THE AMERICAN
BEE JOURNAL
IN AMERICA
ESTABLISHED
IN 1861
DEVOTED TO SCIENTIFIC BEE-CULTURE AND THE PRODUCTION AND SALE OF
PURE HONEY.
VOL. XVII. CHICAGO, ILL., MARCH 16, 1881. No. 11.
IN 1861
OLDEST BEE PAPER
IN AMERICA
Published every Wednesday, by
THOMAS G. NEWMAN,
Editor and Proprietor,
974 WEST MADISON ST., CHICAGO, ILL.
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CORRESPONDENCE.
Pure Liquid Honey in Glass Jars.CHAS. DADANT.
Under this heading I find an article
from Mr. W. M. Hoge, who says that
he has invented a way of preparing
liquid honey so that it will not congeal.
He adds that this discovery will be beneficial
to bee-keepers, and he explains
how we will profit by it. The tendency
of honey to candy, for all the adulterators
of honey, has proved to be a great
impediment; while, for the producers,
it is a good characteristic, for it is the
best stamp that a bee-keeper can put on
his product—a stamp that the adulterators
are unable to counterfeit.Now that the consumers at large begin
to give their preference to candied
honey, the adulterators, seeing their
sales decreasing, try to invent some
means to stop this result, and incite us
to help them to continue their fraudulent
practice.Let us remember that the candying
of honey is the best test of purity thus
far; that, by preventing honey from
candying, we lower it to the level of
glucosed honey; and that, as long as
liquid honey can be found on our markets,
we will be compelled to compete
with adulterated honey, for the profit of
this adulteration will always tempt the
unscrupulous dealers, while we will be
unable to compete with them for the
price.A few years ago we could find liquid
honey, in glass jars, in every good grocery.
Three years ago I produced, at
the Western Illinois and Eastern Iowa
Convention, held at Burlington, Iowa,
one of these bottles, bought in St. Louis,
labeled “Pure Extracted Honey, from
John Long, New York.” Mr. Hoge,
who resided in New York at that time,
probably knows “John Long.” This
“pure honey” was analyzed by an
expert chemist and found mostly glucose.
These jars and tumblers are now
of slow sale, for the consumers begin to
have confidence in candied honey. We
are, therefore, in a fair way for selling
our product. Let us go on, and turn
the cold shoulder to the advice of those
who have, so far, caused more prejudice
than profit to bee-keepers.Mr. Hoge, who has visited the old
continent, knows, as well as I do, that
in Europe liquid honey is unsalable, for
the consumers are accustomed to buying
candied honey. Let us persist in
our efforts to educate the people on this
question, and we will drive all spurious
honey from our markets.Hamilton, Ill., Feb. 2, 1881.
For the American Bee Journal.
REV. W. BALLENTINE, A. M.
I see in the Bee Journal, under the
above caption, a question from Mr. H.
G. Colwell, of Columbus, Ohio, relative
to the effects of honey eaten by the
Grecian troops, under Xenophon, as
they passed through Colchia in their famous
retreat homeward. In regard to
this, you propose a query, “Why did
the ancient Colchian honey cause the
above disorder?” I have frequently
had my attention turned to this subject
in reading Xenophon’s Anabasis in the
original, from which the extract by Mr.
Colwell is taken. From the best
sources of information at my command,
the following seems to be the most rational.The honey of Asia Minor in many localities
appears to be gathered from the
flowers of the order Apocynoceæ, or
dog’s-bane. Of this order, Prof. Wilson,
in his botany, page 588, observes:
“These plants possess active, and often
suspicious qualities, residing in the
white juice with which the order is pervaded,
and in the seeds, which are often
deadly poisons. The alkaloid strychnine,
or strychinea, one of the most violent
poisons, is the active principle of the
Strychorea Nux-vomica, of India. It
is sometimes administered as a medicine,
but with doubtful success; a single
seed of one species is sufficient to
kill 20 persons. The order is generally
emetic.”In corroboration of this, I will give
you the opinion of the celebrated Ainsworth,
who traveled over the route of
the Grecians, and took notes of all the
localities and incidents recorded by
Xenophon. He observes that “this fact
of the honey of Asia Minor being, in
certain places, and at certain seasons, of
a poisonous nature, was known to all
antiquity, and is very common at the
present day, so much so, that I have
known the peasants to inquire if we
would prefer the bitter or the sweet
honey, for the honey so qualified has a
slight, but not unpleasant, bitterness,
and is preferred by many, from producing,
when taken in moderate quantities,
the effect of slight intoxication.
Pliny notices two kinds of honey, one
found at Heraclea, in Pontus, and another
among the Sanni or Mocrones.
The first he supposed to be produced by
a plant called Ægolethron, or goatsbane;
the second by a species of rhododendron.
Dioscorides, Diodorus, Siculus
and Aristotle, all notice the honey of
Heraclea Pontica. The celebrated
botanist, Tournefort, ascertained on the
spot, that the honey of bees feeding on
the Azalea Pontica, as also on the
Rhododendron Ponticum, possessed
mischievous properties; but as the bitter
and intoxicating honey is found in
many parts of Asia Minor, where these
plants do not flower, it is extremely
probable that these peculiar properties
are further derived from the flower of
the Nerium Oleander, or common rose-laurel,
the leaves of which are known
to be acrid and poisonous. The natural
family to which the rose-laurel belongs
(Apocynaceæ) is distinguished by plants
endued with dangerous and fatal properties,
and these act on the nerves so
as to produce stupefaction. Rhodoraceæ
also possesses narcotic properties,
but in a less marked degree.”It appears from this, that the honey
gathered by the bees from these poisonous
plants, possessed some of the inherent
qualities of the plants themselves,
and operated like a narcotic or
opiate on the nerves, producing stupefaction
and intoxication. If you see
proper you can give the above a place
in the Weekly, with which I am, so far,
very well pleased.Sago, Ohio.
For the American Bee Journal.
Combined Summer and Winter Stand.H. L. PENFIELD.
The engraving shows a perspective
view of a combined winter and summer
stand, which I put up to accommodate
12 hives of the standard Langstroth
pattern. It is constructed as follows:
Put in the ground 9 oak posts 4 × 4 inches,
for a frame to nail the 14 foot boards to—3
posts on each side, and 3 between
these, set in the ground 18 inches. The
ends are 9 feet wide, which I find gives
ample room to manipulate the bees between
the rows of hives, the operator
being in the shade, and not in front of
the entrance of the bees, which seldom
bother me. The sides front east and
west. The ends are open during the
summer, and the north end boarded up
in winter. We use millet hay for protection,
filling in spaces between the
hives, and over and under them, almost
filling up between the rows, clearing
away enough in front of the entrance
for the bees to take a flight when the
weather permits.
B—Space to work in and shaded.
This protection keeps them quiet, and
storms beat on the shelter and on the
millet hay. Of course, this is not a
water-proof shelter or cover, and I do
not think one is needed. It is advantageous
to have an opening in the apex
of the roof; this plan of having one
roof higher than the other secures it
with the least expense. It is curious to
notice how the bees fly out of these
spaces marked A, A (as both ends are
open) while the operators manipulating
the hives. Sixteen boards 14 feet long
and 1 foot wide cover it, and with the 9
posts and 4 2 × 4 studding to set the hives
on, and short pieces to set on top of the
posts to nail the roof to, complete the
lumber bill.Hunnewell, Mo.
For the American Bee Journal.
H. L. JEFFREY.
You ask for my observations on foul
brood regarding the cases noted in the
Bee Journal. There are many who,
I know, will disagree with me, but nevertheless,
it seemed to come from no
other source. The largest case of it was
25 colonies in one apiary. Ever since
the year 1873 they had been wintered in
the cellar, in a sort of room fitted up
especially for them. They were usually
put in about Nov. 25, and taken out
about April 1st to the 20th, according to
the season. This receptacle was directly
under the living room, which was kept
very warm. The bee-room was generally
quite dry, and towards spring would
stand from 45° to 50°, which would let
the bees have from 60° to 80° in the
hive, or perhaps 90°, causing the cluster
to spread, and there was always a good
supply of brood in the combs when taken
from the cellar, and generally a considerable
number of young hatched bees.
So far everything was as good as could
be asked for, and every good bee-keeper
will say this could not have anything to
do with foul brood; perhaps not.These same hives, with more space
and more surface of comb than a 10
frame Langstroth hive gives, were put
into the cellar with all their combs in
place, with a box 6 inches deep below
the hive, and another above filled with
straw, or with a top story filled with
rags, old clothes and pieces of carpet or
straw. The full complement of combs
was left in the hives, regardless of the
strength of the colonies, and they were
then set on their summer stands without
using division boards, or any contraction
of combs. After setting out
they were generally fed liberally every
night to induce breeding, which is a
good plan if properly handled, but in
this case it helped to breed the disease,
and it did do it to the fullest extent.
Why? First, a small colony should not
be given any more combs than it can
cover, either in summer or winter. If
the hive is too large, insert a division on
one or both sides; if on both sides, let
one of them be at least half an inch
shallower than the hive, then if the numbers
increase, they can crowd outside
of it.Second, if they are wintered indoors,
in a hive full of combs, take away all
you can before they are set out in the
spring, even if you have to feed to prevent
starvation.Third, if you do winter indoors on a
full set of combs, do not commence
feeding regularly, to induce breeding, as
soon as set out, though it be the 25th of
April or even the 1st of May.In the case mentioned the consequences
were: In the weak colonies
some of the bees died in the combs andcontracted some moisture, consequently
would mold. Some strong colonies
would do the same, but many of the
dead bees would be thrown down. The
cellar had a drain 100 feet long, with a
fall of 5 feet, to keep the cellar dry, and
a ventilator 3 feet above the house-sill
outside, at the south. The ventilator
opened on warm days, consequently a
draft of warm air, fire in the room
above, temperature in the bee-cellar
raised, cluster of bees spread, queen
goes to laying, honey consumed, brood
reared and old bees wearing out; all of
these conditions are the requisites of
good, strong, healthy colonies, and they
are just as surely the forerunners of
first-class cases of foul brood every time.I know that 99 out of every 100 bee-keepers
will differ with me, but go
through the colonies with me 10 or 15
days after setting out on the summer
stands; suppose in that time we have
had 2 or 3 good flying days; the feeding
induced the queen to lay more rapidly
and forced the cluster to spread; the
eggs hatched into larvæ; on the pleasant
days the old bees flew out but forgot
to fly in again, thus diminishing the
cluster; then there came 2 or 3 stormy
days in succession, cold and chilling;
the cluster contracted as well as diminished
in numbers; the minute larvæ
starved and dead, and some, perhaps,
that are advanced to capping; another
flying day, and their numbers are more
reduced. The dead bees in the combs
putrefy, and you have for your pains a
first-class case of foul brood in the near
future. Many will shake their heads,
but I saw the colonies, and in 3 years I
saw the 25 and their increase decreased
to 17, the 17 and their increase decreased
to 9, the 9 down to 2, and the 2 went, in
the spring of 1880, “where the woodbine
twineth.”Woodbury, Conn., Feb. 26, 1881.
For the American Bee Journal.
Early Importations of Italian Bees.REV. L. L. LANGSTROTH.
I can probably give, better than any
one living, the history of the first efforts
made to introduce Italian bees into this
country; as I knew well the late Messrs.
Samuel Wagner and Richard Colvin,
and Messrs. S. B. Parsons and P. G.
Mahan, who, with myself, were the first
to import them. Messrs. Wagner and
Edward Jessop, both residents of
York, Penn., received from Dzierzon,
in 1856, a colony of Italian bees which
had starved on shipboard. Mr. Wagner’s
letter to me, August, 1856, and
given the next spring, in my 2nd edition
on bees, is the earliest notice, published
in this country, of the Italian
race of bees. Messrs. Wagner and
Colvin, subsequently, bought a few
queens of Dzierzon, which were consigned
to the care of the surgeon of a
Bremen steamship, who had been carefully
taught what precautions to use
for their safety. Fearing that the bees
might sting his passengers, the captain
would not allow them to be put on his
vessel.“In the winter of 1858-59,” (I quote
from Mr. Colvin’s able article on beekings,
in the Report of the Commissioner
of Agriculture for 1863, page
530,) “another attempt was made by
Mr. Wagner, Rev. L. L. Langstroth,
and myself. The order was placed in
the hands of the surgeon of the steamer,
to whose charge the bees were to have
been committed, but in consequence of
his determining to leave the ship, the
effort failed.[A] Subsequently arrangements
were made, in the latter part of
that year, and we received 7 living
queens. Only two or three young queens
were reared by us during that fall and
winter, and in the following spring we
found that all our imported stock had
perished. In conjunction with Mr.
