JCra-OPEDlt ENCYCLOPED : ENta'aOPEDK ENCYCLOPEI* ^CYCLOPEDIC DICTIONARY DieTIONAR' DJCTIONARV DiCTIONARV MCTIONARV THESE BOOKS PRODUCED AT OVER. S7S0.000.C0. A COST OF Book Quality. COUPON The Werner Company, Akron, Ohio. Gentlemen: — Send me, express prepaid, your 5 vol. Encyclopedic Dictionary (Buck- ram Binding-) at your direct from fac tory price of $10.50. Also send FREF the S5.00 Modern Atlas. I'll examine the books 10 days. Then if I like them I'll send you $ .50 and S2.00 each month for eight months. If I don't like them I'll notify you promptly, Name , mances. Standard Authors (Dickens, Scott. Thackeray, Poe, etc.), Religrious and Art Works. Onitory. | French and English Classics, Natural History, Cook Books, etc., all contained in our new Catalog- factory prices — sent free on request. And to prove to you that we mean exactly what we say, that we CAN and DO sell books | at factory prices, we list you here a 9 Special Direct From Factory Summer Offer, We will send you. charges paid, for your examination and approval, this magnificent | $42.00 five volume New American Encyclopedic Dictionary (see cut) revised to 1909, contain- ing 5000 full pages set in large clear type, each page 11 'a x 9^a, plainly defining in easy-to- understand English 2.50.000 words, treating thoroughly in an encyclopedic manner 5n,(:f_)0 I subjects, elegantly illustrated throughout. In short, a set of books you would feel I proud to own, because they are the best, most authentic and up-to-date work of the ir I kind. This set, bound in heavy Bucki-am, in five handy, durable volumes, sent to | you, transportation charges paid, for a 10-day free examination for only $1G.50. And for extra good measure we will give vou absolutely FREE, with our com- pliments, one $5.00 MODERN ATLAS OF THE WORLD, or a total of $47.00 I for $16.50. Of course you have a dictionary now, but you ought to have a I better one. and you will never find anything to equal this. f Send no money. Take no risk. Simply ask to see the books. I Keep them right in your own library for 10 whole days, then decide B yourself whether you want the books or not. If you don't want them I we will take them away at no expense to you. If you like the botiks. | send us 50 cents, and $2.00 each month for eight months. Send! your order today, or better, RIGHT NOW. The coupon will do. ] THE WERNER COMPANY, Akron, Ohio, SPEEDER - '■ Address . $400,000,000 WORTH OF EGGS!!! Mr. Poultryman: — Uncle Sam says the annual Egg crop is worth $400,000,000! And that the value of Poultry and Eggs produced this year will exceed $700,000,000!! Did you get your share of this money? If not, why not? Milo M.Hastings, until recently the Commercial Poultry Expert for the United Stntes Government, has written a Poultry Book : "The Dollar Hen." Ihis book is a complete, thorough and concise work of 222 pages, containing over 106,000 ' ' ' ' " The purpose of this book is to tell the reader :— words, also several charts, maps, etc. HOW TO MAKE MONEY RAISING POULTRY and NOT HO\ir TO LOSE: IT "The Dollar Hen" is not a "boom" poultry book. 1 1 tells as much about what not to do as what to do. It thorouehly p^% ___ „, W I discnsses everj- phase of the poultry business, aud tells how money can be made or may be Yost. It gives a full account of all •'..' I methods and systems of poultry raising as taught by private indi^duals. Mr. Hastings does not advocate complicated and t'spensive methods ; in fact, he found such to be universal money losers. As a Government ____,„„,,a^ Expenses Cut in Half! I Fwnor4 W^^Sl^^ ~ ' ' --^-^^^^^hhh Why spend several dollars per hen for housing when Mr. CXperi ^^^^^K^ ^^^^^^^1 ^^^^^^^c^B l^^^'^-'^^s you the construction of a system of housing ____ Asa Government Expert ^^^H£^ ^-*~ ''^^^^^^Km *^^^^^^ been eminently successful aud costs only thirty cents Mr. Haf^tinf^^s investif^ated ^B^^^ ' " ''^'^^^^^^H P^rhen? nil tlio v:i rifjus private sys- B^ i-v^^ i i'- ^^^^^^^1 '^'^y pay high prices for theoretically "balanced rations" triiis. juiti'ut feeds, and so ^m ^ '^ '*'»- ^'^al^^^^H ^^^'^ ^ practical food chemist who has personally investi- (■;i//i-<] poultry secrets. He He^h-bb™ ^^^^^^H S^'^^'^ *1i6 work of a score of experiment stations has found visited the great successful HHH|S^ H^^l^^l the mostprofltablepriultry ratioi>s to be as simple as the coru poultry farming districts of ^^^^^^! .^^^^^^^1 aud alfalfa diet of a Kansas steer'f Petaluma, Little Comton, ^^^HK, *JL. ^MMUHi Why invest money in patent "systems," patent feeds, Watertown, the South Shore ^^^^^^^ ' ^'JK^m^^^S^B^m pl^us, remedies, etc., of little or no value, or capable of only and other regions — some B^^BIiim "^ '^ ' ffiMP " ^^^Ss local application, -when a Government Expert who has inves- wholly unknown to the poul- ^^^^^^^ '*' '^■■'?H» ' ^'''i^aBH tigated the induatrj- thoughout the United States and Canada try press.— and gathered from all these sources the best ^^^^^^P''^' "^^3* "^^ffl hasproven the wurthorworthlessnessofthesethings and tells ideas and most profitable practices, ^^^^^B^ ^^^^ 3^ y«'u bow to apply this knowledge to your particular circum- Prom his long practical experience on farm, poultry plant, ^^^^^mbv —•. .^ . ^3fl stances and climate? with State Experiment Station work and Federal service, and ^^^^Hu^^l^^^—^j^^l^H Why waste money and time expenmenting with poultry with his unprecedented opportunity to get at the actual facts ^^^^^^^^^^^B^^^^^^H whenforavery small sum you can buy a complete guide to prof- of the poultry industn,'. Mr. Hastings has laid out a typical ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H itable poultry production 7 Why not make money at someone money making poultry plant, calKd ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H clue's expense? The Dollar Hen tellH > oil nPHIT TkrkV Y A-o T^tria V-A-n-%M i^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Hl how in plain, simple language, and proves ■*■*■** *^VPA-fi-»J***. n£«nr r J^M%.^a. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H ©veryBtatementmade. Rememheryouare and has described the various necessary adaptations for ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B getting facts and flguresthat cost the U. S. different localities and conditions. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H Qovemment thousands of dollars. MILO M. HASTtNGS Poultry Press endorses tHe Dollar Hen TH£ DOI^I^AR HEN TEI^LS ABOUT: ■^^^■^^■^H The Hen's Ancestors. The Causes of Poultry Diseases, ThL° P^h^f." nYt.^'ili"™' P ^'^^'J'^' Packii.g and Storage There are no exaggerated get-ricb -quick schemes discussed. It is F^v^l Hatcheries of of Poultry Products, plain common-sense from cover to cover and is well worth reading by Eece^n^'&icoveries in Inca- ^^B^Jg^aXIs^'^'^'^ '' ''^ In^"a.?d"'poultVj;:^?n\l ^^'"^ '"' '"'' "''"' ''' ^'"^^^ '"^^"'" = «r,H^ni«r'« TT.,^^„^ r^,u Cj='"P«rf*^e ^gg Marketing It is tbe best book forthebeginner thathaslately appearedbecauM and Over a Hundred Other Subjects of Vital Interest to u deals in straight facts without theorizing. What it says has been ii-vei-y Foultryman. worked out in the poultry yard. Miller Purvis, Editor of Poultry. The Dollar Hen brings out some ideas that are novel and valuable to all poultrymen: American Poultry Advocate. ..a '^^^, COLLAR HEN is a real book, substantially bound — not a paper-bound pamphlet of "System," Secrets,' or "Metbods," but a book worth several dollars of any poultryman's money. The Dollar Hen has a vast fund of real, practical information that can not be elsewhere secured. And think of it! iou can have this authoritative and complete guide to profitable poultrv production, postpaid, for only *1.00. And if you'll order now. mentioning this publication, we will include the Poultry Digest for one year. Remember, we guarantee The Dollar Hen to give entire satisfaction. Order to-day. POULTRY DIGEST PUB. CO.. 57 J Ann St.. NEW YORK CITY November, 1909. American IB^c JoarnaTi 379 Langstroth Honey-Bee on the Revised by Dadant. Latest Edition. This is one of the standard books on bee-culture, and ought to be in the library of every bee-keeper. Bound in substantial cluth. and lias nearly 600 pages. Revised by that large, practical bee-keeper, so well known to all bee- dom — Mr. C. P. Dadant. Each topic is clearly and thoroughly explained, so that by following the instructions of this book one can not fail to be won- derfully helped on the way to success with bees. We mail the book for $1.20, or club it with the .American Bee Journal for one year — both for $1.70. This is in- deed a splendid chance to get a grand bee-book for a very little money. GEORGE W. YORK & CO. 146 W. Superior St. . CHICAGO, ILL. BIG BARGAIN SALE on Bee-Supplies I have bought all the bee-supplies and machines o£ the Minneapolis VVood and Machinery Co. Send me a list of what you need, and get the right price. Also Adel, Carniolan, Italian, and Cancasian Qaeens, CHAS. MONDENG, 4Att 160 Newton .4ve. N,, Minneapolis, Aflon. Are You Interested in raising poultry, live stock, produce, fruit, hon- ey, or other farm products.' If so, send ten cents for a 3-months' trial subscrip- tion to the "RURAL FARMER." It Tells You all aboat farm caltivation, or^hardlnp, live stock and poultry trcedlnK. How to market crops succe.fsfully. Informs you huw to ship, pack, rrate, bill and get returns. "KCE-^L FAR.MLR" columns are rich In things voa should know. Three Months for 10 cents. Published weekly— ao cents pistiiiK II a r ro w, and when closed together is a iJisk *^,, ■ , T^ ~^ Harrow ciittinc 4Hi Kjot wide. Drawn hy two ni<"liuni horses. .Jointed pole. Perfect centre draft. A labor saver. .S..nd Uulnv for KHFK ISonklet. CUTAWAY HARROW CO. 9I.T Main St., Hljinanum.CI. I'leasc mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. M. H. HUNT & SON The best time to buy your goods is during the fall and winter months. We are mak- ing Liberal Discounts for Early Orders, and would like to quote you net prices on your needs for next season. -BEESWWX WANTED- LANSING, - MICHIGAN. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Say, Mr. Bee-man How about that old, played-out Queen? Now is the time to replace her, or make increase. Try the famous BANATS and CARNIOLANS. 75 cts each ; $8.00 per doz. GRANT ANDERSON 8Atf Sabinal, Texas Please mention Am. iJee Journal when writing. Do You Want to YOUR FARM If 90. give me price, description, etc. 1 want to hear from owner who wishes to sell direct to buyer without paytu§r any aprent's commission. There is a grood buyer for It. willing- to pay your price. I can locate him for you. Not particular about location. Write me at once, g^ivlng" full particulars, and state when posses- sion can be had. and see if we can close up a deal in shurt order. Address. William Duttenhofer, 1835 Sycamur.- St.. Cincinnati, Ohio. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Pacific Homestead Do you want direct information on the bee, stock, liorticultural and agricultural industries of Oregon, Washington and Idaho ? Then send 25c in stamps risrht now for a three months' trial subscription to our Pacific Homestend, the illustrated farm paper of the Pacific Northwest. We give with this our big Holiday number (equiva- lent to a $2.(X) book) containing articles on, and over 100 illustrations of the entire Pacific Northwest. 6Atf Sample copies of current numbers free. Address Pacific Homestead Dept. C, Salem, Oregon Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Doolittle & Clark arf now scndintr out clioicf ITALLA-N QUEEN.S at the followintr prices: Untested, Si. 00 each; 3, $2. so; 12, S^.oo. Tested. $2.00 each; 3. $5.00; 12, $18. eg. Breeders, $2. So, $5.00, Sio.oo. sAtf Borodino, Onondaga Co., New York Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Italian Queens For Sale Untested, 75c each. Reared from imported queens. Price-list free. .?A7t 0. F. FULLER, Blackstone, Mass. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. An English Honey-Spoon s ? ^r Over in old England they have a handy honey-spoon, or at least a spoon that has a device in its handle that will prevent it from drop- ping down in the jar of hon- ey on the dining-table, thus soiling the fingers and spoil- ing the table-cloth. It is a very ingenious idea, and should have extensive de- mand among hone.v-consu- mers, especially bee-keep- ers. It is well plated on high-class nickel, and has a beautiful raised design on the upper side of the handle, as indicated in the picture herewith. We have secured some of these very unique spoons, and will mail tliem at 00 cents each. Or, we will send spoon and the American Bee lournal one year— both for $1.50. The spoon would be hue as a gift for Christ- mas, birtlidays, etc. The editor of the Bee Journal has used one of tliese spoons for a num- ber of months in the honej--glass which is al- ways on his table, and he would not like to be without this spoon again, as it is so con- venient, and also unusual in this country. We can fill orders promptly now. You cer- tainly would be pleased with this honey- spoon, and so would anyone to whom you might present it. Send all orders to, GEORGE W. YORK & CO., 146 W. Superior St., CHICAGO, ILL. '' i^f^^ «> «• ^. INFORMATION « On Woodcraft and Nature always fascinating [o him who lores hunting and fiihing cipccJally. There arc many pniuyabie and prttfitable facts that youshtniM knpw about the great OUT O'DOORS rl^ra?j:':^i profit abound. Do you know of the habiti, value and mctboda of taking lur bearinK animals, in your own locality? Also about Stfcl Traps, Snares, Scents. Deadfalls. Trapping Secrets. Raw Fur Market. Coon HuntinK. Fox Chasing. Hunting Dogs. Iii!;f;ame Hunting. Wild I*'owI Sbcotini,', ^jf^ iMsiiiiig, Pruspecting. Camping, Guns. Ammuriitian. Ginseng and Golden Seal Growing. Fur Farming, Hee Hunting, etc. I Some of these are I Great Source of Profit ,"hc Farm During the Winter. You will find these topics all dealt with entcrtainini;ly and auth()ratively in that spiemlid 160 to 200 page, illuatrated monthly magazine HUNTER - TRADER - TRAPPER IT IS ALONE IN ITS CLASS. !r^ SPECIAL:- Send lOe. to (his otticc ana get a sampi'c copy of the H-T-T. also a 64 page book of Interesting Information, containing late Game I^w3. etc. * November, 1909. Amarican Hm Journal HAND-MADE SMOKERS Extracts from Catalogs — 1907: Chas. Dadant & Son, Hamilton, 111. — This is the Smoker we recommend above all others. «. B. Lewis Co., Watertown, Wis.— We have sold these Smok- ers for a good many years and never received a single complaint. A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. — The cone fits inside of the cup BO that the liquid creosote runs down inside of the smoker. All Bingham Smokers are stamped on the tin, " Patented 1878, 1892, and 1903," and have all the new improvements. Smoke Engine — largest smoker made $1.50 — i inch stove Doctor— cheapest made to use 1.10 — 3J^ " Conqueror — right for most apiaries 1.00 — 3 " Large — lasts longer than any other 90 — 23^ " Little Wonder — as its name implies 65—2 " The above prices deliver Sm aker at your post-oflBce free. We send circular if requested. Original Bingham & Hetherington Uncapping-Knife. Celluloid Queen-Buttons These are very pretty thing's for bee-keep- ers or honey-sellers to wear on their mat. lapels. They often serve to introduce tlie subject of honey, which mitrht freauently lead to a sale. Note. — One bee-keeper writes: "I have every reason to believe that it would be a very good idea for every bee- keeper to wear one [of these buttons], as it will cause peo- ple to ask questions about I the busy bee. and many a ' conversation thus started wind up with the sale of more or less honey; at any rate it would give the bee- keeper a superior opportu- nity to enlighten many a person in regard to honey and bees." The picture shown above is a reproduc- tion of a motto queen-button that we offer to bee-keepers. It has a pin on the under- side to fasten it. Prices— by mail— I for 6 cts.; 2 for 10 cts.; or 6 for 25 cts. Address. GEORGE W. YORK & CO. 146 West Superior Street. • CHICAGO, ILL n A n y r O ' Foot-Power DAnllLO Machinery Head what J. L Parent, of Charl- ton, N. Y., says: ""We cut with one of your Combined Machines, last winter. 50 chaff hives with "-in. cap, 100 honey-racka, 600 brood-framee. 2,000 honey-boxes, and a great deal of other work. ThiB winter we have double the amount of bee-hive8,etc,, to make, and we expect to do it with this Saw. It will do all you say It will." Catalog and price-list free. ' Address, W.F. ft JOHN BARNES. '"-/ ^-^^^i^ 096 Rul^ St., Rockford. lU. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. GET EGGS NOW Huinpbre>'*N neneNt book, *' Tlie (Jnlden EKe«" irill nhoYv you lio^v to eet oeg8 all winlvr, and Ironi l>'iO to 250 eggN r hen a year. I will Bive you, FRKE, my Fiiecrel: of reducing feedinic coHt one linlf and of doubling your poultry income. Humphrey, Ambeo Street Factory, Jotiet, 111. Where Humphrey's Bone Cutters, Clover Cutters, Brooders and other Poultry Helps are made. riease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. AGENTS:— IF I KNEW YOUR NAME, I would 8end you our $2. lit Ha.iiii.1.- uiiuit IH.-.- this very minute. Let me start you in a prutitable buyiness. You do not need one cent of capital. Experience unnecessary. 50 percent profit. Cre- dit given. Premiums. Freig-ht paid. Chance to win $500 in g-old extra. Every man and wom- an should write me for free outfit. r;A6t JAY BLACK, Pm., 305 Beverly St.; Boston, Mass. fP you need a nice yellow Ital- **■ ian Queen at once, send to J. L.. Fajeo. Alma, Mo. Untested, only 75c. Tested. $1.25. 3-frame nucleus with Queen. $2.75. Full colony, in 8-frame hive. $5.50. 6A6t Pkase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. T. F. BlNGflflM, Farwell, MiGll Patented, May;20. 1879. BEST ON EARTH. Bee - Supplies Shipped Promptly SEND FOR FREE CATALOG Honey for Sale. (Ask for Frici-s.) Extracted Honey Wanted. i,SeiKl Sample and Price.) ARND HONEY & BEE-SUPPLY CO. ^$1 (Successors to the York Honey & Bee-Supply Co.) H. M. ARND, Proprietor. 148 West Superior St., CHICAGO, ILL. " // Goods are Wanted Quick Send to Pouder. " ESTABLISHED 1S89 Bee-Supplies. Root's Goods in Indiana standard Hives with latest improvements. Danzenbaker Hives. Honey-Boxes. Comb Foundation and everything that is used in the bee-yard. Large illustrated catalog mailed free. Finest White Clover Extracted Honey for sale in any quantity desired. WALTER S. POUDER. 859 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. 50,000 Copies "Honey as a Health-Food" To Help Increase the Demand for Honey We have had printed an edition of over 50,000 copies of the 16-page pamphlet on " Honey as a Health-Food." It is envelope size, and just the thing to create a local demand for honey. The first part of it contains a short article on " Honey as Food," written by Dr. C. C. Miller. It tells where to keep honey, how to liquefy it. etc. The last is devoted to "Honey Cooking Recipes " and "Remedies Using Honey." It should be widely circulated by those selling honey. The more the people are educated on the value and uses of honey as a food. the more honey they will buy. Prices, prepaid-Sample copy for a 2-cent stamp : 50 copies for 90 cents : 100 copies for $1.50: 250 copies for $3.00; 500 for $5.00: or 1000 for $9.00. Your business card printed free at the bottom of front page on all orders for 100 or more copies. Address all orders to GEOUGE W. YORK ^ CO., Chicago. III. HONEY **? BEESWAX When consigning, buying, or selling, consult R. A. BURNETT & GO. 199 South Water St. Chicaeo, lil There are many of these in this town who BEE-KEEPERS Write U8 now for our Catalog and get low prices on good, honest, BEE-KEEPERS' SUPPLIES Onr specialty is making Sections. All other goods up-to-date. AUQ. LOTZ & SON, Cadott, Wl5. 10A34t Please mention the Bee Joaraal. Xovember, 1909. American Bac Joarnajj FOR QUICK DELIVERY and LOW FREIGHT send your orders for BEE-SUPPLIES to The A. I. Root Company, 42-60 Institute Place ( 4 blocks north of former location ) CHICAGO, ILLINOIS We are now full^' moved, located, and well stocked with a FULL LINE of supplies. We have the best shipping facilities, and with plenty of help we promise to get goods to you promptly. There are only two reasons why we might fail ; viz., the neglect of some transportation company to give its usual good service, and our inability to turn out stock fast enough to care for your orders. We are promised a large car-load from our factory every TEN days, so you see we expect to take good care of your orders. If you haven't our new catalog let us send you one. Remember our new location, four blocks north of our former place. The A. I. Root Co., Chicago, Illinois 42-60 Institute Place R. W. Boyden, Resident Manager. Jeffrey Building Take Elevator to Sixth Floor. Telephone 1484 North. Bee-Supplies Distributor of Lewis and Root Bee-Sup- plies. We are now prepared to furnish promptly a full line of Supplies and Berry Boxes. Choice new stock just from factory. Beeswax wanted. Send fur Catalog. W. 3. McCARTY, Emmettsbur^. Iowa Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. BEE-SUPPLIES. 40-pape Jrini" ._ ^__. catalog free. Brlnirul of the latest make i>f hives, etc. Our sapplies will please ynn In everv wav. Prices are ri>.'ht. We can make rompt shiprnent." as we carry a full line of A. I. oot Co. '8 supplies in stock. Don't fall to write prompt shipment." as we carry a full line of A. I Root Co. '8 supplies in stock. Do"'* '"" ' *' Qs If you are In need of supplies JOHN NEBEL& SON SUPPLY CO.. High HIM. Montg. Co.. Mo Pkase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Italian Bees for Sale 1 colony, $5 ; 2 for $9 ; 5 for $20. Queens— Unteste'l, 7Sc each ; 0 for $4 ; Tested, $1 each; 6 for $5. Will put swarms into any style hive to suit pur- chaser. 5Atf I,. BOOMHOWER. Freehold, Greene Co., N. T. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. ^HFENOE Srr^' -y- 7" ^ r t- -t^H Ma<1eof High Carbon Double Strength I »llf'. CANADA- N. H. Smith. Tilbury, Ont. ARIZONA-H. W. Ryder. Phoenix. MINNESOTA-Northwestern Bee-Sup- ply Co., Harmony. ILLINOIS-D. L. Durham. Kankakee. OHIO-F. M. Hollowell Harrison. TEXAS-White Mfg. Co.. Blossom. WISCONSIN-S. W. Hines Mercantile Co.. Cumberland. J. Gobeli. Gleawood. 1000 Colonies of Bees to sell in lots to suit purchaser. Address. SAtf Dr. Geo. D. Mitchell & Co., Ogden, Utah i'leasc mciitiiiii Am. Bee Journal when writing. Crown Bone Cutter BEST A^ADC Lowest in Price I i>ii llroR., IJox *!il'l, EaNluti, I I'lcasc mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. November, 1909. American ^ae 'Journal BE SURE TO REAP ALL OF THIS COLUMN After Jan. 1, 1910 American Bee Journal $1 a Year For some time we have been considering the increase of the yearly subscrip- tion price of the American Bee Journal from 75 cents a year to $1.00. In fact, many of our best subscribers have written us that it really never should have been reduced in price, in view of the richness of its contents and general helpfulness to its readers. But among the real reasons for such increase are the greater cost of its production, and that the present price of 76c is, and has been, too low to main- tain the "old reliable" American Bee Journal at its present high standard of ex- cellence. And, surely, no reader would want us to lower that standard in any particular. We may say further that we are planning certain improvements that will in- crease greatly the cost of publishing the American Bee Journal another year- improvements that will more than offset the small increase of 25 cents a year in subscription price— even contemplating a 48-page Journal, if possible to do it. The Editor is now devoting all of his time to the Bee Journal, which fact alone should tend to make it more valuable as the months pass on. Nearly Two Months Before the Raise in Price is to Go into Effect But it will be noticed that the $1.00 price does not become effective until Jan. 1st next, or nearly 2 months yet. And during the time intervening we are going to allow all who wish to do so, to pay their subscriptions two years iu advauce at the present 75-ceut rate. That is, you can pay all back dues (if any) and for all of 1910 and 1911 at 75 cents a year. So, really, there will be no raise in price for over 2 years to all who pay their subscriptions before next Jan. 1. Save 50 Cents by Subscribing Before Jan. 1st By paying subscriptions for 1910 and 1911 any time between now and the end of this year (1909), you will save just 25 cents a year, or 50 cents. But we cannot allow subscriptions to be paid beyond the year 1911 at the present 7o-cent rate. Please tell your neighbor bee-keepers about this, so that they, too, can take ad- vantage of the special offer for 2 years beyond 1909. Clubbing and Special Offers to Stand the Rest of this Year Our Special and Clubbing Offers will all stand until the end of this year (1909). So none of our present subscribers can really object to the increase in subscrip- tion price, for they have the opportunity of paying their subscriptions two whole years beyond this year at the present 75-cent price — by sending them in before next January 1st. (Of course, if any have already paid tlieir subscriptions beyond 1911, such will stand as now credited.) You are Invited to Help Increase the Bee Journal Subscription List We offer many liberal premiums for getting new subscriptions for the Amer- ican Bee Journal. We hope our readers will do what they can to get their bee- keeping neighbors to subscribe, and thus earn some of the premiums we offer. Let us work together for each other's interest and advancement, and for the good of bee-keepers everywhere. GEORGE W. YORK & COMPANY, 146 West Superior St., - CHICAGO, ILL. Honey for Sale. Choice, well ■ ripened Extracted — clear, light golden color and delicious flavor— 7^ to 8c. Sample 6c. deducted from order. Comb Honey. No, i and Fancy, in i'4 plain and scalloped sections. 14 to i6c. loAat F. B. Cavanagh, Hebron, Ind. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Honey Wanted. All grades of Comb and of Extracted. 2000 cases of Buckwheat Comb wanted at once. What have you to sell ? Third car of water- white Sage just in. Write for prices. THE GRIGGS BROS. CO. iiAtf TOLEDO, OHIO. Pkase mention Am. Bee lournal when writinK. HONEY For Sale — Amber or Buckwheat Comb, 24 sections, in glass-front case, $2.75 per case, 25 cases at $2.60; 50 cases at 82.50 per case. Unfinished Sections at S8 per 100. Will pack honey in straw carriers and guarantee safe QUIRIN-THE-QUEEN-BREEbER, Bellevue, Ohio. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. For SflIC CLOVER ■ VI Vail^ HONEY Simply delicious— at loc per lb., f. o. b. Sen- eca, 111. In crates of two 6o-lb. cans each. Sample loc. 11A2 A. J. Diebold, Seneca, III. PItase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. FOR SALE We have several hundred Cases of good Second-Hand Cans, two in a case, used only once with White Honey— 10 Cases or over 40c per Case. 2^ " " '[ 35c \[ \[ 100 ■' " " 30c Speak Quick. F. O. B. TOLEDO, OHIO. 24 N'ortli Erie St.. iiAtf THE CRICCS BROS. CO. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing, I have for sale a lot of White Clover Extracted Honey well ripened and of hnest flavor, in 6o-lb. cans. Price, f. o. b.. one can 0 cents per lb. ; 2 cans or more. 8'^ cents per lb. Edwin Bevins, Rt. 2, Leon, Iowa. Please mention Am. Rce Journal when writing. HONEY FOR SALE By members of the Michigan Bee-Keepers* Association. For free annual booklet giving names and addresses of members, address • the Secretary, jAtf E. B. TYRRELL, 230 Woodland Ave., Detroit, Mich. Wanted — White Honey. state kind, how put up, and lowest cash '''^"^ CHAS. KOEPPEN, 1508 Main St.. tjAtf FREDERICKSBURG. V.A. Honey Brokers ; We offer a car water - white Say^e, t-'b cts. ; car It. amber, j-'^s cts. per lb. iiA2t Freeman & Fairchild, Redlands, Cal. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. CYPRIAN, Camiolan. Caucasian. Italian Queens Select untested. $1.00. Select tested. $2.00. Bees $8 colony. Supplies and Honey. 6Aly W.C. MORRIS. Nepperhan Hts.. Yonkers, N. Y. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Xovember, 1909. American ;Bae -Journal FALCON OUNDATION Years of experience in the manufac- ture of FALCON COMB FOUNDATION have made it PERFECT. Bees like it, and the foremost Honey-Producers Use It. It helps materially to increase the Honey Crop (Send for our new Catalog.) Ship us vour BEESWAX to FALCONER, N. Y. Wili send shipping-tags, when you write asking for quotations. We pay highest market prices. W. T. FALCONER MFG. CO. JAMESTOWN, N. Y. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. tf= ^ Beestpax-f Chicago. Oct. 27.— October has given us good trade in honey of all kinds, and stocks are low on the market at this time. Prices remain for A No. i to fancy 15616c. with the other grades from i'4c. Beeswax is slow at J33 per 100 lbs. The above are our selling prices, not what we are paving. C. H. W. Wkbek &. Co. Indianapolis, Oct. 26.-riierc is a good demand for best grades of honey, but the market is now well supplied. Indiana bee- keepers, as well as merchants, are good buyers. Producers are being paid the fol- lowing prices. Fancy white comb. i', 24 sections. 53.10 to $3.25; No. 2 white and amber. 24 sections. S3. 00. Extracted, white, per pound. 7c. Beeswax. 25@3oc. C. C. Clemons Produce Co. Philadelphia. Oct. 22.— The demand for comb and extracted honey has been very heavy in the last 10 days. Large lots havt- been moved at good figures. There has also been quite a little honey shipped in. which contains a shade of honey-dew. which h;is been selling at a low price. We quote: Fancy white. i6@i8c: No. i. 14c: amber, 13c. Extracted, white, in s-gal. cans, oc: amber, in barrels, 6c: amber, in cans. 7c. Beeswax. 2gc. W.M. A. Selser. Toledo, Oct. 26.— The market on comb honey is somewhat firmer than our last quo- tations. Fancy and No. i white clover is bringing from 16@I7C in a retail way. Not much call for amber. Buckwheat honey, well filled, is bringing 14c. California water- white sage, oc; clover. 7'A®i%c according to the quality; amber honeys a little less. Beeswax 26@30C. We do not look for honey to go any higher as the prices are about to their limit, and we advise all those having honey to sell, to mar- ket it promptly. The Griggs Bros. Co. Zanesville. Ohio. Oct. 27.— There is a good average demand for best grades of honey. There have been some arrivals of Western honey, but prices remain firm. For white clover comb grading No. i to fancy, producers would receive from the jobbing trade I4(?i6c delivered here. .Such honey goes to the retail grocery trade at 2('^:2%c ad- vance over these prices. The chief demand for extracted honey on this market is in small retail packages. Pound jars go to the retail trade at $2 25 per dozen: 6 ounce size. 00c. For best white clover or raspberry ex- tracted the jobbing trade is offering 8^c de- livered, selling at an advance of icf*i!4c. Good yellow beeswax brings on arrival 2Kc cash, v>c in trade. h'.DMirND W. Peirck. We will Buy and Sell HONEY ^t of the different ^ades and kinds. mm If jou have any to dispose of, or if ^S you intend to buy, correspond j^ with UB. We are always in the market for Beeswax at highest market prices. Hildreth & 5egelken 165 & 167 Qreenwlch Street NEW YORK, N. V. Western Bee- Keepers 8^«w^" IVe Will 'ou bow to save moaey. Bend for our new cata- log of the best Bee- ware made. TBICOLOUDO aoiET-PKODDCeU' lU'I, lener. CoU. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. How About Your Advertising? Have you anythiuK to sell? Any bees, honey, hives, or anything else that you think the readers of the American Bee Journal might want to buy? If so, why not offer it through our advertis- ing columns? See rates in the first column of the second page of every number of the Bee Journal. Wc try to keep our columns clean and free from any dishonest advertising. .Such can- not get in, if we know it. We want the [latronage of just as many clean, straight, square-dealing advertisers as we can secure. BEE-KEEPERS OF THE NORTH H 0) U UJ z H o (0 U Q. U UJ u u m Be Sure to get our PRICES on BEESWAX Before selling your season's Wax or Let us send to you our prices for Working your Wax into DADANT'S FOUNDATION Many large Honey-Producers prefer our Foun- dation to other makes, because the bees like it best. We can use almost an unlimited quantity of BEESWAX, and we are buying at all times of the year at liig-he.st ca.sh prices. During the season of 1909 we handled over 150,000 pounds of Beeswax. If your Honey supply is short we can supply you with either White or Amber Extracted Honey. SEND FOR PRICES AT ONCE. HONEY If your WHITE CLOVER crop is short and you want some good Honey to supply your cus- tomers we can offer you White Alfalfa at the following prices: Honey 1 60-pound Can - - 10c per pound 2 60-pound Cans or more - 9c per pound 10 60-pound Cans or more 8>ic pr pound This Honey is put up in new, bright Cans, neat and clean, and we can guarantee it in every way. Sample by mail, 5c to pay for postage. DADANT & SONS, Hamilton, Illinois. BEE-KEEPERS OF THE SOUTH Locations for Bee-Keepers The Santa Fe Southwest has been declared by experts, to be the greatest Bee Country in the World. Hundreds of loca- tions in New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California are now ready for the man who knows how to take advantage of the op- portunities ofifered. New irrigation works have been established and the land planted to Oranges, Lemons, Alfalfa, and other honey-yielding plants. The honey produced is a clear white product of unusual flavor, and there is a steady demand at remunerative prices. The climate is ideal for both bee-life and honey-making. The honey ripens rapidly and goes to market in perfect condi- tion. I have a number of illustrated pamphlets descriptive of the country served by the Santa Fe. I will gladly mail you copies on request. CD m m m m ■0 m o ■n H Z PI m > 0) H C. L. SEAGRAVES, General Colonization Agent, A. T. & S. F. Ry., 1115 Railway Exchange Building, CHICAGO, ILL. f?^^^J>^^"^ '^'^ .N^>^ ^^iinr good work. A- W. Swan. Nemaha, Co., Kan.. July 15, IflOS. George W. Topk & Co.:— After importlnRqneens for 15 years you have Bent me the beat. She keeps 9X Lanpstroth frames fully occupied to date and, lilthdugh I kept tne hive well contracted, to force them to swarm they have never built a queen-cell, and will put up KO pounds of honev if the flow lasts this week. CHA8. MITCHELL. Ontario, Canada, July 22. 1905. George W. Yofk & Co.:— ThequeenlbouBht of you has proven aeood one, and lias given me some of my best colonies. N. P. OGLESBY. Washingion Co.. Va., July 22, 1905. George W. York & Co.:— The queen Ireceivjo of yon a few days aeo came through U.K., and 1 wantto eay that she is a ieauty. I immediately introduced ner into a colony which had been queenless for 2n da>s. She was accepted by them, and hap '"me to work nicely. 1 am highly pieasei with her and your promptness in nlling my order. My fattier, who is an 'dd bee-keeper, pronounced her very tine. You will hear from me ai:ain when i am in need of something in the bee-line. B. B. McColm. Marion Co., 111., July 13. We usually begin mailing Queens in May, and continue there- after, on the plan of *' first coiue first served. " The price of one of our Untested Queens alone is 75 cents» or with the monthly American Bee Journal one year — both for $1.20. Three Queens (without Journal) would be .'.,or6for, *■ . Full instructions for introdncing are sent with each Queen, being printed on the under? ide of the addrees-card on the maillng-oage. You 'cannot do better than to get one or more of our fine Standard-Bred Quecnf . George W. York & Co., ue w. sapeHw st. Chicago, 111. Dittmer's Comb Foundation Is BEST, not because WE say so, but because in every case where it was tested side by side with other makes, THE BEES PREFER- RED IT; and the reason for this is, ITS ABSOLUTE PURITY, of which the BEES ARE THE BEST JUDGES, and which can be obtained only by the use of DITTMER'S PROCESS for CLEAN- ING AND PURIFYING WAX. Our entire Process is ORIGINAL AND INDEPENDENT, and its entire Success is demonstrated by its EXCLUSIVE USE by thousands of Bee-Keepers in every part of the country, in prefer- ence to any other MAKE OR PROCESS. We make a Specialty of Woriting your Wax for Cash. Write us for Prices and Samples, which must be seen to be ap- preciated. We carry a full line of Bee-Supplies, Wholesale and Retail, and will be pleased to mail you our Catalog and Prices. Address, GUS DITTMER COMPANY, AUGUSTA, WIS. December, 1909. American Bac Joum^ii You Have Been Wanting A LIBRARY for a Long Time — you know and acknowledge It's really a necessity — but you have hesitated because of the immediate expense, no doubt. But now won't j'ou let us tell you how you can start a library in a small way — how you *can buy the best standard books at the lowest prices — how you can have the books right in your own home — right in your own library to read and enjoy while paying for them in small monthly pay- ments. Our new catalog ex- plains everything. Ask for it today. THE WERNER COMPANY AKRON, OHIO Dept. 7 Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. DOOLITTLE'S «« Scientific Queen-Rearing" This is G. M. Doolittle's master-piece on rearing the best of queens in perfect accord with Nature's way. It is for the amateur and the veteran in bee-keeping. The A. I. Root Co.. who ought to linow. say this about Doolit- tle s gueen-rearing book: ■ It is practically the only comprehensive book on queen-reanng now in prmt. It is looked upon by many as the foundation of mod- ern methods of rearing queens wholesale." Mr. Doolittle's book also gives his method of producing comb honey, and the care of same : his management of swarming, weak colonies, etc. It is a book of 12fi pages, and is mailed at the following prices : Bound in cloth. $1.00 ; bound in leatherette,;75;cents. Special Clubbing Offer / We offer a cloth-bound copy of this book with the American Bee Journal one year-both forS1.40: cr a copy of the leatherette-bound edition, with the American Bee Journal one year-both for $1.15. The cloth-bound book given free for getting 3 new subscribers at 75c each : or the leatherette-bound copy given for 2 new subscribers Every beekeeper should have a copy of Mr. Doolittle's book, as he is one of the stan- dard authorities of the world on the subject of queen-rearing and everything else connected with bee-keeping and honey-production. George W. York 01 Co., Chicago, HI. ]Hi Cents a Rod For 23-ln. Hoc Fence ; 1 5 3-4e for 26-lm'b; ls8-4cfor 31-inch; Sf for St-lnch; 25e for Farm Ffuce. 50-Incb Poultry Fence 83c. Sold on 30 days trial. 80 rod spool Ideal Barb Wire $1.SS Catalogue free. KITSELMAN BROS., Box 85 MUNCIE, IND. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. GET EGGS NOW IIuinphrpr^N newee^t book, ''The (■olden Es«*** will nIiow jou how to set eses all winter, and from l.'tO to 250 eg0H n hen a jeiir. I will Bive you, FKKE, my secret of reducing feedina cost one hnlf and of doubling: your poultry income. Humphrey, Amboe Street Factory, Joliet, III. Where Humphrey's Bone Cutters, Clover Cutters, Brooders and other Poultry Helps are made. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing,. Locations for Bee-Keepers The Santa Fe Southwest has been declared by experts, to be the greatest Bee Country in the World. Hundreds of loca- tions in New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California are now ready for the man who knows how to take advantage of the op- portunities ofifered. New irrigation works have been established and the land planted to Oranges, Lemons, Alfalfa, and other honey-yielding plants. The honey produced is a clear white product of unusual flavor, and there is a steady demand at remunerative prices. The climate is ideal for both bee-life and honey-making. The honey ripens rapidly and goes to market in perfect condi- tion. I have a number of illustrated pamphlets descriptive of the country served by the Santa Fe. I will gladly mail you copies on request. C. L. SEAGRAVES, General Colonization Agent, A. T. & S. F. Ry., 111.5 Railway Exchange Building, CHICAGO, ILL. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. December, 1909. American Hee Journal Read What Purchasers Say I received Farm Journal and "Poultry Secrets," and am very much pleased with both. The secrets are worth their weight in gold. Why. I paid Ss-oo for the sprouted oats method. You certainly give a fellow over his money's worth. Andrew F. G. Morey. Utica. N. Y. I purchased a copy of " Poultry Secrets." and find many helpful ideas in it. especially Dr. Wood's Egg Hatching Secret. Mrs. F. T. Darnell, 'Westfield, Ind. By putting within our reach these Poultry Secrets, you are doing a more philanthropic work than giving alms or endowing hospi- tals, for you make it possible for us to make both ends meet. L. BovcE. Milwaukee. Wis. Received your book of Poultry Secrets. It's an exceptionally instructive work, and worth Sio to any progressive poultryman. I would not care to take that for my copy if I could not get another. RoBT. F. KiNGSLAND, MontviUe, N. J. The Farm Journal came to hand, and later Poultry Secrets also arrived, all of which I wa J very glad to receive, and have been greatly interested in reading same, and think you are doing a glorious work in dif- fusing such valuable knowledge for so little money. F. B. Meade, Boston. Mass. As to " Poultry Secrets," I will say I have lectured on this subject over the greater portion of this State for the past 15 years, and have about every book that is published on this subject in my library, and I consider this book of yours the most valuable I know by far tor the general public. L. A. Richardson. Marine, 111. 50 PERCENT MORE Pullets than Cockerels This is the astonishing result that is secured by W. R. Curtiss, of the famous 100,000-chicken Niagara Farm in New York. He tells how he does it, to his great cash advantage, in the new (9th) edition of "Poultry Secrets," just off the press. Besides this remarkable disclo- sure, the new edition contains Scores of Other Secrets many of them as surprising and even more vital to the modern poultry- keeper's success. A partial list follows; J. H. DREVENSTEDT'S secrets of preparing fowls for exhibitions. DR. WOOD'S secret of laying food for producing a large egg yield. The PHILO SYSTEM, a brief outline telling what it is and for what it is valuable. The CURTISS method of producing a high percentage of pullets in the hatch. Selecting the laving hens — the central thought of the so-called HOGAN and PALMER Systems.- I. K. FELCH'S system of in-breeding without loss of vitality in the stock. GRUNDY'S method of producing 8-cents-a-bushel green feed; also the " 15-cents-a-bushel " secret. H. C. DAVIS' system of rules for preventing loss of chicks. Several new food formulas, many of them the same as expensive "pat- ented " foods. I. B. GRAY'S secret of fattening stock quickly and obtaining an extra price for it. And Many Others, Not Mentioned Here In short, the new edition contains the cream of the exclusive knowl- edge of dozens of America's foremost poultrymen, and should have it if you have even a few hens in a back-yard. Do not hesitate; no confi- dence has been violated ; every secret has been Obtained in an Honorable Way (i) by outright purchase: {2) by free permission given our poultry editor, Michael K. Boyer; (3) by collecting old. valuable, but little known methods; (4) from Mr. Boyer's own 30 years' experience. A large amount of new material, never before published, has been added to this new (gth) edition; no poultry owner should attempt to care for his stock without know- ing these secret methods and discoveries. It would be absurd to expect every bit of this information to be unknown to every one; we make no such claim. But we believe tbat the begrinner with a few hens, the farmer with his small flock, or the poultryman with his thousands will all find knowledgfe In this book which is absolutely new to tbem, and worth many times Its cost. We risk our reputation on this. We Will Pay $10.00 for Any Secret Not in the Book provided it Is practical and valuable. If it in something" both g^ood and new. a check for Ten Dollars win be sent at once. In submitting- secrets address all communications to POULTRY DEPARTMENT OF FARM JOURNAL. Fakm Journal has for thirty years made a specialty of poultry; this department Is ably edi- ted and more valuable than many specialized poultry papers. This Is only one section, however, of a remarkable magazine— a monthly with 600.000 subscribers— circulating- throughout America and in every civJUzed land. NOT a dreary, technical farm paper, badly printed on cheap paper, full of medical and trashy advertisements, but a magazine for the home— town, villag-e. or country ; well printed and illustrated, clean, clever, quaint, and always cheerful; Intensely practical; equally at home on a thousand-acre farm or in a suburban back garden; in cottage or mansion. East or West ; and In a dozen ways UNLIKE ANY OTHER PAPER you ever saw. " Poultry Secrets" ryV.^^^oi;?iiroft:-y $1.00 FARM JOURNAL, 1093 Race St., Philadelphia, Pa. tW Our Splendid New Almanac for 1910 FREE if you accept this offer within 10 days and ask for it. ""^ Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. December, 1909. American "Bee Jonrnalj ROOT'S GOODS Are money-savers. We have a full line of Supplies, Bees, Queens, etc., and can supply you with anything in the BEE-LINE Queens any quantity. Untested, 7Sceach. Tested, $1.00; 4Atf Rea Bee & Honey Co.^ Reynoldsville, Pa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. For Sale to Acres of Land and 50 Col- onies of Bees. The land is all cleared and there is a 4- room house on it. The bees are mostly Ital- ians, in 8-frame dovetailed hives, all painted, with wired Hoffman frames. There are also 40 empts' Hives of the same description with all fixtures, and a quantity of Sections. This is in one of the best bee-ranges that can be found. Added to the early tlow of maples, willows and dandelions, are sumac, white clover, and some basswood. followed by buckwheat and several hundred acres of toldenrod and asters, with many other wild owers. A BARGAIN", but will be sold soon. Address, E. H. JACKSON, iiAtf Fennville, Mich. Pfcase mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Our doubts are traitors. And mal^c us lose the good we oft might Tuin B^/earing to attempt. — Shakespeare. Bee-Keepers' Supplies. Sold at reduced prices. Dovetailed Hives. Sections, and everything pertaining to bee- keeping of the very best kept in stock. Lartfc Warehouse on of L. S. iSc M. S. R. R. Wholesale and Retail. New price-list just out — Free. I,i t me figure on your wants. iiAtf W. D. Soper, Jackson, Mich. Please mention Am. Bee Journal vihfn writuiK. Closing Out Offer We Have Some Copies Left of ttie Book "Bees and Honey" By Thomas C. Newman bound in cloth, that we offer cheap to close out. It contains 100 pages, and is bound in cloth. It used to be a one- dollar book, but we will mail them, so long as they last, at .^0 cents each ; or with the .American Hee Journal one year — both for only $1.00. Surely this is a bargain. llic book is well illustrated, and has some good infor- mation in it, especially for beginners. Address all orders to George W. York & Co., 146 W. Superior St., Chicago, III. This is the only Place in Indiana Where you can get this Combinatidn — Prompt Service —AND— Lewis Beeware Lewis Wisconsin Hives are winners. Lewis Dovetailed Hives are in a class by themselves. i^" Our New, Up-to-Date'CAXALoG will soon be issued. It is Absolutely Free. Send for one. THE C. M. SCOTT CO. 1009 E. Washington St. INDIANAPOLIS, IND. Piease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. 12 Hardy Blizzard Bell Strawberry Plants FREE! Everybody llkea strawberries and to prove that our "BLIZZARD BELT' T>l;\nts are the strongest rooted and Imavlost fruiters, we otTer to send ONE DOZEN" selected plants tlaiit>i and .send you our C'ATA- LOriUE and HARGAIN SHEETS of H AKDV "BLIZZAKD IJELT' fruJt.s by nevt mall. Adilro.^s THE GARDNER NURSERY COMPANY, Box 230 0»Age, Iowa. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Write Us for Prices We will make you delivered prices by return mail, on anything you may want for your apiary. We Manufacture Dovetailed Hives, HoiTman Frames, Sections, Separators, Shipping- Cases, etc. Also Berry Boxes and Crates. There are no better HIVES than ours. Prices the lowest. Satisfaction guaranteed, or money refunded. Minnesota Bee-Supply Co. Nicollet Island MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. 390 December, 1909. American Hee Journal OUR NEW PLANT IS NOW IN OPERATION C Second to None of its Kind in the World. Five Acres of Ground. Forty Thousand Square Feet of Floor Space. One- Half Mile of Private Railroad Track for the Prompt Hand- ling of All Freight. Lumber Shed Five Hundred Feet Long. Latest Impro\^ed Machinery Operated Entirely by Electricity. D.llP WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN. -<^^.-.. OUR GOODS ARE AS GOOD AS THE PLANT BEWARE WHERE YOU auv YOUR BEEWARE I'iVA rCR TO M. WISi Makes the finest WHEREVER YOU ARE WE CAN REACH YOU 30 Distributing Houses send for catalogue giving the nearest one d Our Operating Plant Having Been Destroyed by Fire on June 20, 1909, Building Opera- tions on a New and Complete Plant Were Begun at Once. This New Plant is Located a Few Blocks from the Old One, the Change in Location Being Made to Avail Oursehes of Larger Ground Space and the Best Railroad Facilities. Needless to Say We Will Be Better Equipped Than Ever to Handle our Constantly Increasing Business and to Furnish the Finest Goods. G. B. Lewis Go. FACTORY LUMBER YARDS WA REHOUSES MAIN OFFICES Watertown, Wis (Entered as second-class matter July 30, 19i)T, at the Post-Offlce at Chlcat'o, 111., under Act ul March 3, ls7a.) Published Monthly at 75 cents a Year, by George W. York & Company, 146 West Superior Street, GEORGE W. YORK. Editor. DR. C. C. MILLER, Associate Editor. CHICAGO, ILL., DECEMBER, 1909 Vol. XLIX-No. 12 Merr.N C'liri.stiua.s Happy >ie\v Year The blessed Christinas time will soon be here again — the season of gifts, gladsomeness and joy. "Ye editor" wishes for all the readers of the old American Bee Journal the very mer- riest Christmas of all their lives. And then the New Year — lOlO — is only about two weeks away. How rap- idly the years come and go. And with them come, oh, so many changes! Dear ones that were with us have been taken away ; reverses and losses have come to some ; to others the years have brought happiness and prosperity. But the New Year bids us look ahead, and not to regret the past. We need to brace ourselves for the future and its increasing duties. Let us all hope that there may be brighter days just ahead for the discouraged and disheartened ; more contentment, peace and cheer for the worried and fretted; and a larger, richer and more successful ex- perience for us all. Again " Ye Edi- tor " has for each and every one — A New Year's Wish : " A brii,'ht New Year, and a sunny track. Alontj ,in upward way; And a sonir of prai-\<,-3n5^<, ■;' COiscellaneou Heijus -Items Oue Dollar a Year Alter tlii> Month As we have been announcing for several months the subscription price of the American Bee Journal will be $1.00 beginning Jan. 1, 1910. But those who desire to do so can have it for two years in advance of that date at the present rate of 75 cents a year, if paid before Jan. I, 1910. That is, send us 75 cents for 1910, or $1.50 for 1910 and 1911, before the end of this month. Of course, any who are in arears on their subscriptions will also pay to the end of the present year at the 75-cent rate, or 6.'4 cents a month. The end of the month to which your subscription is paid is indicated on the printed label which appears on the wrapper in which your copy of the Bee Journal is sent to you each month. Please don't forget that the 75-cent subscription price ends with this year — 1909. But if you want to take advan- tage of that price, you miixl order dur- ing "this month" (December), as men- tioned above. After Jan. 1, 1910. it will be $1.00 a year. You can save 5i) cents by paying the $1.50 for 1910 and 1911 any time before Jan. 1st — the end of this month. The Iiide.v for 1»0» This number contains the full index for 1909. We hope it will be of value to the majority of the readers of the American Bee Journal. It shows what a wonderful variety of apiarian topics have been discussed during the year. An index is almost invaluable to one who wishes to discover quickly what has been written in a volume, and es- pecially if the same subject has been treated frequently in the same volume. We feel that the space occupied by this index is well used. All who have preserved the rest of the year's num- bers should have them bound so as to have them for future reference. (^hioaso - Northwe.steru Conven- tion The 30th annual convention of the Chicago - Northwestern Bee-Keepers' Association was held at the Briggs House in Chicago, Dec. 1st and 2d. The attendance was about as large as usual, and the interest taken in the dis- cussions was splendid. Many imited in saying that it was one of the best conventions ever held in Chicago, and that meant a good deal, for some great meetings of bee-keepers have been held .c?^ -=■> liere. Dr. C. C. Miller. .\i. s\. [jaltl- ridge, E. J. Baxter, Geo. W. Jones, Franklin Wilcox, Dr. Bohrer, W. M. Wliitney. R. F. Holtermann, F. B. Cav- anagh, W. H. Horstmann, and others of the leading convention men were present. The proceedings were taken in short- hand, and will be published in full in the cloth-bound report of the Illinois State Bee-Keepers' convention held in Springfield last montli.and also the re- port of the National at Sioux City last September. By sending $1.00 to Sec- retary Dadant, you will thus pay a year's membership in the Chicago- Northwestern, the National, and the Illinois State Association — three or- ganizations for the dollar. Those elected as officers of the Chi- cago-Northwestern Bee-Keepers' Asso- ciation for the ensuing year are as fol- lows : President— George W. York, of Chicago Vice-President— Miss Emma M. Wilson. of Marengo. III. Secretary-Treasurer— Louis C. Uadaiit. of HamiUoii. III. This convention is held annually in Chicago on the first Wednesday and Thursday of December, during the In- ternational Live Stock Exposition. To Association Secretarie.s We would like to have all secretaries of bee-keepers' associations send us in advance notices of their meetings, so that we can publish them. But be sure to get them to our office in time. We ought to have them at least 60 days ahead of the dates of conventions. Then if they are too late for one num- ber of the American Bee Journal, they will appear in the following number. We would also like to have the sec- retaries send us brief reports of their conventions, including the papers read. Try to give the cream of the discus- sions, also. We would like to co-oper- ate with the officers of all the bee-keep- ers' associations in America, and if possible help them make their meetings more successful. Why not let the old American Bee Journal aid you, con- vention officers? Our Trii»s to the Ea.st and West About 1 years ago we visited nearly all the leading bee-supply manufactur- ers of this country, and what we saw then was indeed a revelation to us. So a few weeks ago we started out to re- visit the same enterprising people, first going to the Northwest as described in American Hee Joarnai] December, 1909. last month's American Bee Journal. The following is a brief report of our second and third trips: Walter S. Pouder Oct. 15th we left Chicago, stopping first at Indianapolis to see Walter S. Pouder, at 8-59 Massachusetts Ave. We found him in his magnificent new store, but of course not busy with bee-sup- plies, as the season was over some weeks before our arrival. But he was in the honey business " good and O. I. WAbTEN. plenty," assisted by his faithful helper, O. I. Masten, who has been with him for about 1.5 years. Mr. Pouder has been in the bee-supply and honey busi- ness for 20 years, and, by reason of his transparent honesty of dealing, and his determination to give entire satisfac- tion, he has built up a splendid trade in both bee-keepers' supplies and honey. The C. M. Scott Co. f~ This bee-supply and honey firm is also in Indianapolis, at 1009 E. Wash- ington St., Mr. E. A. Dittrich being its chief moving spirit. We met him in the evening at the Pure Food Show being held in Tomlinson Hall. A pic- ture of his exhibit appears herewith. Mr. Dittrich not only had a fine dis- play of both comb and extracted honey, honey-vinegar, etc., but also gave live bee demonstrations in a wire-screen cage to the wondering multitude. We authorized him to offer any lady .50 cents who would enter the cage with HONEY-BOO'IH Ol- I Hi: C. M. .SCO 11 Co. him, but there were no takers. It created much interest. C. H. W. Weber & Co. We left Indianapolis for Cincinnati at about 4:30 a.m., and arrived about 7 a.m. After a restaurant breakfast we took a street-car for the big store of C. H. W. Weber & Co., at 2146 Central Ave., now managed by Mr. Chas. H. Weber, who is a hustler ?'« business and /or business. He is ably aided in the ofBce by his alert sister "Alma," he had in stock, in both 5-gallon cans and in barrels, but it looked as if there was enough to sweeten half of the country. There is no question but that The Fred W. Muth Co. does its share Interior View of Walter S. Pouder's Honey and Bee-Supplv Office. who doubtless will be surprised to see her photograph in these columns. As most of our readers will remem- ber, Mr. C. H. W. Weber passed away about a year ago. He succeeded the late Chas. F. Muth in the bee-supply and honey business. Mr. Muth was a sturdy German, honest and enterprising as a man could be. And his successor was every bit his equal in these regards. Mr. Weber maintained the business in e.xcellent style, and his son " Charles " seems to be a " chip off the old block," as the expressive saying goes. He is not only a pushing bee-supply dealer and seedsman, but is the champion rapid honey-bottler of America, we verily believe. His daily capacity is 240 two-dozen case tumblers, ready for shipment, all the work being done by only four men. Mr. Weber had a small quantity left of a car of the most beautiful sage comb honey, from Southern California, that we ever saw. We believe it was his seventh or eighth car of all kinds of comb honey for this season, besides perhaps several cars of extracted honey. We said Mr. Weber is a hustler, and it is easily proven, as will be seen from the foregoing. The Fred W. Muth Co. Mr. Fred W. Muth is a son of the late Chas. F. Muth, to whom we re- ferred above. His firm has built up a large business in bee-supplies and honey. We think we are safe in say- ing that "Fred" has traveled more thousands of miles in the interest of honey sales than any other living man. His firm occupies three large floors at 51 Walnut St. We wouldn't dare es- timate the number of carloads of honey of the honey business, and also of bee- supplies, as well. The W. T. Falconer Mfg. Co. Before landing in Falconer, N. Y., where the great W. T. Falconer Mfg. Co.'s plant is located, we had spent a few days in eastern Ohio, visiting our aged and beloved mother, also sisters and brothers. As we wanted to spend Miss .Alma Weber. Sunday with friends in Buffalo, and it being Saturday when we arrived at Falconer, we could remain only two or three hours. But Mr. Leslie Martin, who has charge of the bee-supply end of the business, was very kind to us December, 1909. 397 American Hqq Journal and took us over all the extensive plant of the Company, which is one of the largest in the world making wooden school and advertising novelties, toys, etc. Not a bit of wood is wasted there — not even the knots or sawdust, for they are used for fuel under the great boilers that help to furnish the power necessary to run the immense factory of the W. T. Falconer Mfg. Co. Saturday being a short day, and Mr. Falconer himself being very busy, and also having a previous engagement, we left immediately after lunch, which we had with Mr. and Mrs. Martin. Referring to Mrs. Martin, reminds us of a good story. It seems that Mrs. M. (who until a few months ago was Miss Carrie Boehme, of Cincinnati), was chief clerk in the office ot The Fred W. Muth Co. We had met her there four years ago, and in the absence of Mr. Muth, she was very gracious and kind to us. We remember that Mr. Muth, on several occasions, referred to "Miss Carrie" as being practically in- dispensable to the firm. Well, a year or so ago Mr. Leslie Martin came to Cincinnati. Being a practical bee-keeper, and for some time in the employ of the apiarian depart- ment of the United States Government, he and Mr. Muth were soon good friends. He was invited to make Mr. Mr. and Mks. Leslie Martin. Muth's office his headquarters while in Cincinnati, which he gratefully did. A little later Mr. Muth was'asked by the Falconer Mfg. Co. if he knew of some wide-awake young man who could take charge of their bee-supply department. Of course he did. He knew just the right man. And so he recommended Leslie Martin. But here is where the "good story" comes in. What did " Leslie " do but take "Miss Carrie" with him as his wife! And now she helps him in his office work. Talk about enterprise! Do you know of anything to beat that? And poor Mr. Muth — well, his " Miss Carrie " was gone. And yet no one could blame Mr. Martin, for he simply took advan- tage of his opportunity. He was wise. He knew what he wanted — and got her. But Mr. Muth took it good naturedly, and is getting along all right with his office work, for he was fortunate in having a very capable sister who could come and take the place that " Miss Carrie" filled so acceptably for so many years. The A. I. Root Co. We next called on the A. I. Root Co., at Medina, Ohio. They were in the midst of a general tear-up, incident to re-building. A 3-story concrete-and- brick building for warehouse purposes was the biggest thing under way just then. They were also changing their water-sprinkler system, which cost enormously. But, when completed, it bile to Lodi, Ohio, some 10 miles away, after first running out to one of the queen-rearing yards a couple of miles from Medina. Of course the bees were already prepared for winter, and as the dav was cool none were flying. Main Factory of The A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. will reduce their fire insurance rate greatly. The whole plant of the Root Com- pany covers something like 1.5 acres of ground. It is a tremendous thing, and practically all built up as a result of the work of the busy little honey-bee. The wholly-concrete building in which are located all the business offices of the firm, besides printing office, etc., is a magnificently appointed one-story building. The private office of each member of the firm is delightful. When we were at Medina all the em- ployees that could possibly help out- doors were used in constructing the new building, and in making the gen- eral changes. During the busiest sea- son they employ something like .350 hands. Mr. A. I. Root, the "father" of prac- tically everything at Rootville, was at home, but expected in a few days to go The Griggs Bros. Co. Our last call was made on The Griggs Bros. Co., 24 N. Erie St., Toledo, Ohio. We had never been there before. To- ledo is a beautiful city, located at the mouth of the Maumee River, on Lake Erie. The Griggs brothers are two enterprising young men who surely are doing a great business in bee-supplies and honey. Their large bottling de- partment is in charge of Mr. Kimball, father-in-law of Mr. S. J. Griggs. They have a fine, large, 3-story store build- ing, splendidly arranged for their grow- ing business. And they are succeeding, too, as every firm will succeed that is determined to deal squarely and hon- orably every time. It was a great pleas- ure to us to spend several hours with these brothers who, though having had their struggles, are rapidly getting to the top in both honey and bee-supplies Office and Factory of The Kretchmkr Mfg. Co.. Council Bluffs. Iowa. to his Florida camp for the winter. We found him dictating to "Stenog." (Mr. W. P. Root) his semi-monthly sermon- ette, clad in an overcoat and fur cap, as usual ! In order to get to our next and last stop in time. Editor E. R. Root very kindly took us in his speedy automo- The Kretchmer Mfg. Co. Nov. 18th we were at the factory of the Kretchmer Mfg. Co., Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 190.5 it was moved from Red Oak, Iowa, where it had been located for many years. Mr. Edward Kretchmer, the head of the concern, began the American Hee Journal December, 1909. manufacture of bee-supplies in 1864, which makes his firm the oldest in its line in the United States. It has had a phenomenal growth since being estab- lished in Council Bluffs, having in- creased its volume of business dur- work among the spring-time blossoms is scarcely less valuable than their honey product. So the fruit-growers and bee-keepers should also be the best of friends. In fact, one pursuit is so intimately related to another that really Railroad Tracks and Lumber Yards of The Kretchmer Mfg. Co. ing 1908 and 1909, 109 percent over that of 1907. The power used by the Kretchmer Mfg. Co., is all electricity — 29 five- horsepower motors. They are about to install several new machines. One machine, of their own invention, turns out complete Hoft'man end-bars, the blank piece of wood being put in at one end of the machine, and comes out at the other end a perfect Hoft'man end- bar, and at a rapid rate. They make the "Champion " bee-smoker, of which 15,000 were turned out the past year. Council Bluffs has 13 railroads, which makes it such an exceptional shipping- point. It is also in a great honey-pro- ducing district, and being on several of the transcontinental railroad lines, makes it a sort of gateway to the far West. And that part of our country, through its tremendous irrigation pro- jects, is rapidly being opened to the growing of alfalfa and the coming of many bee-keepers, which result is sure to follow. Three of Mr. Kretchmer's sons, be- sides a brother of his wife, are all em- ployed in the business. Each is in charge of a different department, which thus keeps the management pretty much in the family. No wonder the business is such a success. .'\nd, what is best of all, they deserve the large success they are having. It was very encouraging to us to come in personal touch with the manu- facturers of bee-keepers' supplies again. Some 4 years ago we made th^ rounds among them, and felt that it was well worth the doing. We think that Bee- keepers ought to be in closer contact with the bee-supply manufacturers and dealers. Their interests are mutual. Each needs the other in order to suc- ceed. One cannot be independent of the other. So if there is anything the American Bee Journal can do to help cultivate a better relation or under- standing between the honey-producer and manufacturers of bee-keepers' sup- plies, it will be only too glad to do it. We believe in encouraging everybody connected in any way with bee-culture. It is an ennobling industry. Bees are so beneficial in so many ways. Their no man can say he is independent of every other man. No one liveth unto himself. Surely no normal man would desire to do so. We all need to get closer together, and thus gather in- spiration and help from our fellows in life's battle for existence and for suc- cess. " In union there is strength " — of course there is. There is power, also. Let us all pull to,i;ethey, and thus go on to the highest progress and ad- vancement possible to man — not only in beedom, but in every other depart- ment of the world's endeavor. California Winter Bee-Institutes Institutes for bee-keepers under the direction of the University of Califor- nia are being arranged for at the fol- lowing places : For Northern California, at Sacra- mento Dec. 17th and 18th (jointly under the auspices of the Northern Califor- nia Bee-Keepers' Association). For the San Joaquin Valley, at Tu- for the usual institute in the Central Coast Counties, but very likely a joint meeting will be arranged for'with the California Central Coast Bee-Keepers' Association at some central point in Monterey County, perhaps at Salinas. The following program will give something of the plan and scope of these institutes, slight variations being made in the topics to be presented ac- cording to local needs: First Afternoon, 1:30 p.m. Music, Address of Welcome. Response— Mr. Ralph Benton, of the Uni- versity of California. " The Kind of a Location to Look For "— Mr. Benton. "Equipping an Apiary "—Mr. M. C. Rich- ter. of the University of California. First Evening. 8:00 p.m. Music. " Problems in Bee-Breeding "—Mr. Benton Metliodsof Queen-Rearing"— Mr. Richter Second Morning. Question-Box. " Building Bees Up for the Harvest"— Mr Benton. " The Marketing of Honey." " Moving Bees to Increase Returns' —Mr Richter. Second Afternoon, 1:30 p.m. Question-Box. " Honey-YieldingPlants and How to Utilize Them" — Mr. Richter. " Foul Brood and Other Diseases of Bees " —Mr. Benton. "The Rendering of Beeswax '—Mr. Rich- ter. " The Chemistry of Honey and the Making of Vinegar"— Mr. Benton. Bee-keepers are requested to bring samples of honey and beeswax to the institute gatherings, and in this way contribute to the institute exhibits, Ralph Benton, In Charge of Aficidtui-e, University of California. Berkelev, Calif. Apiary of Mr. Frye I am sending a view of my bee-yard. I had, spring count, .j4 colonies, and in- creased to ()7. I got a little over 1000 pounds of honey. This was a very .Apiarv of Orville F. Frve. of Dodgeville, Wis. lare Dec. 20th and 21st (jointly with the Tulare Bee-Keepers' Association). For Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los An- geles and Orange Counties, at Santa Paula Dec. 22d and 23d. In the Riverside District, at Colton Dec. 28th and 29th. Definite dates have not yet been set poor year for this locality. Some of my neighbor bee-keepers did not get more than 4 or -5 pounds to the colony. I got about 60 pounds from a queen that I got last year. I am selling my honey now at 12^^ cents per pound for the extracted, and 20 cents per pound for the comb. I have mostlv alsike December. 1909. American Hee JoarnaTI clover as pasture. I work with the clipped-queen system. I found one swarm on the ground one morning not 20 feet from an apple-tree. They were black bees with a queen that could fly, so I knew that they were not mine. We hope for better luck next year. Orville F. Frye. DodgeviUe, Wis., Sept. 7, 1909. The Illinois State Couveution We attended this convention at Springfield. Nov. 18 and 19. The at- tendance was good, and it was perhaps the best meeting ever held by the Illi- nois State Bee-Keepers' Convention. A full shorthand report of the proceed- ings was taken, which will be published in pamphlet form later on, and an- nounced in these columns when ready for distribution. The following were elected as offi- cers for the ensuing year: President— C. P. Dadant, Hamilton, Ill- Vice-Presidents— 1st, Aaron Coppin ; 2d, J W. Bowen ; 3d, Louis Werner ; 4th, W. B. Moore ; 5th. I. E. Pyles. Secretary— Jas. A. Stone, Route 4, Springfield. Treasurer— Chas. Becker, Pleasant Plains. . Foul Brood Inspector— A. L. Kildow, Putnam, 111. ■•- Book Notices This is a column begun last month in which will be noticed some of the best books of the day. This will be a help to our readers, for many who wish to place before their families and others good books, do not know what to select, .\nything we notice in our book column can be relied upon as being just as represented. And we would be glad to fill orders for those we describe, either alone or clubbed with the American Bee Journal, as we state in the paragraph following the notices. Also any books we do not mention we will be glad to order for our readers, if they will write us or re- mit to us for them. December Number a Little Late Owing to the Chicago-Xorthwestern coming the first days of this month, and also on account of this December issue of the American Bee Journal be- ing a 48-page number, it is a few days later than usual. We aim to mail the Bee Journal between the 10th and the loth of each month. If at any time a subscriber does not receive it before the 18th or 20th it has likely been lost in the mails, and another copy should be asked for t/ie;i, and not wait several months, as we may be out of the de- sired copv if not written for promptly. Alfalfar— the Great Honey-Plant Farmers' Bulletin No. :i:i9, issued by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, is devoted wholly to a consideration of alfalfa. Its de- scription is given as follows: The accompanyinK illustration indicates the Kcneral appearance of tiie plant. It may briefly be described as luint'a deep-rooted. ions-lived tierbaceous forage plant belong- ing to tlie botanical family Leguminoss. or pod-bearing plants. Its flowers are violet, clover-shaped, and borne in compact oblong racemes or clusters. The pods are small. tending 15 or more feet into the soil. This enables the plant to reach stores of plant food in the soil which cannot be secured by the ordinary shallow-rooted field crops. The long taproot is also of great importance in sections of limited rainfall, as by tliis means the plant is enabled to withstand ex- tremes of drouth which would otherwise be fatal. The value of alfalfa for bees is briefly mentioned in this paragraph : The development of the honey-producing industry in the West has been practically coincident with the extension of alfalfa cul- ture. Statistics indicate that the heaviest yields of honey per colony of bees are gotten in the sections showing the greatest acreage of alfalfa. That the honey is of a good qual- ity is evidenced by its standing in exhibi- tions of this class of products. The number of times that the alfalfa fields come into blossom during the season makes possible the gathering of successive crops of honey. Ai.FAt.FA— Showing Long Roots. slightly hairy, and spirally coiled in two or three turns. The kidney-shaped seeds arc about one-twelfth of an inch long, and sev- eral are contained in each pod. One of the most important characteris- tics of alfal'a is its long taproot, often ex- Oiir Front-Page Pictures The following are the brief descrip- tions of the front-page pictures of api- aries : No. 1. — Apiary of C. E. Eccleston This apiary is located inlGreene. N. Y., and contains ^r colonies. No. 2.— Apiary of S. A. Pecit I am enclosing a photograph of my bee-yard and honey-house taken after tfie supers were all off but one, andsome of them alloff. I " weighed up " a few days ago, and have only one hive in my yard that weighs 50 pounds, and many of them under 30, My banner colony that stored about 120 pounds, weighs only about HO pounds. We have had the poorest year since I commenced, in IQ02. The picture was taken about Sept. i, iqoq, after the supers were nearly all off. S. A. Peck. .\oi thumberland. I'a.. Oct, 8, No. 3. — Apiary of Clias. D. Doan I am sending a !)icture of m>- bee-yard which consists of 37 colonies at present: 27 spring count, I am in the center, and my daughter is in the foreground with the smoker fighting a bee that is buzzing around her. The forepart of the season was not very good for honey—no No, i white of any ac- count, but the fall flow was better. My bees averaged a little over Ho pounds per colony, spring count. The building you see in the distance is the Hull Butter Factory, ho rods north. linll. Iiiwa,. Sept. j::. Ch.\s, D. Doan. No. 4. — Apiary of Leroy Lloyd I am sending a view of my Steuben County apiary of 1.37 cohinies, mostly in home-made 8-frame chaff hives. This year has been the most utter and complete failure I ever saw for bees, andall kinds of farming, too. About Aug. I to 10. I saw something I had never seen before. The thermometer at noon stood from 85 to Qo in the shade, and in my whole yard of bees you would have to look sharp to see a bee flying, on account of the terrible drouth drying all the nectar up, when us- ually the flow is at its best from clover and buckwheat, Lekoy Li.ovp, Rathbone. N, Y,, Oct. 15. No. 5 Apiary of J. E. Lutts I am sending you 2 photographs, one show- ing a bee-tr(*e that I found up ak>ng the mountain side, from which I took out luo pounds of fine honey. One thing peculiar I noticed, tin: hole where the bees went in and out was not more than half an inch in diameter. The hollow was about 3 feet long by 16 inches across. The tree was a monster elm, nearly 4 feet through the base. The other iihotograph [No. s) shows my 4 colonies of bees which I keep in the rear of a city lot. Two of the colonies have stored 175 [lounds of honey. I see no reason why people living in the city cannot keep bees, and have all the honey they want to eat, and some to sell. I winter them outside. I put a box over them 4 inches larger than the hive, and stuff the space with dry maple leaves, and cover over the top waterproof, leaving a space in front for the bees to pass out when the weather is warm enough for 400 American "Bcc Jonrnalj December, 1909. them to fly. and that is not often, for we get plenty of zero weather here, and lots ot snow. -lu 1 • t 11 The 2 colonies I started in with last fall came out in fine shape last spring. My opin- ion is that outdoor wintering is the natural way A friend of mine lost 60 colonies last winter trying to winter them in his cellar. He put in no colonies, with the above re- sults. J- E. LUTTS. Hamilton. Ont. No. 6.— Apiary of F.'D. .Look The yard contains 60 colonies and is run for comb honey— no extracted— and the honey is all sold within a few rods of the apiary I never shipped a pound, and have been at it is years. My trade grows as fast as my apiary does. I had one-third of a crop this year. F. D. Look. Campbell. N. Y.. Aug. 7. No. 7.— Apiary of Jay S. Kendall I am interested in bees, and have been since I was Q years old. so I have had a little experience in the last 17 years. At present I have 12 colonies. They stored lots of honey this year, and are good and strong this fall. Enclosed you will find photographs taken of them. One shows myself and wife just going to take the honey off. Notice 2 Queens caged, which we arc going to intro- duce. We both are interested in the bees. Jay S. Kendall. Chemung. III.. Sept. 30. No. 8.— Apiary of W. S. Chapel I enclose two views of my apiary of 34 col- onies in Danzenbaker hives. I started 5 years ago with black bees, but in the last 3 years I have requeened with red clover Italian Queens from several breeders, and in every case the aueens were all right, and I was treated in a fair and honest manner. W. S. Chapel. North Troy. Vt.. Sept. 13. New Jersey Convention The annual meeting of the New Jersey Bee-Keepers' Association will be held in the Assembly Room of the State House at Tren- ton. Saturday. Dec. i8th. beginning atgijo a.m. The program is not completed, but there will be papers on Comb Honey Pro- duction, Extracted Honey. Honey-Dew, Re- Queening. etc. One or two speakers outside of the State are expected. The forenoon session will be devoted largely to the discussion of our Foul Brood Bill— how to get it before the legislature in a way that it will be favorably considered. There will be appointment of committees, annual election of officers, payment of dues, etc. This will be a very important meeting to all the bee-keepers of New Jersey, and there should be the largest attendance we have ever had. All interested bee-keepers should be there and take part in the discus- sions and offer suggestions. There will be Quite a little expense con- nected with getting our Bill passed, and we need all the annual dues of all members, and also many new ones. If any cannot attend, we should be glad to have them send the an- nual dues (50 centsi, and ask for a printed copy of our Foul Brood Bill. Bring along samples of honey, beeswax, and honey-dew for comparison, or anything else pertaining to apiculture. Albert G. Hann. Scc-Treas., W. W. Case. Pres. Pittstown. N. J. "The Honey-Money Stories" This is a 64-page and cover book- let 554 by 8j4 inches in size. Printed on enameled paper. It contains a variety of short, bright stories, mixed with facts and interesting items about honey and its use. It has 31 half-tone pictures, mostly of apiaries or apiarian scenes. It has 3 bee-songs, namely : "The Hum of the Bees in the Apple-Tree Bloom," "Buckwheat Cakes and Honey," and "The Bee-Keeper's Lullaby." It ought to be in the hands of every one not familiar with the food value of honey. Its object is to create a larger demand for honey. It is sent postpaid for 25 cents, but we will mail a single copy as a sample for 15 cents, S copies for 60 cents, or 10 copies for $1.00. A copy with the American Bee Journal one year — both for 80 cents. Send all orders to George W. York & Co., Chicago, 111. Our Liberal Premium Offers We offer many premiums in this num- ber for the work of getting new sub- scribers for the American Bee Journal. We request every reader to help us in- crease the list of regular subscribers. It is not our aim to make more bee- keepers, but to make better bee-keep- ers of those who now are in the busi- ness. Surely this is right. Why not get your neighbor bee-keepers to take the American Bee Journal? It will pay you in more ways than one to do such missionary work. We not only pay you for it, but you will thus be helping to inform the bee-keepers around you how to conduct bee-keep- ing in the proper way ; how to keep their bees free from disease; how not to spoil the honey market for you and themselves ; how — but there are so many ways in which they would be helped by reading the American Bee Journal every month. And the cost is so small — only 75 cents for a whole year — about 6 cents a month. We will be glad to furnish free all the sample copies you can use judiciously. Why not begin now? Langstroth Book "Special" We have about 30 copies left of the book, " Langstroth on the Honey- Bee," of the edition just preceding the last. It is practically equal to the latest edition, and we will mail them so long as they last, for 90 cents a copy. (The regular price is $1.20.) Or, we will send one of the above 90-cent copies with the American Bee Journal one year — both for $1.-50. Address the American Bee Journal office. The Curious Cockerel and the Busy Bees, or He Found Out (Drawn especially for "Poultry Husbandry," by John S. Pughe.) R. Humilitlit December, 1909. 