Wagner, I determined to make another
trial; the queens, however, did not arrive
until June, 1860.”Footnote
[A]
Mr. Colvin, having formed the acquaintance
of the German Captain, not only convinced
him that the bees could not escape
to injure anyone, but inspired him with a
strong desire to be the first to bring over in
his own vessel, this valuable race of bees.
It would require quite a volume to tell, at
length, what sacrifices of time were made
by Messrs. Wagner and Colvin, to secure
these bees.Our queens, which came in 1859, were
in charge of a German resident of
Brooklyn, N. Y., who was returning
home from a visit to his friends, and to
whom Mr. Wagner had given very careful
directions how to care for them.
This person, learning that Mr. Mahan
had expressed the intention of having
the honor of landing, in America, the
first living Italian bees, and desiring, as
he told me, to secure this honor for us,
communicated Mr. Mahan’s intention
to the captain, who, as soon as the
gang-way was in place, was the first
person to step ashore, proclaiming with
a very loud voice: “These are the first
Italian bees ever landed on the shores
of America!”In the spring of 1856, Mr. S. B. Parsons,
of Flushing, L. I., invited me to
visit him, and advise with him as to
the best way of managing his Italian
bees. On my way, I called upon Mr.
Mahan, who was joint owner with me
of a large interest in my patent hive.
He gave me a very graphic account of
his visit to the apiary of the Baron Von
Berlepsch, from whom he obtained a
queen, and supplied me with a few Italian
workers for Prof. Joseph Lidy, that
he might determine how the length of
proboscis, in that variety, compared
with that of the black bee. On arriving
at Flushing, Mr. Parsons showed
me five hollow logs, or “gums,” placed
in an old bee-shed. It was a warm, sun-shiny
day, and I saw only an occasional
bee flying out from one of the hives.
These colonies had been purchased in
Italy, carried safely on the backs of
mules over the Alpine passes, to Genoa,
from which port they were safely
shipped to New York; but by a succession
of mishaps, four of them died at
Flushing. The fifth contained a mere
handful of bees, with their queen,
which I introduced to a colony of black
bees. It is hardly necessary to say that
none of these hives were ever in the
same vessel with Mr. Mahan.On the 18th of April, the steamer
Argo arrived in New York, after a tedious
and stormy voyage. Mr. Herman,
a German bee-keeper, and author of a
work on the Italian bee, who had been
furnished with a large sum of money by
Mr. Parsons to buy Italian bees in the
best districts of Italy, and who had
agreed to bring them over in the original
hives, and breed queens for Mr.
Parsons, was not on board, but in his
place, a young Austrian, by the name
of Bodmer. On the 19th, as soon as the
bees were allowed to be landed, they
were carried to Flushing. The small
boxes in which they were put up were
in three different packages, one of
which was consigned to the U. S. Government,
one to Mr. Mahan, and one to
Mr. Parsons. As the Austrian said
that he knew, by examination on shipboard,
that the bees were in a very bad
condition, and many of them already
dead, and, as the day was very pleasant,
they were all examined under my personal
supervision, and I can assure Mr.
Robinson that every colony consigned
to the Government and Mr. Mahan, was
dead. A few, only, of those marked
for Mr. Parsons, had living queens,
some of which soon died, and in a short
time he found himself the possessor of
only two queens, one of which was the
queen found alive upon my arrival at
Flushing.By my advice, Mr. Wm. W. Cary, of
Coleraine, Mass., a very skillful bee-keeper,
and a thoroughly trustworthy
man, was sent for by Mr. Parsons. One
of the queens was entrusted to his care,
on the premises of Mr. Parsons, and
the other to Mr. Bodmer, some distance
off, who did not raise queens enough
even to pay for the black bees and honey
which were purchased for his use; while
Mr. Cary Italianized a large apiary for
Mr. Parsons, besides filling all his orders
for queens.One hundred and eleven queens were
carried to California, by Mr. A. J. Biglow,
108 of which reached there in good
condition. This small per cent. of loss
was, in part, owing to the skillful supervision
of Mr. Biglow, and to the purifying
flight which, by my advice, he
gave them on the Isthmus of Panama;
but all his precautions would have been
of no avail but for the judicious way in
which they were prepared by Mr. Cary
and himself, for so long a voyage. The
bees sent to Mr. Parsons were in cigar
boxes, into which the combs were
merely crowded or wedged: the loosening
of the combs on so rough a voyage
killed some of the queens, while others
were drowned, with their bees, in honey;
and others, still, starved from the boxes
being over-crowded with bees. It is
hardly necessary to contrast Mr. Biglow’s
success with the heavy losses sustained
for years by those who imported
bees from Europe. The result of Mr.
Parsons’ dealings with Herman were,
that for $1,200 advanced to him, he had
only 2 queens to show. The next season
Mr. Bodmer, having learned how to
pack bees for a sea voyage, brought
over a number of queens in good condition,
for Mr. E. W. Rose, but was very
unfortunate in the management of
them. Herman came, some years after,
to this country, and was employed by a
friend of mine in Philadelphia, to purchase
for him, in Italy, a large number
of queens. The return voyage was long
and stormy, and every queen died on
board the steamer.Oxford, Ohio, March 5, 1881.
For the American Bee Journal.
A Good Way to Promote Bee-Keeping.WM. F. CLARKE.
As a sample of what may be done in
many parts of the country to diffuse
knowledge regarding apiculture, and
awaken an interest in bee-keeping as a
business, let me give a brief account of
a meeting recently held in Shaftesbury
Hall, Toronto, under the auspices of
the Y. M. C. A. Mr. D. A. Jones, having
made the acquaintance of some of the
leading spirits in the organization just
named, offered to give a free lecture on
bee-keeping. The offer was accepted,
and a meeting announced to which the
members of the Y. M. C. A. were admitted
gratis, while the general public
were charged a small fee. Mr. Jones
invited the writer to be present as a reserve
force, in case he should break
down, (!) and what enthusiastic bee-keeper
would not rally to the rescue
when thus appealed to? Unfortunately
Mr. J. was not in good trim, having
been sick enough to keep his bed most
of the day preceding the lecture evening.
However, he gathered himself up
for the task he had undertaken, and
was cheered by the appearance of his
ally just as the lecture was about to begin.
For a sick man, he did bravely,
and spoke for nearly an hour. His remarks
were, of course, general, and
very different from what they would
have been if his audience had been composed
of experienced apiarists. He
discoursed on bee-keeping as a business,
explained the outlines of it, showed
that it was profitable, and especially
dwelt upon the gain which would accrue
to the country if it were more generally
engaged in. An interesting sketch of
his journey to Cyprus and the Holy
Land formed the latter part of his address.
The writer supplemented his
remarks by a talk of about half an hour,
the chief theme of which was advice to
intending bee-keepers. There was a
far larger audience than might have
been expected, considering the prevalent
apathy in regard to apicultural pursuits,
and considering also that the
weather was unpleasantly stormy.
Much interest was evidently awakened;
a number of questions were asked at
the close of the addresses, and many
lingered when “meetin’ was out” to
talk about bee-matters. An immense
amount of good might be done if practical
bee-keepers would engage in this
kind of missionary work. The public
is a dull scholar, and needs to be “enthused”
by men who have the true apicultural
spirit. Among other questions,
these were asked:—“What is the best
bee journal?” and “What is the best
book on bee-keeping?” The American
Bee Journal, and Cook’s “Manual,”
were the replies given. In his
counsels to beginners, the writer insisted
very strongly, that the first step
in practical bee-keeping was to get a
good hand-book, and journal of apiculture.
So, if you receive orders from
Toronto for the American Bee Journal,
and “Manual,” you may give
Jones’ meeting the credit for having
inspired them. There are not only Y.
M. C. As., but other organizations all
over the land that would be glad to have
a meeting in the interests of bee-keeping.
If 2 or 3 practical bee-keepers
would divide the work and responsibility
of maintaining such a meeting, it
would not be so formidable, as though
only one man undertook it. A plain,
common-sense talk on a subject of such
practical and commercial importance as
bee-keeping, would be a welcome change
from the elaborate lectures usually delivered
before Y. M. C. As., Lyceums,
and bodies of that ilk. I hope Jones’
enthusiastic zeal will stir others up to
emulation and imitation. Reader, if
conscious of possessing “the gift of
the gab” in any degree, “go thou and
do likewise.”Listowell, Ont., March 7, 1881.
For the American Bee Journal.
F. P. BOUTEILLER.
A prominent wine-grower in this
country, told me, about a year ago, that
he did not want bees in his neighborhood
as he found they injured his
grape crop. As I have a small grapery,
of about a hundred plants, between the
rows of which I find shelter for about
20 colonies of bees, I determined to observe
if his theory was correct, for I
was loth to give up either. If any fruit
crop could be injured by the visit of
bees, mine is surely the one. The result
of one season’s close observation
has convinced me: 1st. That bees promote
rather than injure the foundations
of fruit buds, because the bunches
on my vines were full, with better developed
berries, than those produced on
vines less exposed to their visits, and
my peach and cherry trees were as
fairly loaded with fruit as they well
could be. 2nd. That in the fall bees
only visit our ripe berries, that have
been sweetened by early frosts, and are
very rarely seen on good sound fruit,
when the skin is unbroken, and that
the loss from this cause is of very little
consequence, as the fruit attacked would
fall off itself, without the visit of the
bees, before gathering. I am wintering
21 colonies, mostly Italians; procured
one of Jones’ Cyprian queens, but
too late in the fall to speak intelligently
of the result. They are on summer
stands, well sheltered and surrounded
with straw, having means of exit, and
I think are wintering well, but they
have not had a good fly since early in
November.Belle River, Ont., March 5, 1881.
For the American Bee Journal.
Remarkable Tardiness in Fecundity.G. W. DEMAREE.
One of my Cyprian queens has upset
an established doctrine in bee-science,
set at naught all the bee-books, and reversed
the old adage which says: “hope
long deferred maketh the heart sick.”
In the latter part of last season I reared
some Cyprian queens from eggs and
larvæ, obtained from Mr. Root; they
were 7 in number, and were hatched on
the 6th, 7th, and 8th days of Sept. The
weather being warm and fair they were
all fertilized (except one, which never
returned from her bridal tour) by the
12th of the month, and a few days later
they were all laying except one; that
being the finest, brightest-looking queen
of the lot, stubbornly refused to commence
the duties of a good queen. She
was in a strong nucleus which was fed
regularly and bountifully, till the hive
looked as though the occupants were
enjoying a bountiful white clover harvest,
but “nary an egg would she lay.”She was provided with a clean empty
comb, placed in the center of the colony,
and the feeding kept up till winter
set in, but no brood appeared. The
hive was not opened from the time it
was prepared for winter (say Nov. 15)
till the middle of Dec., at which time
there was not a sign of brood. Then
came the long siege of snow and bitter
winds which lasted till the 30th of Jan.;
on that date our bees enjoyed a good,cleansing flight, and I remembered my
non-laying queen and proceeded to look
her combs over, and to my surprise, on
one of the center combs I found a little
patch of brood about half as large as a
postal card, some of which was sealed
over. It was genuine worker brood,
and no mistake. Since which time she
has been laying nicely, and now has a
nice lot of brood for the time of year.My bees, 30 colonies with selected
queens, have come safely through the
winter to the 1st of March, and there is
really but little danger of losing bees
in this climate after the 1st of this
month, unless they are short of stores
and shamefully neglected. The bee-man
is aware, above all others, that
there is “many a slip betwixt the cup
and the lip,” however closely he may
watch his business. On the 30th of Jan.
last, when my bees were flying lively, I
noticed that one large colony with a
tested Cyprian queen, were not stirring
like the others. I proceeded to open
the hive and found the bees so nearly
starved that they could only show signs
of life by a feeble motion of their wings,
which produced no sound whatever.