401 American Hee Joarnal Canadian Conducted bv J. L. B YER, Mount Joy. Ont. Report of the Ontario Convention The annual convention of the Onta- rio Bee-Keepers' Association was held in Toronto Nov. 10, 11 and 12, 1909, during the same week the Ontario Hor- ticultural Show was in progress. This show, now an annual affair, is made up of exhibits of fruit, flowers, vegetables and honey, and as an educator of the public it is a great factor in helping the sales of these different products, and especially so in the matter of honey, as this latter article has, in the times gone by. too often unfortunately been classed as a luxury instead of being looked upon as a staple in the line of foods. The convention was fairly well at- tended, but personally, at least, I looked for a larger attendaYice, as the bee- keepers of the Province the past sea- son were blessed with a good crop, as well as good prices — a combination that should certainly go a long way in bringing out the fraternity to such an important meeting. However, what may have been lacking in numbers, was cer- tainly more than made up in enthu- siasm. Pres. Couse. of Streetsville, occupied the chair in his usual genial and capa- ble manner, and the meeting through- out was entirely harmonious, although, as is usually the case at bee-keepers' conventions, the discussion at times was good and lively, very decided opin- ions pro and con being given on vari- ous subjects that came up for consid- eration. Among the visitors from a distance were Messrs. Dine, Hershiser, House, and Clark, from New York State — the last three being no strangers to us, as they have been with us before, and from the parting greeting of Mr. Dine, we believe he will, if spared, be with us again at some convention in the near future. Whatever the impressions formed by our visitors may be, one thing is cer- tain, they are always heartily welcome, and we look forward with pleasure to the thought that in the future there will be more of these fraternal visits back and forth between the two countries, as most assuredly the boundary line is simply imaginary in so far as it refers to the good fellowship existing be- tween the men and women of the bee- keeping fraternity. Queen-Rearing and Queens. Broadly speaking, the time of the convention was mainly spent in discuss- ing two very important phases of bee- keeping, namely — the best methods of suppressing foul brood, and the advan- tages of having good (jueens in the hives. With the latter subject, the best methods of rearing queens were also taken up, and the convention was fort- unate to have two of our best queen- breeders in attendance, who gave ad- dresses on the subject of queen-rearing, illustrating by means of the various paraphernalia useii by commercial queen-rearers, the different steps in the systems so plainly that the veriest nov- ice could have at least a superficial knowledge of this fascinating phase of the industry. The two gentlemen to whom thanks are due for their kind- ness in showing us how they do their work, are Mr. Clark, of New York, and Mr. Frank Adams, of Ontario. As one member of the .Association remarked, it is not often that men are liberal and generous enough to "giveaway" the secrets of the work, whereby they earn their bread and butter; but he might have qualified the remark by saying that this procedure was not very com- mon outside of the bee-keeping profes- sion. Along the line of queens, Mr. Sib- bald gave a splendid address on, "Im- portance of Requeening," and in the discussion that followed all agreed that many queens are being kept that should be destroyed, and quite a few present were in favor of the annual requeening of all the hives. However, the ma- jority would not follow so radical a plan, and the general consensus of opinion seemed to favor leaving good queens for at least two years. Poor queens should not be left in the hives even one year. Foul Brood. As to foul brood eradication, the fact that one whole session of the conven- tion was given to the discussion and consideration of this disease proves that it is thought to be a serious men- ace to the industry. All 14 of the in- spectors sent in reports of the season's work, and while it was stated that there was no cause for alarm, yet nothing in the way of half-way measures would ever keep the disease under control. The black brood outbreak in the eastern part of the Province is really the most alarming factor presenting itself at present, and after the situation had been thoroughly discussed, a reso- lution was passed unanimously asking the Department of Agriculture to take the most radical measures to suppress the plague before it spreads from the few isolated localities where it is now raging. Government Experiment Apiarv. Mr. Pettit gave a resume of the work done in the apiary during the past sea- son, and while it was stated that the work was yet in the initial stage, yet it was hoped that another year the equip- ment, etc., would be so improved that the experimental work would be of real value to the apiarists of the Province. Mr. Pettit had been in correspondence with the various agricultural stations in the United States and other places, and in the whole comparatively little work was being done in the way of apicultural investigations. All the par- ties written to had given courteous re- plies, and in many instances much val- uable information had been imparted that will be of much use in perfecting the work and organization of the Sta- tion recently established. Mr. Pettit was anxious for suggestions on the part of the bee-keepers as to profitable work to carry on, and while some thought that simple, practical experi- ments should be first carried out ; others inclined to the view that work more of the scientific nature should be undertaken. Secretary Hodgetts opined that in the near future Mr. Pettit would find plenty of work in both the practical and scientific sides of bee-keeping to engage his attention fully, but at the present time, owing to the work being yet in its infancy, we must wait a while before expecting too much from the limited equipment at their disposal. Gasoline Engine for Apiary Work, The use of the gasoline engine around the apiary, was the subject con- sidered by Mr. Nolan, and after hearing of this " handy man " as he employs it, we would not be surprised if quite a few orders for gasoline engines would be placed with manufacturers the com- ing winter. Messrs. Miller and Armstrong also highly endorsed these labor-savers, and the statement of Mr. Armstrong, that in extracting 13,000 pounds of honey, the cost for gasoline had been but 75 cents, was quite a surprise to most of those present. The engine as used by Mr. Nolan is on skids, and can be taken from one place to another, and will saw wood, run a small circu- lar saw for making hives — in fact, do almost anything around the place where no great lot of power is needed. Especially for the large, reversible ex- tractors now being manufactured are these engines a real necessity, and where labor is scarce, as it is now in most sections, from an economic stand- point it certainly looks as if it would pay many of us to use more machine- work in out-apiary operations than is now the case. Rendering Comb into Beeswax. Wax-rendering came in for a thor- ough discussion, and it was felt by many that this valuable product of the apiary was not receiving the attention of many that it deserved. The many presses on the market were discussed, some preferring the hot-water ma- chines and others the unheated press, but all agreed that it was a mistake not to use a press of some kind. A few advocated the use of sulphuric acid for clarifying the wax, but the majority thought it should not be used except in extreme cases. It was pointed out by one speaker that wax properly ren- dered needed no acid to clarify, and this statement the writer would endorse (Americanize Jonrnal heartily, as even old combs will yield a beautiful yellow wax if properly handled. While it was thought that foundation makers all use sulphuric acid, yet Mr. Newton, who manufac- tures a high grade article, surprised the convention by stating that he had never used a drop of the acid. Mr. Chrysler called attention to the fact that we sliould be careful in trying new things recommended in the line of cleaning wax, as an experiment rec- ommended by a scientific man in one of our recent conventions had cost him a lot of money. He had reference to the idea of refining beeswax with nitric acid, for while the acid made the wax look beautiful, yet it was impossi- ble to make into foundation after the treatment. Different speakers called attention to the fact that they were supplying firms with wax for use in the arts, and that the special proviso was that it must be guaranteed that no sulphuric acid had been used in rendering it. The gist of the discussion was that while it might be necessary in real dirty wax to use the acid, it is a big mistake, and entirely unnecessary, to use it in the ordinary production of the article. Honored Mr. McEvoy. A pleasing feature of the convention was the presenting of an address and purse of money to Mr. McEvoy, who so long was in the inspection work, and retired only last spring. Mr. Mc- Evoy replied feelingly and fittinglj', and stated that while the work had been done for the interests of the bee-keep- ers, from a financial standpoint he would have been better off if he had not engaged in the work. Ontario Wants the National. A resolution was passed unanimously, and with much enthusiasm, inviting the National Association to hold their next meeting in Toronto. Somehow we have a sort of presentiment over here that the meeting will come our way this time, and if such should not be the case, there will be a lot of disappointed bee-keepers on the north side of the boundary. Thank Retiring Treas. Emigh. Mr. Emigh, who has acted as treas- urer for a long time, found it necessary to resign, and the Association, while loth to accept his resignation, felt that with the advancing age and business cares of Mr. Emigh, they could not well refuse his request. Many feeling expressions were offered as to Mr. Emigh's thorough work and devotion to the cause during all these years, and a unanimous vote of thanks was passed ■expressing the good wishes of the members, with the hope that he would be with us in the future as in the past, even though holding no office in the Association. The officers for the ensuing year are as follows: District No. 1, Alex. Dick- son- No. 2, A. McLaughlin; No. 3, H. E Eyre; No. 4, C. P. Chisholm; No. 5, J. T. Storer; No. 6, W. Couse ; No. 7, J. F. Switzer; No. 8, U. H. Bo wen ; No. 9, W. J. Craig; No. 10, D. Chalmers; No. 11, W. A. Chrysler; No. 12, Henry Johnson. Ontario Agricultural College — Mor- ley Pettit. President, Wm. Couse, of Streetsville ; 1st Vice-President, W. J. Craig, of Brantford; and 2d Vice-President, W. A. Chrysler; Secretary-Treasurer, P. W. Hodgetts, Parliament Buildings, Toronto, Ont. oulniern Conducted bv LUUIS H. SCHUi^L, New Braunfels. Tex. The Production of Bulk Comb Honey Since writing the first installments on this subject, numerous letters with the most favorable comments and ap- provals have been received, showing that a great interest is being taken in the matter; and that in a favorable way, quite contrary to our expectations, as we feared we would meet with most serious opposition from the majority. It is a surprise to learn, howerer, that so many see advantages in the produc- tion of bulk comb honey, as we pro- duce it in Texas, and admit that its production is applicable to other parts of the country — yea, the world — and not alone in the Lone Star State. Right along this line we have the following on this subject from Mr. J. J. Wilder, of Georgia : There have been too many section-comb- honey hives placed over the South for the trood of the bee and honey industry here. The one-pound section presents an attrac- tive appearance, and for this reason the be- ginner in takintr his choice of hives lias I)een led astray by selecting those with sections, and this accounts for at least nine failures out of every ten. It takes experience and a good honey-tlovv to produce section lioney profitably. Tliis cannot be expected of a beginner, and all localities have not the riglit kind of tiows for section honey. On account of the extra expense of an ex- tracting outfit, and the tedious work of wir- ing frames, etc.. many beginners do not en- gage in producing extracted honey. By far the simplest is the production of " chunk " honey in shallow frames. It is the simplest, most satisfactory, surest, and most economical way to produce comb honey. The bee-keepers' supply manufacturers have never listed a style of super for this purpose, nor have they given any informa- tion concerning chunk-honey production. Not much has been written for the bee- papers on this subject, but it is hoped that it will receive more attention, as it is the only hope for successful comb-honey pro- duction in many sections, of not only the South, owing to the ability of the bee-keeper or the nature of the honey-flows. Chunk honey can be produced on either R or 10 frame hives in regular 5?8-incli shallow extracting supers, with frames filled with thin super foiuidation. One or two inch starters would do. but full sheets are better. Two or three supers should be in readiness for each colony. The first is given as soon as the flow begins, and then others are added as needed, by the tiering-up plan as in section lioney production. The lioney can be removed as fast as sealed, and put on the market. At least ?4 of an inch of the comb should be left in each frame for a starter to be returned to the bees when the honey is cut out. (I would not do this, as. first, the comb honey is worth dollars and cents to us, and should — ist, Scholl Apiaries, S3; 2d. Brazos Valley Apiary Co". S2. Best display of bulk comb honey— 1st. Scholl Apiaries. Sio; 2d. Smith & Scholl, S6. Best dozen jars of white extracted honey-- ist. W. M. Jones. Sv. 2d. Wm. Wiede. S2. Best dozen jars of light amber extracted honey— ist, J, E. McClellan. S?; 2d. Smith & Scholl, $2. Best displayof extracted honey, granulated form— ist, SchoU Apiaries, Ss; 2d. Smith & Scholl, $3. Best and largest display of extracted honey —ist. Scholl Apiaries. $10; 2d, Smith &Scholl, S*>. Best sample cake of bright yellow beeswax not less than 2 pounds— ist. J. E. McClellan. $3; 2d. Scholl Apiaries. $3. Best display in special designs in beeswax — 1st. Scholl Apiaries. $5; 2d Smith & Scholl. Best and largest display of beeswax— ist. Scholl Apiaries. J8: 2d. Smith & Scholl. $5. Best diplay of fruit preserved in honey— ist. Scholl Apiaries. $5. Best honey-vinegar, with recipe— ist, Scholl Apiaries. S3; 2d. Smith & Scholl. S2. Best collection of Texas honey-yielding plants, pressed and mounted— 1st. Scholl Apiaries. S3; 2d. Miss Mcta Hillje. Si- Best instructive display in apiarian pro- ducts and of thevarious uses made of honey and beeswax— 1st, Scholl Apiaries, S20: 2d, Smith & Scholl, $10. Best and largest display of bee-keepers' sui>plies— ist, The A. I. Root Co . Diploma. San Antonio International Fair, Nov. 6 to 17, 1909 Golden Italian bees and queen in single- comb observatory hives— ist. Smith & Scholl. SS; 2d. Toepperwein Hi Maytield. S3. Three-banded Italian bees and queen in single-comb observatory hives — ist. Scholl Apiaries, $5; 2d, Toepperwein & Mayfield, Sj. Carniolan bees and queens in single-comb observatory hives— 1st, Scholl Apiaries, Ss Caucasian bees and queens in single-comb observatorv hives— 1st, Scholl Apiaries, SS- Cyprian bees and queens in single-comb observatory hives— 1st, Smith & Scholl, Js; 2d. Scholl Apiaries. $3. Holy Land bees and queens in single-comb observatory hives— ist. Scholl Apiaries. Ss; 2d. Toepperwein & Mayfield. Si. Banat bees and queens in single-comb ob- servatory hives — Scholl Apiaries, $5; 2d. Smith & Scholl, J3. Black queen and bees in single-comb ob- servatory hives— ist. Smith it .Scholl, $5; 2d, Toepperwein & Mayfield, Si. Best and largest display of bees of various races in observatory liives— 1st. Scholl Api- aries, Jio; 2(1, Smith & Scholl, $6. Best case of white section comb honey, 12 pounds or more— 1st. Toepperwein & May- field. Js. Best case of light amber section comb honey— Toepperwein & Mayfield. S3. Best and largest display of section comb honey— 1st. Toepperwein & Mayfield. Ss; 2d. Toepperwein & Mayfield. S3. Best display of special designs of comb honey— 1st. Wm. Wiede. S5; 2d. Scholl Api- aries. S3. Best 12 pounds friction-top pails white bulk comb honey- 1st. Scholl apiaries. $1; 2d. Smith & Scholl. S2. Best 0 pounds friction-top pails white bulk comb honey- 1st. Scholl Apiaries, S3; 2d Smith & Scholl. S2. Best 3 pounds friction-top pails white bulk comb honey — 1st. Scholl Apiaries. Si; 2d. Smith & Scholl. S2. Best display of bulk comb honey— ist. Scholl Apiaries. S3; 2d. Toepperwein & May- field, $3. Best dozen jars of white extracted honey — ist. Scholl .Apiaries. S3; 2d, Toepperwein & Mayfield. S2. Best dozen jars of light amber extracted fioney— 1st. Smith ;t Scholl. S3; 2d. Toepper- wein & Mayfield. S2. Best display of extracted honey, granu- lated form— 1st, Scholl Apiaries. S3; 2d. Toep- perwein & Mayfield. S2. Best sample cake of bright yellow bees- wax, not less than 2 pounds— ist. Smith & Scholl. Ss; 2d. Scholl Apiaries. S3. Best display in special designs in beeswax —1st. Scholl Apiaries. Ss: 2d. Toepperwein & Mayfield. Si. Best and largest display of beeswax— ist. Scholl .Apiaries. Ss; 2d. Toepperwein & May- field. Si. Best display of fruit preserved in honey— 1st. Scholl Apiaries, Ss; 2d, Toepperwein & Mayfield, $3. Best honey-vinegar with recipe— ist. Toep- perwein & Mayfield. $1: 2d. same. $2. Best collection of Texas honey-yielding plants, pressed and mounted— 1st. Scholl Apiaries. S;; 2d. Miss Meta Hillje, Si. Best instructive display in apiarian pro- ducts and of the various uses made of honey and beeswax— ist. Scholl Apiaries, S20; 2d. Toepperwein & Mayfield. Sio. Best and largest display of bee-keepers, supplies— Toepperwein & Mayfield. Diploma. Grand special award, best entire exhibit— Scholl Apiaries— Diploma. flrficle^ ^-jy Chaff Packing for Wintering Bees BY G. C. GREINER. The various methods of wintering bees successfully have been for years a source of many animated discussions among professional bee-keepers, but to this day a satisfactory solution in every respect has not been reached. Bee- cellars have certain advantages, and where suitable ground for their con- struction is available, they are certainly paying investments for the specialist. Wintering on the summer stand with proper winter protection has also its good points, and for the amateur bee- keeper with only a limited number of colonies to winter, it is probably, tak- ing everything into consideration, the most advisable management. As it is not the object of this article to discuss the pros and cons of either method, we will assume that wintering on the summer stand has been decided upon, and with a view of giving some helpful hints to the beginner or pros- pective bee-keeper, who may look to us older ones for information, I will ex- press a few thoughts based on many years of practical experience along this line. We will take it for granted that win- tering bees outdoors in single-walled hives, without some kind of winter pro- tection, is extremely risky in this lati- tude— Western New York — or climates of like nature. I do not claim that chaff-packing is under all conditions an infallible safe-guard against all win- ter losses, neither is it probable that no extra protection will always cause a colony to perish. There are other con- ditions— some beyond our control — that determine the fate of a colony, but I know from experience that a good chaff-packing will go a long way to- ward keeping a colony comfortable during a continued zero spell, when under like conditions, without protec- tion, disastrous results may be the con- sequence. We have two distinct methods of providing chaff-packing for our bees ; one may be termed permanent, and the other adjustable. A small number of my colonies are in what we call chaff' hives for single colonies; although home-made, they embody the regular chaft'-hive principle (permanent pack- ing), as those put on the market by all our established bee-supply manufac- turers. While they are all right for wintering, they are too heavy and cum- bersome to manipulate conveniently, and, what is still more objectionable, they are not readily accessible. For the small bee-keeper, who has no de- sire to investigate the inside of a hive or manipulate his bees in a professional way, they are preferable on account of being less work to prepare them for winter, or summer either. But to ban- ^'§ 1 die bees on a larger scale, and no ob- structions to contend with, I prefer the adjustable packing, which admits of being removed during summer. To make this practical, I use for win- ter quarters temporary sheds (see illus- trations Fig. 1 and 2), They are made 404 American Vee Journal December, 1909. in separate sections, held together by 4 wire hooks on each end and one square-headed wood-screw at the mid- dle of each side at the bottom, to keep them from spreading when being filled with chaff. It is not strictly necessary, although convenient for handling and storing, that they should be made ad- justable throughout. An adjustable top and back is all that is needed for placing the hives inside the shed. (See back view. Fig. 2.) With the exception of a few smaller ones, to use when the regular number of colonies is not available, at the end of a row for instance, all sheds are made to accommodate 5 colonies each. Several reasons induced me to make them that size. It takes less work and less lumber to make them, and, when made, less work to use them; it does not seem to take more time to fill a shed with -5 than one with 3 colonies. Then, the common length of lumber cuts to better advantage for that size than for any other, unless we make them larger, which would not be desir- able for convenient handling. Other advantages could be enumerated, if it were necessary. Taking a view of Fig. 3, the following may serve as an explanation : The top row represents a row of 5 colonies of bees in summer position as they can be found in any up-to-date apiary; the distance between them is about 2 feet, which is necessary to give the operator ample elbow room when performing the various manipulations in connection with modern bee-keep- ing. The bottom row represents the same •'> colonies in the position they occupy when placed in their shed. It will be noticed that they have to be moved quite a little distance to produce this change, and if this was done at one operation, changing location and ap- pearance at the same time, many bees would be lost. To make this plain, let me digress a little. Bees mark and know their home by location. Appearance has a little bear- ing on their observing faculties, but in comparison with the former, it is of little consequence. For instance, if we should paint a white hive black during the night, it would confuse the incoming bees next morning very lit- tle. They might be somewhat surprised at first, perhaps be a little suspicious, but they would soon enter their hive as usual. But if we should move a hive a short distance to the right or left, and watch the bees next day, we would see many of the flying bees hovering over their former stand, looking for their home, and if other hives of the same appearance were nearer than their own many bees would enter them and be lost. It would take some time until all the bees would be fully acquainted with the change. Now let us make the two changes at once — paint and move the D D D D D D DDD D DDDDD ■ Fig 3. hive at the same time — nothing short of complete bewilderment would be the result. To save all our bees (and we have none too many at that time) we should take this feature of bee-nature into con- sideration when changing our bees from summer to winter location. The middle row of Fig. 3 shows the first change that should be made. Hives 2 and 4 are moved near the center hive 3. They should remain in this position for several days, until the bees have be- come thoroughly accustomed to the change. Then the two outside hives, 1 and 6, may be moved to their proper places, which prepares them all for the final housing. At the close of the last honey-flow is the proper time to do this moving. The best time of packing bees for winter is during November, whenever the weather is favorable. Cool nights and mornings, when the thermometer registers nearly freezing point, but no frozen ground or frozen-down hives, when the bees are well clustered in their hives, no rain or snow on the ground, dry weather overhead' and no heavy wind — these are the features of ideal weather for this work. When everything is ready for the job, we may proceed in the following way: Set the hives on the ground a little ways back of their stands; clear the ground for the shed bottom and place it on suitable foundation blocks. Build up shed with ends and front (see Fig. 2), and move the hives back to their old place, which is now inside of the shed. It takes only a few minutes to do all this shifting about, and if it is done carefully, without jarring the hives, not a single bee will be seen outside the hives during the operation. The drawing shows the hive on this end of the row still on the ground. Its telescope cover has not been removed yet; when this is done, as it is the case with the other hives, this last one may be placed alongside of the others inside of the shed. This completes the par- ticular part of the work; the rest, ad- justing back section, filling in chaff and laying on cover, which can all be done more leisurely, finishes the job. The chaff should be about 3 inches all around, and 6 inches over the top of the hives. The entrances of our sheds are %x4 inches, and each one has a little flight- board of about I'/ixG inches. A little board is fastened over each entrance by a screw at the upper end. letting the lower end rest agamst the flight-board and allowing it to be swung aside (see drawing) when a free passage for the bees is desired. But for common, dur- ing cold wintry days, its object is two- fold. When the wind is facing the shed, it prevents a direct draft into the entrance, which would cause a circu- lation of too much cold air through the hive. On pleasant but cold days it also prevents the direct rays of the sun tempting the bees to take a flight, when they would be chilled before they could return to their home. Many bees are lost in this way. La Salle, N. Y. Bee-Keeping in Old Nexico BY B. A. HADSELL. Having a son who has lived in that wonderland for years, and his glowing accounts of its great possibilities as a bee, farming, stock, and mining coun- try, exciting my curiosity; and when he reported that I had a grandson down there, I could not resist longer a trip of investigation. I have traveled almost the entire length and breadth of our sister republic, and must confess the half has never been told, and so I will give the readers of the American Bee Journal the benefit of my investigation. While I am supposed to be the largest bee-keeper in the world, I believe there are two or three others that have more. I am a close observer, and have trav- eled nearly all over the United States, and if my experience is of any benefit I will give it freely. I formerly supposed that the sage district of California, the mesquite dis- trict of Texas, and the mesquite and alfalfa district of Arizona, could not be excelled. But this trip, as seen from a car window, by days of hard horseback riding among the mesquite, and a con- tinual series of blooming trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs has changed my mind. I have often been made to exclaim, "A bee-man's paradise!" and I assure you I will not '■ let you down " as other writers have done when writing of the good locations in the United States, by saying at the wind-up that the territory is already fully stocked! but, on the contrary, I go hundreds of miles here where there is not a single tame bee to be seen. As yet, I have not had the privilege of examining a colony of the native bees which are stingless, but will try to do so and report in my next letter. I am now inspecting a section where the temperature ranges from about 70 to 85 degrees, July and August being the coolest, and April, May, and November being the warmest months. The bees gather honey every day of the year. I am not prepared to say when the great- est flow would be, as nearly every tree and shrub produces bloom. The farmer can plow, plant and harvest his corn every day of the year. Usually only a stick is used to plant. Some use a wooden plow. I saw 3 crops on the land at the same time, two of corn and one of beans, as they plant between the December, 1909. 405 American ^ae Journal rows and seldom cultivate. A hoe is unknown, or at least I haven't seen one. Morning-glories of many varieties climb the trees 40 feet high, cover the bushes, fences, and shrubs where the timber is not too dense, and the open land thousands of acres of catnip, now in full bloom, from 3 to 8 feet high. Frost is unknown in the southern half of Mexico, yet it is cooler than the summers of the United States. Irriga- tion is not needed. I have my ticket to the end of the railroad south, which is the Guatemala line, and will see the sights and then return to my home at Buckeye, Ariz. (To be continued.) [No doubt our subscribers would be be glad to hear further from Mr. Had- sell, not only as to the bee-keeping opportunities in Old Mexico, but as to the extent of his apiaries in the United States, his honey crops, varieties of bees used, etc. — Editor.) Overstocking a Locality Witli Bees AV,i(/ at the New York Slate Hcc-Kccpers Insli- lute, held at Geneva. S. V.. March to and 1 1 , IQOQ. BY W. I). WRIGHT. The majority of apiarists pursue their avocation with the purpose of securing the greatest income from their apiaries; hence, where the busi- ness is followed extensively it becomes a matter of serious import to the owner as to what extent he may in- crease an apiary in a certain locality, without danger of overstocking the same and thus decreasing his profits. This subject has been discussed time and time again, and has been a prob- lem with many extensive bee-keepers, and, owing to varying circumstances and different view points, has never been satisfactorily settled and probably never will be; however, the apiarist who possesses the quaHfications neces- sary to insure success will usually avoid extremes. There are so many factors Entering into the case that no rule can be es- tablished setting a limit on the number of colonies in one apiary. This must be a matter of experiment and obser- vation. A most important considera- tion is the honey-yielding flora of the locality. Some locations would be overstocked with 100 colonies ; in others tW or more colonies might give satis- factory results in a very good season. Then, again, in a poor season, when these 200 or more colonies gather a sustenance in summer and just enough ifir winter stores, giving no surplus, would it not be reasonable to suppose that if but 100 colonies had been kept in this apiary they would have given as surplus the bulk of which the other 100 or more colonies required to sustain themselves? If this supposition is cor- rect, then in the first instance there would be the loss of labor in attend- ance, interest on investment, etc., while in the second a good profit would be secured. These illustrations are given on the supposition that no other bees are kept within a radius of 4 or 5 miles. Where many others are kept within this dis- tance, the apiarist must expect to divide his profits with his neighbors. Many years ago Mr. Adam Grimm, of Wisconsin, one of the most successful bee-keepers of this country, who owned some 1400 colonies at one time, after experimenting largely with many api- aries in different localities, wrote thus in the American Bee Journal : " There is no question with me any longer that the smaller the number of colonies kept in one location the greater will be the Yield of honev from a single colony. But the question is not, how can a bee-keeper secure the largest yield of honey from a small num- ber of colonies, but how can he secure the largest income bv keeping bees? In answer to this Question I will say. by keeping and managing well a large number of colonies scattered in different apiaries, none of which should contain more than 100 colonies in the spring. If he could arrange so as not to start with more than .so in one location in the spring, it would probably be all the bet- ter. If placed 3 miles apart there will be no dangerof overstocking in ordinary seasons." Mr. E. France, also of Wisconsin, and father of N. E. France, the present manager of the National Bee-Keepers' Association, wrote to Gleanings in Bee Culture a number of years since, as follows : " If you plant out-apiaries don't put them less than 5 miles apart if you can help it. If you are going to keep help at the separate yards to run the bees, 6 miles apart is near enough; then if the pasture is good you can keep from 100 to 150 colonies in each place." In speaking of travel to out-apiaries, Mr. France further says: " Remember when you arc locating an api- arv, that when you are Iiitched up and on the road, one or two miles further travel will pa* you better than to crowd your pas- ture. Don't overstock your ground." Such advice from extensive honey- producers, of long experience, is worth many dollars to ambitious apiarists of lesser experience who will heed it. The most striking example we have in this country of concentrating large numbers of colonies in a single apiary, is that of the late lamented Mr. Alex- ander, of Delanson, N. Y. This apiary usually contains about 750 colonies, fall count, and in good seasons I be- lieve the result has been quite satis- factory, although the average yield per colony has not been very large, the grand total being quite surprising ; but I believe as good results could have been obtained with {ewer colonies, per- haps one-half of that number : however, we lack the necessary data. I am glad that Mr. Alexander had the courage to put this matter to the test, as the experiment has been of much interest to all apiarists. I might mention the Hetheringtons. the Coggshalls, Elwood, Dadant, and others, all of whom have kept bees in large numbers, and who have prac- ticed distributing them in numerous apiaries from ;5 to 10 or more miles from home. It certainly would have saved a large amount of labor and ex- pense for each could they have con- centrated their whole number of colo- nies in one or two apiaries; and if there would have been profit in such proceeding, is it not singular that all ot these bright men, after their wide ex- perience, failed to discover the fact? Finally, 1 would say avoid extremes, and if your calculations are in error let that error be upon the safe side. Altamont, N. Y. Getting Ready for the Surplus Honey Crop BY G. M. DOOLITTLE. Manv of those keeping bees seem to think that there is little, if anything, to do in the bee-business after the bees are gotten ready for winter till swarm- ing time arrives the next summer. But such is not the case with the prosper- ous apiarists. Such know that it is better to do all that they can toward getting ready for the surplus season during the winter, and then if there is time after all is in readiness they can rest up a bit and turn their attention to something else. My first business, after the bees are in winter quarters, is to go over all of the surplus supers and prepare them for the next season. I did not do this for the first few years, for fear that the bees might die during the winter, and if so then I would have prepared a lot of stuff I would have no use for. But after putting this matter off a few times till the honey harvest arrived, I was caught by having the best part of the season past while I was getting ready for it. From this I learned that it was always best to have the " dish " right side up to catch the honey. A few days' neglect of this will often turn what might be a good season and a success into a failure. Then, time with the bee-keeper is not nearly so valuable during the winter months as it is in the hurry and bustle of the swarming and surplus season, and, from this point of view alone, the bee-keeper can well afford occasionally to carry over a lot of unused stuff rather than to be making it when time is as valuable to all of us as it is in June, July and August. My first work in preparing for the next season is to prepare the number of sections which I think I will need above those left unfinished from the season previous. To get at this num- ber I allow 200 one-pound sections for every colony I have in winter quarters ; not that I very often have tliat many filled in one season, but 1 do occasion- ally, and when that occasionally comes, they cannot possibly be filled if I do not have them on hand. Having the sections made the next thing is go over 2-5 to .50 supers, clean- ing the separators or any parts of the super where an extra amount of propo- lis or burr-combs may have accumu- lated, thus fixing them so they are ready for the sections, after which the sections are filled with thin foundation to the number needed for these supers, when the supers are filled with sections ready to go on the hives at a moment's notice when I decide according to the opening of the bloom and the strength of the colony that they are needed. Before putting these newly-made and prepared sections into the supers I count up the number of sections I have containing " bait-combs " (those partly or entirely filled with comb, but which were not completed so as to be salable, left over from the previous season), and divide them by the number of col- onies I have in winter quarters, so that in preparing the super which is first to December, 1909. American He^ Journal go on each colony the average number of these baits can be used in each. I prepare in this way only one for each colony, as after any colony gets well started to work in a super, baits used afterward seem of little use. Of course the readers all know that these baits are used to entice the bees into the super quicker than would other- wise be the case, as bees will occupy and store nectar in combs which are built out several days before they will go into an empty super and begin building new comb or even working on foundation. Where I can have things just to my liking, I use 8 baits in each super in which any baits are used. I use 11 wide frames holding 4 one-pound sections each to each super, so if I can have 8 baits for each super I have 2 wide frames filled with these baits, when I place one wide frame full of sections with foundation next to the side of tlie super, then a wide frame of baits following this with 7 wide frames of sections filled witli foundation, then another of baits, and lastly one with sections filled with foundation ; when the "follower" board is put in and the we can secure nearly the same thing by having crowded colonies when work in the sections is going on, but such crowded colonies are notable to secure as much nectar as will those which are enticed along, while the crowded col- ony is much more apt to contract the swarming fever, in which case we will not secure more than half as much as would otherwise be the result. I have dwelt on this matter more largely than I otherwise would, be- cause I find that very many bee-keepers, especially beginners, pay little if any attention to the matter of having all of the sections in a super completed at as nearly the same time as possible, and without crowding the bees so as to lose a part of the nectar flow, or else have the bees contract the swarming fever, or both. Having all of the supers which are to contain baits completed, the next thing is to fill all that are left with sec- tions filled with thin or surplus comb foundation, when all are to be piled away in their proper places ready to be used in an hour or so when they are needed. vicinal apiary in Wisconsin. An out- apiary contains 73 colonies. I have the 10-frame hive in different styles, all taking the Langstroth or regular Hoffman frames. Some 8- frame hives are made to interchange with the 10-frame by attaching ys-inch strips on either side, top and bottom. The hives are arranged in pairs. l(i inches apart, and 32 inches between the pairs, facing south. Each row con- tains 30 hives. Each hive rests on a concrete block. I()x28x2>^ inches. The hives are mostly 3 and 4 story in the busy season. The extracting supers contain but 8 or 0 combs each. I had 2000 new combs built out, con- sequently my crop is only about 14,000 pounds from 281 colonies, spring count, mostly extracted ; 2000 pounds of this being damaged by about 5 percent honey-dew. My bees had to fly from 1>^ to 2 miles to the hickory. " Protection Apiary," one mile further away, gathered no honey-dew. Our flow was very slow, but lasted from June 20 to July 26. On account of this slow flow, and building new- combs, the first supers were filled with " High View Apiary" of H. C. Ahlers. Taken July 26. 1900—223 Colonies. 11 wide frames keyed tightly together, when the super is ready to go on the hive as soon as the season opens. I put these baits in thus, for the rea- son that the tendency of any and all colonies is to commence work in the center of the super or directly over the brood of the hive, which cause the center sections in the super to be com- pleted quite a little before those at the sides are nearly ready to come off, and thus much valuable time is lost to the bees, while the completed center sec- tions get travel-stained and not so marketable, from being completed so long before we can take the whole super off ready for market. With the baits placed in the super as above given, the whole number of sec- tions in the super are completed at once, the bees being enticed to each end of the super when they first enter it, so that the wide frame of sections beyond the baits is completed as soon as are those in the middle, and thus we can tier this super up. put others over it, or take the completed whole off with- out interfering in any way with the ob- jects we wish to accomplish. I know Then I next go over all unoccupied hives, and make new when new ones are needed, repair anything and every- thing about the apiary which needs such repairing, till everything that needs attention to make it in perfect order for the coming season has been looked after. In this way my time will not only be spent much more profit- ably, but much more enjoyably. than it possibly could be by allowing other things to take my attention during the winter and spring, and crowding all of this preparing into the surplus season, which is sure to result in a diminished crop of honey, and through this a lack of love for our chosen pursuit; which lack is sure to produce only a second- class apiarist. Borodino, N. Y. A Large Wisconsin Apiary BV H. C. AHLERS. Editor York : — I send you the en- graving of " High View Apiary," which, I think, is at present the largest iricii- brood where hives had no excluders. These hives made up the loss, however, during basswood bloom. I don't sell honey cheap enough to sweeten near home, so I am beginning to sweeten Chicago and further awav. West Bend, Wis.. Aug. 25. 1909. The Two Cans of Honey BY E. D. TOWNSEND. {Cofttinued from page ,?6p.) There is one place where this arti- ficially cured honey may do ; that is. for the baker or manufacturer, as this kind of honey sells for a very low price; we cannot afford to put our clover honey in with this grade. All the baker re- quires in his honey is a good body. Tliey do not buy high-priced honey for the sweet there is in it; if it was only sweet they wanted they would buy sugar, which is cheaper; the baker uses honey instead of sugar, for the reason that the honey keeps the baked goods moist for a long time. The fact is. some of their baked goods, sweetened December, 1909. 407 with honey, are even better after a year old. If tliey had used sugar instead of honey in these sarpe goods, they would have dried up and spoiled in a week. So I have concluded. Dan, that as long as I produce honey for table use I will try to get it in the very best pos- sible shape I know how, then if circum- stances should change — /. <•., should I ever have bees in a location where the honey was not fit for table use^hen it would be time to experiment with arti- ficial ways of curing honey. Then you mentioned. Dan, that you would save the expense of more upper stories, etc., by this one upper-story system ; don't you know that to fix up a suitable place to cure honey artificially it will cost you much more than the few extra upper stories you will need, to hold your whole crop of honey? You will need a special building, and it ought to be one story and painted black; this to draw all the sun-heat possible. Then, to be on the safe side, you ought to have a good heating stove to be used during damp or rainy weather; then a system of ventilators so arranged that they can be opened in good weather and closed nights and damp spells. The fact is, this matter of evaporating the water out of honey must be attended to constantly; and the expense of the lart;e, wide-surface tanks, fuel, extra labor, etc., will more than offset the cost of a few more upper stories to hold the crop. Then, after you have gone to all this expense and iabor, and worked your bees on this system one season, mark my word, you will draw a long breath and think the bees could have done it cheaper. Then another thought that is very appro- priate right here ; that is, that the advo- cates of artificially cured honey never claim for their production an article that is superior to that cured on the hive by the bees. Isn't it the case with every imitation, the product is claimed to he jusf as ^ooc/ as the genuine, hut is Ni'irr claimed to be superior? Bet- ter produce the genuine. In this conversation Mr. Green had little to say; one could see there was something on his mind ; he was not quite satisfied ; the enemy had put up a strong talk; he could imagine with what ease and comfort it would be to extract without a single comb to uncap. Then twice as much honey kept cours- ing through his mind ; no stings — this was a good point, he never could relish the idea of being stung; the bees would handle like kittens. Spring came in due time and found Mr. Ripe with all his new upper stories nailed up and painted, and the frames filled full of foundation ; in fact, he had bought an extra number this year, as the prospects were very flattering for a bumper crop of honey, and he did not want to be caught without plenty of upper stories to hold all the surplus honey the bees might carry in an extra- good season, for he was heard to say that the upper stories would keep if they were not used this year. Mr. Green was not very talkative this winter and spring; the fact is, you would hardly have known he had any bees, his time being wholly taken up on the farm, for why should he worry about the bees? Didn't he have all the supplies he would need? There was American T^ee JournaTI even more than one upper story to the colony since those .5 colonies became queenless and had to be united ; for couldn't he use those ."> sets of combs to extract from? He hadn't even made any provisions for extra tank-room, thinking he could pick up enough stor- age around the house, and of course he would have the two barrel tanks that he had always used to separate the scum from the honey in previous years. Neither had there been any special evaporating house built, for w'asn't the extracting house he had always used hot enough to evaporate honey in? One would have thought so had he been in there one of those hot days when the extracting was going on. But he reasoned wrongly, for a non-venti- lated house, although warm, would not be the place to evaporate the water out of honey, for you would have to have a circulation of dry air to carry off the damp-laden air of the room before much evaporating would be accom- plished. Then the specially constructed venti- lators that would be necessary would have to be "handled;" that is, they would have to be closed during nights and rainy weather, and opened during dry. clear weather ; then some provision for artificial heating should be provided to be used during this damp weather, as I have mentioned before. All these things were left undone — a condition we should expect with the average bee- keeper were he to undertake to produce honey on this plan. It was June 22d ; the bees had been carrying in clover honey at a "pretty good hickory" for about 10 days. It was supper time at Ripe's. Mr. Ripe was just sitting down at the table, when Mrs. Ripe casually observed that Mr. Green had called that afternoon and got the extractor. Their eyes met, and in that short space of time both knew what the other was thinking about; no words were necessary. .•\s Mr. Ripe was spreading his bread with some of his well-ripened, heavy- bodied, aromatic, " left on the hive all summer " quality of honey, fit to set before the President, but still a luxury he was enjoying " as the fruit of his own labor," he asked his wife if Dan had anything to say in particular when he called for the extractor. No, only he " might want to extract some before long." and as he had his team with him. he would take the extractor along. The next day, /«"'■ --'«', as Mr. Green was looking over his bees he found some colonies that had their upper stories nearly full, and had begun to cap the first honey brought in. Wasn't this the time to begin extracting? The most advanced colonies would soon be full and need more room, perhaps, for all he knew; before another day the hives would be full and need additional room. Wasn't the extractor right in the extracting house this very minute? Yes, he would do it, just a couple of upper stories — one fiO-pound can. It did not take much smoke to subdue the bees, and they did not seem to mind it a bit when they were shaken from the combs ; it seemed to Mr. Green that the bees just fell off the combs, and, as thev took wing, went directly to the field for more honey. Then the upper stories were not so heavy to carry to the extracting house as usual ! The slickest part of the whole busi- ness was in uncapping and extracting, for there was almost none to uncap, and how easy it did extract — just two or three turns and it was done; not much like the long, hard turns Mr. Green could well remember they had to do to get tlie thick honey out of the combs in years past. He felt almost jubilant. No more of the old, laborious wav for him. Then he bethought himself of the fast age we were living in, how fortunes were made in a day ; visions of watered stock flashed through his mind, and he, too, had doubled his "stock," for wasn't it said that all one had to do to double his crop of honey was to use one upper story and extract before it was sealed? Watered stock, watered stock, kept surging through Mr. Green's mind till it was said that his customers that fall took up the cry, " Watered stock !" and said of his honey that it contained the real stuff ; others would say that Green's " watered stock " was not on paper. One said his honey would not have to be boiled down much to make good metheglin. About a week later Mr. Green exam- ined his first extracting, for be it known that he, from the first, extracted his whole crop just as soon as the bees began to cap in the foremost combs of the one story he used. And what I say of this one can, dated June 23d, I could have said of his whole crop, for it was all taken at the same stage of ripeness— just as soon as the bees began capping along the top-bar of the foremost combs. I mentioned that Mr. Green exam- ined his first extracting alter a week, for surely it ought to be rich and ripe by that time. Then he noticed that if the honey should keep coming in at the present rate, it would be but a day or two before his open storage would be full, and he would have to begin to can some — to make room for more that was now coming fast. This first ex- tracting was given the most open ves- sels to be found — those with a wide open top — for this might be the greenest to be extracted during the season, so thought Mr. Green ; but it so happened that there was no difference in this re- spect, for it turned out to be a fair average of the crop. The honey was now cold, and it did appear thicker then when extracted. Mr. Green tasted of it, and it was said that he tasted several times as if not quite satisfied with his own judgment. Could it be— no, it mi/s/ be ripe by this time. " Still, I cannot quite under- stand that scratchy, raw sensation that remains in my throat after tasting," he mused; "but it must be all right. I'rn not quite familiar as yet with this arti- ficially cured honey; it will taste bet- ter after I get used to it. Then there are Brown and Smith that are coming after honey tomorrow; I'll draw off this (iO-pound can and take it over to the shop so it will be ready." The scales were balanced on 62>^ pounds, as usual, the 2^ pounds being the tare or weight of can; and right here Mr. Green got his first surprise, for, what do you think? that pesky can would hold but 08 pounds net, the best December, 1909. American Vee Journal he could do. Green's first thought was that the can manufacturers, too, were watering their stock, or, in other words, were making short-size cans this year. But when he looked he found that the can he was using was not of this sea- son's buying, but was the same as he had used the previous season, with no trouble about their holding 60 pounds net. At about this time many things passed through his mind, but he could not help thinking but what everything would come out all right yet ; at any rate the crop was about half extracted now, and the honey was not so very bad, either. The next day, true to their promise, the Browns sent their boy after a pail of this new honey. The Browns were one of Mr. Green's best customers, and never lost an opportunity of speaking a good word for Green's honey; they would say to any one who expressed a desire to buy honey, that you "should surely buy your honey of Green, for you are sure, by so doing, of getting the very best the bees make ;" that Green is an expert at the production of extracted honey, or something in this strain, and by so doing Green has secured many a good customer through the Brown's recommendation. This was no news to Green, for hadn't these customers told him, time and again, that the Browns recom- mended his honey as the best that money could buy? and as they always bought the best of everything, they had come after his honey. So one can imagine how Green felt when he weighed up this pail of honey and found that it filled the pail rather fuller than last year, and especially when he cautioned the boy to be care- ful not to slop and spill it; for never before had he put honey on the market that one would have to be careful about how they carried the pail, as to its slop- ping over on account of its light body. Green was in sore straits ; he usually told his wife of his plans, and if they were working as he expected, and all the particulars, but somehow he did not feel like talking to any one about his honey crop, for, to tell the truth, he was very nearly discouraged; he had not really thought of selling his bees and going out of the business, but somehow he could not help think- ing that there was less worry about the farm work than there was about the bees. It was never this way before, for it was a common expression with him heretofore that he would rather work with the bees than on the farm. This year the work flagged ; he did not work with the bees with the same interest as informer years; and with these few upper stories the bees had to be watch- ed more closely than in former years, as they would get their small quarters full more frequently than in former seasons when he had plenty of upper stories to hold the whole crop of white honey, and thus had to extract but once; while now, with this later plan, it did seem as if it took a good part of his time "tinkering with the bees," as he was won't to call it; and this, too, in the very busiest part of the season, when he was needed in the field to help take care of the hay and other crops. This was something new in his bee- keeping experience, for never before had he spent so much time with his bees — valuable time, as he found out when he came to settle with an extra hand that was made necessary by his being so much with the bees. Neither was Green deaf to the fact that Mr. Ripe was doing nearly as much work on the farm as if he had no bees ; he would see him out with his bee-smoker while the horses were taking their feed; he could see that Mr. Ripe was going over about one-third of his yard each noon, and put on up- per stories where they were in need of room. Then the next day another third would be gone over; then the third day he would finish the whole yard. If he was a little crowded for time, or it looked a little like rain, and more hay was to come in than usual that after- noon, you would see that he did not E. D. TOWNSEND. even stop to lift up the full story, but, instead, would put the empty story on top, then some later time, when more time was at his disposal, these empty stories could be put below, or there would be but little difference in results, as he knew, if these empty stories were left on top to be filled. But it was his custom to lift the full story up and place the empty one below, and if there was time that he could possibly spare, and there usually was, the empty one from the top was finally placed at the bottom. With this system of looking over one-third of his yard each day, Mr. Ripe was able to see inside of every colony in the yard every third day — plenty often enough, as the experienced extracted-honey producer will ac- knowledge, to secure every bit of honey the location will produce. Mr. Green knew all this, and was troubled; his honey was costing him much more work than Mr. Ripe's, and he knew by the number of upper stories on his neighbor's bees, that Ripe was securing about as much honey as he. Another thought uppermost in Mr. Green's mind these strenuous times (as he knew by previous experience), was was that Ripe, by having a hand to help him 2 days, would do all his extracting during those 2 days and be through with it, and be ready for any other job that might be needed doing, either on the farm or selling honey, as the case might be. The result was that Mr. Green lost at least 3 weeks in the pro- duction of his crop of honey, for this was about what time he devoted to the bees, in addition to the time Mr. Ripe spent with his. It was the middle of July, and the white honey-flow was over, and Green was through extracting; all his open storage was still full of the last extract- ing of honey — " 'Twas being ripened artificially," he was heard to say. This was the season of the "harvest showers," and he, like the ordinary bee-keeper, had made no provisions for a fire in his honey-house to keep the temperature up, and thus dry the at- mosphere that was very damp this rainy weather; the consequences were that his honey would gather dampness dur- ing the wet period — about as much as would evaporate during the fair weather — and he was heard to re- mark that " he never before realized how much water honey would take up from a damp atmosphere." Even if he had had a stove in the honey-house, how in the world could he have spent the time to have kept the fire going, for wasn't he rushed to the utmost trying to take care of the harvest that was cut and ready to be cared for? I would not have the reader get the impression that Mr. Green was any more negligent than other farmer bee- keepers (or specialists, either, for that matter), for he was very painstaking, energetic and thrifty, as I have said be- fore; but isn't it the record, that if any- thing has to be neglected about the farm, it's the bees? Some may think that the writer has drawn an extreme picture in the above case, and that any ordinary bee-keeper would know better than to try to cure honey artificially, without first making quite extensive preparations for the evaporation of his honey before under- taking to cure it artificially. To this I would say, that in the many honey- houses I liave visited, not one in a hun- dred is so arranged but that honey left in open vessels would get poorer in quality every minute it was left open. It would be much better if it were put into 60-pound cans as fast as taken from the bees. The curing of honey artificially is a trade, and should be undertaken only by those with an extended experience, and then only when one is producing honey for the baker, or for manufacturing purposes; for no one has ever artificially cured honey that had that beautiful, aromatic flavor that honey has when well ripened by the bees. Then this same honey is improved by its being left on the hive after the season, a; long as the weather is warm and favorable, but should be taken off and extracted before cool September weather comes on in this locality. Of course, if the white honey is fol- lowed with a flow from buckwheat or inferior honey, the white should be ex- tracted just before the dark begins to come into the hive. Green knew this, and when the quality of hii honey did not come up to the standard of former years he was discouraged. It was hard December, 1909. 409 Amc>rican Hee Joarnal j to describe just how he did feel; it is sufficient to say that he formed resolu- tions in his mind not to be caught in such a predicament again, even though his favorite journal did publish "such trash," as he called it, when in later years he had reason to refer to this "' miserable experience," as he termed it, for, to tell the truth, he was anxious to confess his mistake to Mr. Ripe at this stage of his experience, and did, later on, as you shall see. He would often be heard to say that " there would be some excuse for a beginner, without experience, ignorant of the principles involved in the production of honey, to extract before the honey was thor- oughly cured by the bees, but for me — an old fogy like me — to be caught in such a trap is ridiculous, to say the least." Mr. Green was human, like the rest of us, and it was now time to think about turning his honey into cash. He realized that it was early yet, but his honey crop was ready, if it was ever to be ; so when he went to town he called on the groceryman and got some pint jars and jelly tumblers to be filled with honey. In going to town he had to drive by Mr. Ripe's place, and he no- ticed that Mr. Ripe had not done a thing toward his extracting yet, al- though it was nearly August now. More troubled thought came through his mind as he remembered how, in former years, his hives used to be tiered up 3 or 4 stories high, filled with the very finest sweet mortal ever tasted. His thoughts were anything but pleas- ant. The balance of the 58-pound can of honey was put up for the groceryman ; he finished putting up the jars of honey, he glanced out of the window — could he believe his own eyes? The Brown boy was going right by with a pail ! He would watch. Yes, there he goes to Ripe's; he is swinging his pail; it's empty. In a moment the boy came out ; there was no doubt the pail was still empty. Mr. Ripe had no honey for sale — 'twas still on his hives. Green knew he had lost his best customer. This was only the commencement, for one by one his customers left him and went to Mr. Ripe for their honey, for if they paid their good money for honey they wanted the best, and as Mr. Kipe had the best, and charged the .same price for it, he would naturally get the trade. It was the same at the stores. The groceryman was having trouble with the Green honey; some of his custo- mers would bring a part-full tumbler back and ask him to taste the stuff. Was that the same kind of honey they had been buying of him in previous years? " I guess not," they would say ; and when the groceryman would count them back the money they had paid for the stuff, they were heard to order a pail ot " Karo." "'Twas as good as honey for less money!" One lady customer in carrying a bot- tle of Green's honey home with her other purchases, was horrified when the cork blew out of the bottle of honey and smeared all her other par- cels, and some even grjt on her "best dress." Fermentation had set in, and the agitation caused by carrying the honey had caused it to blow out the cork, with the results as mentioned. Do you think that groceryman was in any way anxious to meet this customer, knowing the experience she had had with the goods he had sold her? and would he be likely to buy any more goods that caused customers to leave his store when he knew where he could buy good goods at not much, if any more, cost than this poor stuff? After these experiences, is it any wonder that Green had trouble in dis- posing of his crop of honey? And who could estimate the damage to the fraternity by the dumping of this ton and a half of poor honey on the market? A thousand honey-eaters sickened of honey for the season, and a lingering suspicion of honey, in gen- eral, that might last for the balance of their lives! For, what I have said of ()0-pound can setting on top the right distance from the gate, so that the honey would run in to the best advan- tage. This distance they found by ex- perience was about 2 inches, so if the platform of your scales is 4 inches above the floor, your can 15 inches tall, it would make 19 inches; then the 2 inches to the gate would make 21 inches from the floor to the gate. This would be the right height for the tank. When both tanks are full, should they want to extract more that day, the first tank filled would be skimmed, and enough drawn out so the extracting could be kept up. But tliey knew that if it could be allowed to stand over night before drawing off, the honey would be as clear as crystal. Of course they would ScOp drawing at the first signs of scum coming through the gate. ML.\n;EKs Ut Till:. CANTEKBUKV BEK-KeEI-EKs' A.sbOlT.VTlON. Who attended the second annual KieldDay of that Association, held at the apiary of Mr. Ambrose Johnstone, at St. Martins. Clirist Cliurch. Canterbury. New Zealand. this 08-pound can of Green's honey could have been said of his whole crop, for it was all the same. It was said of Green that before he disposed of his entire crop of 3001) pounds of honey, he drove to all the adjoining towns for at least 25 miles around ; and who knows, by so doing, how many bee-keepers were harmed by this poor honey being sold in the ter- ritory of others, where some bee-keeper had been working lor years, educating the public as to the use of extracted honey.' Let us go back to our old friend Ripe. It was July 31st that Green looked up on hearing the approach of a team, and saw it was Mr. Ripe. He had come after the extractor, and remarked that lie thought he would do his extracting tomorrow and the next day. Yes, Green would help him as usual, and Green re- marked that he would have asked Ripe to help /i/m, only he did his extracting so little at a time that it wouldn't have paid to have him over for so little work. As was expected, Mr. Ripe's honey was extracted in two days, and part of it put into {jO-pound cans. They both had the same arrangement for hand- ling their honey, which consisted of two alcohol barrels with one head re- moved, and a Ij^-inch gate near the bottom, then elevated to such a height as would allow a set of scales, with a They found out by this way of handling that it was not necessary to strain the honey, and as there was nothing to settle to the bottom of the tank, they put the gate clear to the bottom. Ar- ranged this way the honey could nearly all fie drawn from the tank before the scum would begin to come through the gate. It was a noticable fact that Mr. Green would often taste the honey while extracting, and the honey re- ceived many a complimentary remark from him on its fine flavor and heavy body; and once, had you been listen- ing, you could have heard him add " bouquet," as if the ordinary language he was accustomed to use didn't quite fit the case. And such a thought as, " I wish I had one of these 60-pound cans of delicious honey at home for my own use," would flit through his mind, but, of course, it would be unnecessary for me to say he never breathed this thought to a mortal soul. Holidays came. Mr. Ripe had long been sold out of honey. Green's honey was selling so slowly, and Mr. Ripe's honey being so well ripened and of such good quality, both together, caused Ripe's honey to go "like hot cakes." The fact was, his honey had never been sold with so little trouble as this year. 4IO December, 1909. American Vae Journal It was now getting tlie season of the year when Mr. Green knew that honey ought to be disposed of; and knowing Ripe had all his honey sold, Green ac- costed him one day saying, "I under- stand your honey is all sold, Charlie. Couldn't you help me to sell mine?" '■ Certainly, Dan ; bring over a sam- ple and I'll see what I can do for you. Mr. Gordon, the groceryman, asked me if I couldn't bring him more honey only the other day. Bring me the sam- ple as I go down there tomorrow." "Sample, sample; confound the sam- ple, anyway! I've made a fool of my- self tins year, Charlie, and I might as well own it now as later, for it will come out if it has not already been dis- covered. My honey was produced on the new plan we talked about last win- ter, for you likely know by this time that I worked my bees on the one up- per story, no-uncapping system, and I'm done with it forever, and I guess I'll never get rid of the balance I have of this season's crop, for, to tell you the truth, Charlie, it has stopped sell- ing, and I do not know what to do, so I asked you to help me out, and when you asked me to bring the sample for you to sell from, I saw at a glance it was all off. 'Twas this way; knowing you had had such good luck selling yours, Charlie, I thought you were the person of all persons to help me sell mine ; but I now see that it was not the man, but the qiia/i/y of the honey that did the selling. Surely. Charlie, I have learned a lesson this year that I'll never forget." Ripe consoled Green with the thought that if he had always produced this kind of honey he would not have known any difference, for he was sure that many a bee-keeper was producing very poor extracted honey who had never tasted a good article, and thus was producing what he thought to be the regular grade of honey, when he might, by following a better plan, pro- duce honey that would sell better and bring a better price on the market — a honey that would make customers for the most magnificent sweet on earth when properly produced, rather than produce an article that would be a det- riment to the fraternity— a trade-killer. Thus closes the season for one who is poorer financially but very rich in experience. Remus. Mich. 'Beedoitv.J jBoiled DowiO iJisiiilLcL l\>ul-liiooU> llives. The editor of Gleanings thinks too much emphasis con not be placed on this point. He says : While we know our friend, McEvoy, in Canada, claims that the disinfection of a hive is unnecessary, our own experience has demonstrated that foul brood could be (and has been) communicated by the hive alone. We have had reports from Canada, also, as well as elsewhere, showing the reappearance of the disease when the hive itself was not dis- infected. While, 99 times out of 100, merely shaking on to foundation is perhaps sufficient, yet if there is one case in a hundred where disease is transmitted through the hive (and we have ample proof that there is), all hives should be disinfected. We are glad to note that our government officials stand out square and clear on this proposition. "' I'uikii 111 11. -.11 that they will iiave pollen to start some brood in the spring. The frame that has the pollen in will do for the seventh frame. Six days is the longest I ever had a colony to hang and stand the fast, and I have yet to experience my first failure by this plan. I have never found that starving bees in October has any had effect on their winter- ing well. Should I have the misfortune of ever having foul brood in my yard again, I will do all my curing in the fall by the starvation plan. Mr. McEvoy's plan of put- ting them on the combs at once is a sure cure, but it must be understood that what Mr. McEvoy means by sealed combs is combs sealed to perfection — not one sigle cell is to be left where they can unload their honey. I have found it easier to starve the diseased honey out of them than to get a lot of combs built to perfection. McE\ven*s Foul Brood Treatment, It is a variation of the fall treatment of McEvoy and Alpaiigh. It is thus given by Mr. McEwcn, in the Canadian Bee Journal : In the month of August, or early in Sep- tember, pick out healthy colonies and put on supers of foundation(or drawn comb preferred) that has never had' brood in, and which are perfectly dry. Feed sugar syrup till all is capped. About the middle of October choose an evening that is not too cool, so that the bees can get safely into the hive. Take the diseased combs and put them in a boiling vat. Put a sugar sack or anything that is large enou'»n over the hive you intend to winter them in, and put on the cover. Next day raise the cloth to find where they are clus- tered. Now look at those bees every day, for they will starve if you neglect them too long. As soon as you see a dozen or two drop from the cluster, give them 6 or 7 combs of sealed honey. Go also to one of your healthy colonies, and take out a frame that has a good supply Wax-Rendering Without a Wax- Press. O. Mueller, in Praktischer Wegweiser, thus gives his plan of rendering wax that may be convenient for some who have only a small quantity : "I save up all bad combs and scraps until a convenient time in fall or winter. Then I take a copper kettle such as is common in every household (a vessel of any other ma- terial would answer), fill it about a fourth full of water and set it on the fire. While the water is heating, I put in the pieces of comb, which of course are directly melted. After the whole mass is thoroughly stirred up and well melted, 1 let the fire die out, leav- ing the kettle on the stove to cool slowly. In consideration for the women folks, evening is the best time to operate. Next morning, when all is cold, a somewhat dirty cake is taken out of the vessel, a large portion of im- purities being on the under side. With a knife or spoon the under side of the cake is scraped off, but not so closely as to take any particles of wax. "Of course there will be left in the cake more or less cocoons and other impurities. Next evening break up the cake and melt it in the same way again. After the third or at the most the fourth time of melting and scraping, there will be left a nice cake of clean wax. "It is of much importance that soft water be used. If hard water must be used, add a teaspoonful of sulphuric acid to each 10 quarts of water." The Best Harness Dressing. Three ounces of turpentine and two ounces of refined beeswax are dissolved together over a slow fire. Then add one ounce of ivory black and a dram of in- digo, well pulverized and mixed togeth- er. When the wax and turpentine are dissolved, add the ivory black and in- digo, and stir till cold. Apply very thin. Wash afterward, and you will have a beautiful polish. This blacking keeps the leather soft. It is excellent for' buggy-tops and harness. In England a large amount of beeswax is used by the makers of harness-dressing. The above is the usual recipe. — Gleanings. Gray's Flour-iutroduction. For years it has been more or less the practise in England to unite bees by sprinkling them with flour. Now it is used in introducing queens. Joseph Gray, an Expert in Apiculture in Eng- land, says in Gleanings; I can take a queen from a nucleus, remove the old queen, and have the young queen all right and laying within the hour. A traveled queen or a virgin can be as easily and safely introduced, even though the bees are all alert to seize a leg or wing of the first robber that dares intrude. To follow this plan of introducing I open the hive, find the comb with the queen on, and remove her. I then lay the comb flat so that both hands are free, dust the bees on the upper side of the comb with flour from a flour-sifter, open the large door of the cage, shake out the queen on to the comb, and dust her with floor. If a flighty queen, I take the precaution to dust her with floor before I open the cage. If the queen has been removed the day previous, there is no need of removing a frame. I take off the cover, lay the cage on the frames, door upward, and soon a crowd of bees collects around the cage. I dust the lot with flour, swing open the door, when — out steps Her Majesty and attendants. cz>ery one of which will be accepted — a sure proof of the reliability of the method, for with ordinary plans all attendants are usually de- stroyed. ^^^^^^^^^^ Let- Alone Stimulation of Bees. Not an uncommon thing it is for be- ginners to ask, **When shall I begin stimulative feeding in spring?" evident- ly taking it for granted that there can be no question as to the propriety of such feeding. Whatever may be advis- able for veterans, feeding in spring for the purpose of stimulating brood-rear- ing is a safe thing for the beginner to let alone. Indeed, there arc not a few of the veterans who think they can do no better than to crowd the brood-chamber with honey the previous season, and then let the bees severly alone the next spring, except in locations where there comes a dearth after brood-rearing has started, rierc is what F. H. Cyrenius says in Gleanings : During my 40 years* experience in trying all plans of stimulation, I believe, all things considered, abutidant store of sealed honey or syruD give the best results. I will say right here, no doubt we can increase their activity by daily feeding; but after all it is an activity in the wrong direc- tion. The bees are induced to fly in unfavor* abl weather, and large numbers are lost. I December, 1909. 411 American Hee Journal should prefer a plan to keep them at home during the early breeding season rather than encourage them to fly except for business. In 1878 the season was considered very unfavorable, as the bees had only about oric tiight in a week; but at that time mine had plenty of honey, which was rapidly changed into btood. It proved to b; a very favorable season for early breeding. The bees that remained at home reared brood, and were not induced to fly out and die. Right in this connection allow me to call attention to old box-hives unstimulated, undisturbed, but with a good queen and plenty of stores — they outstrip our stimulated colonies every time. Their ambition at this time is to convert as much honey into brood as possible; and any man who thinks he can help them at that time of year by spreading their brood, etc., is making a great mistake. Buclnvheat Profitable. H. B. Harrington, who has had 40 years experience in raising buckwheat, esteems it highly as a honey-plant "from the middle of July, when basswood and clover are past, up to the middle of September, when the fall bloom of wild flowers commences." He says in Glean- ings: Very hot weather will sometimes blight it if you sow too early, and early frosts de- stroy if you sow too late in the season ; so you see you have a seed time from the 20th of June to August 1; and we one? harvested over 40 bushels of very fine buckwheat per acre from a crop drilled on the 4th of August; but we used over 300 pounds of first-class blood-and-bone phosphate per acre. Now to bee-keepers whe want the crop for honey. Plant the crop at three different times to prolong the honey-fiow, and you will be sure to hit the lucky time for a good field of grain. Buckwheat, on an average, will oc- cupy the land about 60 days. It will com- mence to yield honey in 3 5 or 20 days from the time it is planted, and take about 10 days to mature after the honey-flow ceases. Sow the first crop on the 20th of June; the second crop on the 4th of July, and the third on the 18th of July. We pick the 18th because the best crop we ever raised was sown on that day. Buckwheat is the greatest weed exterminator that a farmer can use. Plow in June and till well, and two crops will exterminate and clear any fild of Canada thistles. Bees and Honey in Mindanao Dr. V. D. Clum, of Cheviot, N. Y., who has a son in the Philippine Islands, has kindly sent us the following article on "Bees and Honey in Mindanao," writ- ten by Willis Lynch, and taken from the Mindanao Herald, published at Zam- boanga, P. I. : There are two distinct classes of native wild honev-bees (Apis Indica and Apis Zonata), in Mindanao, in addition to the Italian bees re- cently introduced from Australia. Apis Indica, or "Mee Mesa" as it is called in Indica, is a small, yellow hive-bee about onehalf the size of the Italian bee. It is found throughout the entire tropical Orient. It builds its combs in hollow trees and sometimes stores several pounds of excellent honey. They are very nervous bees, very much inclined to swarm, and also to sting if disturbed, yet they are industrious. They protect themselves well from ants and other enemies, and as they can he very easily domesticated, it is probable that thev can be bred up. When we consider the treatment that the na- tive bees have received for countless ages from the native it is strange that they have any good traits left. Apis zonata is a very large variety of honey- bee, with fine white bands across the upper part of the abdomen, ibis bee is found only in the Philippines. Its cousin. Apis Dorsata, is found in Borneo and Southern Asia and is much smaller, besides 'possessing several other traits that make it an inferior bee to the Phil- ippine variety. Apis zonata, or the large Philippine bee, builds on the outside of the tree instead of the inside as the other »ees do, usually on the tmdcr side of a slanting tree or branch. They are not migratory as the Borneo and Indian bees are, nor do they always select high trees to avoid honey-bears as their Borneo cousins have to do. They frequently store several pounds of good honey, yet they are greater wax-producers. They are exceedingly vicious when disturbed, often following their disturbers for several minutes. This bee is probably the largest and also the strongest of the entire honey-bee family. Its wing power is about double that of the Italian bee, while it lives several times as long, and a sting or two from it will cause a person to see stars in broad daylight. Their combs sometimes attain 4 or 5 feet in diameter, and are entirely covered with a thick mass of bees arranged as the shingles are on the roof of a house, their wings point- ing downward. This bee is a true Filipino, that is, it sleeps during the hottest part of the day and also on dark nights, though it works very diligently during the early morning and the evening hours, while on moonlight nights it frequently works all night. It is doubtless the only honey- bee that is partially nocturnal. All atempts to domesticate this bee have thus far failed. The bees will not remain long in a box or hive if placed theje. Italian bees will accept a small amount of the sealed brood or young bees of the Apis Zonata and care for them, but if large amounts of this brood are given the Italian bees they will kill off the voung ones as soon as they hatch, to keep the young savages from eating up the prepared food of the young Italian bees. It is very probable that this large bee will be domesti- cated in the near future. The Italian bees recently imported have done remarkablv well on Basilan. fully as well as thev would have done in California or any othf'r first*class bee-country. Mindanao has not the stronglv marked wet and dry seasons that are found in otherparts, and for that reason has almost a continuous flora of one kind or another; and particularly is this true where rubber, cocoanuts and ba- nanas are planted. In addition to the last- named honey-plants there are large forest- blooming trees that produce an abundance of honey at several intervals during the year. No country offers more favorable prospects to the practical bee-keeper, the man who keeps a few bees to produce his own honey, or the scientific student of bcc-culturc, than Southern Mindanao does. C*oncleii.satioii ol' Neotar By what means is the watery nectar that !)ees uet from the flowers reduced to the ricli consistency of ripe honey? Years ago A. I. Root recorded that he saw the home-coming bees ejecting minute drops of water as they ap- proached the Iiive. Dr. K. Bniennich. in Gleanings, confirms this view, and gives his conclusions in the following words : "The thickening of nectar into ripe honey is not a matter of evaporation, but resnlts from the ability of the honey-sac of the bcc to withdraw a part of the water. Rv the transferrintf of the honey in the hive it loses by degrees its superfluous water, and is. at the same time, inverted and enriched with formic acid and albumen." Value of Bee.s to Fruit, Kto. C. G. Chevalier, of Baltimore, clipped the following from the Baltimore American, which, although not new, is of general interest, having been writ- ted by a London reporter: The busy bee. despite the precautions which fruit-growers take to keep it away from their fruit, and despite tli^ unreasoning anger of the people whom it stings, is a mis- judti^ed insect. In fact, it is a philanthropist, cleverly disguised. Mr. Walter F. Reid. vice- chairman of the British Bee-Keepers' Asso- ciation, explained in a lecture at the Royal Horticultural Hall yesterday. He told of the elaborate precautions he h;ul taken to keep bees from his fruit. He covered a gooseberry bush withmusiin. The result was there were no bees, and prac- tically st>eaking. there was no fruit. At least, the bush yielded only 6 berries, while two neighboring bushes which were uncov- ered bore i=;r and 167 respectively. A fruit- grower, he added, who saw that bees were not so bad as they had been painted, actually encouraged them to visit his fruit. He placed hives of bees among the trees with the re- sult that his crop increased fourfold. The reason. Mr. Reid declared, was that the bees, passing from one plant to another, distributed pollen which fertilized the blos- som. " It is estimated," he said. " that one maize plant would produce 50.000.000 grains of pollen, and in the course of a single jour- ney a bee w-ould visit several thousands of blossoms." Another point in the bees' favor mentioned by Mr. Reid. was that when people were stung by bees once or twice they became immune from bee poison and also other poison. Sir Albert Rollit said that this the- ory probably gave rise to the belief that bee- sting was a remedy for rheumatism, which was. after all, only a kind of poisoning. Triple Crop for Bees A. I. Root, in Gleanings in Bee Cul- ■ture, says : In our locality we have never failed with crimson clover when put on good ground iu .August. It always stands wintering. Now. by using crimson clover, rape, and turnip, ail three, we should have three chances for lionoy. and it is hardly likely that all of them would fail. All three are valuable for feed for all kinds of stock, and they are spendid for turning under to enrich the soil. The turnip recommended is cowhorn or seven-top. Not a Blooming Bee-Hive E. Brubaker, of Philadelphia, has sent in the following on " honey," from the Philadelphia Bulletin, which he thought might be interesting to our readers : "That was an error." said Senator Bev- eridge. apropos of an opponent's argument, at a dinner in Indianapolis. "Our friend made an embarrassing error. He reminds me of John Winslow. "John Winslow spent his honeymoon at Niagara. He left the bridal apartment late one night to bathe, and on his return knock- ed, as he supposed, on his wife's door, call- ing softly: Honey!" "There was no answer. Winslow knocked again. '*' Honey!' "Still no answer. Winslow thundered on the door. " ' Honey!" he cried, in a voice of agony. "Then a reply came at last. " * Sneak, you blooming idiot!' a male voice growJcd. "Ihis is a bedroom, not a bloom- ing bee-hive!" '" Clay to Stop Cracks The best tiling that we have ever found for stopiiing ui) cracks with wJien using es- cape boards, is good stiff clay, the kind that is real sticky when wet. We take a good sized piece and wet it and mix and work it with our hands until we make a sort of dough of it. then every time we put the es- cape-boards down, we go over all the supers above the escape-boards very carcjully, all the way around the top of the super, under the cover, all the way around the bottom where it sets on the escape-board, we look all the corners over; in fact, every seam and crack about it. and plaster up every place that a bee could possibly squeeze through. 