Not a bee seemed able to change its position;
the fore-runner of death was
already present in the form of a cold,
damp atmosphere in the brood chamber.
I prepared some rich sweetened water,
separated the frames gently, and sprinkled
the bees thoroughly with the
sweetened water, and poured some of it
into the empty cells. The frames were
then readjusted and a dry woolen quilt
spread over the bees and the sun permitted
to shine into the hive. In about
an hour I raised the quilt and the inmates
of the hive were stirring briskly,
handing around the good cheer, while
some of them showed fight in a most
patriotic style. They were provided
with stores, and are now a No. 1 colony.
So much for bee-science.What a lesson this teaches! Here was
a large colony of bees perishing with
famine, as one single individual; so unselfishly
had they divided their family
stores amongst themselves that when
relief did come, though not till their
dire extremity, there was no practical
loss of life. Before I close I cannot resist
the temptation to tell how my bees
have been carrying in meal, and prancing
gaily on the alighting boards with
their white pellets exposed to the best
advantage.Christiansburg, Ky.
For the American Bee Journal.
Honey-Producing in California.W. A. PRYAL.
No doubt but by this time many of
the Eastern bee-keepers are looking
to this far-off “land of milk and honey,”
as of late years it has been called. Perhaps
the reason is partly because here
abundant warm rains have fallen all
over the State, and the world-renowned
honey region has received its complement
of the down-pour; in fact, the inhabitants
hardly ever saw so much rain
visit that section at the right time.There are now signs, however, that
indicate the sun will shine with its usual
brightness; that those delightful spring
days, which are so peculiar to this fair
land, are about to favor us. Let this be
the case and the bees will soon be flying
out by thousands, and the willow blossoms
will each and all receive a welcome
visit from those industrious insects.
Their journeyings will not be confined
to the banks of the creeks where the
willows grow, but the woodland, where
the Australian blue-gum (Eucalyptus
globulus) has been planted by the hand
of man, and which holds out its bounteous
chalice for the busy bee to come
and sip of nectar deep and sweet.While the loss in bees will in all probability
be great in the States east of the
Rocky Mountains, here the loss, if any,
will not be quite as bad as it has been
other years. Thus it will be seen that
our eastern brethren will have to commence
the season with greatly reduced
forces, while the apiarists in this State
will commence operations with more
colonies, and, consequently, with more
bees. Last season was a good one, and
the bees went into winter quarters with
abundant stores, which have carried
them through the mild winter safely.
The bee flora having had ample rains
to insure a most thrifty growth, will
bloom for a longer period than it has
heretofore, and, of course, will insure
an enormous yield of honey.On account of the long continuance
of the rain, but few flowers have commenced
to bloom. Still the plants are
growing, and when they do commence,
they will be able to do so in a vigorous
manner. A few of those now blooming
are the willows in variety, Eucalyptus
globulus, and it is unusually covered
with flowers; wild currant, a pretty fair
honey plant, but scarce; wild gooseberry;
wild blackberry, just beginning;
raspberry, ditto; almond; pear and
peach; mignonette; horehound, and a
few others. All of which give the bees
more than they can do to gather the
nectar and pollen.North Temescal, Cal., Feb. 17, 1881.
For the American Bee Journal.
A. W. FISK.
The present may be called “trying
times” to bee-keepers of America. Poor
honey seasons, hard winters, and the
nefarious warfare against the honey
producers of this country in the vile
adulteration of honey, is indeed trying,
discouraging and diabolical. It appears,
by the papers, that these glucose
scoundrels are not satisfied with adulterating
extracted honey, but according
to this article that I clip from one
of our papers, The Bushnell Record, they
are manufacturing comb honey. It
reads as follows:Many singular discoveries have been made among
manufacturers by the census enumerators in the
course of their investigations. For instance, it has
long been known that dealers are in the habit of
adulterating honey with glucose on the plea of thus
improving its keeping qualities. In Boston, however,
there is a firm doing a large business in making honey
entirely from glucose much in the same way as manufacturers
elsewhere make butter from suine and
oleo-margarine. The comb is molded out of paraffine
in excellent imitation of the work of bees; then
the cells are filled with clear glucose and sealed by
passing a hot iron over them, and the product is sent
to Europe as our best honey. The busiest Italian
bees couldn’t compete with this firm in turning out
honey, any more than could a Eurotas-like Jersey
breed compete in butter-making with our deft manipulators
of lard and tallow.Now, brother bee-men, I believe the
time has arrived when this honey counterfeiting
should be stopped; I therefore
suggest that the bee-men of this country
come up in solid phalanx “to the
front,” and with Pres. N. P. Allen and
the bee-paper editors as leaders, let us
agitate the question, educate the people,
stir up the press, wake up the
country, and vote or petition to Congress
until we secure the passage of a
law by Congress against the adulteration
of honey, sugar, syrup, or food of
any kind. Many of the leading journals
of our land are battling for the
right in this matter. The Burlington
(Iowa) Hawkeye last week expressed
itself as follows:It is time that stringent legislative enactments are
passed, making the adulteration of so many articles
of food a criminal offense, punishable by severe penalties.
If these things must be done to gratify the
inordinate greed of some men, let it be made obligatory
on them that the packages containing spurious
products so proclaim them, under penalty of confiscation
when detected, and the fraud further punishable
by heavy penalty. No man has any right to sell
a compound of honey and glucose as pure honey,
nor has he any right, either moral or legal, to place a
compound of butter and lard, still further “doctored”
with drugs, upon the market as pure butter. If adulterations
of food are allowed to go on in this way,
unrebuked, there is not an article of food known
that will not be counterfeited, and oftentimes with
substances very hurtful in character.I am thankful so many are lending
their aid and influence in the cause of
justice and humanity, but we want the
united efforts of honest bee-keepers,
and consumers, and fair dealers, to
make a bold front against every adulterator,
and to expose him to the world.
In this way I believe the problem can
be solved and the evil remedied.Bushnell, Ill.
[So far as it refers to the adulteration
of comb honey, it is a false alarm; all
bosh! We alluded to this subject more
at length on page 44 of the Bee Journal
for Feb. 9th. We are glad, however,
to see the interest being awakened
on the subject of food adulterations,
and bee-keepers as well as all other honest
producers, cannot be too out-spoken
in denouncing it.—Ed.]
For the American Bee Journal.
The In-and-In Breeding of Bees.M. S. SNOW.
Mr. C. Thielmann, in the Bee Journal,
says he has bees which are mostly
hybrids, and he does not know where
they came from, but there are Italians
5 miles from him. Another says he has
no black bees, and his queens must be
purely mated, &c.; another that a neighbor
has had some 10 or 15 colonies so
many years, breeding in-and-in, but
states he manages to keep his number
about the same. Breeding in-and-in
with bees, I am fully convinced, is not
much done. Bees are free rovers and
it seems to be their nature or instinct
to mate at some distance from the
parent hive.This question was discussed by one
of the speakers at a bee convention in
N. Y. some years ago. He claimed that
in-and-in breeding had a great deal to
do with the failures in bee-keeping, &c.
He compared an apiary to a yard of
fowls, in this respect, and that they
could be bred in-and-in until entirely
worthless. This may be done, for
fowls are confined to a particular locality,
but how is it with prairie chickens?
what is the reason they do not degenerate
and run out? Because they are
rovers, like the bee, and are mated by
others from some remote part.I claim that bees will mix from 5 to 7
miles, and if there are 50 or 100 colonies
within that distance the progeny of a
certain queen will stand a poor show of
mating with drones from its own hive.To illustrate: While living in N. Y.
I obtained one of Mr. Langstroth’s $20
tested Italian queens; I reared some 70
queens and introduced them into as
many colonies. The next season I had
Italian drones by the thousand. My
stock of Italian drones were the only
ones in the locality, so I had a good
chance to test breeding in-and-in. The
next season, and even that fall, there
were hybrid colonies all over the country,
even at the distance of 7 miles, one
man had one colony. One man, 5 miles
from me, wished me to introduce an
Italian queen into one of his colonies.
I think he had 6 and I was surprised to
see 4 of them hybrids, how they came
there he did not know. Others said to
me, “I have your kind of bees, but
where they came from I cannot tell.”All breeders of Italian queens find it
very difficult to keep their stock up to
the standard of purity. I obtained 5
dollar-queens (Italians) from a breeder
in N. Y., which when tested proved to
be hybrids, showing conclusively that
there were black bees in that section.Osakis, Minn.
For the American Bee Journal.
J. D. ENAS.
My location for surplus honey is not
as good as some other sections of the
State, and from the middle of June to
the last of July, from 4 to 6 weeks, there
appears to be no honey flow, and the
weather being hot and dry, scorches
what bloom is left, soon after June comes
in. Our last rain is in April, or sometimes
late in May, and no more, generally,
before October or November. All
kinds of stock depending on pasture,
especially in the hills, suffer at that
time. When bees can gather no honey,
Italians especially go about visiting for
the purpose of plunder, and woe to the
colony that is not strong enough to defend
its stores. I have reduced the entrance,
covered the entrance with cow-chips,
wet hay, brush, and, in fact, tried
all remedies that ever I saw in print or
heard of, without success. While the
robbers were helping themselves, the
colony robbed was not discouraged, but
appeared to be robbing some other, and
the queen was laying eggs, to be starved
as they advanced to brood; no bees appeared
to be killed at the entrance, as
no blacks were about; they were all
Italians, and they can rob when they
get started.I exchanged the places of the hives
without success, until I thought of
changing after dark; so while they were
robbing I went to all colonies that appeared
to be quiet and minding their
own business and placed a single stone
on the cover, then on those that were
getting robbed the worst, I placed 2
stones. Then when so dark that no bees
were flying, I exchanged places and
put a strong colony on the stand of a
weak one. Sometimes I had to repeat
this, but not always. Some of those
weak ones filled their hives with golden
rod honey and robbing was stopped for
that season. It was amusing to see the
robbers when those strong colonies had
fairly awakened, to know that they had
callers; they mustered out at the entrance
solid and were ready for business.
The robber seemed to think he
had made a mistake. The strong colony
had not got discouraged; the robbers
could not force the entrance and
the weak colony not in a fighting humor,
received the recruits from the
strong one, which were a little too surprised
at the change to interfere with
the queen and inmates. Most of the
old bees would go to their own stand
but in the confusion of things they
would gradually be at home in their
own hive. I found the plan very successful,
when closing the entrance did
not do. I extracted as late as June 10
to keep down swarming.Last spring my Italians took the
grafting wax from my peach grafts. I
also observed them gathering the worm
dust from decayed oak wood, and filling
their pockets instead of pollen, about
Christmas. In the valley 2 miles from
here, frost was quite severe, but here
the mercury got below 32° only twice;
the lowest was 28°. Natural bloom was
2 months behind, owing to early frosts
which appeared to drive the sap down
to the roots.Napa, Cal.
For the American Bee Journal.
B. F. WHITEAKER.
I commenced the year 1875 with 12
box hives and engaged my brother to
hive the colonies in movable frame
hives on shares, but the bees swarmed
faster than he had the hives ready—one
swarmed 5 times in one week. In the
fall I had 16 colonies in movable frame
and 20 in box hives. I prepared them
for winter by cutting up a light bed-quilt
to cover the frames; drove stakes
about a foot from the hives all around
except in the front, (which faced the
south) and packed straw in the spaces
and filled the cap with chaff and straw,
and covered the hives with straw. In
the spring but one colony was living
and that was in a box hive. The quilts
were laid down flat on the frames, leaving
no ventilation. When it became
cold the bees died and fell on the bottom
board, filling up the spaces between
the frames, the moisture fell on the
bees and froze solid, closing the entrance
so that I could not open it even
with an iron rod. In the corners of
each hive was a chunk of ice, running
half way up the frames. The bees cut
holes through the quilts and when they
could, had crawled into the straw and
died. This was murder, but such was
my experience in 1875-6.Florid, Ill., Mar. 1, 1881.