'I'lie bees will not touch it when it is wet and sticky, and when it dries it is so hard they rtw/'/dig it out.— Ei.mkk Hutchinson in Bee-Keepers" Review. Splints for Extracting-Combs H. E. Crowtlicrs, in Gleanings, gives the following emphatic testimony to the value of the Miller splints: The use of splints with foundation is a big advantage, right at this time, in stiffening the combs at tlieir weakest point, wliich is two inches below the top-bar. We used some in several different ways last year, and will use them on all full sheets this year witli two wires and four si)liuts about s inches long for I.angstroth frames. Of course, the main advantage iu their use is in the prevention of sag in tlie foundation. 412 December, 1909. American ^ec Joarnalj and the securing of worker-cells in the upper part of the frame instead of sagged cells that are not fit for worker brood-cells. It will pay to use splints for the one advantage of stiffening the comb for extracting, be- cause they save the combs from breakage. In our experience last year there was no trouble caused by bees gnawing at the lower end of the splints; but I see no use for the full-length splint, and the short ones are easier and more quickly applied. Light brood foundation with splints gives a much stronger comb for extracting the first time than wired medium brood foun dation. ____^^_^^^ European and American Basswoods The -Vinerican basswoud blotuiis eailier than the European by at least ten days. About the time t\^e American basswood be- gins to go out of bloom, or a little later, the European commences, thus extending the season. It seems to me that the European is more prolific in bloom than the American, and I think that the tree begins to bloom at an earlier age. The European basswood be- gins to bloom at from five to eight years of age. and being of quite rapid growth, it soon makes a tree of considerable size. It would be quite possible to select a ver\- early-blooming American basswood and a very late European, thus extending the sea- son still more. If bee-keepers would give a little attention to this matter they might be able to lengthen out the season several days, but it would be necessary, when trees of an earlier-blooming and later-blooming habit were found, to propagate by budding or grafting, which is not a difficult process in the case of the linden. — Prof. W. J. Green. in Gleanings in Bee-Culture. Shallow Extracting Frames Louis Scholl makes a strong point in favor of these when tlie crop is short, or when one wants to catch the iiigli price of an early market, in Glean- ings : While the deep Langstroth supers contain quite a quantity of honey, very little of it is ready to take off. as it is scattered through- out the combs, with some green honev inter- mixed, which the bees are still bringing in sparingly. It is not profitable to go through these supers and remove only the completed combs, of which there are few. as it con- sumes entirely too much time. With the shallow supers we find all the upper ones completed, sealed over, and ready to be taken right off. The honey is riper since the bees began earlier, and has been stored more nearly at the same time, and always in the uppermost part of the hive. Is there any doubt about this being a superior grade of surplus honey over that \vhich is stored in decii combs, besides en- abling us to produce more of it. and that earlier, in the shallow supers than in deep ones? Preventing Honey Running Over If honey is allowed to run constantly from the extractor, only stopping it when a pail is filled, there is danger of a mess if one forgets and allows the honey to run all oyer the floor. E. D. Townsend, in Gleanings, gives a way to prevent all chance of such trouble, which Editor Root says is all right if there be a little extra capacity below the extractor reel. Mr. Townsend says: Allow the extractor tofill with honey until the revolving baskets begin 10 swim in the honey. Then set the pail under the gate, lift the handle of the gate and hold it up un- til the pail is full. With the large gates now put on extractors, and with warm honey a pail will fill in about one-fourth of a minute. Now empty tne pail into the tank, leaving it turned upside down to drain until the ex- tractor needs emptying again. We have been all tnrough the troubles which follow when the extractor is run with the gate open all the time. It is a poor and expensive way simply to close the gate when a full pail is exchanged for an empty one. The other way is much better. Bees Help the Vineyard A young man in the shoe-business was burned out in the fire at San Fran- cisco. He owned a few acres of table grapes near Sanger, in the San Joaquin Valley. He decided to turn farmer, and went down and cultivated his grapes. The soil was good, the season a fair average, his vines were healthy, his neighbor had big crops. He had nothiftg. What did he do? He took the next train to Berkeley, and went to the "Cow College," as they call the agricultural department of the State University. He laid the case before the viti-cultural expert and got it diagnosed and prescribed for. The diagnosis was that the blossoms prob- ably needed to be fertilized from the pollen of other vines by artificial means. The prescription was a dozen colonies of ' bees to be distributed through the vineyard. The next season he had a bumper crop. This small incident is significant be- cause it is typical. The Californian takes his problem to experts and fol- lows advice when he gets it. He has no bucolic contempt for theorists. — fVorM's irork. Extractiugr Without Shaliiugr or Brushing- S. E. Miller, of Missouri, thus gives the plan, which seems to be from actual experience, in the Bee-Keepers' Review : First, I will say that the plan is not practi- cal unless queen-excluding honey-boards are used, so it will not apply to the fellow who insists upon having brood all through his hives that are run for extracted honey. Clear a space of all fixtures that may be in the way near the doors of the honev-house. Open the wood doors and leave the screen- doors closed. Leave the door free of all ob- struction through which to pass with the wheelbarrow. All doors and windows should be provided with escapes, and the windows may be used as well as the doors by lowering the upper sash, provided there is room enough to place the supers, and the windows are screened and provided with escapes. Now with your wheelbarrow, your smoker in good order, and your hive-tool, you are ready to begin operations. Two or three robber-cloths will be needed if bees are inclined to rob; and at such time is when this method is of the greatest advantage. Proceed to the hive you may choose to commence upon; raise the cover and give a few vigorous puffs of smoke. Insert the hive-tool between the super and brood- chamber, or next super below, as the case m,i\ be. As you pry it up give more smoke. Standing beside the hive, grasp the super by the end hand-holes; lift it clear of the lower part, and with a sort of swing bring it over and place it on the wheelbarrow, which should be as close at hand as possible. There is a knack about this movement that, if prop- erly acquired, will enable the man of average strength to handle the heaviest loframe su- per of extracting combs with but little diffi- culty. If there is more than one super to the hive, proceed in the same manner. When all are off. put on the cover. I would not at this time remove the excluders, as they are sometimes rather hard to remove, and it takes time ^liat we cannot spare just now. Cover the supers with a robber-cloth if rob- bers are about. Proceed to the next hive and repeat the operation. Continue until the wheelbarrow contains as many supers as you feel like pushing. Then wheel it into the honey-house and pile the supers cross- wise of one another near the door or win- dow. In doing this von have not used a brush or removed a single comb from the supers. The supers may be piled as high as you feel like lifting them, and as close to- gether as you can place them. Proceed in this manner until you have occupied all the space you can spare in the honey-house near the door and windows. By this time the supers that you first brought in are practically clear of bees. The latter having clustered on the screen door, or if sufficient escapes have been pro- vided they will have passed out almost as fast as they leave the supers. It would, there- fore, be well to have several escapes in the top of the door, or else to have one large es- cape the entire width of the door by having the screen run up nearly to the top of the door and having a bee-space between the screen and door frame top. You are now ready to commence uncap- ping and extracting, and the bees will keep out of your way about as fast as you can work, provided you can work the supers in the same order that they were brought in. It may be necessary to use the brush occasionally for a few stray bees, but thjs is a small matter. My doors are not pr o vided with sufficient escapes, and some- times what would make a fair-sized swarm of bees accumulate in the upper corner of the door frame and on the screen. I simply push the screen door partly ajar, and strike t a blow with my hand, then quickly brush the bees from the door frame and close the screen. At times there may be quite a few bees flying about in the honey-house, but they are not a serious interference, and one can well put up with it when he considers the amount of hard and disagreeable work he has avoid- ed, for brushing bees from combs out-of- doors, when robbers are on the war-path, is anything but a pleasant task. Bee.s iu Uganda and Chile Mr. E. H. Bruner, a Chicago sub- scriber to the AiTierican Bee Journal, kindly sends us the following about bees and beeswax in Uganda, taken from the " Daily Consular and Trade Reports," of Sept. 3, 1909: Consul Arthur Garrels. of Zanzibar, re- ports that, according to an East African newspaper, the chiefs and people of Uganda are becoming enthusiastic in the domesti- cation of bees for the production of wax, one of the few products that can be profit- ably exported from the Nile country. Asa result of the work of instructors sent to teach bee-keeping, bees are being largely domesticated by the natives, as mantya's 8000 hives having been erected in the easern province alone, 2000 hives being already oc- cupied, and there is reason to believe that within another year beeswax will be among the staple exports of Uganda. At Entebbe it is worth about 22J4 cents per pound. Also the following referring to bee- culture in Chile : Consul .'Xlfred A. Winslow. of Valparaiso, calls attention in the following manner to one of the more important of the minor in- dustries of Chile, and the opportunity for the more extensive introduction of modern American methods and appliances: Chile exports large quantities of honey and beeswax, notwithstanding the fact that comparatively little effort is made to ad- vance the industry, as indicated by the fol- lowing extract from the Boletin de la Socie- dad Nacional de Agricultura. the leading agricultural publication in Chile; "We are safe in saying that there are few countries that have conditions more favor- able to the production of honey than Chile. The benignity of the climate in the greater part of her territory, with the exception of the extreme north and south, and the abun- dant flora, wild as well as cultivated flowers, favor the extension of the bee-industry. Not- withstanding all these favorable circum- stances, the bee-industry has not been de- veloped in proportion to the advantages that obtain, owing to the fact that there are so few operators who understand the manage- ment of bees, and particularly according to the latest methods. Ne\'ertheless. the pro- duction goes on increasing from year to year. The apiaries that are well attended give splendid results, and especially those of the south, where it is not uncommon to find hives that produce as high as 40 kilos (88 pounds) of honey during the year." During ifjoS there were 5.510,120 pounds of honey and <)oq,125 pounds of beeswax exported against 3,if)H,j4o pounds of honey and 573,760 pounds of beeswax for IQ07. of which Ger- many took about 60 percent. France is per- cent. England 15 percent, and Belgium 8 per- cent. Here seems to be a good opening for the further introduction of up-to-date appliances and methods, as the field is ideal for the in- dustry. December, igog. AmcFican "Bee JonrnalJ RcflectiwiLri California Bce-Kcei I III I I fil»i-i a By W. A. PRYAL. Alden Station. Oakland, Calif. A Garden Trowel as a Hive-Tool One day I was setting a trap to catch a gopher, and in doing so I usually use a small garden trowel to clean out and sometimes enlarge the rodent's burrow, and when I finished I left the imple- ment on my work bench near the honey-house. Soon afterward I had occasion to overhaul a bee-hive, and along with my hive-tools I took the aforesaid trowel. I thought I would give it a trial as a cover-lifter and a super-raiser, and it worked beautifully. Frames were pried apart, propolis shoveled out of hives occupied by Ital- ians and hybrids; in short, it proved a very useful tool. It is better than a chisel or putty knife, , and it is cheap. Another useful tool in the apiary is a paint-burner's triangular scraper. The interior of a hive can be cleaned most satisfactorily and expeditiously with one of these cheap scrapers. If you haven't one, buy one and thank the "Old Reliable" for making you About Queen-Rearing From a town in Kansas a young gen- tleman sends me this letter: " I woulure stock. To Prevent Swarming From Dr. Henry Jones I got a small booklet, entitled, " A Radical Cure for the Swarming Habit of Bees," and he asks me to pass criticism on his plan. As it is too late in the season to try it in my apiary, I shall have to wait until next spring before I can treat my bees to its drastic use. The system might be called " abortionating baby bees;" 'tis cruel, and I might uncharitably re- mark, it would only take a doctor to think of such a plan. It is almost on all-fours with Dr. Osier's idea of killing off the old gentlemen and ladies, as they arc useless. For me, I like to see the old folks ; I think there is noth- ing so inspiring as a grand old man and woman, especially if they have led a good and useful life. But, still, to decapitate a portion of the sealed brood when a colony shows signs of swarm- ing, is — well, the dollar-and-cent equa- tion comes in and our scruples may melt into nothingness — we might do as we would do with the poor little kit- tens we do not want to see grow up about us, and, perhaps, have a half- starved existence. So, until ne.xt sum- mer I shall hold my peace about the Doctor's plan, which may be just the thing we have been so long looking for. Some Gladioli Cranks and Bees The griiwing of the gladiolus is get- ting to be quite a popular fad ; it well might be, for it is a fine flower of good form, easy culture and beautiful ap- pearance. Some of the newer sorts are fairly gorgeous, and in colorings, markings, etc., are close rivals of the orchids. For many years I have been an admirer and grower of gladioli, but it was not until this year that I " broke loose "as a genuine " gladioli crank," as an enthusiast of this flower is dubbed. This year my named varieties run into the hundreds, and in my mix- tures there are thousands of variations. When my crossed seedlings come into bloom I expect to have something even better than I have been able to pur- chase or secure by e.xchange with col- lectors. (That sounds big, but it is one of the anticipations of the specialist who hand-fertilizes his flowers.) Here I might mention that the bee has played an important part in bring- ing about the improvement of this popular garden flower. Some growers still believe bee-fertilized seed is better than hand-fertilized seed. This may be true up to a certain point; by hand- pollination the hybridist can secure about what he wants in a cross; while the bees may use some useless parents in their mi.x-ups. It is almost impos- sible, also, for the bee to effect ferti- lization in some of the large-flowered modern gladioli, as the organs are too often beyond the reach of these insects. Dr. Van Fleet, associate editor of the Rural New-Yorker, and the originator of Gladiolus /'rincct'i i.:y ' Dnr Conducted by EM.MA M. WILSON. Maren^u. 111. Bee-Conventions and the Sisters Interest in bee-keeping among our British sisters is shown by the facl; that in the report of the regular "conver- sazione" of the British Bee-Keepers' Association (British Bee Journal), there appear Itl ladies among the 85 present. Who can report a bee-keep- ers' meeting in this country where the brothers did not outnumber the sisters more than 4 to 1? Women as Bee-Keepers In a bulletin on bee-culture issued by the government of New Zealand, the author, Isaac Hopkins, says the ladies who take to bee-keeping make excellent aptarists, " much better than the average man." The question is whether the same thing is true on this side the globe, and, if not, is it that the "average man" here is smarter than his antipodal brother, or that the sis- ters of the United States brand do not come up to their New Zealand sisters? Mr. Hopkins further says: In .America they rank among the most suc- cessful bee-keepers, and peasants' wives on the Continent of Europe usually look after the household bees, from which they derive a considerable pi-oportion of the family in- come. There is nothing to prevent a fairly healthy young woman from managing and doing the work, with a little assistance dur- ing the height of the season, of an apiarv of 100 colonies. The work carried out bv the lady apiarists at the Ruakura and Weraroa State Apiaries, where, in addition to their actual bee-work, they put together and paint the hives, make the frames, and do every- thing necessary on a bee-farm, affords prac- tical proof that there is nothing connected with bee-farming but what a young woman can accomplish. width of 6 inches is considered about the right thing. You say you have a rV-inch entrance, which no doubt means an entrance ^^'-inch deep. If left that depth, 3 inches ought to be sufiicient width. But it is better to have the full 6 inches in width and re- duce the depth to '/% of an inch, be- cause 34 inch will allow too free en- trance for mice. If there is no more convenient way, you may reduce the depth by tacking on a little strip, either at the upper part of the entrance on the front of the hive, or on the floor at the bottom of the entrance. For a weaker colony, with bees to cover only 4 or 5 combs, an entrance 4 or .5 inches will be enough. You say nothing about a covering on top. Very likely you have that all right, but there is no harm in mentioning that it is im- portant that the warmest covering be on top, even if you have to pile on something above the outside covering. If the coldest part of the hive be on top, then the moisture from the bees will condense there and drip down on the bees. As advocated by Jay Smith, the sides of the hive should be colder than the top, so that any moisture from the bees will condense on the sides of the hive, where it can run down with- out harming the bees. Wintering Bees Outdoors I have an apiary consisting of 80 colonies of beas. My cellar being too small to ac- commodate that number. I have arranged for wintering part of them outdoors. I have built double-walled hives with ?i-inch air- space, building-paper between, and with a ^t-inch entrance. What width of entrance would you consider suitable in wintering bees outdoors with this style of hive? Any other suggestions you might offer would be greatly appreciated. Mrs. C. J. Dresen. Midway, Wis. For an entrance to a hive occupied by a strong colony, for outdoor win- tering, a depth of y% of an inch and a Bees as Nature Study in the Public Schools Mention was made some time ago in this department of Miss Emma V. Hag- gerty. She was trained as a school teacher in New York City. After teach ing for some time there, she engaged in teaching in Colorado, and while there became interested in bees. Then she returned to New York State, and spent some time working with the bees of one of the large honey-producers of that State. Intensely interested, she became proficient in both the theory and practice of bee-keeping. An apiarist was wanted to take charge of the bees in the Bron.x Zoo of New York City. Among those tak- ing the examination for the place was Miss Haggerty, all the others being men. She came off with flying colors, rating 100 percent — 10 percent higher than the highest of the others. But . December, 1909. American Hee Journal 415 she didn't get the place. Some one who perhaps knew more about "pulls" than about bees, ruled that she was ineligible because she was a woman ! So Miss Haggerty went back to her work as a schoolraa'am in the city of Xew York. But she took her interest in bees with her, and it occurred to her that in the "nature work" of the school there might be more of interest, and certainly more of nature, if the children had to do with real live bees. Suggesting the idea to Miss Sarah Goldie, the principal, the latter thought so well of it that she purchased some bees at her own expense. A reporter of the New York World tells about it, and with fewer errors than reporters generally make when trying to tell any- thing about bees. He says : There are 240,000 teachers in Public School No. IQO. on East 82d St.. all working without a cent of pay from the city. The principal subjects which they teach the 1400 children in the school are industry, loyalty, fearless- ness and cleanliness. They also add a lot to the fun the pupils have, and frequently a sample of the teachers' shop-work is sent to the members of the Board of Education in the shape of honey that needs no Govern- ment stamp to guarantee its purity. These teachers are the bees that fill 3 hives on the schoolhouse roof, and another in the assembly room on the the third floor. All they demand of the city is the polien in the flowers of Central Park, and they go after it themselves. With all those bees and with all those children in the same school, there is only one case of stinging on record. The victim was a little girl in the fourth grade. She didn't scream, or jump, or kill the bees. On the contrary, she stood the t»ain with the heroism of a martyr to science and let tlie insect take its own time in removing the stinger and in leaving her hand. For she had learned in the course of the bee lessons that the stinger is the end of the bee's intes- tine, and that if it is torn off by a blow or jump on the part of the person stung the hee dies. And the very next composition day that little girl wrote the best essay of the week on bees, taking tlie sting for her spe- cial subject; and she got the customary re- ward of a box of the school honey for her theme. That incident surely justifies the placing of fearlessness in the special curri- culum of the hives. Furthermore, that stung child hasn't any doubt about what she is going to do for a living when she gets through going to school. Like many of her schoolmates, she is deter- mined to keep bees, on a city roof if she can. and if not there, in the country. At the youthful grammar school age nearly all these children know practically every- thing that it is necessary to know about bees and the production of honey, to go into the business, to say nothing about all those moral qualities that, according toihe school- books, the " little busy bee" is supposed to instill. Preparing Bees for Outdoor Wintering in Cold Climate Few of the sisters do business with bees on so large a scale as Miss Ma- thilde Candler, and as she has wintered bees successfully outdoors as far north as Wisconsin, it may be profitable to learn just how she does it. This she gives in the Bee-Keepers' Review. She has been using tarred felt as a winter packing for 6 or 7 years, and for the past 3 years has wintered 300 colonies thus packed with but little loss. She says : I put a bee-escape board on each hive. Oti this I place an empty comb super, and fill it with planer shavings or sawdust: then I put the tarred felt around the hive. The packing or telt is in two parts— cover and sides are separate. The side paper is as high as the two brood-chambers, and tits snuulv around thehive. with i> incbesallowed for lap. and is fastened together at the back with a piece of lath. The cover paper is of tarred felt, the full width, and long enough to reach well over on the side paper. It is then folded snugly down over the top. and kept in place by lath nailed on all 4 sides. The hive-cover is then placed on the paper cover and the job is fin- ished. One nail in each lath is enough. I used to tack a piece of lath on each of the 4 sides at the bottom of the paper, but for the last 2 years have not done so; if the paper fits tight, and is carefully pressed around the corners, it does not seem necessary. No doubt the top packing is a very important part. Although she has tried it only one winter, and that a mild one, she is quite pleased with dry sod as a packing instead of planer shavings. She says: I placed the sod. cut the size of the top of the hive, grass side down, on top of the es- cape-board which is on each hive, and under the paper cover, which kept it nice and dry. On top of all is the regular hive-cover. Although I have used sod as a top packing only one winter, and that a very mild one. yet I cannot see why it should not be as good as sawdust or other packing, even in severe winter, provided it is well dried out when put on. and kept so. It is ever so much more convenient for me than any other top pack- ing I've ever used. It is right at hand, easy to cut with a sharp spade, easy to handle, holds its shape, and does away with the need of an extra super to hold the packing. It feels nice and warm when I slip my hand under the sod. In a few cases I put it right on top of the regular hive-cover, and then put paper over the whole. Formerly she put the paper cover on top of the regular hive-cover, but now puts it under, as it thus lasts longer. Poor Honey Season, But Sister Thank- ful—Favors Pictures We have 125 colonies mostly in lo-frame shallow hives. On account of the drouth we got no honey at all until the middle of Au- gust. Cat-claw was a failure, mesquite was a failure, sumac was a fifth-crop, live-oak was a third-crop, but we have much to be thankful for; they kept us on corn-bread and beans, a change of clothes apiece (there are 8 of us. and enabled us to keep up with the subscriptions to several much-needed periodicals, magazines and journals, and I need hardly say that the American Bee .journal is one of the most appreciated; and the bees accumulated enough to winter on. We hope for better times next year. Pray do not leave the illustrations out of the American Bee Journal. As well leave out the butterflies and birds from a garden! I have, for one. written a postal to our friend C. L. Grigsby, of El Casco. Calif., requesting him to send along the photographs he men- tioned, and I hope to see them soon on the pages of our much-appreciated Journal. (Mrs., I M. E. Pri'itt. Vancourt. Tex.. Xov. if. nap*" ^^^^'^P?5!P Oli^cellarteou- Fool Bee and Wise ]>Iotli Tlie busy bee, as we may see. Improves each shining hour; And yet compared with any moth It lacks for mental power. From dawning light till dewy night. It toils with restless wing. That man may steal its store, and then Eat every blessed thing. The moth will let a fellow sweat To pay the tailor's bill. Then all the lazy summer months On clothes will eat its fill. —SeUctcJ. l>ivisible-Brood-Cliaiiiber Hives These were a hobby of E. D. Town- send, but he now has this to say about them among other things in the Bee- Keepers' Review : There are some very nice features about the divisible brood-nest hive, but, as a whole, it is disappointing. The main disapi>oint- ment comes from the financial side of the proposition; caused by the bees not breed- ing up sufticiently strong during the two months previous to our main honey-flow in June. It is not the intention of this article to give the impression that this sectional hive is a compU'te fai/iirr. but the results obtained with this hive, in comparison with the Lang- stroth hive, are 15 to 20 percent less in sur- plus honey. Per contra, Editor Hutchinson says : For nearly a dozen years I had the Heddon hive in my apiary, using it along-side the Langstroth. perhaps 50 hives of each kind, and I never noticed any particular difference in the way that the bees bred up in the spring. I was not lookinu for any difference. ii'U L. living pal tiuuLir iiutice. but if there was a dilTerence. it was not sufficiently notice- able to attract my attention. A Cheap Bee-Feeder R. B. Ross, Jr., in the Canadian Bee Journal, gives this description : Take the cover of a lo-pound penny-lever honey-pail, place it upside down on a block of wood, over which it easih" slips; with a v inch wire-nail and hammer, punch from 12 to i^ holes through the cover, but avoid making the holes too large by driving the nail too far. If the holes are about the size of the lead in an ordinary unsharpened pencil they will be just right. Now fill the honey pail as nearly full as you can— for a lo-pound feed— push the cover on tight, and the feeder is complete. In practice I place ,3 or 4 thicknesses of newspaper directly on the frames, first tear- ing out holes about 2H inches in diameter, wherever you wish to set a feeder lusuallj- one feeder is enough, per colony). Quickly invert the feeder over the whole, put on empty hive-body and cover, and feel assured that the bees will do the rest in a few hours without any danger of leakage or loss. As soon as feeding is finished, the pails can be washed out, dried and used at once for stor- age and sale of honey, as they are undam- aged. The perforated covers, costing but a cent or two. represent your actual invest- ment in feeders. New York Bee-Keeper Shig-ged About the middle of October, Stephen Davenport, a bee-keeper located at Indian Fields, N. Y., was visited by two well-dressed young men from Cox- sackie, with the apparent intention of buying some honey. After selecting American ^ae Journal December, 1909. the honey they praposed to call for it the following Sunday. The honey was replaced in the box. and while standing near one of the men the other struck Mr. Davenport a terrible blow on the head with a loaded billet, as it ap- peared, and almost knocked him sense- less. He was struck twice more, but reached the door, pushed it open, and rushed out yelling at the top of his voice. This frightened the men so they ran across a field, but in their haste to get out of the building, they upset the honey which was scattered and broken on the floor. Though the shock and injuries to Mr. Davenport were severe, he was rapidly recovering the first of November. A reward of $100 has been offered for the apprehension and conviction of the person or persons who committed the murderous assault. It seems strange to Mr. Davenport that any one should so attack him, as he never has any money on hand worth mentioning. We regret very much to learn of this dis- tardly attempt on the life of one of our subscribers, and trust that the culprits mav be arrested and made to suff^er for' it. Two Virgriii Queeii.s Introduced Together Two laying queens have been known to live together peaceably if one or both were old. Virgin queens are un- derstood to have a mortal antipathy to each other, a fight to the finish occur- ring as soon as they can get at each other. But now the supposedly impos- sible has happened. Here is the state- ment as it appeared in Gleanings : As the season was drawing to a close our Mr. Pritchard. at our north yard, had a sur- plus of virgins that came near starving to death. He had no place to put them, but he picked out two of the best, and put them intocwi? Miller introducing cage. This cage of two queens was tlien given a compartment in a baby nucleus, and contrary to what he expected, both queens were kindly received; both were fertilized, and both began laying side by side without showing any inclination whatever to quarrel. Mr. Pritchard accounts for these two vir- gins not fighting, when placed together, to the fact that they were nearly starved. When put in the same cage they both began to eat away the candy. If they had not been nearly starved, he says the first thing they would nave done would be to engage in a mortal combat. Todd Hive-Stand F. Dundas Todd has devised a hive- stand that is unique. He says this, in Gleanings : At present my hives rest on three dowel- rods J'a-inch in thickness, and so far I am satisfied with the results. These rods pass through suitable holes bored in 2x4 rough lumber; and as I prefer to have 2 hives on each stand, each will, therefore, consist of 3 cross-pieces. The specifications are; 3 pieces hxiz inches, dowel-rod; 3 pieces 2x4- X24. rough lumber, witfi ?^-inch holes bored at 4. 12. and 20 inches, centers 2 inches from one side. The construction is simple. Push the rods in place and fasten with nails. Cost, about 20 cents. A hive-stand made of fencing, simply 2 cross-pieces nailed on 2 longer pieces, will cost, with fencing at $3.5 a thou- sand, about 1.1 cents for each stand, and it is a simpler matter to make than the Todd stand. What advantage has the new hive-stand to offer that will overbalance the extra expense and trouble? The plain fence-board stand presents a larger surface for the hive to rest upon, and this larger surface of contact gives a good chance for water, in a rainy time, to remain between the bottom-board and stand, making the colonies which, at this time, is 26. I am now building a honey-house which will be located immediately under the trees in the rear of the stum p which appears in the foreground at the left of i\^q main picture. No. i. The view of No. 2 is that of my increase for this season, which are all located under hickory trees. ■•■ . - ~::^;K, - -•^■- ■^ri—'-vv. ^^ .• > ' •VV*»..-,. -•< ^ '"^i^-s^iv^; '■^^•"■•^ s ■''^.■'■¥^--»< ".■^y^i " * ' •■■,• ■ . _ ^\:-y,-: " ' ^.it'S W^' ■ffig^lEI ■•V^5^: IMMWBBM " -'• ' ■ , '■ :-hf ^^^ W'-;^^;.';. - -' No. I.— Apiary of L. W. Crovatt, of Savannah. Ga. stand rot much more quickly tTian the Todd stand with the hive resting merely upon the dowel-rods or round sticks. But the lasting of the stand is a smaller matter than the lasting of the bottom- board. The same rotting that occurs in the stand will at the same time oc- cur in the bottom-board, thus making the cheaper stand much more expensive in the long run. In many localities the presence of large black wood-ants is a factor to be reckoned with. The two flat surfaces coming together offer just the right thing for these pests to make their nests, and both bottom- board and stand will be thoroughly honey-combed. The very small surface ics comb I am running a portion of the 26 colon for extracted and the remainder for como honey. Last season was extremely poor in this locality, but we are very hopeful for a good crop this year, th- "-- "- ' proven good t upon the fall ,.,_.,. il^.h k, „ „ lific swamp growths for our crop in this sec tion. 1 might say that the year is an excep- tion to the rule since we have secured a fair is year, the spring flow having to date. We depend principally flow from goldenrod and pro- rowths for our crop in this se" t say that the year is an exce iiuii 10 intr rule since we have secured a fj crop of honey from the spring flow, wliich the first in several years. Other bee-keepe of this section report the same condition. :pers View No. 2 is a picture of Mrs. Crovatt, who hives the new swarms and assists gen- erally in the apiary. In fact, she is my main- stay in the business, looking after things generally in my absence. I am home only on .Sundays, and look after the bees onlv once in seven days. This is our fourth. vear with bees. Others report failures, but I find invariably that the bees are not at fault: No. 2.— Apiakv of Mks. L. W. Ckovatt, of Savan.nam. Ga. offered by the dowel-rods does not favor these nests. In the long run the Todd stands may be much the cheaper. A Georgia Apiary — Selling Honey I am sending two views of my apiary located at Thunderbolt, near Savannah. Ga.. but while they give a fair impression of the apiary, they do not show the full number of rather the erstwhile keepers, for I have bought out 3 already, and in building up the colonies I have had fair luck to date. Last season I secured i?!^ cents per section for comb honey, and 35 cents per pint for ex- tracted honey. Those Farmers' Tactics. It is a great pity that the bee-papers could not educate up the rural bee-keepers to se- curing what the honey is really worth for their crop. Think of it! They market.honev December, 1909. 417 American ?ee Journal in the comb for 8 and q cents per section! Naturally this has a tendency to depress the market for a better grade of comb honey. But the stuff they market— in Savannah, at least— is little short of a disgrace to the in- dustry. Dozens of times I have seen honey exposed for sale which I would actually be ashamed to admit, if I had produced it. In * most cases the boxes are the only redeem- ing feature, for they, at least, are clean, but the two or three rows of cells next the wood are empty, or only partly filled, and in many cases I have stopped at the stores where this miserable stuff was exposed in a glass case for sale to look at the combs broken from the wood entirely— caps broken and tbe honey messing up things generally. But while this stuff is miserable and actually unfit to offer for sale, and hurts the business generally, the store-keepers would rather take it at 8 or p cents than to pay 10 or II cents for a fancy grade of comb honey. It's money in their pockets; the consumer may not know any better, but all the same it makes sore a careful bee-keeper, who takes pride in producing a fancy, nice looking sec- tion. The only way to head off the proposition is to sell direct to the consumer. It takes more time, but repays one tor the trouble. That is the reason why I am dealing direct with the consumers, as I have always done, with one exception. L. W. Crov.^tt. Savannah. Ga., July i. Send Questions either to the office of the American Bee Journal or to DR. C. C. MILLER, Marengo. 111. Dr. Miller does not answer Questions by mail. Long-Tongue Bees — Spacing Frames I Which race of bees has the longest tongues— the Italians, Carniolans, or Cau- casians? ;, How close can frames be together where there are no foundation sheets used? Can they be iVo inches apart? I have them iH-inches. and the bees build more combs in a hive than there are frames. Pennsylvania. Answers.— I. lam not entirely sure, but I think the Cyprians. But there is a variation in bees of the same race. 2. You cannot have combs built true with- out having ,t least starters, and i^ is close enough. If you try iVi you will find the bees will do still worse than with iH. Keeping Honey in an Ice-Box — Joining the Na- tional 1. Why is it not advisable 10 let honey stand in an ice-box? 2. I am desirous of becoming a member of your " League." Kindly let me know what are the requirements. E. St. Louis. Answers— I. If you mean by "ice-box" merely a close box with ice in it. I've had no experience. But I have had experience with a refrigerator. Things put in that become dry instead of becoming moist, so honey keeps all right in it. At least it does "in this locality," although Editor Koot thinks it will not keep there. 2. I suppose you refer to the National Bee- Keepers' Association. Send your name and a dollar to the General Manager and Treas- urer. N. E. Krance. Platteville. Wis., and you will be enrolled as a member. Or you can send the same to Editor York, of the American Bee Journal. 146 W. Superior St., Chicago. III., and the dollar will make you a member of both the Chicago-Northwestern Bee-Keepers' Association and the National. Or. if you prefer, it will make you a member of the Illinois State and the National Asso- ciations. You may also, if you prefer, send the dollar to R. A. Holekamp. 4263 Virginia Ave.. St. Louis. Mo., and become a member of the Missouri Bee-Keepers' Association and the National. What Was Wrong With the Bees ? I have a colony of bees in an 8-frame dove- tailed hive with plenty of honey, and on the 5th and 6th days of this month (on Friday), about 2 o'clock p.m., I noticed the queen and about 20 bees on the outside of the hive, and the other bees running all over the hive. I put her back in the hive, and the next day she was out the same way. and I tried to nut her back at the entrance, and she wouldn't go, so i took the top off and put her in there, and she has not come out any more. I ex- amined the hive well' and it is pretty and nice, no weevils nor anything of the kind, and there is plenty of honey. I would like to know what is wrong with her. She was pretty and active, and nothing seemed to be wrong with her. Kentucky. Answer.— I am at a loss to tell what was the trouble in your case. Possibly, in spite of the fresh looks of the queen, the bees had superseded her. and a young queen was in the hive. Even in that case the occurrence was very unusual, for it often happens that an old queen stays some time in the hive after her daughter begins laying The like- lihood is that n^yi\. spring you will find the old queen missing. But you cannot tell about that unless she is clipped, for other- wise you will not be able to tell a new queen from the old one. If any one can tell any better what was the matter. Ill be glad to yield the floor. I am sitting down to answer your letter less than an hour after receiving it. but it is impossible for the reply to be in the No- vember Bee Journal as you desire. That number. I suppose, is already on the press. It takes time to do the printing and mailing. It takes time to write the answer, and I can- not always answer a letter the same day I receive it. and then it takes time for me to mail the answer to Chicago. So in order to have an answer in any number, the letter should reach me before the first day of the month, making due allowance for the time it takes for your letter to reach me. Cellar Hive-Ventilatnon — Early Reared Queens 1. My bees are mostly in the form of 4 and i frame nuclei — one 4-frame and one 5- frame in each lo-frame dovetailed hive, with the fi-inch entrance up. and a bee-tight division-board between. As the entrance is closed up for about 2 inches in the center where the division-board is. this will not provide enough ventilation when in the cel- lar. If I raise the hive from the bottom- board, there will be danger of the bees or queens fighting, so how can 1 secure enough ventilation? How would it do to remove the cover and place one or two thicknesses of burlap on top? 2. In the last issue you answered my ques- tion in regard to early queens by saying that such queens would not be good. Now. I have prepared my breeding-queens, one for queens, and one for drones, by adding 2 col- onies to each and feeding plenty. By stimu- lative feeding next spring these colonies ran easily be made to rear drones, and swarm 3 weeks befoge the rest of the colonics, or about May 20 to 25. Why should these queens not be as good as those reared about June 15? Minnesota. Answers.— I. I'm not so sure there would be any fighting if the bees were allowed to come together by the raising of the hive. Probably there would be none, although there is a possibility that by spring one of the queens would be gone. However, if you raise the hive so as to allow a passage from one side to the other, you can put in a strip of wood that will close up the passage. 'The other plan you suggest — providing for up- ward ventilation— will be all right, too. It matters little where the ventilation is. so there is enough of it. When I first wintered in box-hives in the cellar, I turned the hives upside down. That gave no ventilation be- low, but oceans of it above. 2. I'm not sure I know just why early- reared queens are poor. It's not merely a question of strength of colony. And 1 don't believe you can make feeding entirely as good as gathering from the flowers. I know this: that I have had quite a number of queens reared early, first and last, and they didn't begin to average up with queens reared later, there being no difference in the strength of the colonies. Let me give you another point. There's G. M. Doolittle. You probably are aware that he knows as much about queen-rearing as you and I put together, and then some more. Well. I think he says he can't rear good queens much before June. Perhaps I haven't the date right; but at any rate I think he is no more in favor of early queens than I am. If he can't succed at it. you and I may as well not try it. After saying all this, it still re- mains true that much depends upon the vield of nectar, and it is just as possible that where dandelion is very abundant, good Liueens might be reared quite a bit earlier than where it does not prevail. Uniting Colonies With Paper Between I have just read al.xuit your way of uniting 2 colonies by putting paper between them. Did you ever try putting a queen-excluding honey-board between them? I think it does as well. Illinois. Answer.— Yes. I have united with an ex- cluder between the 2 colonies. It is much the same as having nothing between the 2 stories. In some cases— perhaps in most cases— bees will unite peaceably when one hive is set directly over the other, with no excluder between. In such cases of course they would unite all right with an excluder. But too often it happens that if one hive is set over the other without any precaution, there will be a severe fight. In that case I doubt that the excluder would do any good. But the paper will. There is no possibility, with the paper, that one set of bees can fall upon the others en masse. It will take a bit of time for a hole to be made in the paper that shall let a bee through, and for some time there will be passage for only one bee at a time. In the meantime the 2 lots of bees are getting the same scent, ready to unite peaceably. At any rate. I've had one lot of bees killed when there was no paper be- tween, and I'm not sure 1 ever had fighting when the paper was used. A Variety of Questions 1. Can out- be assured that no swarm has issued from a hive by the presence of their old clipped queen? 2. For several years, if I leave any partly- filled sections on the hive to be finished, after the middle of July the bees clean them out. Why do they do it? Stopping of the How? 3. Has Italy two kinds of Italian bees, the leather-colored and the golden, or are the goldens bred in this country by select leather-colored stock? 4. For several years, in September and October I have caughtseveral stray swarms. What causes these swarms at this time of the year? I have no trouble with my bees swarming after July, at the latest. 5. Is there anything that could be fed to the bees to prevent foul brood? 6. Will bees store more honey in shallow frames than in sections? 7. Can one tell the difference between a colony that is superseding their queen and one going to swarm? 8. In case a colony wants to swarm with a clipped queen, and they fail to get away on account of bad weather or some other cause before the young queen hatches, what will happen? t). In case they are superseding their queen is there any danger of a swarm? Ohio. Answers.— I, Yes, with certain excep- tions. There have been reports to the effect that a colony with a clipiied queen has swarmed, and the queen not being able to go with the swarm, she has been allowed to Deccmlier, 1909. American ^ae Journal remain and the swarm has gone off with a young aueen some days later, leaving the old clipped queen. Such cases, however, are so rare. I think, that they are hardly worth considering. The other exception is the common one. A colony with a clipped queen will make preparation for swarming and will swarm just the same as if the queen were not clipped. Then when the queen finds she cannot go with the swarm, she generally re- turns to the hive, although she may crawl off and be lost. The swarm, finding there is no queen along, generally returns, although sometimes it may join another swarm that has a queen with whole wings, or it may en- ter another hive where there is the com- motion of swarming. If you should open the hive the next day. you would find the clipped queen there, although the colony had swarmed the preceding day. Or, you may find her there several days later, although generally she will have disap- peared by the time the first young queen emerges— say about 8 days after the issuing of the prime swarm. Of course the queen- cells will help to tell you the condition of aflfars. 2. Yes. the flow has ceased, the bees are not gathering as much as they use up each day. and use up what is in the super, or else carry it down where there is now room for it. 3. In Italy there are the leather-colored and also a lighter kind, but I think no 5-banded or golden, which is an .American affair, not at all always from the leather-colored kind. 4. A late swarm of the kind may occur in much the same way as an earlier one. There may be a better chance in other cases than among your bees, where you take care of them properly. 5. In this country drugs are generally con- sidered of no account in foul brood. In England it is a common thing to add nap ht ho I beta to the bees' food, with the idea that it helps to prevent foul brood. b. I think so. 7. Not for certain. Generally, however, there will be fewer cells for superseding than for swarming. s. If bad weather hinders swarming, the case will be the same, whether the queen can fiy or not. The bees may give up swarm- ing and destroy the cells, or they may swarm later. See reply to question No. i. 9. Yes. Feeding Bees Candy in Winter 1. I began last spring and have about 15 colonies. I find that I must feed about 10 of them 8 to 15 pounds of candy, as they did not store enough honey nor syrup, which I be- gan to feed last month. They did not " take it up." as the books say. I used the division- board and the Miller feeders, and some pans with cheese-cloth on the syrup. I made some 40 pounds of candy last week, but it is iust slightly scorched, and I am afraid to feed it to them. I am thinking of making "Good" candy, one part honey and s or 6 sugar, and place this on the frames over the brood-nest, with very slazy cheese-cloth be- tween. Please advise me. 2. Can I safely save over the scorched candy until next summer and feed it without danger to the bees — let them store it? Kentucky. Answers.— -I. Your candy on the cheese- cloth may be all right, but it needs watching. There is a possibility that the candy may be so thin that with the heat of the bees it will strain down throng the cheese-cloth. In that case you will have to take the candy out and work a little more sugar into it. There is also a little danger that the bees will not work through the cloth, especially if the candy is pretty dry. Punch a few holes through the cheese-cloth with a sharp- ened lead-pencil. 2. Save your scorched feed till next spring. not for the bees to store, but for them to use up in rearing brood. Methods of Increase and Honey-Production I have kept bees for only about 4 months, and I now have 4 colonies. Next season I would like to increase them and get a crop of honey besides. 1. Is the Swarthmore method. /. e.. shaking the bees on full sheets of foundation and then giving them a laying queen, better than the Alexander method of increase, as on page 279 of "ABC of Bee Culture?" 2. What is the Doolittle system of comb- honey production? It is described on page 343 of the October issue of the Journal, but the description is not clear to me. We have quite a few honey-plants around here. There is any amount of whitewood. some basswood, quite a little sumac, and some white, red. and sweet clover. New York. Answers.— I. Likely the Alexander plan may be better for you. as it allows little or no chance for brood to be chilled. But if you expect to double your crop of honey, as Mr. Alexander says you may. by dividing, you are likely to be seriously disappointed unless you have a heavy late flow, as Mr. Alexander had from buckwheat. 2. A book called "A Year's Work at an Out-Apiary" gives in full the system that Mr. Doolittle follows, which is a combina- tion of good things more or less in general use. given by the author in an interesting way. Of course it would be out of question to give details here, but only one special feature may be mentioned, and that is that early in the season he puts over the hive a second story containing combs with more or less honey, an excluder between the two stories, and then when the time comes that there is danger of swarming, or just before the honey-flow, he takes away the brood of the lower story, giving the colony the combs of the upper story.— [The book referred to, " A Year's Work in an Out-Apiary," by Mr. Doolittle. may be had by sending 50 cents to this office.- Ed.] Coal-Oil for Bee-Stings A few drops of coal-oil applied to the part of the body stung wilK in most cases, com- pletely cure and remove all bad feelings in a short time, and also the swelling. A bee- sting has no more effect on me than a flea- bite. E. L. Belknap. Kennydale. Wash. Very Good Season The past season was a very good one here. I had 5 colonies and took 300 pounds of comb honey and 100 pounds of extracted, besides increasing to 16 good colonies. The weather is very fine here now. My bees had a good flight yesterday. I put them into the cellar the same evening. John Janack. Benson Mines. N. Y., Nov. 2q. Bee-Ranges Spoiled We Western people are hunting bee- ranges as the farmers are cutting the alfalfa before it blooms, and bees are not doing as well as they used to do. I find the ranges overstocked with bees in most of our West- ern States, and the practise of cutting alfalfa before it blooms is a severe blow to the in- dustry. Geo. E. Dudi.ev. Denver. Colo.. Oct. 29. Honey-Dew for Cooking, Etc. Our bees this year gave us a surplus of about 40 pounds apiece in June. July was nearly all honey-dew. We took it off the last of July and extracted everything in the supers, sections, and all. We had a late light flow from Spanish-needle and hearts- ease, which filled up the hives very well, and we are in hopes they will winter all right. We are usng the honey-dew for mak- ing apple and peach butter, cakes, cookies, etc.. and are using it up pretty fast. We have a nice lot of combs to use next year. Center. Mo.. Nov. i. Freeman Davis. Experience 'With Bee-Stings for Rheu- matism Having had some experience with bee- stings. I will give it for what it is worth. Previous to i8q8 I had periodical attacks of rheumatism. Sometimes I was free from it, and sometimes it was very severe. I took treatment for several years with apparently little effect. During the summer of 1800 a swarm of bees settled some 18 feet from the ground, and I got a ladder and dish-pan to bring them down. When I shook them in the pan they fell on the back of my right hand, and they stung it all over until it looked as if there was room for no more stings. I got down pretty rapidly (you mav suppose). I could taste the bee-stings and could feel them in the tips of my fingers and to the end of my toes, and I was pretty sick. I poured some ammonia on the back of my hand, and took some internally. Mv arm swelled continually, but since that time I have been free from rheumatism. I had taken no medicine for months for the rheu- matism, and t believe it was the bee-stings that cured me. I had been taking medicine of a doctor some time before, and I told him my experience, and he asked me how many stings I got. I told him I did not trv to count them, but from so to 100. He said he thought I got enough formic acid to cure me. Should I have the rheumatism again I would cer- tainly try the stings again. S. N. Black. ' Clayton. 111., Nov. 20. Danger of Honey-Dew for Winter Stores The first entire failure in honey in my 30- odd years experience with bees I met this year. If I get a honey crop we have to have a white clover crop to produce it, and it was plain to me last winter that we would not have a white clover crop this season. The drouth in the summer and fall killed all of the old plants, and the seed did not sprout and come up with this spring. But we have got a fine stand this tall. The sea- son has been very favorable for it. If it had not been for the honey-dew pro- duced by the plant-lice working on the leaves of the trees, the bees would have been in a starving condition in June and July. I was very liberal with them, when that flow began to come in. and did not put any supers on to dirty the sections with it. for I would not have known what to do with it after I had it. as I doubt very much if it is fit for man's use. and I know it is not fit to winter bees on if we have a cold winter, and they are confined to the hive long at a time. I have "been there" once, several years ago. when I lost quite a number with dysentery. An old saying is. " A burnt child dreads the fire." So I will steer clear of it for they consumed most of it in rearing brood, and I have had to feed granulated sugar syrup for winter stores. Then fioney- dew stimulated them so that they built up very strong, and by keeping the syrup off you can guess what the result would be. It kept me with them picking up clipped queens and clipping queen-cells until about the first of July. J. G. Creighton. Harrison. Ohio. Nov. 22. Honey in Experience 'With " Chunk ' Iowa Commencing my second year in the bee- business. I had not yet acquired an extrac- tor, and I was puzzled to know what to do with (to mel a large number of unfinished sections, and honey from a large number of boxes I had in the early soring put into trees. I think there were 25 of them, as well as some from frames from which I had taken the bees to unite them with other swarms. At this time I knew nothing about " chunk" honey as a commercial proposition, but. as a boy. youth and man. I had eaten "wild" honey, the fruit of robbing bee-trees, and. remembering. I put all my broken combs and unfinished sections into quart Mason jars, "strained" some honey to fill up with, and had not a little bit of trouble selling the whole of it at 10 cents a poinid — 37 cents for jar and honey, the jar returnable at 7 cents— though I do not know that ever a jar was re- turned. I do not. kiimo. but I think I shall neglect comb honey for chunk another season, prin- cipally because I am a hopeless sufferer from asthma, and I need to save steps. I can easier get 10 cents a pound for my honey that way than I can I2>2 cents for comb; there is no loss due to worms or dirt; no extraordinary and expensive care required. I get pay for containers, while in selling ex- tracted we give the containers away; no sections to buy. but little foundation, and the bees will go into the frames where they will hesitate to enter the sections. There may be a problem of the honey can- dying; I may not make quite so much, or I might make more, but the item of less work appeals to me, and the coming season I shall give it a good trial. In the meantime I have to learn how to keep the queen out of the supers, for last season I was troubled: how- ever, it was an abnormal season. .A last word: Advertising will sell chunk honey, just as it will everything else on earth. I said to prospective customers: December. 1909. American liee Jonrna^ 419 " This is just the same honey as in the sec- tions. (7//(/you get a full pound foryour money and pay less for the pound." I could have sold a thousand pounds in this little rural community. -\. F. Bonnev. Buck Grove, Iowa. Bee-Stings and Rheumatism It is a long time since I saw or heard of an old foery who thought that bee-stings would cure rheumatism. About 10 years ago. when I lived in California, that old superstition ■was rampant, I hugged it myself for a num- ber of years, but I got no relief. There is just as much sense in kissing the toe of an old saint as to let bees sting you to cure rheumatism. How fooled are those that are cursed with the bee-sting superstition. The most of them eat honey, and that is what gives them relief; that is what carries some of the poison out of their systems. The sting puts poison into their system; honey cleans the system. I don't mean to say that honey will cure rheumatism, but if used rightly, it will suddenly give relief. I don't think there is a scholar in this world that thoroughly understands the tor- mentor of men— rheumatism. I have battled against it with all kinds of weapons for years, and changed climates several times, but all was for naught. But in the spring of igo3 we moved to the Bighorn Basin, and my tormented pet absconded, and it will be 7 years next spring that I have been free from the curse, and I consider that a pretty fair test. Now. what was it that made the curse Iet_ go of me? I can only give my candid opinion. Man is a conditioned being; rheu- matism, whatever it is. is a conditioned something. The conditions for man can be changed so that he will be no more. The conditions for rheumatism can be changed so it will be no more. Now these may not be facts, but one thing, it is mv candid opin- ion; let it be taken for whAt it is worth. Another thing I want to mention. When we moved here from Northern Missouri. our shepherd dog was full of fleas and our hogs were lousy. The hogs never knew what it was to be without lice. When they got here the conditions were such that the fleas and lice could not live, and they were rid of them at once. Now there are people here that have rheumatism mostly in the feet and legs. Some think it is not rheumatism, but Eout. I don't know as to that. Dr. A. F. Bonney gives a very good description of what rheumatism is. ( wonder if he doesn't think there are other forms. Cody. Wyo. J. D. Kaifman. [It is interesting to note the differences of opinion on the ouestion of bee-stings curing rheumatism. There seem to be two sides to it. just as on other topics. May be the truth will be known some day.— Editor.! Poorest Season in Years The honey season is eruliMl. I secured 11 pounds of section honey and 200 pounds of extracted from 4S' colonies, spring count, so I think the season was the poorest I ever ex- perienced in the 15 years I have kept bees. MManhattan. Kans., Nov. i. J. L. Yoiinc. Next Year a Clover Year The year of I'^v) will go on record as one of the poorest honey seasons, very little sur- plus of inferior quality. The fall flow was a total failure, except a few davs when bees worked on heartsease. A neighbor has lost 7 colonies from lack of stores His bees are the Red Clover Italians, vet there was an abundance of red clover with us this season. Our Caucasians managed to gather a small surplus of clover honey, after the honey-dew was taken off. They have plenty of stores in their 14 frame hives, but I am afraid of the outcome, as I am sure they have more or less honey-dew in the brood-chamber. I wish to say a word to the readers of the .Journal: I^ook carefully to your bees; feed them candy or syrup, if possible; there are going to be many dead colonies next spring unless they are well cared for. The year of Ii)o8 was a banner white clover year. The ground is thickly covered with young plants from last year's seeding. Therefore, if the weather conditions are favorable. loio will be a clover year also. So look out for the bees this winter, and next June they will keep us busy piling up supers. The "Old Reliable " is growing both in volume and up-to-date information. We surely appreciate the Editor's efforts in bringing forth each month such valuable in- formation from the pens of staff correspond- ents and others of wide experience. The Journal is a bee-paper in fact, published for the bee-keepers and maintained by the bee- keepers; no other departments to take up space on matters foreign to apiculture; no foot-notes to an ably-written article if said article does not concur with the views of the publisher. Surely, the Journal gives all a square deal. J. W. Bi.akei.y. Cardington. Ohio, Nov. 22. Book Notices By LEWIS EDWIN YORK, Supt. Public Schools, MARTINS FERRY, Belmont Co.. OHIO. Almost Fairy Children By Caleb Lewis. Illustrated b>- George F. Kerr. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merriil Company. Cloth. 289 pages. Price. $1.25. This book is a good example of the story- teller's art with puroose that is more than mere enjoyment. There are 12 stories, and each is a gem. Mothers who are looking for something good to read to children from 6 to 12 years of age will find here what they want. Happy School Days.-By Margaret E. Sangster. Chicago: P'orbes & Company. Cloth. 271 pages. Price, $1.25. This book is one of the most inspiring that has come from the pen of Mrs. Sangster. She handles practically all of a school-girl's problems in a way that is wholesome, inter- esting, and calculated to teach a sweet rea- sonableness. .\ delightful gift for any young lady in High School or .\cademy. Boys of Other Countries By Bayard Tay- lor. Illustrated bv Noble Ives and others. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. Cloth. 166 pages. Price, Si. 25. One would go far to find a better book than this. It has rare literary merit and makes a strong appeal to the best in its readers. High class is the only term appli- cable to this book. It never becomes weari- some. It will help many a youth to form a character that is altogether admirable. Manuel in Mexico — By Etta B. McDonald and lulia Dalrvmple. Illustrated. Boston: Little. Brown & Company. Decorated cloth. 118 pages. Price, fio cents. This book is one of a series known as " Little People Everywhere. " Of these there are 10 volumes. The illustrations are exquisite. The style of the writer is clear and_ perfectly suited to the purpose of con- veying a lasting impression. This scries is commended to those who are looking for books that ai)peal strongly to the eye and to the higher nature. How the World is Fed.— By Frank G. Carpenter, llhistr.ited. New York : Ameri- can Book Com[i.'iiiv. r?loth. i6o pages. Price, M cents. Foods and Their Uses By F. O. Carpen- ter. Illustrated. New York: Charles Scrib- ners' Sons. Cloth. 221 pages. Price, ^o cents. These two books treat of eminently prac- tical subjects in a manner that is helpful and satisfactory. They furnish information that is not usually found outside of a great encyclopedia, and they have the advantage of originality. The Life of Alice Freeman Palmer,— Bv George Herbert Palmer. Illustrated. Bos- ton: Houghton, Mifflin Company. Cloth. ^^.^ pages. Price, Si.^o. In this book Prof. Palmer has done a great work for education, as well as for general culture and home life. He sounds the deep places in human experience. Mrs. Palmer was a student, high school teacher, college professor and president of Wellesley Col- lege. She wrought a great work for the womanhood of our country. This is one of the really great books -^f the i)ast 25 years. Samantha on Children's Rights. -By Mari- etta Hollev. lUustrat.cl bv I'Tias. Grunwald New York: G. W. Dillingham Co. Cloth. 318 pages. Price. 81. so. Again losiah Allen's wife has taken down her pen and ink from the mantletree piece and written a book; this time, instead of the rights of men, women and governments. she talks of the rights of children. She be- lieves nothing is so much needed in parents as common sense and fair dealing. Saman- tha has had her admirers these many years. Her humor has caught the fancy of the peo- ple far and wide, and they have been moved by her pathos, and helped by her high moral teachings. She is entirely an American character, and one needs only to know her to appreciate her. Her books have sold by the millions. Miss Selina Lue and the Soap-Box Babies. — By Maria Thompson Daviess. Illustrated by PaulJ. Meylan. Indianapolis: The Bobbs- MerrillCo. Cloth. 220 pages. Price. St. 00. The heart-catcher is out again. You might just as well hand over yours, for you cannot resist "Miss Selina Lue." Spinster, store- keeper, and general neighborhood manager, she IS a very real, energetic, and delightfullv amusing character. Her speciality is a row of soap-boxes in which she keeps a free day- nursery. The pages are running over with children always in comical trouble. If you are susceptible to the charms of genuine homely fun, and characters rich in simple reality, of wholesomeness. and optimism and infectious laughter. " Miss Selina Lue " will put you in love with the world. Any of the above books may be ordered through the American Bee Journal, 14(j W. Superior St., Chicago, 111. Send us 60 cents in addition to the price of any book as given, and we will credit your subscription to the American Bee Journal for one vear. What Prof, alley Says:— In a letter to the Cutawa: Harrow Co., of Higganum Conn., Prof. Bailey, of Cornell Agricultural College, gave the following opinion as to the merits of those well-known farm implements, theCutawavTools. Prof. Bailev said: "The Double Ac- tion Cutaway Har- row has been sat- isfactory. I use it almost continuous- ly on our hard clay ]aiid with good results." ♦'Hi "The double action Cutaway Harrow re- ferred to by Prof. Bailey, is one of the most wonderful farm tools ever invented. We reproduce it in the accompanying illustra- tion. Being double action in principle, it works the earth in opposite directions, thus leaving the land true and ready for planting. It takes the place of both plow and harrow. The jointed pole, with which it is equipped, takes all the load from the horses' neck. With a medium-weight team of horses a man can cut 28 to 30 acres of land a day, or double cut 15 acres in one day. Full description of this wonderful tool, together with other necessary tools for farmers' use, will be found in their free booklet. Ask for it from the Cutaway Harrow Co., Higganum, Conn., mentioning the American Bee Jour- nal when writing. Business Side of Poultry Raising. The happy-go-lucky life of the farmer has passed with changing conditions. Today the suc- cessful farmer is a business man, a machin- ist, somewhat of a chemist and plant-physio- logist—in fact, an all-around man. If he raises poultry for market he is acquainted with the best methods of raising the chick to the final handing over the killed chicken to the dealer in the best marketable condi- tion. He makes capons of his surplus roos- ters, thereby doubling their size and doub- ling their value, so that a rooster of j pounds at i.^ cents is changed into an 8-pouud capon at 30 cents— just a Tittle difference of $1.80 on the profit side! He uses the most approved Iioultry markers, and thus reads the history of each fowl by looking at his foot. He kills them ill the most humane, clean and scien- tific manner by the use of the French Poul- try Killing Knife. If you have not already a French Killing Knife, send 50 cents to G. P. Pilling ,S: Son Co., Arch St., Philadelphia. Pa., and they will also send you a pamphlet illustrating their various poultry instru- ments. Little things, say you! lust so; but ple.ise remember that the little things make all the difference between profit and loss, fiet the " Pilling Habit " and write for infor- mation, not forgetting to mention the Ameri- can Bee Journal when writing. 420 December, 1909. Index to Vol. XLIX SUBJECTS Abbott plan of introducing queens — 244. Absconding swarms, sure way to prevent — 171. Absorbent cushions, sealed covers vs. — 3S. Abundance of stores — 94. Additional supers, place for — 8. Advantage of 9-frame hive — 149. Afterswarms— 43, 229, 277, 27S. Age at which queen mates — 268. Age deteriorate honey, does — 37. Ages of --ueens — 6, 366, Air-ship built on bee-model — 63. Albino bees — 247. Alcohol, bees and — 362. Alfalfa— 399. Alfalfa and red clover — 101. Alsike clover — 147. Alsike clover honey, color of — 293. Alternating hives — 67. Altitude for alfalfa — 178. Antiquity of bee-keeping — 8. Ants and bees — 146. Ants, getting ri«.. of — 339. Ants out of hives, to keep — 88. Ants, warning against — 373. Apiarian awards at Texas fairs — 402. Apiarian exhibit at Texas State fair — 306. Apiary, beautiful — 47. Apiary of — Anderson, Grant — 90. Baker, J. H.— 296. Barbish, G. A.— 39. Belmont, Geo. — 361. Berry, Geo. O.— 265. Boomhower, L- — 261. Brendle, Ludwig — 231. Chapel, W. S.— 400. Diemer & Son, J. F.— 39. Dean, Chas. — 399. Eccleston, C. E.— 399. Frye, Mr.— 398. Howe, Mr. and Mrs. — 121, Joplin, Andrew, 361. Kendall, Jay S.— 400. Kennedy, T. B.— 295. Koch, E. F.— 39. Lampher, Mr. — 329. Lloyd, Leroy— 399. Look, F. D.— 400. Lutts, J. E— 399. Mathews, Mr.— 329. McMannan, G. N.— 88. McNeal, W. W.— 7. Miller, B. F.— 7. Peck, S. A.— 399. Rice, O. K.— 329. Seidelman, John— 329. Swearingen, W. A. — 232. Thorstad, J. E.— 87. Tyler, Mr.— 329. Voigt. C. H.— 163. Weldy, G. W.— 231. Apicultural experiment station — 44. apiculture and apiarian pathology — 335. Apiculture in Spain — 62. Apiculture in the United States — 86. Apogem — a fertility producer — 413. Appreciates his wife — 123. Appreciation of Dr. Miller — 40. Artificial increase — 101. Attic bee-keeping — 265. Augmenting strength of new colony — 175. Australian honey — 199. Austria, a letter from — 87. Automatic honey-extractor — 96. Average per colony — 104. Baby queen-mating boxes — 149. Bachmann's super — 40, 167. Back-yard apiary — 296. Bad winter stores, bees affected by — 143. Bait sections— 72, 211, 294, 307, 326, 367. 377. Bailed queen— 373. Banat bees— 276, 307, 374. Banats or Cariolans? — 182. Basswood as a honey-yielder — 267. Basswood, European and American — 412. Basswood, pollen from — 293. Bee a winner in France — 40. Bee-book, best— 215. Bee-books— 307. Bee-cellar and honey-house — 146, Bee-eater — 373. Bee-escapes — 267, Bee-escapes, Porter — 215. Bee gloves, wearing — 123. Bee in France and America — 147. Bee-keeping and Italian earthquake — 198. Bee-keeping in Alabama — 149. American Hee Journal Bee-keeping in Colorado— 17, 51, 130, ISO, 210, 240, 270, 302, 336. Bee-keeping in Georgia^277. Bee-keeping in Hawaii — 10, 87. "Bee-keeping in Massachusetts" — -'263. Bee-keeping in New Mexico — 138. lice-keeping in old Mexico — 404. Bee-keeping, the government and — 5, 93. Bee-locations in the West, new — 327. Bee-moths — 18, 147. Bee-paralysis — 147, 341. Bee-postal cards help sell honey — 123. Bee-ranges spoiled — 418. Beer-keg colony — 372. Bees act queerly — 307. Bees allowed to build comb — 91. Bees and alcohol — 362. Bees and brood, proportion of- — 358. Bees and cactus — 280. Bees and cucumber growers — 279. Bees and fruit — 411. Bees and honey in Mindanao — 411. Bees and pollen — 364. Bees and the -^ure food law — 64. Bees as Nature study in public schools — 414. Bees as pollinators — 204. Bees attack a bee-hive hat — 204. Bees bothered by ants and cockroaches — 246. Bees deserting their own hives — 182. Bees dying off — 147. Bees dying on frames of honey — 246. Bees fighting and killing each other — 101. Bee-shed in Texas — 305. ijees help the vineyard — 412. Bees in a church — 106. Bees in best condition — 66. Bees in Germany — 295. Bees in Louisiana — 128, 172. Bees in Uganda and Chile — 412. Bees in winter — 174. Bees leaving hives in cellar — 19. Bees might have saved Father Adam — 48. Bees not in it — 370. Bees on Texas plains — 372. Bee-space above or below frames — 166. Bee-spaces in hives — 66. Bee-sting and formic acid — 178. Bees stinging some people — 214. Bee-sting remedy — 246. Bee-strings and rheumatism— 169, 236, 300, 334, 365, 418, 419. Bee-story, a — 74. Bee-supply trouble — 272. Beeswax to the bees, cost of — 135. Bees wintered out-doors — 125. Bee-tight honey-house — 332, Bee-tree — 14, 25. Beet-sugar for bees — 9, 40. Bee-woman's dress — 304. Beginner's questions — 68, 72, 275, 277, 341, 342, 373. 374. Beginning with bees — 64, 279. Benton's bee-bill beaten — 213. Berkeley University, doing things at — 100. Best bees for comb honey — 72, 102. Best hives — 101. Best hives for extracted — 71. Best hive to begin with, etc. — 19. Best race of bees — 247. Best section for T super — 103. Best size of .hives — 146. Big hives are best — 337. Big hives, something about — 13. Big honey yield from one colony and its in- crease— 150. Big Southern bee-keepers — 12. Biography of — Holbrook, R. B.— 42. Josephson, August — 41. McLeod, Duncan Cameron — 42. Miller, C. C— 8. Stolley, Richard — 41. Weber, C. H. W.— 41. Wright, Mrs. Wheeler D.— 41. Black bees disappearing, pure — 124. Black brood, golden Italians and — 297. Black brood in Eastern Ontario — 298. Black brood, no Use doctoring for — 394. Blind bees best (?)— 8. Bloated bees— 46, 106. Blooming bee-hive, not a — 411. Book about honey — 120. Bot-flies and horses — 105. Bottled honey, selling — 69. Bottling extracted honey — 43. Bottom boards in winter — 247. Brood-nest, winter — 391. Brood-rearing, winter — 14. Brother's mother gone — 305. Buckeye as a nectar-yielder — 333. Buckwheat— 146, 297, 411. Buckwheat honey in Ontario — 266. Buckwheat, sowing — 68. Buckwheat swarm, good — 332. Building bees up for harvest — 94. Building comb between top-bars — 373. Bumble-bees, something about — 58, 150. "Bunching" bees for winter — 145. Bunch of interesting questions — 72. Buying queens for increase — 246. Buying queens, pointer for — 86, Buzzings from the clover-field— 138. Cactus, bees and — 2S0. Cactus blooms and bees — 203. California bee-keepers' Mecca — 370. California bee-keepers, some — 46. California holly or Christmas berry — 414. Canadian honey crop crisis — 297. Canadian honey standard — 8. Cancer, honey for — 234. Candied honey for winter stores — 246. Can for holding honey-cappings — 130. Canning fruit, honey for — 9. Can working energy be stimulated in bees by shaking? — 53. Capping-melter — 63, 267. Carniolan bees — 307. Care of extracted honey — 142. Catalpa for honey — 234. Catching stray swarms in decoy hives — 127. Caucasian bees— 20, 22, 67, 214, 216, 307. Caution as to liquefying honey — 144. Cellar-wintered bees, condition of — 125. Cellar-wintering of bees — 44, 91, 202, 235. Chaff packing for wintering bees — 403. Changing bees on home-made frames to Hoff- man— 70. Changing queens — 101. Characteristics of the season — 330. Charge for pasturing bees — 128. Cheap bee-feeder — 106. Cheap uncapping box or can — 168, 204. Chunk honey— 133, 278, 326, 330, 364, 372, 402, 418. Chunk honey for small bee-keepers — 133. Cities planting honey-trees — 229. City back-lot apiary — 232. Classification of queens — 56. Clay to stop cracks — 411. Cleaning and casing honey — 59. Cleaning out sections and combs — 293. Cleaning T-tins — 104. Clipped queen and swarming — 244, 267, Clipped queen, hiving with a — 175. Clipping the queen— 20, 69, 103, 127, 166. Coal-oil for bee-stings — 413. Colonies, strong and weak — 367. Colony-diagnosis in spring — 173. Colony from a tree — 373. Colony from a tree in winter — 102. Colony stopped storing — 308. Colony stored no honey — 72. Color in bees — 264. Color of alsike clover honey — 298. Color of Italian queens — 66. Color of raspberry pollen — 334. Color of virgin wax — 394. Comb between top-bars — 373. Comb foundation, section — 335, 366. Comb honey and digestion — 138. Comb honey, extracted vs.