[We have no doubt your first disasters
were attributable altogether to a too
rapid increase.—Ed.]
☞ The North Western Wisconsin
Bee-keepers Association will meet at
Germania Hall, LaCrosse, Wis., on
Tuesday, May 10, at 10 a.m. All interested
in bee-keeping are requested to be
present.
L. H. Pammel, Jr., Sec.
☞ The next meeting of the N. W. Illinois and
S. W. Wisconsin Bee-Keepers’ Association, will be held at H. W.
Lee’s, 2 miles n.w. of Pecatonica, Winnebago county, Ills.,
on the 17th of May, 1881.
J. Stewart, Sec.
☞ On account of unfavorable weather
the convention at Monroe Centre,
Ill., met on Feb. 8, and there being but
few present, adjourned to the same
place on March 29, 1881.
A. Rice, Pres.
IN 1861
OLDEST BEE PAPER
IN AMERICA
THOMAS G. NEWMAN,
Editor and Proprietor,
CHICAGO, ILL., MAR. 16, 1881.
Watchman! Tell us of the Night.
Can you not recommend some reliable
prophet, who will prophesy good weather
soon? The storm is terrible; not a
road in the county is passable for half a
mile; the drifts are as high as the fences,
and the snow full three feet on the
level.Bees are getting uneasy, and must
have a flight soon. Many report heavy
losses, even now; others complain that
all are sick with dysentery. In my home
cellar, out of about 275, 4 are slightly
affected, the balance are apparently in
good condition. My outside apiaries
fare worse. Two weeks ago quite a
number had the dysentery slightly; I
should judge about 8 or 10 per cent.
How they now are I cannot tell; certainly,
no better. I believe that they
can stand it a month longer, and my
home apiary 6 weeks, but that is the
limit.We are all afraid that Vennor’s prophecy
of 11 feet of snow will yet be realized,
unless some one can be found to
contradict it. Eleven feet of snow now
would last us until all our bees had died
a natural death from old age. Help us
out of our trouble, if you can.Geo. Grimm.
Jefferson, Wis., March 3, 1881.
It was with much pleasure we noticed,
in last Thursday’s Associated Press dispatches,
evidences of Prof. Vennor’s
reformation. He undoubtedly has become
convinced that the realization of
the eleven feet of snow attributed to
his prophecies, would not only cause
much suffering and privation with the
majority of humanity, but work serious
and permanent injury to the country
itself. He has relented, or probably
been bribed by Mr. McColm’s liberal
offer in the Bee Journal of March 2,
page 69, and now promises us better
weather in the future. His latest prediction
is a reasonably early, warm, dry
spring, cool, pleasant summer, and late,
dry fall, followed by a mild and pleasant
winter. Of course, he promises
abundant crops, and a satisfactory and
remunerative harvest.
But without any further reference to
Prof. Vennor, and without laying any
claim to the “spirit of prophecy,” we
believe the coming season will be a very
satisfactory one to those bee-keepers
who may be prepared to profit by it, and
who have the industry and intelligence
to make the most of it. The winter of
1879-80 was very mild and open, the
scarcity of snow left the earth’s surface
exposed alike to the freezing temperature
of night, and the pleasant sunshine
of the balmy days; spring-like showers
were of frequent occurrence, and heavy
rains accompanied with thunder were
so numerous that they ceased to create
surprise; while the weird spring-music
of the frogs was a familiar sound every
month, and nearly every week, throughout
the winter. The alternating cold
and heat “threw out” the roots of the
perennial plants, breaking off the long,
deep-reaching taps and killing the rootlets;
hence the frequent expression,
“but little white clover in bloom, and
no honey in the blossoms.” The honey-producing
annuals have done but little better,
owing, we presume, to the germination
of the seeds in mid-winter, and
the frequent frosting of the tender
sprouts before spring set in. Thus, the
summer and fall bloom was limited, and
no provision having been made to supply
the short-comings of nature, bees
entered upon an unprecedented winter
with a poor supply of good—or a good
supply of poor—honey. The many empty
hives in the country this spring is the
result.
The past winter, whatever else may
be said of it, has been propitious for the
honey plants. Cool weather in this latitude
set in during October; vegetation
was checked in the perennials and biennials;
the ground was frozen in November,
and it was overspread with a
mantle of snow quite early in the season,
which has constantly held the roots
of the perennials in position, and prevented
the seeds of the annuals from
unseasonable germination. The stand
of white clover last fall was good, and
mostly of quite recent growth, which
should bloom profusely this season, and
will only need heat and favorable sunshine
to develop the nectar. The causes
enumerated will also tend to confine the
vitality of the linden trees to the roots,
to be drawn out in profuse foliage and
bloom by the genial rays of the summer
sun. The numerous variety of flowers
we believe will gratify the eye of every
lover of the beautiful in nature, and
well reward the labors of the painstaking
bee-keeper. That the price of honey
will be remunerative next fall no one
can doubt, in view of the lessened competition,
owing to the heavy losses the
past winter and the many who will
utilize the bees they have left to refilling
their empty hives.
It would take more space than we can
give a single article, to explain why we
have much confidence in Prof. Vennor’s
latest prediction, referred to above—though
perhaps “the wish is father to
the thought.” We feel confident many
of our readers will cordially unite with
us in welcoming the better time coming.
Why do not the enterprising bee-keepers
of these parts go South with
their bees, and wait till the March
“blizzards” are over? Seems to me the
bees and honey saved would about pay
the expenses of the trip. How much
does a colony need in those parts to winter
on? Would there be any prospect
of obtaining any surplus down there
before the season opens here? These
and a dozen other questions I am vainly
speculating upon. Are Messrs. Bingham
and Perrine the only ones that
have tried the migratory plan? I believe
neither of them was successful;
at any rate, they have abandoned it.
Probably they could not give it the necessary
attention. The loss of larvæ in
shipping seems but trifling compared to
the gain in young bees. Considerable
damage may be done by combs breaking
down, but wired frames would obviate
that difficulty. Is not wired foundation
(wired in frames) the only kind that can
be depended on under all circumstances?
You report in the October number,
1880, page 468, that the Northwestern
Convention disapproved of wired
foundation. There were but few present
that had given wired foundation a
fair trial, and if I am not mistaken,
they were strongly in favor of it.H. W. Funk.
Bloomington, Ill., March 5, 1881.
The first question is difficult to answer,
as enterprising bee-keepers, like
the balance of humanity, are generally
governed by motives of convenience
or profit. There are very few but have
other business connected with bee-keeping,
and this would suffer if close attention
was given the migratory system.
The amount of honey required to winter
in the South is much less than in the
North, but the quantity is governed by
contingencies, as would be the question,
How much honey will a colony obtain
in the South in a season? Usually bees
obtain considerable surplus in April and
May, in some localities. Mr. Bingham,
we believe, abandoned the migratory
system on account of excessive freights,
while Mr. Perrine met with a series of
disasters from the first which would
have discouraged any one. Mr. W. O.
Abbott was engaged last season with a
floating apiary on the Mississippi river,
from which large returns were anticipated;
but as nothing definite has been
made public since the close of the season,
we suppose it was not a success.
Others have tried Southern wintering,
but we have no data upon which to base
conclusions, except the fact of its abandonment.
The trouble has not been
so much from destruction of combs, as
the expense attending the removal.
A private letter from a gentleman
with several hundred colonies of bees,
located a short distance below Memphis,
Tenn., dated March 5, says: “My colonies
are mostly very strong; they are
bringing in 5 kinds of pollen; many are
clustering in front of their hives; most
of them had large quantities of honey
left over, and I could extract an average
of 15 lbs. per colony with profit to the
bees. Bees here are given no attention
in the fall, but are left on the summer
stands, sometimes with the second story
over them, and often with only a honey-board.
Frequently there are entrances
at front and rear, and wide cracks in the
sides from which bees pour out, but disaster
never overtakes them except from
starvation.”
If a necessity exists for wires in foundation,
then perhaps the wired frames
are best. That but few of those in attendance
at the Northwestern Convention
“had given wired foundation a fair
trial,” was undoubtedly owing to the
fact that the great majority of those
present had never experienced the necessity
for using wires; and it might be
difficult to convince a considerable minority
of the bee-keepers in the country
that wired foundation is even desirable
for general use. Of course, for special
purposes, such as migratory bee-keeping,
shipping in summer, etc., where
not to be transferred from the frames,
wired-frames might be very desirable.
Interesting Letter from Ceylon.
Through the courtesy of Mr. D. A.
Jones, we are permitted to publish the
following letter. Anything relating to
the peregrinations of Mr. Benton in the
far East, and any discoveries of new
races of bees he may effect, will possess
a great attraction for our readers. His
next letter, from Singapore, will be
awaited with interest.
I found on examination that every
queen was alive upon my arrival in
Pointe de Galle, though some of the
nuclei were greatly depopulated, owing
to the death of many bees, and would
not have lived to reach Java had I not
gotten off in Ceylon. By the next steamer
I go to Singapore. I have made
every effort to secure bees here, but
none are kept in hives in those ports I
have visited, and I do not think in any
port of the Island.Of those found in trees few can be secured,
because the trees are valuable
cocoanut palms, and the entrance holes
are in the trunk of course, and are very
small. I have obtained three hives only
of the small bees, having also spent
some time fixing up the bees I brought
with me, and trying to find the large
bees, to say nothing of searching for
some place where bees could be purchased
in hives or pots. The natives
are far worse than Cypriotes to get along
with and accomplish anything. They
seem to tell lies simply for the sake of
giving an answer, where no pecuniary
gain could come to them. Again, they
seem to wish to avoid saying “I do not
know,” when the Lord knows it would
be the most appropriate thing for them
to say in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred.
The result is that it is hard work
to sift the statements made by the natives,
and Europeans—nearly all English—know
absolutely nothing of value
to us.The new bees, which I think are also
found in India and many of the East
India Islands (in which case East India
bees would seem to me an appropriate
name), are real beauties. The workers
are 3/8 of an inch long, and build worker
comb 5/8 of an inch thick, 36 cells to the
square inch. The drone comb is exactly
the size, and like worker comb made by
the bees already in Europe and America.
The workers are brown with a very
ringed abdomen, the bands to the tip of
the body being broadly marked with
yellow, and thorax very fuzzy, with a
large shield between the wings; the
drones are black, inclining to a blue-black,
and are ½ of an inch long; the
queens are leather-colored, and large
compared with the workers. These bees
are very active, wonderful breeders, regular
little beauties, and can be handled
without the least smoke, scarcely ever
offering to sting. It is a pity I cannot
get more of them during my stay.I am determined to find out whether
Apis dorsata is to be found here, if time
will permit, and if two more races I
have heard of here really do exist. I
am now where a few shillings of railway
fare will bring me to the interior of the
Island. More by next mail, with samples
of bees and comb.I have had a horrible time getting
stung with large hornets while in the
jungles. It laid me up for one whole
day. These are fearful fellows, worse
than those in Cyprus.F. Benton.
Colombo, Ceylon, Jan. 24, 1881.
☞ There are five Wednesdays in
March—hence, the next number sent to
Semi-Monthly subscribers will be No. 14.
☞ We can supply but a few more of
the back numbers to new subscribers.
If any want them, they must be sent for
soon.
☞ One letter sometimes makes quite
a difference in the meaning of a sentence.
Mr. L. James calls attention to
an error in his article on page 34, in the
4th line from the bottom—the word
hiving is there given as “hiding.” As
the sense indicated the word required,
perhaps it was not generally noticed.
☞ The past week has been noted for
snow storms, not only in America but
also in Europe, where a winter of unusual
severity is reported, with deep
snows and steady frosts for months together.
This winter will have a place
in history, as being among the most severe
as well as of the longest duration.
Not alone have the bees suffered by it,
but cattle, sheep, hogs, etc., have perished
by the thousand from the prevalence
of blizzards and deep snows.
☞ Several bee-keepers in this vicinity
are considering the feasibility of
holding a convention in Detroit this
spring. The law in regard to foul
brood, which is about to be passed,
makes an organization necessary. It is
desirable to know how many would favor
the enterprise. Will such please
send me their address.