— 70, 104, 241, 368. Comb honey grading rules of the Colorado As- sociation—59, 303. Comb honey, hives for^ — 16. Comb honey management — 146. Comb honey production — 150, 274, 343. Comb honey super as a queen-excluder — 21. Comb honey twelve years old — 6. Comb honey without separators — 68, 361. Comb leveler — 147. Comments on several topics — 141. Compression for T-super — 181. Concrete hive-bottoms — 246. Condensation of nectar — 411. Connecticut bee-law — 294. Controlling swarming — 1S2. 247. Control of queen-mating — 128. Control of swarming impulse in the apiary — ■ 174, 206. Conventions and sisters, bee — 414. Convention Reports — Chicago-Northwestern — 395. Connecticut — 173. Hawaiian bee-kepers' association — 10. Illinois State— 399. Massachusetts — 149, 166. New Jersey — 93. Northeast Wisconsin — 94. North Texas— 172. Ontario — 401. Pennsylvania — 333. Texas— 331. Western honey-producers — 48. Co-operation in Michigan — 85. Corrugated paper shipping-cases — 197, 207. Cost of beeswax to the bees — 135. Covers for the brood-chamber — 126. Covers, hive — 71, 341. Crane improved shipping-case — 197, 207. Crane on several topics, J. E. — 173. Crimson clover honey — 38. Critic criticized, a — 326. December, 1909. [American Hee Journal Crooked honey from hive, removing — 307. Cross bees, taming — 214. Cucumber growers, bees and — 279. Cull honey— 59. Curing foul brood in the fall — 120. Cutting queen-cells to control swarming — 247. Cyprian bees— 214, 247, 342. Dadant hive, 8-frarae Langstroth vs. — 240. Dairying and white clover — 170. Dates of afterswarms — 229. Dead brood, foul brood from — 127. Death Notices — Carr, Editor W. Broughton— 120. Rey, Tohn M.— 7. Russe'll, William— 199. Smith, J. O.— 362. Decapper, Miller automatic — 177. Decoy hives— 127, 128, 146, 183. Defective brood — 306. Delayed Fertilization — 7. Depth of T-supers— 104. Deserting hive for lack of pollen — 275. Destroying queen-cells and swarming — 198. Detecting queenlessness from outside appear- ances— 171. Develops the home honey-trade — 106. Dickson and his apiary. Mr. — 169. Difference in races of bees — 50. Different length frames — 278. Disagreeable hive-odor — 67. Diseased bees and how to treat them — 201. Disease, queer — 100. Disinfecting combs — 216, 307. Disinfection of foul-broodv hives — 262. 410. Distance bees go for nectar— 101, 124, 209, 236, 238. Dividing by nuclei — 206. Dividing colonies, increase by — 97. Dividing instead of swarming — 20. Dividing the brood-chamber — 206. Dividing vs. natural swarming — 21. Divisible brood-chamber hives — 102, 415. Does age deteriorate honey — 37. Doing things at Berkeley University — 100. Do nurse-bees affect queen — 71. Double T-tins— 275. Double-walled vs. single-walled hives — 137. Dozen interesting questions — 182. Drawn combs — 308. "Drifting." preventing — 276. Drinking milk with honey — 216. Drone-comb in supers — 85, 97. Drone questions — 248. Drone-rearing, late — 19. Drones and mating of queens — 248. Drones, many — 247. Drone-trap — 274. Drouth and clover, 332. Early brood-rearing — 150. Early queen-introduction — 103. Early queens — 247, 417. Early spring feeding— 21, 202. Early spring overhauling — 95. Early work with bees— 128. Easy way of increase— 229. Editor's silver anniversary-^119. Education and bee-keeping — 89. Effect of bees on flowers — 147. tncct of tarred paper on bees — 70. Eggs and unsealed brood out of hive — 247. Eggs delayed in hatching — 392. Eight-frame Langstroth vs. Dadant hive — 240. Eight-frame or lO-frame hive — 181. Elephant, big prehistoric — 40. Emergency cells — 367. Emigh, thank retiring treas. — 402. Empty combs, keeping — 247. Encouraging neighbors to keep bees — 24. Energy of swarms — 358. Entrance almost sealed up — 373. Entrance-blocks — 340. Entrances, hive — 72, Entrances to prevent swarming — 43. Entrance ventilation — 182. Entrance, winter size of — 214. Equalizing brood in spring — 103. Equalizing colonies — 117, Escaped queen — 274, Essential principals in spring management — 96. Euroncan foul brood. Dr. Miller's experience with— 394. European foul brood in California — 232, Enterprising boy bee-keeper — 278. Exchanging queens from hive to hive — 127. Excluders and chunk honey — 372. Excluder zinc — 247. Exhibits at fairs, something new for bee and honey— 330. Expectant sister, an — 171. Experience of a beginner — 69. Experience with bees — 248, 309. Experience with a T-super — 24. Experiment station, apicultural — 44. Experiment with bees — 105, Extracted, best hive for — 71. Extracted honey, care of — 142. Extracted honey, packing of — 143. Extracted honey, producing — 93, 128. Extracted vs. comb honey — 70, 104, 241, 368. Extracting combs, protecting and preserving — 336. Extracting comb with patch of brood — 247. Extracting frames — 247, 412. Extracting granulated honey — 274. Extracting honey without opening hives — 295. Extracting of honey, late — 141, 273. Extracting outfit for out-apiaries — 63. Extracting without shaking or brushing — 412. Extractor, automatic — 96. Extractor, washing the — 215. Extra thin foundation — 21. Eyes of bee — 147. 269. Fall nuclei — 374. Fall preparation of bees — 63. Farmers' tactics — 116. Fastening foundation— 103, 148, 181, 246. Fastening foundation in brood- frames — 102. Fastening foundation in Hoffman frames with- out wiring — 103. Favors pictures — 415. Feeding a weak colony — 307. Feeding bees— 373. Feeding bees in cellar — 20. Feeding bees in winter — 20, 21, 245. Feeding bees to hasten increase — 21. Feeding candy in winter — 418. Feeder, cheap — 415. Feeding for winter— 20. 307, 340. Feeding for winter and spring — 19. Feeding honey in sections — 374. Feeding of bees, spring — 170. Feeding on sugar syrup for winter stores — 368. Feeding sour honey — 234. Feeding sugar — 374. Feeding sugar candy — 103. Feeding sugar for winter stores — 71, 373. Feeding sugar syrup in spring — 102. Fence separators in T-supers — 104. Ferguson uncapping machine — 199. Fertilization, delayed — 7. Field-meeting of New Jersey bee-keepers- 200. Fig-wasp like the honey-bee — 363. Fig problem, has solved — 363. Finland bee-keeper calls — 296. Flax for honey— 306. Flight of drone and queen — 372. Flouring queens before introducing — 216, 279, 410. Folding setcions — 68. Food for larval bees— 177. Food for queen and worker-larvae — 211. Fool Bee and Wise Moth— 415. Forced swarming — 176. Formic acid, bee-stings and — 178. Foul brood— 11, 45, 51, 56, 70, 88, 93, 103, 127, 139, 166, 214. 271, 276. 293, 296, 302, 308, 326, 393, 394, 401, 410. Foul brood and damp climate — 88. Foul brood and saliva— 296, 393. Foul brood bacilli, multiplication of — 293. Foul brood bulletin— 277. Foul brood doctor — 298. Foul brood from dead brood — 276. Foul brood, getting honey while curing — 120. Foul brood in Illinois — 296. Foul brood in New York— 342. Foul brood in the fall, curing— 120. Foul brood laws for Iowa and South Dakota — 88. Foul brood legislation — 239. Foul brood origin and treatment — 308. Foul brood samples — 325. Foul brood treatment, Ealdridge's — 139. Foul brood treatment, McEwen's — 410. Foul brood work in Texas — 65. Foul-broody county — 310. Foundation— 72, 102. Foundation, extra thin — 21. Foundation fasteners — 247. Foundation splints — 341, 358, 374. Foundation, wiring— 22. 68, 101, 181. Frames and splints — 183. Frames, wiring — 137. 151, 184. Fraud on the honey-bee — 338. Fruit, value of bees to — 411, Fall treatment of foul brood — 166. Full foundation sheets for swarms — 127. "Fun" to hunt bee-trees — 66. Gasoline engine for apiary work — 401. Garden trowel as a hive-tool — 418. Georgia apiary — 416. Georgia for bees — 215. German bcc-papcr — 68. German honev-cakes — 10. (Germany's honey -cake town — 171. Getting bees — 102. Getting bres out of supers — 308. Getting bees to work m sections — 246, 294. Getting pood queen-cells — 118, Getting honey out of combs without an ex- tractor—128. Getting honey to granulate — 214, Getting honey while curing foul brood — 120. Getting increase — 21, 22, 69. Getting ready for surplus honey crop — 405. Getting rid of foul brood — 302. Getting sections and combs cleaned out — 293. Getting started with bees — 274. Getting straight combs — 215. Gets education by keeping bees — 89. Giant bee of India— 246. Giant white clover — 166. Give honey a fair show — 294. Giving queens vs. superseding — 70. Gladioli cranks and bees — 413, God Help the City Boy— 233. Golden Anniversary Song, A — 297. Golden apiary in Kansas — 168. Golden Italians — 181. Golden Italians and black brood — 297. Good bee-country — 123. Good bee-story — 151. Good for the Caucasians — 151. Gooa queens essential — 73. Good winter for bees — 44. Good work of two bee-sisters — 123. Government and Bee Culture — 5, 93. Grading and testing queens — 2GS. Grading rules of the Colorado Association — 59, 303. Granulated comb honey — 214, 246. Granulated unfinished sections — 146. Granulation of honey — 142. Gravity honey-strainer — 830. Hamlet — Modernized — 167. Handling comb honey — 341. Hard luck— 74, Harness dressing — 410. Hauling bees for wintering— 245. Haulinc of comb honey — 59, 304. Hearing rather than seeing bees — 234, Heating honey for destruction of the bacteria of disease — 143. Heck's repair member — 295. Helping bee-pasturagc — 358. Helping the sale of honey— 16. Henneken, bee-inspector, K. M. — 371. He wants to know, you know — 161, Hive-bottoms, concrete — 246, Hive covers — 71, 341. Hive crowded with honey — 43, Hive entrance almost sealed up — 373. Hive-entrances — 72. Hive for the farmer — 128. Hive location— 307, 308. Hive-protection for winter, top — 357. Hives, best— 101. Hives for comb honey — 16, 73, 102. Hives, eight and ten frame — 67. Hives in winter — 89. Hive, size of — 243. Hives, something about big — 13. Hive-stand, Todd— 416. Hive to begin with, best — 19. Hive ventilation, winter — 307, 417. Hiving swarms — 342. Hiving with a clipped queen — 175, 267. Hogwort— 342. Holy Land and Cyprian Bees — 12. Home-made wax-extractor — 101, Honey and almond cake — 304. Honey and beeswax imports — 359. Honey and water-cress juice for removing freckles— 123. Honey a popular food — 230. Honey as a food, selling — 49. Honey-cakes, German — 10. Honey crop and prices for 1909—295, 332. Honey-dew— 274, 275, 276, 299, 306, 307, 325, 418. Honey-dew for cooking — 418. Honey-dew for winter stores— 299, 359, 372, 418. Honcy-egg-and-lemon for loss of voice — 172. Honey egg-nog — it's good — 123. Honey for cancer — 234. Honey for canning fruit — 9. Ili'ucy for making hands white — 9. Honey for winter stores — 244. Honey fourth as a food — 339. Honey from box-hives into sections — 215. Iloney from cappings — 392. Honey gives him stomach-ache — 128. , i.oncy harvest, rather doleful — 273. Honey-house, bee-tight — 332. Honey-houses in California — 140. Honey imported into the United States — 200. Honey in jelly-tumblers — 145. Honey on a tree-limb — 328. Honey poultice for swelling — 234. Honey production— 326, 418. Ilfjney prospects in Texas — 124. Honey quotations — 337. .•oTiey soap — 339. Honey strainer — 23. Honey-sweetened tea for the memory — 132. Honey-tart, peasant's — 339. Honey-tea for indigestion^89. iloncy-tradc, develops the home — 104. 422 December, 1909. American Hee Journal Honey types — 144. Honey, uses of — iO. Honey vinegar as food vs. the other kind — 59. Honey vs. cane-sugar — 339. Honey vs. cane-sugar — 339. Honor among bee-keepers — 62. Honor to an apicultural leader — 88. Hoodoo ribbons in Australia — 8. Hornets, plague of — 371. Horsemint and mesquite in Texas — 24. Hot bee-prank in New York State — 63. How far do bees travel for water or nectar — 101, 124, 209, 236, 23S. How many colonies for a certain field? — 67. How many colonies in an apiary — 20. How to clean honev-boards — 131. How to clean T-tins— 123. How to know an old queen — 62. Humming Business, A — 297. Hunting bee-trees — 25, 66, 149, 343. Hybrids vs. Italians— 247. Ideal location for an apiary — 145. Illinois foul brood law — 229. Illinois State fair awards — 360. Important factors in bee-keeping — 391. Improving in bees — 263. Improving native black bees — 102. In-breeding — 127. Increase — 21, 22, 67, 69, 73, 97, 101, 128, 239, 277, 418. Increase at extracting-time — 393. Increase by dividing colonies — 97, Increase, feeding bees to hasten — 21. Increase not wanted — 183. Increase, nucleus method of — 101. Increasing number of colonies — 147. Increasing the brood areas — 95. Indiana bee-disease law — 122. Indiana fair apiarian exhibit — 328. In old Monterey with the bee-men — 46. Institutes, bee — 398. Instruction lor small apiarist — 20. Intelligence of bees — 88. Introducing a virgin queen — 68. Introducing queens — 21, 56, 72, 73, 103, 128, 182, 184, 203, 216, 235, 239. 243, 244, 26G, 279, 310, 410. Iowa apiary, successful — 54. Iowa foul brood law — 73, 169, 198. Iowa State fair list — 232. Isle of Wight bee-disease — 233, S94. Italian bees — 307. Italian earthquake, bee-keeping and — 198. Italianizing— 67, 128, 148, 181, 183, 308, 341, 375. Italianizing natural swarm — 183. Italian queen-breeder in earthquake — 121. Italians, hybrids vs. — 247. "y. G. D." hive— So. "John" helps — in the house — 304. Joining the National — 417. Judging from appearance when bees arc work- ing— 127. -247 -417. Keeping empt-^ combs- Keeping honey — 70. Keeping honey in an icebox- Keeping queens — 308. Keeping queens till sold or used — 248. Kerosine oil for robber-bees — 73. Killing bees in manipulating — 215. Kind of brood-foundation — 102. L'abeille et la ruche — 5. Langdon non-swarming device — 128. Langstroth vs. Dadant hive, 8-frame — 240. Large average from few colonies — 165. Large hives — 131. Large hives by double storying — 51. Larger cells and larger bees — 392. Larval bees, food for — 177. Late drone-rearing — 19. Late extracting of honey — 141, Late feeding for winter — 340. Late mating of queen — 71. Late reared queens — 374. Late swarms — 274. Late swarms, managing — 22. Laying worker colonies — 197. Laying workers — 132, 197, 274, Leaks in hives, stopping — 6, Leaky hive-covers — 18. Leaning boards against hives — 102. Left with farm and bees — 202. Legislating for bee-keepers — 45, 91, 239. Length of queen-cells — 13. Length of T-super — 19. Lessons from the bees — 173. Let-alone stimulation of bees — 410. Letter from Austria — 87. Lewis factory burned — 231. License to keep bees — 45. Life of queen — 246. Likely laj^ng workers — 68, Liquefying honey — 144. Living over cellared bees — 102. Lizard in hive, mummified — 86. Location of hive — 307, 308. 273. 374. Locations in the West, new bee — 327. Locusts, choice of — 68. Long cellar wintering — 202. Long-lived bees — 146. Long sting — 88. Long-tongue bees — 247, 417. Long-tongue Italians — 128. Long-tongue, red clover fad — 332. Loose vs. nailed bottoms — 181. Losses of queens — 14, 307. Loss of bees by outdoor feeding, spring — 202. Loss of bees in winter^lS2. Loss of honey from smoke — 361. Louisiana for bee-keeping — 172. Making a living with bees— 148. Making increase — 73. Management of sectional hives — 176. Management, swarm — 215, 246, 269. -\ianaging late swarm — 22. Many drones — 247. Marketing honey — 16, 24, 49, 69, 174, 241, 265, 270, 376, 416. Massachusetts bee-keepers' field-day — 295. Massachusetts foul brood law — 73. Mating of queens, drones and — 246. Mating of queens from different localities — 128. McEvoy, honored Wm.^ — 402. Melting up old combs — 7. Mendleson's big honey crop — 272. Methods of introducing queens — 239. Milk and honey — 216, 326. MilK peddlers selling honey — 6. Milkweed— 307. Miller and his apiary, Dr. — 16G. Miller and his "Forty Years," Dr. — 44. Miller , appreciation of Dr. — 40. Miller automatic decapper — 177. Miller tent-escape and voung bees — 23. Miller T-super— 42. Miller T-super — directions for making — 19. Missouri for bees — 101. Money in your pocket — 306. Monterey County bee-keeping — 213. Most important thing for beginners — 85. Moths— 127, 147, 182, 372. Mountain apiary of Ludwig Brendle — 231. Mountain mint — 343. Mount Nebo apiary — 329. Moving apiaries in the Alps — 263. Moving bees— 21, 66, 184, 200, 277, 307. Moving bees and marking location — 20. Mud for removing propolis from fingers — 123. Mulberry shade for bees — 124. 237. Multiplication of foul brood bacilli — 293. Mummified lizard in hive — 86. Musty combs — 101. "My John" and the bees — 43. Myrrh for bee-stings, tincture of — 42. Nailing honey-packages — 326. National election of officers — 360, 392. National membership over 3000 — 167. Native black bees, improving — 102. Natural swarming — 175. Nebraska fair apiarian list — 232. Nectar, condensation of — 411. Nectar secretion, wind and^ — 68. New York bee-keeper slugged — 415. New Year's Wish, A — 391. Noises over a bee-cellar — 68. Nomenclature, plea for revised — 45. Non-swarming bees — 205. Non-swarming device, Langdon — 128. Non-swarming in Scotland — 362. Non-swarming process. .280. Nosema apis, a new bee-foe — 358. Not supersedure — 246. "Not worth patenting" — 327. Nougat Letitia — 265. Nuclei, dividing by — 206, Nuclei, fall— 374. Nuclei, wintering — 373. Nucleus method of increase — 10], 12S. Nucleus of bees, forming — 393. Nucleus plan of introducing — 72. Number of bees afield at one time — 145, Number of colonies to clear $600 — 101. Nurse-bees affect queen, do — 71. Nut honey cake — 305, Objections to single-tier cases — 62. Objects to sweet clover — 126. Octette of questions — 183. "Old Boy" bee-keeper — 21. Old or young bees swarming? — 247. Old queens dull looking — 144. Old vs. young queens — 261. Ontario bee-keeping making progress — 202. Ontario inspector of apiaries — 170. Ontario's clover honey crop — 266. Ontario's new apicultural station — 125, 297, 401. Ontario wants the National — 402. Open-top bee-tent — 148. Opposed to early spring feeding in cold climate —202. Origin and treatment of foul brood — 308. Outdoor wintering — 103, 414. Overhauling, early spring — 95. Overheated brood, preventing — 343. Overstocking a locality with bees — 405. Ovipositor, queen's sting not an — 262. Ozokerite — looks like beeswax — 359. Packing bees for winter — 374. Packing of extracted honey — 143. Packing, winter — 101. Painting bottom-boards inside — 340. Painting hives — 101. Paralysis— 147, 341. Partial clipping of queens — 104, Paste, recipe for — 200. Pasturage, helping — 358. Pays to read a bee-paper — 42. Peculiar winter for bees — 170. Pennsylvania report, good — 64. People living over cellared bees — 102, Peppermint as a honey plant — 247. Pepper-tree, California — 337. Perhaps bee-paralysis — 147. Pettit, Morley — Ontario provincial apiarist — 170. Pictures of apiarists and apiaries — 359. Piping and quahking of queens — 392. Place for additional supers — 8. Plague of bee-moths — 18. Plan for control of swarming — 72. Planting honey-trees, cities — 229. Plea for revised nomenclature — 45. Pointer to those buying queens — 85. Pollen— 94, 165, 179, 29S, 364. Pollen and honey in January — 66. Pollen, bees deserting hive for lack of — 275. Pollen-filled combs — 371. Pollen for brood-rearing — 165. Pollen from basswood — 298. Pollen in super — 247. Pollen, scarcity of — 204. Pollen starvation cause of foul brood — 56. Pollinators, bees as — 204. Poor honey season, but sister thankful — 415. Poppleton visits the North, O. O. — 328. Porter bee-escapes — 215. Position of pictures in "Forty Years" — 147. Poultice for swelling, honey — 234. Preacher's bee-keeping and apiary— 329. Preacher's mellifluous words, a— 123. Preparing bees for winter — 277, 366, 415. "Pretty Hummer, The" — 25. Prevent absconding swarms, sure way to — 171. Preventing "drifting" of bees — 276. Preventing foul brood — 103. Preventing honey running over — 412. Preventing travel-stain — 174. Prevention of increase — 134, 148. Prevention of swarming — 5, 43, 174, 207, 244, 263. 342, 413. Price of bee-papers — 62. Price of bees in box-hives — 274. Prices for honey — 141, 393. 357. Prices of honey, next year's — 8. Prime swarms, value of — 247. Priority rights and bee-keepers — 150. Priority rights in Imperial Valley — 38. Practical Bee-Culture, Alexander's — 200. Probably mostly Italian- — 70. Producing extracted honev — 129. Producing honey— 326, 418. Production of "candied" honey — 144. Production of chunk honev — 330, 364, 403, Production of comb honey — 150, 274, 343. Profit on bees and chickens — 182. Propolis— 179, 326. Propolis from wax — 5. Propolis in supers — 326. Proportion of bees and brood — 358. Proposed Calif ornian apiarian legislation — 137. Prospects discouraging, honey — 234. Punching end-bars and wiring frames — 49. Pure food law in Arizona — 101. Putting bees on starters — ^248. Putting hives together almost putting married folks apart — 42. Puzzles, some new bee — 277. Quantity not quality of food decides royalty — 129. Queen and drone excluding bottom-slats — 183. Oueen a queen, is the — 262. Queen-bee snag — 100. Queen-cell cups and swarming — 215. Queen-cells and swarming, destroying — 198, 247. Queen-cells, getting good — 118. Queen-cells, getting many — 198. Queen-cells, good or poor — 367. Queen-cells, length of — 13. Queen-cells not hatching — 244. Quetn-cells, selecting — 103. Queen, escaped — 274. Oueen-excluder, comb honey super as — 21. Oueen-excluders — 22. Queen experience — 306, 309. (>ueen flying in December — 102. Queen killed — 374. Queenless bees — 308. American Hee Journal Queenlessness, signs of — 182. Queen, life of— 246. Queen losses — 14. Queen-mating boxes — 149. Queen-mating, control of — 123. Queen questions — 274, 306. Queen quit laying — 276. Queen*rearing and queens — 401. Queen-right vs. queenless colonies — 241. Queer action of bees — 307. Queer actions of a requeened colony — 373. Queer disease — 100. Queens, ages of — 6. Queens and swarming — 147. Queens, classification of — 56. Queens, early — 247, 417. Queens essential, good — 73. Queens fertilized in upper stories — 62. Queens per increase, buying — 246. Queens graded "breeders" — 308. Queens, grading and testing — 268. Queens in one hive, two — 214. Queens, introducing— 21, 56. 103. 128, 182, 184, 203, 216, 235, 239, 243, 244, 266, 279, 310. Queens, old vs. young — 261. Queens reared late — 374. Queens, rearing— 20. 23. 67, 69, 146, 181, 1S2, iS3, 214, 274, 308, 342, 413. Queen's sting not an ovipositor — 263. Queen stings a drone — 393. Queen taking her wedding flight from the cell —230. Quotations, honey — 337. Quoting the honey-market — 23. Races of bees, difference in — 50. Raining Flowers — 171. Raising the price of honey — 293. Rao at glucose, a — 141. Raspberry honey granulating — 88. Raspberry pollen, color of — 234. Rearing drones late — 19. Rearing queens— 20. 23. 67, 69. 146, 181, 182, 183, 214. 274, 308, 342, 413. Rearing young bees in winter — 73. Red clover, alfalfa and— 101. Reduction of tarii. on honey — 73. Redwood as hive-lumber — 183. Relationships of bees — 127. Remains of a mammoth in California — 40. Remarkable overflow — 66, 124. Remedy for bee-stings — 246. Reminiscences — 149. Removing crooked honey from hives — 307. Removing supers in a slow flow — 306. Rendering combs into beeswax — 141, 242, 343, 401. Rendering wax in an oven — 117. Rendering wax without a press — 410. Repairing old combs — 244. ivcnort for season of 1908 — 53. Report from Austria — 199. Repressing swarming — 67. Requeened colony, queer actions of a — 373. Rcqueening— 67, 93, 276, 293. 307. Requeening in the fall — 293. Rcqueening, self — 247. Returning swarms — 127. Reversible bottom-boara — 18'3. Rheumatism, bcc-stings for — 169, 236. Ripening of honey — 142. Robbcr-bccs. a "trick" on — 65. Royal jelly for queen-cells — 101. Salt Lake prospects brightening — 149. Samples of bee-diseases wanted — 166, 326. Scarcity of pollen and condition of bees — 204. Scholl and divisible hives — 145. Scouts before a swarm^237. Scraping sections — 245. Sealed brood in February — 103. Sealed combs for winter and spring — 166. Sealed covers vs. absorbent covers — 38. Season's experiment with bees — 105. Season's experiences — 297, Season's good ending — 14. Sectional hives, management of — 176. Section comb foundation — 335. Sections, folding — 68. Selecting a good queen before testing — 305. Selecting quecn-cells — 104. Select tested nueens — 268. Select untested queens — 268. Sclf-requeening — 247. Selling bees — 21. Selling bottled honey — 69. Selling honey— 16, 24, 49, 69, 174, 241, 265, 270, 376, 416. Selling honey as a food — 49. Selling honey at home — 24. Selling honey direct to consumer — 242. Selling honey, milk peddlers — 6. Selling old comb honey — 265. Separators — 341, Severe stinging — 843. Shaken swarms — 207. Shaking bees increase the crop, docs — 327. Shaking bees moved small distances — 6. "Shaking" work into bees— 44, 90, 145. Shallow chamber below brood — 86. Shallow extracting-fraraes — 412. Shallow feeders— 132. She overheard it — 365. She was "stung" — 10. b-hipping bees by the car-load — 276. Shipping-case, Crane improved — 207. Shipping cases of corrugated paper — 197, 207. Shipping comb honey — 21. Should bee-keepers specialize — 52. Should bees be allowed to build comb? — 37. Signs of queenlessness — 182. Simmins* uncapper — 87. Single-tier cases, objections to — 62. Sister's good success — 123. Sister's interesting questions — 89. Sister's report and her stung dog — 364. Six colonies for one super — 373. Size of bees — 85. Size of hive — 243. Size of brood-chamber and swarming — 61. Skunks in the apiary — 99, 105. Skunks troubling the bees — 66. Slat honey-boards — 131. Slick shavers for uncapping — 272. Sloping cells— 127, 245. Slow cooling of beeswax — 165. Small apiarist, instruction for — 20. Smelting works, bees killed near — 357. Smoking bees — 215. Solar wax-extractor — 69. Some appreciated congratulations — 167. Some facts about foul brood not generally known — 51. Some interesting experiences — 74. "Something about alsike clover" — 167. Sorting out brood-combs — 96. Sorting out queens — 104. Sour honey, feeding — 234. Southern or Northern queens — 69. Souvenir honey-recipe cards — 167. Sowing buckwheat — 68. Space above brood-frames — 372. Space between end-bars and hive — 341. Spacing of frames— 262. 417. Spider-plant- 20, 233, 264. Splints for extracting combs — 411. Splints, foundation — 341. 358, 374. Spring and condition of bees — 201. Spring dwindling, similar to — 104. Spring feeding, combs of honey for — 340. Spring feeding of bees — 170. Spring loss of bees by outdoor feeding — 202. Spring management, essential principles in — 96. Spring work with bees — 98. Stachys Bullata— 126. Starters, putting bees on — 248. Starting bees in sections — 246, 294. Starting in the bee-business — 70. 274. Sticking labels on tin — 214. Stimulating working energy in bees by shaking —53. Stimulation of bees, let alone — 410. Stimulative feeding not approved — 167. Stinging some people, bees — 214. Stopping leaks in hives — 6. Stopping storing, bees^ — 340. ( Stores, abundance of — 94. Stores for winter — 341. Stores for winter, amount of — 22. Stories about bees — 70. Storing comb honey in attic — 102. Straight combs, getting — 215. Strainer, gravity honey — 230. Strengthening a weak colony — 248. Strong and weak colonies — 367. Stung!— 265. Successful Iowa apiary — 54. Sucar-cane for honey — 21. Sugar for feeding bees — 374. Sugar for winter stores, feeding — 71. 373. Sugar-maples for bees, tapping — 101. Sugar syrup for winter stores, feeding — 368. Sugar svrup in spring, feeding — 102. Supcrs^72. 341. Supers and sudden honey-flow stop — 102. Superseding, giving queens vs. — 70. Superseding queens — 132, 180, 244, 246. Supers in winter — 341. Supers, putting on — 308, 342, 374. Supers, removing — 306. Super springs — 147, Supers, when to put on — 127. .supplies a beginner needs — 128. Surphis honey crop, getting ready for — 405. "Survival of the fittest" — among the bees — 134. Swamp milkweed — 342. Swarm control and preparing for the honey- flow — 57. Swarm deserting — 372. Swarm manaecment — 315, 246. 260, .^warming- 23. 67. 72. 89. 147. 174, 175, 182. 108. 206. 212. 215, 244, 245, 246, 274, 279, 308. 367. Swarming experience — 276. Swarminc imoiilse and its control in the apiary —174, 206. Swarming indications — 246. Swarming prevented — a booklet — 361. Swarming, prevention of— 5, 43, 174, 207, 244, 263, 342, 413. Swarming with virgin queen — 246. Swarms on April 6 — 184. Swarm troubles — 274. Sweet clover as fertilizer — 358. Sweet clover as a honey producer — 140, 331. Sweet clover, bees working on — 264. Sweet clover not white clover — 215. Sweetly Reasoning Together — 172. Syrup for feeding bees — 357. Taking bees out of cellar in winter — 22. Taking brood and bees without finding the queen— 230. "Taming" bees— 184, 214. Tapping sugar-maples for bees — 101. Tariff on honey— 73, 104, 144. Tar-paper for wrapping hives — 19, 102, 372. Tarred paper on bees, effect of — 70. "Tested" and "untested" queens — 128. Tested queens— 268, 372. Testing queens, grading and — 268. Texas apiculture, future of — 172. Texas cyclone — 64. _ . Texas enterprise in fair exhibits — 357. Texas foul brood bulletin — 203. Thick extracting combs — 54. Thickness of lumber for T-super— 102. Thoughts on the Bees— 304. Three-band Italians best — 12. Tiering up colonies — 267. Tiering up supers — 146, 148. Tincture of myrrh for bee-stings — 42. Tobacco-smoke and bees — 146. Todd hive-stand— 416. To keep ants out of hives — 88. Too early brood-rearing not desirable — 93. Too much honey in brood-chamber — 127. Top-bars with groove and wedge — 131. Top hive-protection for winter — 357. Transferred colony — 274. Transferring bees— 14, 20, 68, 69, 70. 71, 101, 148, 274, 308. Transferring bees from boxes — 68. Transferring in winter — 274. Travel-stain, preventing — 174. Treatment for foul brood — 45, 93, 139. "Trick" oh robber-bees — 65. Triple crop for bees — 411. Trips by the editor— 360, 395. Trouble with a queen — 347. T-supers— 19, 34, 42, 68, 103, 245. 341. T-tins— 102. T-tins, double — 275. T-tins, how to clean — 123. T-tins in supers — 69. Two cans of honey— 369, 406. Two colonies together — 103. Two queens in one hive — 314, 340. Two virgin queens introduced together — 416. Uncapper, Simmins' — 87. L/ncapping box, cheap — 168. Uncapping honey — 339. Uncapping machine, Ferguson — 199. Uncapping outfit — S3. Uncapping, slick shavers for — 272. Uncapping vat — 23. Uncle Sam's sweet tooth — 37. Understocking a locality with bees — 144. Uneasy sister— husband Taftlike in appearance —43. Unfavorable season — 14. Unfinished sections- 71, 147. Uniting colonies of bees — 6, 19, 22, 62, 97, 101, 132, 374 417. Uniting colonies to keep them at same number of hives — 74. Uniting purchased bees with nuclei — 19. Uniting weak colonies in spring — 69, 180. Unripe honey — 372. Untested queens — 268. Up-to-date bee-keeping — 93. Use of young brood — 293. Uses of honey — 40, 363. Using combs that bees died on — 181. Using last season's empty comb — 234. Using the uncapping knife — 145. \' aluable honey from a noxious source — 299. . alue of bees to fruit — 411. Value of prime swarms — 247, Value of sweet clover — 231, Varieties of bees, some — 61. Vegetable cellar for wintering bees — 373. Ventilation, abundant — 197. Ventilation, cellar hive — 417. Ventilation, entrance — 182. Ventilation, winter hive — 307. Vermont sister's experience — 234. Vicious goldens — 145. Views of an Indiana apiary— 134. Views of the J. M. Cutts' apiary— 233. Virgin queen, introducing — 68. Virgin queens — 268. Virgin wax, color of — 394. 424 December, 1909. American Hee Journal Voice, honey-egg-and-Iemon for loss of— 172. Washing honey-cans — 117. Washing the extractor— 215. Water for bees in spring — 166. 'Wax-Craft" — 117. Wax-extractor, home-made — 101. Wax-extractor, solar — 69. Wax from scrapings — 88. Wax in an oven, rendering — 117. Wax press or e-xtractor — 108. Wax, rendering combs into — 141, 342, 343 401 Wax rendering without a press — 410 Weak colonies — 276, 367. Weak colony, feeding a — 307. Weather extremes — 212, 279. Weather to put bees out of cellar— 326 Wedding flight from the cell, queen taking- Wedged frames — 147. Weight of bees — 327. Weight of combs — 102. What ailed the bees? — 181. What ails the queen? — 182. What became of the queen.' — 214. What insect is it — 306. What was wrong with the bees? — 417. When to put on supers — 127. Wtien to put out cellared bees — 103 When white clover blooms— 182. When young queens begin to lay— 268. White clover — 165, 170. White clover honey-flow, how often?— 334 iVru!'"^ '^'over, probably common— 146. White clover prospects — 37, 419 Whooping cough, for — 89. Why loss of queen — 307. Why so small a swarm — 183. •Wide-awake" sisters? — sure — 123 Willow-bloom — 202. Wind and nectar secretion — 68. Winter and spring feeding — 19. Winter bee-institutes, California— 398. Winter brood-nest — 391. Winter brood-rearing — 14. Wintered out-doors, bees — 125. Winter, feeding for— 20, 307, 340. Winter feeding of bees— 20, 21, 245. Winter hive ventilation — 307. Wintering and springing bees over pits— 8, •Wintering a strong colony— 340. Wintering bees — 203, 30S, 341. Wintering bees in a barn-cellar — 21 Wintering bees in a house— 105. Wintering bees in warm room — 148, 185 Wintering bees in Wisconsin hive— 20 Wintering bees on honey-dew — 299 Wintering nuclei — 373. Wintering of bees, cellar— 44, 91, 202 236 Wintering on diseased honey — 71. Wintering, outdoor — 103, 414. Wintering several queens in one hive — 6 Winter losses — 22. Winter, open — 71. Winter-packing — 101. Winter protection — 71. Winter size of hive-entrance — 214 Winter stores — 341. Winter stores, amount of — 22. Winter stores, candied honey for — 246 Winter stores, honey for — 244. Wired combs — 340. Wire excluders and honey-boards — 181. Wiring comb foundation — 22, 68, 101 181 VViring frames — 137, 151, 184. Wiring frames, punching end-bars and— 49 Wisconsin apiary, large — 406. Women as bee-keepers — 24, 414. Wood-splints in foundation — 341, 358. Wrapping hives for wintering — 20. Yellow sweet clover — 234. Young bee-keeper — 279. Young brood, use of — 293. Voungest English lady bee-keeper— 266. Young queens to prevent swarming — 263. ILLUSTRATIONS Alfalfa — showing long roots — 399. Apiary of — Ahlcrs, H. C— 406. Anderson, Grant — 90. Baker, J. H. — 296. Barbish, G. A.— 33. Boomhower, L,. — 264. Brendle, Ludwig — 225. Chapel, W. S.— 385. Crovatt, Mrs. L. W. — 416 Crovatt, L. W. — 416. Cunningham, T. C. — 232 Cutts, J. M.— 233. Diemer & Son, J. F. — 33. Doan. Chas. D. — 385. Eccleston, C. E. — 385. Frye, Orville F. — 398. Hardy, D. R.— 122. Hodges, George — 361. Horstmann, W. H. — 81. Joplin, Andrew — 361. Kendall, Jay S. — 385. Kennedy, T. B.— 295. Klein, J. E.— 52. Koch, E. F. — 39. Lampher, A. U. — 321. Lloyd, Leroy — 285. Look, F. D.— 385. Lutts, J. E. — 385. Mathews, J. T.^321. McMannan, G. N. — 88. McNeal, W. W.— 7. iHiller, B. F. — 7. Peck, S. A. — 386. Rice, O. K. — 321. Schroeder, Alex. — 81. Seidelman, John — 321 Strader, David R. — 296. Swearingen, W. A. — 232. Thorstad, J. E. — 87. Townsend, Vernon — 213. Tyler, Fred— 321. Voigt, C. H.— 161. Wagner, Jacob — 54. Woolbright, Clarence — 134, 135. Automatic decapper, Arthur C. Miller — 177. Bachmann super — 167. Bee-keepers attending a bee-convention — 46. Bee-log almost hidden — 15. Benton, Ralph — 175. Buckeye as a honey-producer — 338. California black sage — 273. California holly, or Christmas berry-tree — 414. Can for holding cappings — 130. Canterbury bee-keepers' association, members of— 409. Carniolan apiary of Grant Anderson — 90. Chaff packing for wintering bees — 403, 404 Crane shipping-case — 208. Curious cockerel and the busy bees— ^400. Dickson and honey, L. S. — 169. Dittmer, Little Horace — 360. Exhibit of George H. Coulson — 362. Exhibit of honey at Jefferson County (N Y ) fair— 121. Ferguson uncapping machine — 199. Frank and his "auto," Mr. — 168. Frank ready for bee-work, Mr. — 168. "Golden apiary," at Dodge City, Kans.— 161. "High View Apiary" of H. C. Ahlers— 406. Holman, holding a swarm of bees. Miss Verna — 304. Home apiary of V. Asprea, not injured by fall of house nearby — 193. Home of V. Asprea, of Italy, half ruined by earthquake — 193. Honey-booth of C. ..i. Scott Co.— 396. Honey-extractor ready for operation — 96. Honey-house of H. i\ Chrisman, and extract- ing crew — 140. Honey-house of J. M. Cutts — 233. Honey-house of C. I. Graham, set up for operating — 140. Interior view of Walter S. Pander's honey and bee-supply office — 396. ivenneken. Inspector K. M. — 371. Kretchmer Mfg. Co. oflice and factory — 397 Kretchmer Mfg. Co., railroad tracks and lum- ber yards — 398. Lewis Company plant — 328. Lewis, Geo. C. — 328. Limb from which honey was taken — 15. i.Iartin, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie — 397. Masten, O. I. — 396. Members of the Texas State Bee-Keepers' As- sociation— 331. Method of keeping combs — 336. Miller. Dr. C. C— 1. Minneapolis plant of the Minnesota Bee-Supply Co. — 185. branch plant at Minnesota Bce-SuppIy Co., Buffalo, Minn. — 185. Mount Nebo apiary — 321. Mulberry shade-trees — 124. Out-apiary of Geo. O. Berry — 265. Pepper-tree — 338. Pettit, Morley — 170. Poison Oak — 299. Portion of natural apiary in Santa Clara Co., Cal. — 47. Preacher's bee-keeping and apiary — 321. Pretty little apiary — 47. Putnam sawing basswood bolts for sections W H. — 186. Reel removed from extractor can — 96. Reversing mechanism — 96. Robinson, T. P. — 331. Root Co. factory, A. I. — 397. Setting the hives in place — 257. Skunk's bee-trap — 99. Smith, J. Q.— 362. Stachys bullata — 126. Stump as it now stands — 15. Swarm entering empty hives — 237. Swarming in J. M. Cutts' apiary — 233 Sweet clover plant of J. G. Creighton— 264. Texas apiary among mulberry trees — 237 Townsend, E. D. — 408. Two swarms on a hive — 14. Uniting colonies — 98. Unloading bees in the Alps — 257. Wagner and his sour-apple tree swarm— 54 Weber, Miss Alma — 396. Weber, C. H. W.— 41. Weldy, G. W.— 225. York, George W. — 119. Youngest lady bee-keeper driving bees — 266. CORRESPONDENTS Ahlcrs, H. C. — 406. Aikin, R. C. — 17, 51, 130, 148, 180, 210 240, 270, 302, 336. Allinger, G. C— 878. Anderson, Grant — 90, Aspinwall, A. — 74. Asprea, Vincent — 108. Bachelor Bee Keei)er —151. Baker, J. H. — 296. Baird, Miss Alice — 9. Baldridge, M. M.— 139, 303. Barbisch, G. A.— 40, 74, 270. Barr, C. W.— 73. Beachy, L. J.— 105, 329. Beatties, Miss Kate — 201. Bechly, Fred— 216. Belknap, E. L.— 418. Bell, James W.— 73. Benjamin, A. M. — 105. Benson, L. W.— 25, 184, 343. Benton, Ralph — 94, 137, 174, 206, 335, 398 Berry, Geo. O.— 265. Bevins, Edwin — 13, 66, 132. 151. 212, 243, 269, 377. Bingham, T. F.— 248. Black. S. N.— 418. Blackstone, Edward — 309. Blakely, J. W.— 151, 419. Blaker, Chas. D — 342. Blank', Dr. J. T.— 106. Bohrer, Dr. G.— 16, 239, 371. Bonney, Dr. A. F. — 23, 300, 365. Broomhower, L. — 204. Brendle, Ludwig — 231, 376. Breuner, Henry — 106. Brockwell, L. L.— 151. Brown, Edward G. — 88, 169. Byer, J. L.— 167. Caldwell, C. S.— 106. Campbell, S.— 26. Carroll, H. S.— 216, 343 Capel,' W. S.— 400. Clayton, T.— 173. . Cline, John— 24, 184. Clowes, Wesley — 234. Coager, T. J.— 149. Coburn, John P. — 149. Coe, John I.— 376. Cole, Dale C— 23. Colestock, W. W.— 106. Cook, A. J. — 148. Cooke, A. N. — 309. Cooke, A. N. & Son —309. Coons, R. L. — 64. Cooper, J. R. — 309, 343. Coston, B. V. — 309. Ci-abill, T. A.— 149. Crane, J. E.— 207. Crawford, M. S. — 106. Creighton, J. G. — 150, 264, 418. Crovatt, L. W. — 417. Cunningham, J. C. — 25, 232. Cutter, Elsie A. — 265, 364. Cutts, J. M.— 233. Dadant, C. P. — 13, 40, 49, 97, 135, 177, 205, 238, 269, 279, 299, 334, 368. Daum, F. P. — 130. Davis, Freeman — 418. Day, Mrs. E. P. — 89, 234. Day, F. L. — 14. Dayton, C. W. — 59. Dickson, L. S.— 169, 310. Diemer, T. F. — 39. Doan, Chas. — 381, 399 Dobbs', David E.— 184. Doerr, J. A. — 27S. Donahue, T. C. — 309. Doolittle, G. M.— 16, 50, 62, 74, 92, 98, 105, 132, 151, 179, 184, 209, 239, 267, 279, 301, 335, 366, 405. Drexler, Rev. Jos. — 309. Dudley, Geo. E.— 418. Eberlein, C— 73. Egenes, John — 248, 343. Findlay, Wm.— 278. Fitch, L. C, Mrs. — 339. Foster, Wesley — 37. France, N. E. — 248. Frank. T. C— 168, 26S. French, T. — 24. Frye, Orville F. — 399. Fuller, George W. — 184. Gale, George — 379. Gateley, Leo E. — 53, 816, 241. Gathmann, D. H. — • 151, 379. Getaz, Adrian — 134, 867. Gloege, Herman L- — 876. Goldsmith, E. Carly — 343 . December, 1909. American ^Bee Journal Gossett, E. G.— 249. Green, Prof. W. J.— 412. Greene, J. W.— 280. Griener, F.— 129, 176, 336. Greiner, G. C— 23, 49, 97, 149, 151, 842, 403. Grigsby, C. L.— 359. Hadsell, B. A.— 404. Hall, E. L.— 376. Hall. F. W.— 279. Hamilton, Ray A. — 309. Hand, J. E.— 240. Handy, J. Mason — 150. Hann, Albert G.— 94. Happel, Julius — 106. Hatch, C A.— 167. 243, 248. Hickok. R. E.— 279. Hitch, H. F.— 184. Hix, Chas. M.— 23, 138, 150. Horner, Rev. A. J. — 329 Howe', Geo. B.— 122, 216. Hutchinson, Elmer — 411. Ima — 43. Janack, John — 418. Jentgen, Nick — 73. jezek, Jos. — 149. Johnson, Frank R. — 279. Johnson, J. E. — 138. Jones, A. J. — 149. Jones,- Geo. F. — 106, 280. Jordan, F. R.— 309. Josephson, Mrs. Aug. —279. Kaufman, J. D.— 419. Kelsey, W. T. — 343. Kendall, Jays S. — 400. Kennedy, T. B. — 295. Kennicott, E. i^. — 106. Kluck, N. A.— 310. Knoer, Mrs. W. M.— 9. Knoll, Edward T.— 376. Koch, E. F.— 39. Lampber, A. O. — 329. Lane, Emma S. — 202, 236. Lantz, Lee — 376. I^tham, Allen — 133, 178, 184, 248, 366. Lathrop, Harry — 141, 377. Laws. W. H.— 13. Lee, H. W.— 148. Levens. Joseph B. — 73. 149. Lewis, J. W.— 184. Lidstone, Fred W. — 64. Livingston, T. W. — 96. Lloyd, Leroy — 399. Lockie, K. M.— 14. Lonp, Irving — 105, 343 Look, F. D.— 400. Lovesy, E. S. — 149. Lulls, J. E. — 400. Macey, Louis — 151, 279, 342. Mahin, M.— 58, 310. Martin, E. C— 309. Mathews. J. T.— 329. Matson, S. A.— 249. McBridc, F.— 106. McCargo, J. H.— 278. MclJonald, Lawrence —343. McEvoy, Wm. — 11. McGlaac, Mrs, Frank —10. McMannan, G. N. — 88 McNeal, W. W.— 7, 129. Meascr, J. J.— 278. Mendleson, M. H. — 105. 310. Messenger, W. H. — 68. Metcalfe, F. A.— 74. Miller, Arthur C. — 177. Miller, B. F.— 7. Miller, Dr. C. C— 211, 334, 393. Miller, C. H.— 303. Miller, O. P.— 25, 279. Moloney, Geo. T. — 150, 343. Mottinger, S. L.— 342. Munson, Chas. H. — 361. Murry, H. D.— 23. Nelson, A. F.— 217. Ohio Bee Woman — 42, 43, 123, 304. Olivereau, R. — 281. Palmateer, Abram — 73. Palmer, C. B. — 45. Patton, J. E.— 23. Peck, S. A.— 399. Peiro, Dr.— 279. Perrv. R. B.— 23, 105, ISi, 216, 343, 376. Pettit, S .T.— 84. Phillips, Dr. E. F.— 142. Fischer, Henry F., Jr. 23 Potter,' E. E.— 279. Pouder, Walter S. — 86, 328. Powell, W. L.— 248. Frunt. .M. E.— 304. Pruitt, Mrs. M. E. — 415. Purzner, Chas. — 168. Qui.in, H. G.— 148. 248. Raisbeck, Emmett — 23. Rauchfuss, Frank — 151. Rea, Geo. H.— 279. Rice, O. K.— 24, 150, 329. Richards, Joseph — 343. Richter, A.— 216. Robinson, T. P.— 13, 66, 204, 205. Roorda, Henry— 310. Root, E. R.— 38. Russell, H. L.— 73. Sadler. J. W.— 248. Satterthwait, A. F. — 334 Saunders, O.— 65, 342. Schmidt, B. F.— 74. Schneider, Leslie J. — 23. SchoII, Louis H. — 331. Schroeder, Alex. — 88, 199. Scofield, Mrs. Carrie —172. Scadon, Mrs. — 266. Secor, Eugene — 167, 297. Semmns, John S. 278. Sharp, i". O.— 361. Shawler, T. L.— 73. Shepard, A. D.— 248. Shicrrey, George — 309. Silver, John — 62. Singletary, S. B. — 23. Smith, B. F., Jr.— 48. Smith, F. C— 376. Smith, Tames A. — 168, 174, 294. Smith, L. B.— 66, 125, 204, 238, 305, 331 Smith', Mrs. R — 89. Snyder, Mrs. Frances S. A.— 171. Stanley, Grant — 310. Stevens, Ralph E. — —184. Stine, Rev. J. W.— 106. Stollcy, Wm.— 63. Stone, Jas. A. — 120, 230, 363. Strader, David R. — 296. Sutcliffe, E. W.— 310. Swarthmorc — 149. Swearingen, W. A, — 105, 232. Swinehart, Josiah — 342. Taber, Wm. — 73. Taylor, L. C— 248. Taylor, M. D.— 106. Thielmann, Mary — 278 Thoriie, W. B.— 151. Thorstad, J. E.— 87. Tillinghast, Isaac F. — 106, 141. Tippett, R. R. Victor —376. Todd, Cecil Abel— 172. Townsend, E. D. — 54, 369, 406. Townsend, Vernon — 213. Trego, S. F.— 148, 183. Trout, Chas.— 57, 140, 168. Tucker, E. — 216. Tvler, Fred— 24S. 329. Tyler, M. D.— 363. Uphaus, J. H.— 106. Upson, E. H. — 75, 248. Upton, H. R.— 23. Voigt, C. H.— 94, 169. Waggoner, J. E.— 73. Wagner, Jacob-^54. Wainwright, Cath- erine— 124. Waterman, Nixon — 233 Weldy, G. W.— 231. Werner, Minnie — 172. White, Thos. H.— 24. Whiteside, R. F.— 343. Whitney, Wm. M.— 24, 137, 150, 168. Whitten. G. T.— 185. Wilder, J. J.— 12. 343. Williams, Geo. W. — 53. Willis, G. T.— 73. Winslow, Mrs. B. R. —340. Wise, C. T.— 86. Wolfe, James— 310. Woolbright, Clarence —134. Wright, W. D.— 12, 405. Young, T. 184, 419. Young, W. J. L.— 73, —73. The Cyphers Incubator Pays From f he Start STflNDAPD ^CWMERS INCueATOB I FIra Prooftdrlnsunblo.i Bepln ri0/i( — whether you are In the chicken business on a lar^-e or pmall scale. Don't"exi.*.rl- luent up*' to Cyphers quality. Get the hestjimt. The Cyphers means uo moisture troubles; no hetttlDff troubles; no ventllatl<)n troubles. Blgfrest percentages ; healthiest chicks. It's the Lost by test. The World's Standard Hatcher Used by more Guvemiiient Kxperlinent Stations, more State Atrncultural ( "ollfu'f..i. more well-know u Kanclereand Vractlcal Foultryiiiea tlian all other makes combined. A hot-air maclilne^no metal tanks to rust out. Self-regulatlng; eelf-ventilatlng. Cyphers Incubators and Brooders are guaranteed to you peRonally. You have eOdays— Ihatehes— to prove a Cyphers In- cubator. Money back if Tou want It —after fair trial. 160- ' paKe Catalog free. Address Nearest City, Cyphers Incubator Co. Department 83, Ruffalo. N. Y, : New York City. N. T.| Cblcago.IlI- lluMt.jn. Mass. ; Kansas Clly, Mo.; Oakland, Ca: Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. American Poultry World. —This is the name of a new poultry-paper, the first num- ber of which was issued last month. It is published by the American Poultry Publish- ing Co.. of Buffalo, N. Y.. at so cents a year. The first number consists of 72 pages. It is most beautifully illustrated, and contains contributions from the " expertest " writers on poultry in the world. In size of type- page it is the same as the American Bee journal. A sample copy will be sent on re- quest made to the publishers. We can send it with the American Bee Journal, both for one year, for SiiS- If you are at all interested in poultry, you surely ought to have the American Poultry World every month. Send for a sample copy, and then order it when renewing yoursubscription to the American Bee Journal. !»HI«I««»»«l«««l«I««HTIIX»III«»i An Orphanage Appeal for Help The Edi- tor of the .•\merican liie Journal is the sec- retary of the board of trustees of an orphan- age or children's home locatedat Lake Bluff, 111.. 3o miles north of Chicago. He has won- dered if there were not quite a number of the benevolently inclined among the readers of the American Bee Journal who would like to send to that orphanage something either to eat or to wear, or even money, for the I35 children cared for there. They are all the way in size and age from infants to 12 years. The way to do is to ship by freight. a/Kaw prepaying the charges. Perhaps we might suggest vegetables, extracted honey, oats ancf corn (they have a horse), clothing (new. or Kood second-hand), etc. .^ny mother will know just what boys and girls 12 years or under will need to wear or to eat. It is the most economically managed institution. of the kind that we know anything about. Many of the children there are for adoption. If you feel that you can, or would like to help such a worthy cause, send what you can spare from your abundance to Lucy J. Jud- son. Supt.. Lake Bluff Orphanage. Lake Bluff. 111., and please don't forget to prepay cliargeson what you ship. Also put your name and address on each package, and. if you like, write a letter to accompany it, either in the package or by mail. If you desire more particulars, write the superintendent. Our Clubbing List. We have arranged with some of the best magazines and other publications to offer them in connection with a year's subscription to the American Bee Journal. If there are any others that you would like to subscribe for, be sure to let us know what they are, and we will quote you price. Our list so far as made up is as follows, the prices applying only to the United States, out- side of Chicago : American Bee Journal one year (75 cts.) Both With .\merican Agriculturist... Si.oo $1.50 Bee-Keepers' Review uiew) 1. 00 1.60 " American Poultry World.. .50 1.15 American Sheep Breeder, i.oo i.bo " Better Fruit i.oo 1.50 " Breeders' Gazette 1.75 220 Canadian Bee Journal i.oo 1.60 Century NIagazine 4.00 4.50 " Circle Magazine. The i.so 2.00 Commoner. The 1.00 1.50 " Country Life in ."America.. 4.00 4.50 Delineator, The i.oo 1.60 Designer. 'The 50 115 Dressmaking at Home 1.00 1.60 " Etude. The (musical) 1.50 2.00 Everyday Housekeeping.. .50 I.IS Everybody's Magazine 1.50 2.00 Garden Magazine 1.00 1.60 Gleanings in Bee Culture. I.oo i.So " Good Housekeeping 1.00 1.50 " Guide to Nature. The 1.00 1.60 Harper's Weekly 4.00 4.50 " House Beautiful. The 2.50 3.00 Housekeeper. The 75 125 " Human Life 1.00 1.50 Ladies' Home Journal 1.50 2.00 " Little Folks i.oo 1.60 Market Growers' Journal. I.oo 1.50 " McCall's Magazine So I.IS McClure's Magazine 1.50 2.C0 " Modern Priscilla 75 I.3S Mothers' Magazine So I.I5 Munsey's Magazine 1.00 1.60 Nat'l Stockman & Farmer. I.oo 1.6O New Idea Woman's Maga- zine 50 I.15 " Ohio Farmer 75 i.3S " Outing 3.00 3.50 Popular Science Monthly. 300 350 " Recreation 300 3.S0 Review of Reviews 300 3.50 " Scrap-Book 100 1.60 " Scribner's Magazine 3.00 3.50 " St. Nicholas 3.00 3.50 " Suburban Life 3.00 3.50 Success Magazine 1.00 1.00 Sunday-School Times i.oo 1.60 Wallace's Farmer i.oo i.6« " Woman Beautiful, The.... I.oo 1.50 Woman's Home Compan- ion 1.50 2.00 " World's Work 300 3.50 '• World Today. The i.So 2.00 Youth's Companion (new). 1.75 2.25 Address all orders to GEORGE W. YORK & CO., 146 W. Superior St., - CHICAGO, ILL. WRITE FOR BEST BUGGY OFFER in Amertai, on famous Columbus Buc< gles— al prices that S.1VC ym Mn money. Lowest factory prices ollci-'-d i>y .iiiyoiif shipped on one month's approwal, 2 ycara' guarantee. Get new free cntaloz. Colnmlia* Carriage & llnmo-ja Co. Slntloo^'I'S Cnlum'iyH, O. December, 1909. American IBec Journal j Im proud so many good Farm Folks now read my Magazine I want 10,000 more Farm Home Readers for the NATIONAL MAGAZINE by January 1st. That's why I'm making this Great Offer. Let me send my Magazine on 4 months' FREE TRIAL and one of my splendid Gift Books p _ ^^^^ FREE for good measure. '^=^^ti^^^^vf^Xty^ \ I Know— That I've only to get my magazine into the homes of the reading, thinking American farmers — to make them readers of the NATIONAL for good and always. You read farm papers for farm matters. You read your poidtry paper for helps and suggestions on chicken-raising. You ivill read m\f magazine to get and keep a close grip upon real happenings in the everij-day life of our Nation. You'll want my magazine in your home For Yourself, For Your Wife, For Your Sons and Daughters I was reared among farmers and I learned on a farm the things that have moulded my career — that are largely responsible for what- ever success I have attained. I know that the young man and young woman on the farm— your son and your daughter — want to keep in close touch with the outer world — with national life. Give them a clean, wholesome, human mag- azine that appeals to the best that is in them. The articles on "Affairs at Washington" are the most widely quoted that appear any- where. Actual word-photographs of inside life at the Capitol, fiasli-hghts of public men, and the big National hap])enings, a unique and exclusive feature of the NATIONAL, first suggested by William McKinley. Very often I have a chat with Secretary Wilson at the Agricultural Department and write you what I can find out about new ideas for the farm. W^hen Theodore Roosevelt was president he wrote: "Joe Chappie is a good fellow and has done excellent work." Similar generous endorsements from senators, congressmen and men high in public life are treasured more for what it means to the NATIONAL than for anv personal gratification. But the "NATIONAL MAGAZINE isn;t Washington alone. Not by a long way; it is as big and broad as its name. It takes in every state in the forty-six — touches every corner of the country. Notheavy and deep, nor cold and stilted — but written in a friendly heart-tu-heart style that glows and grips youc attention from the first to last. I am enthusiastic about the NATIONAL MAGAZINE and I have a right to be._ No other publication has ranked with it in winning readers among the plain people of the country, as Lincoln loved to call us. I want you to be one of my readers. I want you to know tlie good things in the NATIONAL MAGAZINE, and I want you to have your choice of these two splendid gift books. THESE GREAT BOOKS FREE "HEART THROBS" the Old Scrap Book was coini)ik'd bv 50,000 readers of tiie NATIONAL MAGAZINE sending me their favorite poems, sentiments — gems of real heart interest tliat had helped them in their daily lives and inspired them to better things. I paid S10,000 in cash for these contribu- tions and found in them fabulous riches of helpful human thought. You will find in "Heart Throbs" the gems of sentiment that you love best, and hun- dreds of new and old thoughts that will help along the way. The otlier book is "THE HAPPY HABIT" Through all my life I have gone about with botTi eyes open for the bright, cheerful, do-your-heart-good kind of things that happen on the brighter side of life. Best cure m the world for the blues — best 'livener of dull hours. Both books are well printed and beauti- fully bound in gold and garnet — they are selling in the book stores for $1.50. 1-iut — Because I want you for a subscriber to the NATIONAL M.4GAZINE, I am making this great offer. Send me $1.50 (regular price) for a year's subscription to the N.\TION.\L MAGAZINE and I'll send 3'ou,prei5aid, either one of these splendid gift books, "Heart Throbs" or "The Happy Habit,"and if yon wish,l'll autograph the first 1000 books ordered. Choose the book you like; or if you prefer I'LL SEND BOTH BOOKS and let you taKe your choice And return the other one to me. That's how much I'll stake on your honesty and your interest. I'll do even more. FOUR MONTHS' FREE TRIAL I'll {]ivc y^u four moiitfi-- to prove the wonder- ful valueof the NATK iXAL MAGAZINE. If at the end of that time >oa say you are not satisfied, I'll return your money. Tell me how I could make a fairer, squarer offer. Now, neighbor, just fill out the coupon and mail it to me today. Address me personally — Joe Chappie, Editor National Magazine, Boston, Massachusetts. Pin your check — money order will do — to this coupon and mail direct to me. •■--—■■a , FREE BOOK COUPON i I joe Chappie. Boston. Massachusetts: I I Dear Sir: — I accept vniir offer and enclose St. 50 I I forwhlch please send me NATIONAL MAGAZINE | for one year and a tree copy of the Gift Book ^ I ' I Indicate your choice ■ , I understand that I have the prIvUese ot dlscon- | • tlnulns this subscription at the end ol tour months , |l f I am not satisfied with the magazine and will ■ I receive my money back in full. ■ I Name ■ I ■ I A ddress I I Please mention It you want me to send both | I books, so you can choose the one you like best. i Honey as a Health-Food This is a i6-page honey-pamphlet in- tended to help increase the demand for honey. The first part of it contains a short article on "Honey as Food," writ- ten by Dr. C. C. Miller. It tells where to keep honey, how to liquefy it, etc. The last part is devoted to "Honey-Cook- ing Recipes" and "Remedies Using Hon- ey." It should be widely circulated by those selling honey. The more the peo- ple are educated on the value and uses of honey, the more honey they will buy. Prices, prepaid — Sample copy for a 2-cent stamp; 50 copies for 90 cents; 100 copies for $1.50; 250 copies for $3-00; 500 for $5.00; or rooo for $9.00. Your business card printed free at the bottom of front page on all orders for 100 or more copies. Send all orders to the office of the American Bee Jour- nal. How About Your Adverti.sing? Have you anything to sell? .'\ny bees, honey, hives, or anything else that you think the readers' of the American Bee Journal might want to buy? If so, why not offer it through our advertis- ing columns? See rates in the first column of the second page of every number of the Bee Journal. We try to keep our columns clean and free from any dishonest advertising. Such can not get in, if we know it. December, 1909. Amc^rican 'Ree Journal 427 — For the Best Goods — and LOW FREIGHT send your orders for BEE-SUPPLIES to The A. I. Root Company, Institute Place CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 4 4 4 We carry on hand constantly a full line of bee-supplies. We have the best shipping facilities, and can fill your orders promptly the year round. We have carloads coming from the factory constantly to replenish our stock, so that our goods are always bright and new, and we keep our assort- ments well up. Send in your order now and take advantage of early order discounts. Catalog on request, We will be glad to quote vou'delivered prices on any list you may send in. We have on hand now a large stock of Extracted honey. You will have to order quickly if you want some of this, as our honey always ROCS fast. The A. I. Root Co., Chicago, Illinois Institute Place R. W. Boyden, Resident Manager. Jeffrey Building Take Elevator to Sixth Floor. Telephone 1484 North. m We will Buy and SeU HONEY ^* of the different grades and kinds, ^g gjM If you haTe any to dispose of, or if inB« gj you intend to buy, corresix>nd Sgg for We are always in the market Beeswax at highest market prices. Hildreth&Segelken 265 & 367 Qreenwlch Street NEW YORK, N. Y. ^HMMM^Vt'-^i Plrase menrion Am. Bee Journal when writing. IF a youne married American brother bee- man with $i2x« or over, will come to me (in no hurry a worker . I will fix him for life. Healthiest climate on earth. John .VI. Mok(;as. Ordwav. Colorado Pleaae mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. MARSHFIELD BEE-GOODS FRIEND BEE-KEEPER— We are prepared to fill your orders for Sections. A large stock on hand. Also a Full Line of Bee-SuppHes. We make prompt shipments. MARSHFIELD MFG. CO., Marshfield, Wis. lOWA-J. W. Bittenbender, Knoxville, Gregory & Son. Ottumwa. KANSAS-S. C. Walker & Son, Smith Center. MICHIliAN-Lengst & Koenie, 127 South 13th St., Saginaw. E. S. S. D. Buell. Union City. NEBRASKA— Collier Bee-Supply Co Fairbury. CANADA- N. H. Smith. Tilbury. Ont. ARIZONA-H. W. Ryder, Phoenix. MINNESOTA-Northwestem Bee-Sup- ply Co., Harmony. ILLINOIS-D. L. Durham. Kankakee. OHIO-F. M. Hollowell Harrison. TEXAS-White Mfi?. Co., Blossom. WISCONSIN-S. W. Hines Mercantile Co., Cumberland. J. Gobeli. Glenwood. 1000 Colonies of Bees to sell iti lots to suit ijurchaser. Address, 8Atf Dr. Geo. D. Mitchell & Co., Ogden, Utah 1 lease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. , E«Ht«n, 1 Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. December, 1909. American Hee -Jonrn^^ Langstroth *"«Honey-Bee Revised by Dadant. Latest Edition. This is one of the standard books on bee-culture, and ought to be in the library of every bee-keeper. Bound in substantial cloth, and has nearly &^) pages. Revised by that large, practical bee-keeper, so well known to all bee- dom— Mr. C. P. Dadant. Each topic is clearly and thoroughly explained, so that by following the instructions of this book one can not fail to be won- derfully helped on the way to success with bees. We mail the book for $1.20, or club it with the American Bee Journal for one year — both for $1.70. This is in- deed a splendid chance to get a grand bee-book for a very little money. GEORGE W. 146 W. Superior St. YORK & CO. CHICAGO, ILL BIG BARGAIN SALE on Bee-Supplies I have bought all the bee-supplies and machines of the Minneapolis Wood and Machinery Co. Send me a list of what you need, and get the right price. Also Adel, Carniolan, Italian, and Caucasian Queens. CHAS. MONDENG, 4Atf 160 Newton Ave. N., Minneapolis, Mian. Are You Interested 3 Months Trial Subscription 10 cents in raising poultry, live stock, produce, fruit, hon- ey, or other farm products? If so, send ten cents for a 3-months' trial subscrip- tion to the "RURAL FARMER." It Tells You all about farm cultivation, orcharding, live stock and poultry breeding-. How to marliet crops succesBfully, informs you how to ship, pack, crate, bill and get returns. "RUEAL FARMER" columns are rich in things you should know. Three Months for 10 cents. Published weekly~5« oenta per year; a years for $1.00, or$1.00 per year for club of 3 persons. ••RURAL FARMER," 44 8. 3rd Street, - Philadelphia, Pa. EXTRACTING IVIADE EASY by using MILLER AUTOMATIC DECAPPERS 1 $5 to $35. Catalo g Free APICULTURAL MANUFACTURING CO.. Providence, R. 1. 7Atf — /fE/?£/r/S — • IMPROVED CLARK'S DOUBLE ACTION CUTAWAY HARROW The most wonderful farm tonl ever invented Two harrows in one. '1 hrows the dirt out. then in, leaving the land level and tme. ^A If A labor savor, a time saver. Por- ^^ llfcMtiQ^^ f*?ct centpr draft. Jointed Polo. Beware of imitations and in- fringementB. Send today for FREK Booklet. CUTAWAY HARROW CO. itia Main St., w^ liieifanuiu. Conn. M. H. HUNT & SON The best time to buy your goods is during the fall and winter months. We are mak- Liberal Discounts for Early Orders, would like to niiotp von net D ing ..... Discounts ror tariy orders, and would like to Quote you net prices on your needs for next season. -BEESWWX W.-^NTED- LANSING, - MICHIGAN. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Bee-Supplies Lewis Goods in Iowa at Factory Prices Write me for prices on Goods you need for iQio. Discount for Early Orders. Send for Catalog. It will be ready about January ist. — Beeswax Wanted — W. J. McCARTY, Emmettsbury, Iowa Pltease mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. BEE-SUPPLIES. 40-pae:e catalog free. Bnmfnl of the latest make of hives, etc. Our supplies will please you in every way. Prices are right. We can make prompt shipments as we carry a full line of A. \. Root Co. 's supplies in stock. Don't fail to write us if you are in need of supplies. 8Atf JOHN NEBEL& SON SUPPLY CO., High Hill, Montg. Co., Mo Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Do You Want to YOUR FARM If so, give TTie price, description, etc. I want to hear from owner who wishes to sell direct to buyer without paying any agent's commission. There is a good buyer for it. willing to pay your price. I can locate him for you. Not particular about location. Write me at once, giving full particulars, and slate when posses- sion can be had. and see if we can close up a deal in short order. Address, William Duttenhofer, 1835 Sycamore St., Cincinnati, Ohio. PVase mention Am. B=^^^^ 1 Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Celluloid Queen-Buttons These are very pretty things for bee-keep- ers or honey-sellers to wear on their coa>- lapels. They often serve to introduce the subject of honey, which might frequently lead to a sale. Note. — One bee-keeper writes: "I have every reason to believe that it would be a very good idea for every bee- keeper to wear one [of these buttons), as it will cause peo- ple to ask questions about the busy bee. and many a conversation thus started ^% fW^\ -y/ V'nd up with the sale of vO ^^_i?ly more or less honey; at any rate it woujd give the bee- keeper a superior opportu- nity to enlighten many a person in regard to honey and bees." The picture shown above is a reproduc- tion of a motto queen-button that we offer to bee-keepers. It has a pin on the under- side to fasten it. Prices— by mail— I for 6 cts.: 2 for 10 cts.; or 6 for 25 CIS. Address. GEORGE W. YORK & CO. 146 West Superior Street, • CHICAGO, ILL DAnlltO Machinery Read what J. L Fakekt. of Charl- ton, N. Y.. pays: ""We cut viitfa one of your Combined Machines, laet winter. 60 chaff hives with 7-ln. cap, 100 honey-racks. 600 brood-framea, 2.i»00 honey boxf-B, and a great deal of other work. Thlswint^r we have double the amount of bee-hives, etc., to make, and we expect to do It with tblfl Saw. It wUl do all you say it will" Catalog and price-list uree. > Addrau, Vr. T. ft JOHN BARNSB, M6 Raby St.. Eockford, lU. Please mentiun Am. Bee Journal when writing. Dauy VniCKb in^. $4 per loo. ah kinds poul- try at lowest [trices. Guarantee safe arrival anywhere. Write for i>rice-list mA'it CULVER POULTRY FARM 1015 Reed. BENSON, NEBR. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Engravings for Sale. We are accumulating quite a large stock of bee-yard enirravinns and other pictures used from time to time in the American Bee Journal. No doubt many of them could be used by bee-keepers in their local newspa- pers, on their letterheads. on souvenir cards. or in other profitable or interesting ways. If we can sell them it will help us to pay for others that we are constantly having made and using in these columns. We do not have a catalog or printed list of the engravings, but if you will let us know just which you want we will be pleased to quote you a very low price, postpaid. .Just look through the copies of the Bee Journal and make your selection. Then write to us. GEORGE W. YORK & CO. 146 West Superior Street, - CHICAGO, ILL HAND-MADE SMOKERS BINGHAM £f Extracts from Catalog*— 1907: CLEAN ^^-^B Chas. Dadant & Son, Hamilton, 111. — This is the Smoker we „... .„„.-. l^A » recommend above all others. "^^ " «. B. Lewis Co., Watertown, Wis. — We have sold these Smok- ers for a good many years and never received a single complaint. A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio.— The cone fits inside of the cup so that the liquid creosote runs down inside of the smoker. AH Bingham Smokers are stamped on the tin, " Patented 1878, 1892, and 1903," and have all the new improvements. Smoke Engine — largest smoker made $1.50 — i inch stove Doctor- cheapest made to use 1.10 — 3J^ " Conqueror — right for most apiaries 1.00 — 3 " Large — lasts longer than any other 90 — 23^ " Little Wonder — as its name implies 65—2 " The al>ove prices deliver Sm aker at your post-offlce free. We send circular if requested. Original Bingham & Hetherington Uncappiag-Knife. T. F. BINGHAM, FarwGll. MicH Patented, May20. 1879. BEST ON EARTH. Bee - Supplies Shipped Promptly -SEND FOR FREE CATALOG Honey for Sale. (Ask for Prices.) Extracted Honey Wanted. (Send Sample and Price.) ARND HONEY & BEE-SUPPLY CO. noJ (Successors to the York Honey & Bee-Supply Co.) H. M. ARND, Proprietor. 148 West Superior St., CHICAGO, ILL. " // Goods are Wanted Quick Send to Touder. " ESTABLISHED 1889 Bee-Supplies. Root's Goods in Indiana Standard Hives with latest improvements, Danzenbaker Hives. Honey-Boxes. Comb Founciation and everythine that is used in the bee-yard. Large illustrated catalog mailed free. Finest White Clover Extracted Honey for sale in any quantity desired. WALTER'S. POUDER, 859 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. 50,000 Copies "Honey as a Health-Food" To Help Increase the Demand for Honey We have had printed an edition o£ over 50,000 copies of the 16-page pamphlet on " Honey as a Health-Food." It is envelope size, and just the thing to create a local demand for honey. The first part of it contains a short article on " Honey as Food." written by Dr. C. C. Miller. It tells where to keep honey, how to liquefy it. etc. The last is devoted to "Honey Cooking Recipes " and "Remedies Using Honey." It should be widely circulated by those selling honey. The more the people are educated on the value and uses of honey as a food, the more honey they will buy. Prices. prepaid-Sample copy for a2-cent stamp: 50 copies for 90 cents; 100 copies for $1.,'50 : 250 copies for $3.00 ; 500 for $5.00 : or 1000 for $9.00. Your business card printed free at the bottom of front page on all orders for 100 or more copies. Address all orders to GEORGE W. YORK ^H CO., Chicago. 111. HONEY *-!!° BEESWAX When consigning, buying, or selling, consult R. A. BURNETT & CO. 199 Soutli Water St. Cliicaeo, Hi There are many of these in this town who BEE-KEEPERS Write us now for our C»t»log »nd get low prices on good, honest, BEE-KEEPERS' SUPPLIES Oar specisltj is making Sections. All other i(oods up-to-date. AUa. LOTZ fi: SON, Cadott, Wl«. 10A34t Please meatloa the Bee JovrnaL, 430 December, 1909. American ^e 'Joarnal Swarming Prevented ! ! Some three years ago Mr. C. Monette (now deceased), writing from Minnesota, under the iiom dc plume of " C. Davenport," stated in the American Bee Journal that he had discovered a method of absolutely prevent- ing swarming; that he had given the treat- ment to hundreds of colonies, and not one of them swarmed. Eventually, however, he declined to give the process, saying it would make bee-keeping too easy and honey too cheap. From the hints dropped by Mr. Monette, Dr. Henry Jones, of Minnesota, by an ingenious process of reasoning worthy of Sherlock Holmes, hit upon what he believes (and I agree with him) was the exact plan followed by Mr. Monette. The Doctor has been experimenting with this plan since 1906, going in a little deeper each year, this year using a little over .50 colonies, and "swarming was absolutely prevented under very exacting conditions. There is no clipping of the queens' wings, no caging of queens (not even necessary to look for queens), no pinching of queen-cells, no shook swarming, no dividing, no extra ex- pense; plan simple and easy to carry out, and a good crop of honey easily secured. The Doctor has described his plan in a little booklet that retails for Z-i cts., but I have made arrangements whereby I can club it with the Bee- Keepers' Review for only $1.20. That is, I will send the Review for llllo, and the book, for onlv $1.20; and, so long as the supply of back numbers holds out, I will send all the numbers of 1909, /;v,-, to the man who sends me $1.20 for the book and the Review for 1910. W. Z. Hutchinson, Flint, Mich. Dr. Henry Jones. A Bargain in Poultry Supplies Cornell Incubators and Mann Bone Cutter for sale at about tialf price. 232-Esg; capacity Incubator, only $15.00 364- " '■ " " 18.00 Mann No. 11 Power or Hand Bone Cutter, for only 18.00 Mann Clover Cutter, iron stand. 6.00 Leg Bands, Poultry Markers, and Egg-Tes- ters, at half price. , , , , . The above machines are slightly damaged, but about as good as new. Never used, but tested and guaranteed. Address. Arnd Honey and Bee-Supply Co., U8 West Superior St.. - CH1C.A.GO. ILL. tnr CqIa —Fancy extracted alfalfa honey. rur QaW thoroughly ripened, rich & thick. If you want honey that " tastes like more." try a 60-lb. can for S5.00. A.A.Lyons, T2Ait Rt. •;. Fort Collins, Colo. FOR SALE 50 8-frame Colonies of Italian Bees, 100 Su- pers to match same, for comb honey. Right in the alfalfa section of Independence Co.. at Newark, Ark. Rather than move them. will take S150.00. W. J. LITTLEFIELD, i2Atf Rt. 3. Little Rock. Ark. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. AGENTS:- IF I KNEW YOUR NAME, 1 would send you our $2.1'J sample outtit free this very minute. Let me start you in a profitable business. You do not need one cent of capital. Experience unnecessary. 50 percent profit. Cre- dit given. Premiums. Freight paid. Chance to win $500 in gold extra. Every man and wom- an should write me for free outfit. oA6t JAY BLACK, Prts., 305 Beverly St.; Boston, Miss. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. CYPRIAN, Camlolan. Caucasian. Italian Queens Select untested. $1.00. Select tested. $2.00. Bees $8 colony. Supplies and Honey. BAly W.C. MORRIS, Nepperhan Hts., Yonkers, N. Y. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. BETTER FRUIT \ The best fruit growers' illustrated monthly published in the world. Devoted exclusively to modern and progressive fruit growing and marketing. Northwestern methods get fancy prices, and growers net $200 to $1000 per acre. One Dollar per year. Sample copies free. Better Fruit Publishing Co. ""oSeJJ!" > V > > Honey for Sale. Choice, well ■ ripened Extracted — clear, light golden color and delicious flavor— 7Ji to Sc. Sample 6c, deducted from order. Comb Honey, No. i and Fancy, in iVi plain and scalloped sections. 14 to i6c. loAjt F. B. Cavanagh, Hebron, Ind. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. ALFALFA HONEY — FOK SALE— White, Heavy, Excellent One 'lo-lb. Can, per pound loc Two " ■■ ■■ «5^c 10 or more Cans 8j4c Arnd Honey and Bee-Supply Co., 148 West Superior St , - CHICAGO. ILL. Honey Wanted. All grades of Comb and of Extracted. 2000 cases of Buckwheat Comb wanted at once. What have you to sell •• Third car of water- white Sage just in. Write for prices. THE GRIGGS BROS. CO. iiAtf TOLEDO. OHIO. Please mention Am. Bee lournal when writing. HONEY For Sale — Amber or Buckwheat Comb, 24 sections, in glass-front case. S2.75 per case, 25 cases at S2.60; so cases at $2-50 per case. Unfinished Sections at S8 per 100. Will pack honey in straw carriers and guarantee safe QIIIRIN-THE-QUEEN-BREEDER, Bellevue, Ohio. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. For Sale s'^sll" Simply delicious— at loc per lb., f. o. b. Sen- eca. 111. In crates of two bo-lb. cans each. Sample loc. _...._ ... 11A2 A. J. Diebold, Seneca, III. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. FOR SALE We have several hundred Cases of good Second-Hand Cans, two in a case, used only once with White Honey— 10 Cases or over 40c per Case. 25 35c .. 100 30c Speak Quick. F. O, B. TOLEDO, OHIO. 24 North Erie St., iiAtf THE CRIGCS BROS. CO. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. HONEY FOR SALE By members of the Michigan Bee-Keepers' Association. For free annual booklet giving names and addresses of members, address the Secretary, _ 7Atf E. B. TYRRELL, 230 Woodland Ave., Detroit, Mich. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. Wanted— White Honey. State kind, how put up. and lowest cash ''"'^'^CHAS. KOEPPEN, 1508 Main St., oAtt FREDERICKSBURG. V .\. Honey Brokers : ^^"^'^L^ji"^ Sage. t.'« cts. ; car It. amber, s^a cts. per lb. iiA2t Freeman & Fairchild, Redlands, Cal. Please mention Am. Bee Journal when writing. December, ipog. American l^ee Journal Qoney anb Chicago. Nov. 25. — The market has been quite active up to the present time, and stock of comb honey is very low. Extracted is also selling quite freely, but stock shows some accumulation. The best grades of white comb honey bring i6c per pound, with other grades from i@3C less. Extracted, from 7@8c for the white, and ti@7c for the amber, all according to quality, flavor and style of package. Beeawax continues to be n good demand at 30@32C. R. A. Burnett & Co. Boston. Nov. 26.— Fancy white comb honey at Ib@i7c; No. i. I5@i6c. White, extracted. 8@Qc; light amber. 7@8c; amber. b@7c. Bees- wax. 3o®32c. Blake. Lee Co. Los Angeles. Dec. i.— The quotations on houey at the present time are about as fol- lows: Water-white extracted, oj^c; white. 55^@6c; light amber. 4}4®sc. H.J.Mercer. Kansas City. Mo.. Nov. 26.— The demand for both comb and extracted honey is fair; the receipts light. We quote: No. i white comb. 24 sections. S3. 35 per case: No. 2 white and amber. S3. 00; whiteextracted.per pound, 7C. Beeswax. 25@28c. C. C. Clemons Produce Co. Cincinnati. Nov. 26.— The market on comb honey is exceedin^rly brisk, and has made an advancement. We quote comb honey. 24 sections to a case, in large lots. S3. 50 per case; by the single case. Sj O" The market on extracted honey is good. Sage at 8@8/2C; amber in barrels, tiytfab^c. Beeswax is fair at 33C per pound. These are our selling prices, not what we are paving. C. H. W. Weber & Co. New York. Nov. 20.— We are having a fair demand for comb honey at following prices: Fancy white. tsSi^c: No. i. I3@i4c; amber. 12c; buckwheat. II&I3C. all according to style of package and quality. While the receipts have not been quite as heavy as in former years, there has been enough to go around, and some is still in the hands of the pro- ducer, and has not been marketed as yet. Extracted honey in fair demand, also with sufficient supply, especially from California. We quote: Water-white sage. 8(?8J*c ; white sage. /JiSSc: light amber. 7c; buckwheat. 7&7hc: .Southern in barrels. 65®75c. accord- ing to quality. Beeswax steady and in good demand at from 2g@3oc. Hildreth & Segelken. Philadelphia. Dec. 6.— The season is now well advanced, with only about 2 weeks more for the sale of honey. Pprices have not changed in the last 10 days. but. if anything, will weaken from now until Christmas. We quote: Fancy white comb honey, i6@i8c: No. I. I4c; amber, 13c. Extracted, white, in 5-gal. cans, qc; amber, in barrels, 6c; amber, in cans. 7c. Beeswax. 2gc. Wm. a. Selser. Indianapolis. Nov. 25.— There is a good demand for best grades of honey, but the market is now well supplied. Indiana bee- keepers, as well as merchants, are good buyers. Producers are being paid the fol- lowing prices: F'ancy white comb. i6c: No. I wfiite. 14C. Finest extracted in s-gallon cans. 8c. No demand for amber or off grades. Producers of beeswax are receiving 28@3oc. Walter S. Pouder. Toledo, Nov. 26. — There is practically no change in the honey market over our last quotations. The demand seems to be about normal for this season of the year, and owing to the high prices honey is not selling as well as expected. Fancy white clover brings in a retail way iti@i7c per pound; No. I. isfe'ibc; fancy amber. I4@isc. No demand for darker grades. Extracted, white sage, in cans. o®ioc; white clover, the same; am- ber. 6®7/^c. Beeswax. 28@3oc. The Griggs Bros. Co. Zanesville. Ohio. Nov. 26.— In spite of lax enforcement of the law closing Zanes- ville's saloons, the "dry" regime is result- ing in a better demand for honey this sea- son, though unreasonably warm weather has appreciably retarded sales for the past week or two. For No. i to fancy white clover comb, which is the grade this market chieHy demands, producers are offered 14®- 15J5C. and for best clover extracted. S'Ac de- livered. Wholesale prices are 2@3c higher than this on comb, and i&2c higher on ex- tracted. For good lyellow beeswax, pro- ducers are offered 28c cash, or 30c in trade. Edmund W. Peirce. F ALCON OUNDATION Years of experience in the manufac- ture of FALCON COMB FOUNDATION have made it PERFECT. Bees like it, and the foremost Honey-Producers Use It. It helps materially to increase the Honey Crop (Send for our new Catalog.) Ship us your BEESWAX to FALCONER, N. Y. Will send shipping-tags, when you write asking for Quotations. We pay highest market prices. W. T. FALCONER MFG. CO. JAMESTOWN, N. Y. IBU IBL DDE :nc r :□[ nl HONEY The present .season has been a poor one for honey in many .sections of the East. We are not dependent upon Eastern markets, however, for, in addition to our Eastern stocks, we have secured several cars of honey from Cali- fornia. Plea.se do not think that because we have Western honey, it is inferior in quality. On the contrary, we have .some of the finest honey ever produced, and a .sample shipment will convince you of its quality. We can supply either comb or extracted, water-white or amber. Write today for prices and samples. If you have been so fortunate as to secure more honey this season than you can use, we shall be glad to hear from you. State what kind it is, how it is put up, and lowest price you expect for it delivered in Cincinnati. Do not ship without definite instructions, for we are taking in honey every day and may not have much storage room. We also have our usual complete line of bee-keepers' supplies. Send in your orders now and get the benefit of the December cash discount, which is four per cent. Our goods are fresh and clean, and the best on the market. Catalog on request. \Ve VVish All Our Patrons a ^ferry Christmas and a Happy J^ew Year. C. H. W. WEBER & CO. U 214G-2148 CENTRAL AVENUE, CINCINNATI, OHIO I irn. ;^^r-ir ii-ii ini— -ii-ii ii 1| nnc :qc :nc DDE :be BEE-KEEPERS OF THE NORTH I- 0) U ^ Ul I I- u. o in oc bj 0. u bi ^ III u ffl Be Sure to get our PRICES on BEESWAX Before selling your season's Wax or Let us send to you our prices for Working your Wax Into DADANT'S FOUNDATION Many large Honey-Producers prefer our Foun- dation to other makes, because the bees like it best. We can use almost an unlimited quantity of BEESWAX, and we are buying at all times of the year at highest cash prices. During the season of 1909 we handled over 150,000 pounds of Beeswax. If your Honey supply is short we can supply you with either White or Amber Extracted Honey. SEND FOR PRICES AT ONCE. HONEY If your WHITE CLOVER crop is short and you want some good Honey to supply your cus- tomers we can offer you White Alfalfa Honey at the following prices: 1 60-pound Can - - 10c per pound 2 60-pound Cans or more - 9c per pound 10 60-pound Cans or more 8}ic pr pound This Honey is put up in new, bright Cans, neat and clean, and we can guarantee it in every way. Sample by mail, 5c to pay for postage. DADANT & SONS, Hamilton, Illinois. w m m k m m ■0 m 70 (0 o ■n H X m m > (I) BEE-KEEPERS OF THE SOUTH Established 1864 Bee=Keepers' Supplies 41, We manufacture and furnish everything needed in practical, up-to-date BEE-Culture at the very lowest prices. We make the celebrated DOVETAILED HIVES and the famous MASSIE HIVES. These are the most practical, up-to-date Bee Hives made and our extremely low prices place them within the reach of all bee-keepers. Our HONEY EXTRACTORS and BEE SMOKERS are the very best that can be had any- where. We guarantee salisfacfion to every customer or refund your money and pay the trans- portation charges both ways. This means that you can send back to us any goods you buy from us that are not satisfactory. We will exchange them or refund your money instantly without a question. C If you haven't one of our CHAMPION SMOKERS you don't know what a good one is until you get one, (sample by mail $1.00). CWrite today for our large illustrated catalog — it is free; it is one of the easiest catalogs to order from that you ever saw. Remember our guarantee qf entire satisfaction. d. Write us for prices on any orders. We can save yoti money. Kretchmer Mfg. Co., Council Bluffs, Iowa