A. B. Weed.
No. 75 Bagg street, Detroit, Mich.
Wintered Well—I have wintered 40
colonies of Italians on the summer stands; they have wintered well.James H. Davis.
New Holland, Pa., March 8, 1881.
Mortality Reports.—It seems to me
that the only way of profiting by the
experience of bee-keepers throughout
the country, this exceptionally severe
winter, is to reduce their reports to a
tabular statement. If they could be
induced to send in these reports, in the
form of brief answers, to questions
like the following, we could read the
history of the past winter on a single
page of the Bee Journal, and
learn from it lessons of scientific value.
I mean such questions as these:1. How many colonies did you winter?
2. Where? (out doors or in cellar.)
3. What hive did you use?
4. How did you prepare it?
5. What entrance was left open, bottom,
top, or both?6. How late did the bees breed?
7. How many lbs. of honey were they
allowed to keep?8. When did they have their first
flight?9. How many colonies did you lose?
C. F. Kroeh.
Hoboken, N. J., Mar. 5, 1881.
[It would be difficult to get up a reliable
report of this kind for many reasons,
chiefly, perhaps, the following: 1st.
Spring does not open simultaneously all
over the country, and by the time the
last were heard from, the table would
have lost its interest; 2d. Many are
sensitive, and prefer not to give their
experience; 3d. Many have partially
reported already, and would scarcely
care to do so again. We agree with
Mr. Kroeh, a table of that description
would be invaluable for reference; but
it is difficult to obtain.—
Ed.]
Nineteen Weeks’ Confinement.—Bees
have at last had a purifying flight after
19 weeks’ confinement. I find 28 dead
from 153, I packed in chaff. Temperature
has been below zero 7 times, and as
low as 17° below, this winter. A few
of the remaining colonies are weak and
may die yet, but nearly all are strong
for this season of the year. One has
had dysentery since Dec. 15, but is
alive yet, with a fair prospect of getting
through.H. D. Burrell.
Bangor, Mich., March 10, 1881.
Wintered Safely.—We had a very
poor season last year and the winter has
been very severe. I began the last season
with 18 colonies, increased to 34 and
obtained about 500 lbs. of surplus. I
wintered in the cellar, and lost 3 colonies
with dysentery. My bees had a
cleansing flight about 2 weeks ago and
I think we will have no more losses this
winter. There are quite a number of
bee-keepers in this vicinity, but most
of them report very heavy losses, some
having over 100 colonies and losing
nearly all. We are very much pleased
with the Weekly Bee Journal, and
think it far superior to any Monthly.L. E. Welch.
Linden, Mich., March 8, 1881.
A Slim Living.—I prepared 21 colonies
on Dec. 1st, for wintering on summer
stands. Hives were sitting on 4 inch blocks,
and the colonies were all strong.
I placed woolen blankets over the tops
of the frames, then the honey-boards
and covers, and left them for the winter—my
usual way. Always heretofore
they have come out bright. Feb. 22nd I
felt uneasy about them, and being a
bright day, I opened the hives to find 11
dead out or 21 colonies, and the remaining
10 weak. The hives were filled
with frost and ice, and blankets wet
with water; 5 out of the 11 dead had
Italian queens, which I purchased from
Mr. A. H. Newman last summer. I am
not discouraged. If I had to make a
living from bees it would be slim. I can
learn more in 1 week about taking care
of bees from the Bee Journal, than I
could in 1 year without it.Edmund DeLair.
Oketo, Kan., March 1, 1881.
Honey Sections.—In the Bee Journal
of March 2d Mr. Heddon says he
prefers a section that he can press to
any angle and have it solid, but I fail
to see that any other angle than square
is of any advantage. Again, Mr. H.
asks, “Is it not better to wait and see
which goes into general use?” Perhaps
the following figures may show which
has gone into general use, at least with
our customers. I make any kind that
are wanted, and therefore the figures
will show which are the most desirable.
In 1879, the first year that the one piece
sections were put upon the market, and
at a higher price than other kinds, my
sales were:
104,578 one piece sections. 124,058 dovetailed. 38,270 nailed. In 1880, the following are the figures:
233,898 one-piece sections. 47,980 dovetailed. 50,950 nailed. According to Mr. Heddon’s test, therefore,
the one-piece sections are the most
desirable, because they have gone into
general use.G. B. Lewis.
Watertown, Wis., March 8, 1881.
Bees in Good Condition.—The Weekly
Bee Journal is a welcome visitor and
is the first paper I read when I return
home on Friday evening. It is a friend
that introduces me to my fellow bee-keepers,
and their manner of manipulating
our pets. My bees are in good
spirits, yet they had but 2 flights this
winter. I have them packed in a shed
in new Langstroth hives, manipulating
sides. They are 6 inches apart and
packed all around with straw, excepting
the fronts. They face the south, with
a division board on each side of the
frames, leaving a dead air space.John W. Sturwold.
Haymond, Ind., Feb. 7, 1881.
Wintered Without Loss.—I have kept
bees for 7 years and my greatest trouble
has been wintering them, but I think I
have that perfect now. I winter on
summer stands packed in chaff. Last
fall I had 72 colonies, and on Feb. 9 all
were right. I think I shall have to feed
them. Last fall some had 15 lbs. and
others 25 lbs of honey; that is if bees
and comb weighed 10 lbs. The combs
were all new, and it may be that 10 lbs.
was allowing too much.George Wickwire.
Weston Mills, N. Y., March 4, 1881.
Mourning for the Bees.—It is lamentable
to hear the reports throughout this
country. Some have lost all; others all
but 1 or 2. I think about four-fifths of
the bees are dead through this country;
as nearly all left their bees unprotected,
they had to suffer losses. But I think
the present winter will in part decide
the best methods of wintering. I
started last spring with 4 colonies, increased
to 6, but obtained no surplus.
In Sept. I bought 2 Italian colonies
which are doing well. I packed 2 in
chaff and 6 I put into the cellar, but 2
of these died, 1 starved, and the other
had the dysentery. Those packed in
chaff had a good flight on Feb. 26.
Those in the cellar had no flight since
Nov. 1. The weather is now breaking
up, the snow has nearly all gone, and
the roads are muddy. I am highly
pleased with the Weekly Bee Journal.
I could not be persuaded to do without
it.H. Cripe.
North Manchester, Ind., Mar., 8, 1881.
Wintering.—My experience of over
25 years in trying all modes of wintering
is as follows: On summer stands,
and in the cellar for 10 years; I then
built a house to winter in, used that 2
years and then abandoned it. The last
3 years I have been using the chaff
hive and winter on summer stands, with
the least loss of any way I have tried.
My bees had a splendid fly on the 11th,
it being the first chance for them since
the 8th of Nov. I think they will go
through all right now unless we have a
very late spring. I prepared 148 colonies
for winter, (123 in chaff hives and 25 in
the common box hive.) I have lost but
one in chaff hive yet, and 10 in the box
hive already, and doubt if one-half of
what are left will see the middle of
April. I wish to congratulate our editor
on the success of the Bee Journal.
I have received it regular since assuming
its new form, and think it just
splendid, and if I had but 1 colony of
bees I would try to take the Weekly
Bee Journal to aid me to make a
success of that 1. I hope the editor
may be liberally supported by the bee-keepers
of America, for I believe with
his experience and that of his able contributors,
he can give us a paper that
we cannot afford to do without.J. M. France.
Auburn, Pa. Feb. 24, 1881.
Vexatious to Sell Honey.—I only realized
$300 last year from my bees. I put
50 colonies in winter quarters in the
fall of 1879; lost none, but doubled up
on account of queenlessness, weakness,
etc., to 45, all in first class order. I
bought 50 colonies in old-fashioned
Langstroth hives; they were wintered
in a good cellar, and were, with a few
exceptions, weak in bees, combs in bad
order, short of stores, and badly managed
the preceding season. I united
them down to 27 before I moved them.
At the beginning of honey harvest
(basswood bloom) I doubled up to 15, so
that when the honey season opened I
had 60 first class colonies, and obtained
3,500 lbs. of summer honey. I extracted
only once. I increased by natural
swarming to 88, and at the close of the
season doubled up to 74. I have lost 1
this winter through my own fault. I
winter out-doors, but would winter indoors
if I had a proper place. I sell
nearly all my honey to the consumers,
but confess this is a vexatious way of
disposing of it; it is the most annoying
part of the business; in fact, I feel disgusted
when I think of it. People cry
fraud, fraud, when there is no fraud;
but when a spurious article is offered,
they swallow it as quietly as desired.George W. Horner.
Dubuque, Iowa, Feb. 15, 1881.
Prospects Better.—This has been a
fine day; my bees had a cleansing flight
to-day. They are all alive and strong,
and seem to be in splendid condition,
with plenty of honey and perfectly dry.
I think all the danger is over with them
now. I am in favor of double-walled
hives, but not packed with chaff, for I
have noticed that where there is chaff
there is frost on the inside wall. I prefer
a dead air space, for then it is always
dry. What is the use of changing
black bees for Italians, if Mr.
Loucks, of California, can get so much
honey from the black bees, they surely
must be the “boss” bees? I think we
had better take our bees to California,
where milk and honey flows.David Hohenshell.
Collins, Ill., March 6, 1881.
Paris Green.—It is not very good for
bees, as I had an opportunity last spring
to find out. I have in my garden a 10
year old plum tree that never perfected
any fruit and knowing that Paris
green would kill bugs I thought it
might also kill the “little turk,” or
Curculio. Acting upon the suggestion
I mixed some Paris green in a watering
can and put up through the branches
of the tree a long ladder, from the top
of which I sprinkled the whole top of
the tree just before dark, and a day or 2
before the bloom went off. Next day
afternoon as I was passing through my
bee yard I was very much surprised to
see on the ground a good many bees in
a dying condition which I could not account
for. I came at last, however, to
the conclusion that they had gone to
the plum tree in the morning before it
was dry and partaken of the poison. I
lost a good many bees but I have
learned this lesson, “never to put Paris
green on trees when in bloom;” still I
am satisfied that by sprinkling or
syringing 2 or 3 times, when the plum
is in its incipient state, it will insure a
crop. Who will try this spring and report?Geo. Thompson.
Geneva, Ill.
Making Progress.—Although behind
some other States, yet we have made
some progress. Bees seem to do best in
the newer counties, where the timber
has not been cut off. It might be supposed
that the northern portion of this
State was not favorable for bees, but
Aroostook county, in the extreme north,
produces nearly as much honey as all
the other 15 counties, and the honey is
put up in the most marketable shape;
but I fear the bees are not protected as
they should be in this northern climate.
We have had a cold winter, and the loss
has been very great. I winter my bees
in the cellar with success, and obtain
much pleasure, as well as profit, from
the time I devote to them. The Weekly
Bee Journal is my constant companion.Isaac F. Plummer.
Augusta, Maine.
Dead Bees in the Cells.—I took 6 combs
out of 2 hives in which the bees died,
that had plenty of honey in the 2 outside
frames. In every cell of the 3 middle
frames is a dead bee. I tried to pick
them out with a pin, but gave it up for
a bad job. Is there a way to clean them?
Can I use the combs again next spring?
Please let me know in next Journal.John W. Sturwold.
Haymond, Ind., March 11, 1881.
[You will find our method given in
answer to Mr. Phillips, page 86 of this
number. The combs can be used again
this spring.—Ed.]
Progressing.—My bees are getting
along well. I have lost 3 weak colonies
that were left unprotected; but it was
my own fault. A hive peddler was in
this section this winter selling hives
without frames. I showed him my
hives, similar to the Langstroth, and he
took the measure of it, and said I was
“well fixed” for bee-keeping. He never
said a word about selling his hive to me.
I do not know how many he sold.John Boerstler.
Gilead, Ill., Feb. 26, 1881.
Moldy Combs, Etc.—Having lost a few
colonies of bees the past winter, I wish
to make the best use of the combs left,
as they are mostly new. Some are moldy,
what shall I do with them? Some
of the cells are full of dead bees, how
shall I get them out? How can I keep
the moths out of the combs until I can
use them? An answer to these questions
through the Weekly, at an early
day, will no doubt benefit many new beginners.O. Phillips.
Emporia, Kans., March 2, 1881.
[When your colonies are strong in the
spring, give the moldy combs; they will
soon utilize them, if not given too fast.
The combs with dead bees should be
kept in a dry place, and after the bees
have become dried and shrunken, you
can easily shake them out of the cells.
If moths get in the combs, treat them
in the manner suggested by Mr. Doolittle,
page 74, Bee Journal of March
9th. One pound of sulphur, however,
to each 100 cubic feet, seems a large
amount; this would require 10 lbs. for
a room 10 feet square. We have had no
experience in sulphuring combs, but
think 1 lb. would be sufficient for 1,000
cubic feet, in a close room.—Ed.]
Palestine Bees.—We are having a
hard winter on bees: they have not had
a fly since last Oct. 28. Bees that were
here kept in old-style boxes are nearly
all dead, many that were packed in
chaff are dead or have the dysentery,
and are flying out on our coldest days,
and of course never return. My bees
that are in chaff tenement hives are in
the best condition of any I have seen.
My Palestine bees are standing the
lonely confinement in the hives better
than the Italians; they are quieter, and
do not fly out so much and get lost on
the snow. I much like the Weekly Bee
Journal, and when I got the Journal
of Feb. 2d out of the office I felt like
grasping the hand of the Editor, and
having a shake, but alas it was not
flesh and blood, but a very good likeness.
Many thanks for giving us a
chance to view it.I. R. Good.
Napanee, Ind., Feb. 2, 1881.
Honey as Medicine.—I wish to compile
for publication an exhibit of the medicinal
qualities of the various kinds of
honey, and I shall be obliged for any
facts sent me on the subject. Chaff-packing
seems to be ahead here this
winter, but I notice a great difference
in the wintering capacity of several colonies.
All of mine which were devoted
to the production of honey are doing
well, but I have lost by excessive early
breeding, and some that were used to
rear queens. They had no flight for 4
months.T. L. Von Dorn.
S Ave., Omaha, Neb., March 9, 1881.
Anxious for Spring.—The Monthly
was good, but a more frequent visitor,
in the shape of the Weekly, is better.
It brings fresh news, ready for use. I
spent an hour in my cellar, last evening,
examining my bees. I was heart-sick at
the condition in which I found them.
I had about 40 colonies in the fall; at
least one-half of them are dead. I have
an excellent cellar, especially for my
bees, and have not lost a colony before
for 5 or 6 years. I began to think that
losing bees in winter was an unnecessary
thing, but I see that I was mistaken,
for my bees did not lack for care
in any particular. The death of mine
is from dysentery. The small amount
of honey collected in this vicinity last
year was a very poor quality, as is seen
from the fact that it has not candied
during the winter. I extracted about
300lbs, and put it away in glass jars,
and it looks like so much New Orleans
molasses. My friend, Mr. Bischoff, had
about 40 colonies in the fall; all are now
dead but 6. They were left on their
summer stands. Mr. B. is lonesome
and wants my bees put in his apiary
next summer to keep him company, but
it remains yet to be seen if I will have
any left to keep up a humming in my
own apiary. I met Mr. Gardener, of
this city, the other day, and he reports
all of his 16 colonies dead. Several
other bee-men have told me that but
few, if any, of their bees are alive.
Winter still holds on with an iron
grasp. Our bees so much need a cleansing
flight. I am anxiously waiting for
some warm days.I. P. Wilson.
Burlington, Iowa, March 4, 1881.
Died of Disease.—I have lost about
all the bees I had, yet I love to hear of
others’ success in the bee business, and
read of others’ way of management; but
I am convinced that my bees died of
some disease, the same as Mr. Carver
reported from Greencastle, Indiana, although
bees have not died so universally
throughout this country as mine
have. I have the hives and combs left,
with lots of honey in them; these I can
sell for something, perhaps, or melt
them into wax, or get a few colonies of
bees to begin anew, but it is very poor
encouragement to put much stock in
bees, the way it looks now.D. W. Fletcher.
Lansingville, N. Y., Mar. 4, 1881.
Cyprians Ahead.—Bees doing well;
they are commencing to work on plum-bloom;
they have brood in all stages.
In an average of over 30 colonies of Cyprians,
they are farther ahead in brood-rearing
than the Italians. The latter
have had the same chance as the former.
Am very busy now, preparing
for queen-rearing.J. H. P. Brown.
Augusta, Ga., March 2, 1881.
An Early Season.—I see from reports
in our new Weekly Journal that bees
are dying throughout the north and
west more than usual, from short stores
and intense cold. I may say that
we have had an unprecedented cold
winter here, the thermometer at one
time ranged, for a few hours, as low as
18° above zero, but soon struggled back
to about 2∙5° below. Last fall our bees
gathered a full supply of fall honey,
and none will die from cold or starve
out that are worth saving. The winter
being wet, white clover is coming out
very thick over the ground; maple, elm,
plum and wild cherry are now in bloom,
as well as heads of white clover that are
pushing out their lovely forms to the
genial sun. Bees usually work on white
clover here by the 10th of this month;
but this year our honey season will be
much later. May the “new departure”
prosper and lead us forward to perfection.J. W. Winder.
Thibodaux, La., Feb. 10, 1881.
[Mr. Winder enclosed us some white
clover blossoms of this year’s growth.
The sight of the modest flowers is refreshing,
while from our office windows
the earth looks bleak and gloomy with
its deep mantle of snow.—Ed.]
Gone back on him.—I had 30 colonies
of bees—most of them Italians—last
fall, in Langstroth hives, packed in this
way: The ends of my hives are double-walled,
and the sides are made double
in winter by the use of division boards,
in place of 2 frames, leaving but 8
frames. I then use a crate made of
laths, which sets down around the hive
so is to leave a space of about 8 inches
for packing between it and the hive on
the sides and back end. This space I
fill with a packing of fine straw and
leaves mixed, and packed hard when
just a little damp. Then strips of board
are fitted so as to protect the top of the
straw from rain or snow; next a blanket
over the frames and 6 inches of chaff
over that, protected by the cap, in
which are openings, so as to give free
circulation of air above the chaff. The
entrance is kept open enough for a good
supply of air. In this way I have heretofore
had good success in wintering on
summer stands; but this winter it has
gone back on me. Until last Saturday,
the 5th inst., there has been no day
warm enough for bees to fly for some
months. Many did come out, even on
the coldest days, but of course could
live but a few moments out of the hive.
I let them entirely alone, except to see
that the entrances were free, until day
before yesterday, when it was warm
enough for bees to fly. I looked them
over and found only twelve of them
alive; only 4 of these are in good condition,
the others are weak and the
hives a good deal soiled. Now, what
puzzles me is this. They were all, apparently,
very nearly alike last October,
and now 4 of them are in perfect condition
while all the others were bad. Now,
why the four exceptions out of 30? I
am glad for them, but would like to understand
the reason. Can you tell us,
Mr. Editor? They have evidently not
been cold, and have had plenty of honey.
In the dead ones I have examined I find
brood in a hatching state, with half or
more of the cells empty, indicating
that young bees had hatched. I attribute
the disaster to long confinement,
but why the 4 exceptions? I say amen
to all the compliments you publish
from your subscribers for the Bee
Journal.D. K. Boutelle.
Lake City, Minn., March 7, 1881.
[Probably during some of the milder
days of winter the bees became scattered
in their hives, the weather suddenly
changed, and they perished before
they could form their cluster on
honey, and thus starved.—Ed.]
From Florida.—The Bee Journal
is at hand; we do not know how we
could do without it. The past has been
a very good honey season here. We
have 255 colonies of bees in Langstroth
hives. Some are Italians—we like them
as honey-gatherers, but they are crosser
than our natives. We obtained 850
gals. honey, and 500 lbs. wax. The latter
we obtained from about 90 hives
which we transferred. We think apiculture
will pay here with good management.
We extracted from one colony
32 Langstroth frames well filled
with honey. Our apiary is located on a
“gum” swamp, 5 or 6 miles wide and
15 or 20 miles long, which is our main
honey source, and blooms from April
15 till May 15; we also have many other
honey producing flowers. We have a
vine which grows in the swamps and
yields a great deal of amber-colored
honey. We inclose a sprig—please give
the name.Alderman & Roberts.
Wewahitchka, Fla.
[The vine you send is commonly
known as snow vine, and is quite
abundant in several of the Southern
States.—Ed.]
Bee Feeding.—I have thus far used
the “bag feeder,” of our friend Prof.
Cook, with this addition: I have a long
tin tube, shaped like the handle to a
water-dipper, long enough to reach
through the bag of chaff and empty
into the bag; then, with the aid of a
funnel, I can daily place the warm food
within reach of the bees without disturbing
them or letting out the heat—so
precious in early spring to a depleted
colony. Have never tried the Professor’s
“Perfection”—thought I saw
objections to it. If any of our more
experienced bee-keepers have devised
a “better way,” please tell me through
“our” Journal.E. M. R.
Flint, Mich., March 4, 1881.
Introduced a Queen.—Bad luck to bees
in this valley of the Ohio. Of 32 colonies
in Langstroth hives, 18 now remain,
and the 4th day of March a perfect
“blizzard” all day, so I fear I will
lose more from spring dwindling. I
found, one day in February, all the bees
dead but two, and the queen nearly
gone, in one hive, but plenty of honey.
I had a queenless colony, and laid these
3 bees on the frames to see if they would
come to life; they became warm and
crept down among the bees. The next
warm spell I looked, and the yellow
queen was safe among the black bees.
A novel way to introduce a queen in
February.G. W. Ashby.
Valley Station, Ky., March 5, 1881.
Loss 88 per cent.—The loss of bees
in Wayne and Randolph counties is
heavy—about 88 per cent. Our bees
had a fly Feb. 26th, the first for 111 days.
We have reports from 1400 colonies
(November count) and March 1st finds
them all dead but 171. The Italians
have come through better than the
blacks. Those packed in chaff on summer
stands have wintered better than
any other mode in this locality. There
is a great call for bees here by parties
that are wanting to start again. Our
loss is 4 out of 15 colonies, all in chaff
hives.M. G. Reynolds.
Williamsburg, Ind., March 7, 1881.
First Year’s Experience.—Bees done
poorly here last season. There was an
abundance of bloom, but too much
rain. I sowed 1 acre of buckwheat;
while this lasted my bees stored more
honey than at any other time in the
season; I think it an excellent honey
plant. Pumpkin blossoms yield considerable
honey; would it pay to plant
them all over a field of corn? My bees
are packed in chaff, and they are all in
good condition at present. They have
not had a flight since the 1st of Nov.
Success to the Weekly Bee Journal;
I like it better than the Monthly.Wm. Hagan.
Holly, Mich., Jan. 18, 1881.
[Pumpkin blossoms yield a rich, but
strongly flavored honey; we think the
pumpkins would be remunerative for
their cultivation to feed to stock, and
that the honey obtained from the blossoms
would be a net profit.—Ed.]
Summer a long way off.—This winter
has been, so far, the most severe known
for many years in this part of the
State. Snow-storm has followed snow-storm,
and cold spell has followed cold
spell, until now there is more snow on
the ground than we have had altogether
for 6 or 7 years. And the poor bees!
how have they fared through all the
snow and cold? Badly, I fear from the
reports I hear every few days; but so
far as heard from, where they were
properly cared for, either in cellar or on
summer stands, they are doing quite
well; but summer is a long way off.Harry G. Burnet.
Blairstown, Iowa, March 5, 1881.
A Little Discouraged.—I am a little
discouraged this spring. I put 54 colonies
into winter quarters last fall and
now have but 23, and some of them are
weak. Those in my bee-house suffered
the worst. I had 20 colonies on the
summer stands, packed with cut straw,
and lost 6 of them by dysentery and
starvation. If bees are strong in numbers
and have plenty of honey, I can
see that there is no danger of loss. Last
season it was so dry here that the white
clover dried up, and the bees could get
but little honey, and what they did
gather was very dark. I am glad to receive
the Bee Journal weekly now;
the news comes and seems so fresh. I
hope it will be well supported.J. W. Rikie.
Mont Clair, N. J., March 6, 1881.
Why Did They Die?—Last fall I put
my bees into a dry cellar; some of them
had 75 lbs. of honey, and in 4 or 5 weeks
there were many dead bees. I cleaned
them up but in a few weeks more they
all died; what was the cause of this?
Over 80 per cent. of all the bees in this
vicinity are dead.R. L. Holman.
Springfield, Ohio, Feb. 19, 1881.
[Your colonies were strong, had a
large quantity of honey, and the cellar
was too warm; they commenced breeding,
became uneasy, and left their hives
from disquietude.—Ed.]
Wintered Without Loss.—I packed 41
colonies and they are now all living,
and nearly all appear to be in good condition.
My bees are flying to-day.
Many bee-keepers in this country have
lost heavily, and are much disheartened.
I hope to be able to make a good showing
when I report again, say about
May 1.J. J. Roe.
Buchanan, Mich., March 9, 1881.
This Association held its winter meeting
at Brandon, Vt., on Jan. 20, 21, 1881.
Pres. Crane in the chair. Col. H. H.
Merritt gave an address of welcome, to
which Pres. Crane replied, stating the
object of the meeting and giving a
brief narration of the ancient history
of the honey bee, and of its improved
management in the present age.
Mr. A. E. Manum said success depended
on the man and circumstances.
The bee-keeper should be a person of
even temperament—not easily excited—should
be somewhat acquainted with
botany; and recommended small section
boxes, to hold not more than 2 lbs.
Everything should be kept ready and in
order. He gave an estimate of produce in
a good season with Italian bees, and
also a poor season like the past.
Mr. O. C. Wait, of Georgia, said that
experience had shown that bee-keeping
was no mystery or sleight of hand, but a
clear, plain, practical science. Bee-keepers
were an intelligent, enterprising
class of men; men of progress. No
intelligent man would destroy his bees.
After some discussion Mr. Manum exhibited
some of his honey boxes, and
explained their uses and advantages.
Bees were advantageous in the orchard,
and to the buckwheat crop, as he
had satisfactorily demonstrated. Some
doubts had been expressed to the value
of the red clover blossom on account of
the inability of the bee to reach the
nectary; Italians have the advantage
over black bees, because they are provided
with greater length of proboscis.
Pres. Crane said he had noticed bees
working in red clover early and late in
the season; bees will not work where
they get no honey.
In the evening, after a few preliminaries,
Mr. E. A. Hasseltine read a sensible and
witty poem on “Prospects
and Retrospects,” which was well received
by the audience.
The talk on Sweets, by Prof. Seely,
was a learned dissertation on the chemical
properties and qualities of the various
kinds of sweets that are offered
in our markets. He exhibited over 20
different kinds of sugar; spoke of the
various substances from which sugar
was extracted, as trees, plants, roots
and fruits; some specimens would solidify
sooner than others; sugar from cane,
corn, beets and maple, were all of the
same chemical formation.
J. E. Crane spoke on the Individuality
of Bees; there was a marked difference
in the character of colonies, some
were industrious, others not so; some
prefer some kinds of flowers, others reject
them; Italians dislike buckwheat,
while black bees work well on it. Every
colony has some peculiar character. He
showed several samples of honey from
different flowers, and explained their
various qualities, and also exhibited
specimens of bees from the Holy Land.
Dr. F. Bond said that the Creator had
placed the sweets in flowers to attract
the bee, to carry out nature’s laws, by
carrying the fertilizing pollen to the unfertile
flower, and thus showing a wise
and beneficent Providence.
On Friday, Jan. 21, after some preliminary
business, the following were
elected officers for the ensuing year:
President, J. E. Crane; Vice-Presidents,
H. L. Leonard, E. P. Wolcott, E. A.
Hasseltine; Secretary and Treasurer,
Hon. T. Brookins.
Mr. O. C. Wait spoke of the bad condition
he found honey in the Boston
market, and of the manner of awarding
premiums at fairs.
Mr. Manum remarked that it was important
to have good queens, he advised
all to raise their own; old queens were
best to rear queens from, say 2 years old
or more; it is best to rear queens in
warm weather, when honey is plenty.
The question “how to prevent bees
from dwindling” Mr. Leonard answered
thus: In this case as in all other ills to
which bee-keepers are heir to, keep the
colony strong and healthy. Mr. Leonard
read an essay on “Bee-culture for
Women,” giving instances of marked
success. He said women in Vermont
were as capable and had as good facilities
as in any part of the country, and
would succeed as well, if attended to.
Adjourned to meet at Bristol, Vt.,
in May next.
T. Brookins, Sec.
Local Convention Directory.
| 1881. | Time and Place of Meeting. | |
| April | 2 — | S. W. Iowa, at Corning, Iowa. |
| 5 — | Central Kentucky, at Winchester, Ky. | |
| Wm. Williamson, Sec., Lexington, Ky. | ||
| 7 — | Union Association, at Eminence, Ky. | |
| E. Drane, Sec. pro tem., Eminence, Ky. | ||
| 7 — | N. W. Ohio, at Delta, Ohio. | |
| 13— | N. W. Missouri, at St. Joseph, Mo. | |
| D. G. Parker, Pres., St. Joseph, Mo. | ||
| May | 4 — | Tuscarawas and Muskingum Valley, at Cambridge, Guernsey Co., O. |
| J. A. Bucklew, Sec., Clarks, O. | ||
| 5 — | Central Michigan, at Lansing, Mich. | |
| 10— | Cortland Union, at Cortland, N. Y. | |
| C. M. Bean, Sec., McGrawville, N. Y. | ||
| 11— | S. W. Wisconsin, at Darlington, Wis. | |
| N. E. France, Sec., Platteville, Wis. | ||
| Sept. | — — | National, at Lexington, Ky. |
| — — | Kentucky State, at Louisville, Ky. | |
| Oct. | 18— | Ky. State, in Exposition B’d’g, Louisville, Ky. |
| W. Williamson, Sec., Lexington, Ky. |
☞ In order to have this Table complete, Secretaries
are requested to forward full particulars of time
and place of future meetings.—Ed.
CLUBBING LIST.
We supply the Weekly American Bee Journal
and any of the following periodicals, for 1881, at the
prices quoted in the last column of figures. The
first column gives the regular price of both:
| Publishers’ Price. | Club. | |
| The Weekly Bee Journal (T. G. Newman) | $2 00 | |
| and Gleanings in Bee-Culture (A. I. Root) | 3 00 | 2 75 |
| Bee-Keepers’ Magazine (A. J. King) | 3 00 | 2 60 |
| Bee-Keepers’ Exchange (J. H. Nellis) | 2 75 | 2 50 |
| The 4 above-named papers | 4 75 | 3 75 |
| Bee-Keepers’ Instructor (W. Thomas) | 2 50 | 2 35 |
| Bee-Keepers’ Guide (A. G. Hill) | 2 50 | 2 35 |
| The 6 above-named papers | 5 75 | 5 00 |
| Prof. Cook’s Manual (bound in cloth) | 3 25 | 3 00 |
| Bee-Culture (T. G. Newman) | 2 40 | 2 25 |
For Semi-monthly Bee Journal, $1.00 less.
For Monthly Bee Journal, $1.50 less.
Honey and Beeswax Market.
BUYERS’ QUOTATIONS.
CHICAGO.
HONEY.—The market is plentifully supplied with
honey, and sales are slow at weak, easy prices. Quotable
at 18@20c. for strictly choice white comb in 1
and 2 lb. boxes; at 14@16c. for fair to good in large
packages, and at 10@12c. for common dark-colored
and broken lots.—Chicago Times.
BEESWAX.—Choice yellow, 20@24c; dark, 15@17c.
NEW YORK.
HONEY.—Best white comb honey, small neat
packages, 17@18c.; fair do., 15@16c.; dark do., 12@13c.;
large boxes sell for about 2c. under above. White
extracted, 9@10c.; dark, 7@8c.; southern strained,
80@85c.
BEESWAX.—Prime quality, 20@23c.
CINCINNATI.
HONEY.—The market for extracted clover honey
is very good, and in demand at 11c. for the best, and
8@9c. for basswood and dark honey. Comb honey
is of slow sale at 16c. for the best.
BEESWAX.—18@24c.
C. F. Muth.
SAN FRANCISCO.
HONEY.—Extracted is in large supply for the season,
and purchasers for round lots difficult to find,
except at extremely low prices. We quote white
comb, 12@15c.; dark to good, 10@11c. Extracted,
choice to extra white, 6@6½c.; dark and candied,
5@5½c.
BEESWAX.—21@22½c., as to color.
Stearns & Smith, 423 Front Street.
San Francisco, Cal., March 4, 1881.
SPECIAL NOTICES.
☞ Constitutions and By-Laws for
local Associations $2 per 100. The name
of the Association printed in the blanks
for 50 cents extra.
☞ “What is the meaning of ‘Dec.
81’ after my name on the direction-label
of my paper?” This question
has been asked by several, and to save
answering each one, let us here say: It
means that you have paid for the full
year, or until “Dec. 31, 1881.” “June
81” means that the first half of the
year is paid for, up to “July 1st.” Any
other month, the same.
☞ We will send sample copies to any
who feel disposed to make up clubs for
1881. There are persons keeping bees
in every neighborhood who would be
benefited by reading the Journal,
and by using a little of the personal influence
possessed by almost every one,
a club can be gotten up in every neighborhood
in America. Farmers have
had large crops, high prices, and a good
demand for all the products of the
farm, therefore can well afford to add
the Bee Journal to their list of
papers for 1881.
Hundreds of Men, Women and Children
rescued from beds of pain, sickness
and almost death and made strong and
hearty by Parker’s Ginger Tonic are the
best evidences in the world of its sterling
worth. You can find these in every community.—Post.
See advertisement. 9w4t
☞When changing a post office address,
mention the old address as well as the new one.
☞ We have prepared Ribbon Badges
for bee-keepers, on which are printed a large bee in gold. Price 10 cents each,
or $8.00 per hundred.
☞ The Volume of the Bee Journal
for 1880, bound in stiff paper covers, will be sent by mail, for $1.50.
☞ Notices and advertisements intended
for the Weekly Bee Journal
must reach this office by Friday of the week previous.
☞ Instead of sending silver money in
letters, procure 1, 2 or 3 cent stamps. We can use them, and it is safer to send
such than silver.
Ladies who Appreciate Elegance
and purity are using Parker’s Hair Balsam.
It is the best article sold for restoring gray
hair to its original color and beauty.
☞ The date following the name on
the wrapper label of this paper indicates
the time to which you have paid. In
making remittances, always send by
postal order, registered letter, or by
draft on Chicago or New York. Drafts
on other cities, and local checks, are not
taken by the banks in this city except
at a discount of 25c., to pay expense of
collecting them.
Premiums.—For a club of 2, weekly
we will give a copy of “Bee-Culture;”
for a club of 5, weekly, we will give a
copy of “Cook’s Manual,” bound in
cloth; for a club of 6, we give a copy of
the Journal for a year free. Do not
forget that it will pay to devote a few
hours to the Bee Journal.
☞ Sample copies of the Weekly
Bee Journal will be sent free to any
names that may be sent in. Any one
intending to get up a club can have
sample copies sent to the persons they
desire to interview, by sending the
names to this office.
☞ Any one desiring to get a copy of
the Constitution and By-Laws of the
National Society, can do so by sending
a stamp to this office to pay postage. If
they desire to become members, a fee
of $1.00 should accompany it, and the
name will be duly recorded. This notice
is given at the request of the Executive
Committee.
☞ It would save us much trouble, if
all would be particular to give their P.O.
address and name, when writing to
this office. We have several letters
(some inclosing money) that have no
name. Many others having no Postoffice,
County or State. Also, if you
live near one post office and get your
mail at another, be sure to give the address
we have on our list.
☞ At the Chicago meeting of the National
Society we were requested to get
photographs of the leading apiarists, to
sell to those who wanted them. We can
now supply the following at 25 cents
each: Dzierzon, the Baron of Berlepsch,
and Langstroth. The likeness
of Mr. Langstroth we have copied, is one
furnished by his daughter, who says,
“it is the only one ever taken when he
was in good health and spirits.” We
are glad to be able to secure one of such
a satisfactory nature.
☞ We have filled orders for quite a
number of Binders for the Weekly Bee
Journal. We put the price low, 30
per cent. less than any one else could
afford to sell them, for we get them by
the quantity at wholesale and sell them
at just enough to cover the cost and
postage, the latter being 21 to 23 cents,
on each. We do this to induce as many
as possible to get them, and preserve
their Weekly numbers. They are exceedingly
convenient; the Journal
being always bound and handy for
reference. The directions for binding
are sent with each one.
Books for Bee-Keepers.
Cook’s Manual of the Apiary.—Entirely rewritten,
greatly enlarged and elegantly illustrated,
and is fully up with the times on every conceivable
subject that interests the apiarist. It is not only instructive,
but intensely interesting and thoroughly
practical. The book is a masterly production, and
one that no bee-keeper, however limited his means,
can afford to do without. Cloth, $1.25; paper covers,
=$1.00=, postpaid. Per dozen, by express, cloth,
$12.; paper, $9.50.
Quinby’s New Bee-Keeping, by L. C. Root.—The
author has treated the subject of bee-keeping
in a manner that cannot fall to interest all. Its style
is plain and forcible, making all its readers sensible
of the fact that the author is really the master of the
subject. Price, $1.50.
Novice’s A B C of Bee-Culture, by A. I. Root.—
This embraces “everything pertaining to the care of
the honey-bee,” and is valuable to beginners and
those more advanced. Cloth, $1.25; paper, $1.00.
King’s Bee-Keepers’ Text-Book, by A. J.
King.—This edition is revised and brought down to
the present time. Cloth, $1.00; paper, 75c.
Langstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee.
This is a standard scientific work. Price, $2.00.
Blessed Bees, by John Allen.—A romance of
bee-keeping, full of practical information and contagious
enthusiasm. Cloth, $1.00.
Bee-Culture; or Successful Management
of the Apiary, by Thomas G. Newman.—This
pamphlet embraces the following subjects: The Location
of the Apiary—Honey Plants—Queen Rearing—
Feeding—Swarming—Dividing—
Transferring—Italianizing—Introducing
Queens—Extracting—Quieting
and Handling Bees—The Newest Method of Preparing
Honey for Market, etc. It is published in English
and German. Price for either edition, 40
cents, postpaid, or $3.00 per dozen.
Food Adulteration; What we eat and should
not eat. This book should be in every family, where
it ought to create a sentiment against the adulteration
of food products, and demand a law to protect
consumers against the many health-destroying adulterations
offered as food. 200 pages. Paper, 50c.
The Dzierzon Theory;—presents the fundamental
principles of bee-culture, and furnishes a
condensed statement of the facts and arguments by
which they are demonstrated. Price, 15 cents.
Honey, as Food and Medicine, by Thomas G.
Newman.—This is a pamphlet of 24 pages, discoursing
upon the Ancient History of Bees and Honey; the
nature, quality, sources, and preparation of Honey
for the Market; Honey as an article of food, giving
recipes for making Honey Cakes, Cookies, Puddings,
Foam, Wines, &c.; and Honey as Medicine, followed
by many useful Recipes. It is intended for consumers,
and should be scattered by thousands all over
the country, and thus assist in creating a demand for
honey. Published in English and German. Price
for either edition, 6c.; per dozen, 5Oc.
Wintering Bees.—This pamphlet contains all
the Prize Essays on this important subject that were
read before the Centennial Bee-Keepers’ Association.
The Prize—$25 in gold—was awarded to Prof.
Cook’s Essay, which is given in full. Price, 10c.
Bees and their Management. This pamphlet
was issued by the Italian Bee Company, and has had
a large circulation. The price has been reduced from
20 cents to 10 cents.
The Hive I Use.—Being a description of the hive
used by G. M. Doolittle. Price, 5c.
Kendall’s Horse Book.—No book can be more
useful to horse owners. It has 35 engravings, illustrating
positions of sick horses, and treats all diseases
in a plain and comprehensive manner. It has a large
number of good recipes, a table of doses, and much
other valuable horse information. Paper, 25c.
Chicken Cholera, by A. J. Hill.—A treatise on its
cause, symptoms and cure. Price, 25c.
Moore’s Universal Assistant contains information
on every conceivable subject, as well as receipts
for almost everything that could be desired.
We doubt if any one could be induced to do without
it, after having spent a few hours in looking it
through. It contains 480 pages, and 500 engravings.
Cloth, $2.50.
Ropp’s Easy Calculator.—These are handy
tables for all kinds of merchandise and interest. It
is really a lightning calculator, nicely bound, with
slate and pocket for papers. In cloth, $1.00; Morocco,
$1.50. Cheap edition, without slate, 50c.
☞ Sent by mail on receipt of price, by
THOMAS G. NEWMAN,
974 West Madison Street, Chicago, Ill.
EMERSON’S
PAT. BINDER
FOR MUSIC &
PERIODICALS
☞ Binders for the Weekly Bee Journal,
of 1881, cloth and paper, postpaid, 85 cents.
We can furnish Emerson’s Binders, gilt lettered on
the back, for American Bee Journal for 1890,
at the following prices, postage paid:
| Cloth and paper, each | 50c. |
| Leather and cloth | 75c. |
☞ We can also furnish the Binder for any Paper
or Magazine desired.
THOMAS G. NEWMAN,
974 West Madison Street, Chicago, Ill.
HONEY WANTED.—I desire to purchase several
barrels of dark extracted honey, and a few
of light; also, Comb Honey. Those having any for
sale are invited to correspond, giving particulars.
ALFRED H. NEWMAN,
972 West Madison street, CHICAGO ILL.
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL,
AND BEE-KEEPER’S ADVISER.
The British Bee Journal is published monthly at
$1.75, and contains the best practical information for
the time being, showing what to do, and when and
how to do it.
C. N. ABBOTT, Bee Master.
School of Apiculture, Fairlawn, Southall, London.
THE AMERICAN
BEE JOURNAL
IN 1861
OLDEST BEE PAPER
IN AMERICA
RATES FOR ADVERTISING.
A line will contain about eight words; fourteen
lines will occupy one inch of space.
| One to three | weeks, | each | insertion, | 20 cts. | per line. | |
| Four | “ | or more | “ | “ | 18 “ | “ |
| Eight | “ | “ | “ | “ | 15 “ | “ |
| Thirteen | “ | “ | “ | “ | 12 “ | “ |
| Twenty-six | “ | “ | “ | “ | 10 “ | “ |
| Fifty-two | “ | “ | “ | “ | 8 “ | “ |
Special Notices, 50 cents per line.
Advertisements withdrawn before the expiration
of the contract, will be charged the full rate for the
time the advertisement is inserted.
Transient Advertisements payable in advance.—Yearly
Contracts payable quarterly, in advance.
The American Bee Journal is the oldest Bee
Paper in America, and has a large circulation in
every State, Territory and Province, among farmers,
mechanics, professional and business men, and is
therefore the best advertising medium for reliable
dealers. Cases of real imposition will be exposed.
THOMAS G. NEWMAN,
974 West Madison Street, Chicago, Ill.
Correspondence:
| Pure Liquid Honey in Glass Jars | 81 |
| Colchian Honey | 81 |
| Combined Winter and Summer Stands | 81 |
| Foul Brood and Its Causes | 81 |
| History of the Early Importation of Italian Bees | 82 |
| Good Way to Promote Bee-Keeping | 82 |
| Do Bees Injure Fruit? | 82 |
| Remarkable Tardiness in Fecundity | 82 |
| Honey-Producing in California | 83 |
| Bee Men to the Front—Adulteration | 83 |
| How to Prevent Robbing | 83 |
| The In-and-In-Breeding of Bees | 83 |
| Killed by Kindness | 83 |
Editorial:
| Editorial Items | 84 |
| Watchman! Tell us of the Night | 84 |
| Migratory Bee-Keeping | 84 |
| Interesting Letter from Ceylon | 84 |
Selections from Our Letter Box:
| Bees Wintered Well | 85 |
| Mortality Reports | 85 |
| Nineteen Weeks’ Confinement | 85 |
| Wintered Safely | 85 |
| A Slim Living | 85 |
| Honey Sections | 85 |
| Bees in Good Condition | 85 |
| Wintered Without Loss | 85 |
| Mourning for the Bees | 85 |
| Wintering | 85 |
| Selling Honey, Vexatious | 85 |
| Prospects Better | 85 |
| Bees All Alive | 85 |
| Winter Yet in Kentucky | 85 |
| No Surplus nor Increase | 85 |
| Great Loss of Bees | 85 |
| Dead Bees in the Cells | 85 |
| Making Progress | 85 |
| Not Discouraged | 85 |
| Paris Green | 85 |
| Bees in Prime Condition | 85 |
| Progressing | 85 |
| Lost but 4 out of 283 | 85 |
| Moldy Combs, etc | 86 |
| Palestine Bees | 86 |
| Honey as Medicine | 86 |
| Gathering Pollen | 86 |
| Anxious for Spring | 86 |
| Bees Died of Disease | 86 |
| Cyprian Bees Ahead | 86 |
| An Early Season | 86 |
| Bees Gone Back on Him | 86 |
| Snow Vine as a Honey Plant | 86 |
| Feeding Bees | 86 |
| Introducing a Queen | 86 |
| Loss of Bees 88 per cent. | 86 |
| First Year’s Experience | 86 |
| Summer a Long Way Off | 86 |
| A Little Discouraged | 86 |
| Why Did the Bees Die? | 86 |
| Wintered Without Loss | 86 |
Conventions:
| Champlain Valley, Vt., Convention | 87 |
15 One-Cent Stamps
Will pay for our exhaustive pamphlet on raising,
handling and marketing extracted honey.
COLONIES
WITH
Imported Cyprian and Italian Queens,
Of our own Importation,
GUARANTEED PURE AND GENUINE.
Our Comb Foundation was awarded the diploma
at the North-Eastern Bee-Keepers’ Convention held
in February.
Smokers, Knives, Extractors, &c.
Price List, with 3 samples of Comb Foundation, free.
CHAS. DADANT & SON,
9smtf
Hamilton, Hancock Co., Ill.
THE CANADIAN FARMER
THE ONLY
Agricultural Weekly
PUBLISHED IN THE
DOMINION OF CANADA.
This practical journal is now in its Third Year,
and meeting with immense success. The low price
of its subscription ($1.00 per year) in its new and improved
form (16 pages 13½ x 10½, folded and pasted)
makes it very popular. Its editors are all practical
men. It is the Best Advertising Medium in
Canada. Sample copies sent free to any address.
11w26tx
N. B. COLCOCK, Welland, Ont.
FRANCES DUNHAM,
Inventor and Sole Manufacturer of the
DUNHAM
FOUNDATION
MACHINE,
DUNHAM
FOUNDATION
MACHINE
PATENT APPLIED FOR
AND DUNHAM
COMB FOUNDATION,
☞ New Circular and Samples free. ☜
FRANCES DUNHAM,
1sm6m
DEPERE, BROWN CO., WIS.
FLAT-BOTTOM COMB FOUNDATION,
high side-walls, 4 to 16 square feet to
the pound. Circular and samples free.
J. VAN DEUSEN & SONS,
Sole Manufacturers,
11tf
Sprout Brook, Mont. Co., N. Y.
BASSWOOD AND TULIP TREES, from
1 to 8 feet in height, nursery grown. The 2 best
HONEY PRODUCING TREES KNOWN, at low prices.
10w4t
A. BATTLES, Girard, Pa.
BARNES’ PATENT
Foot-Power Machinery
CIRCULAR and
SCROLL SAWS
Hand, Circular Rip Saws for general
heavy and light ripping.
Lathes, &c. These machines are
especially adapted to Hive
Making. It will pay every bee-keeper
to send for our 48 page
Illustrated Catalogue.
W. F. & JOHN BARNES
Rockford, Winnebago Co., Ill.
Given’s Foundation Press.
and common Foundation is not surpassed. The only
invention to make Foundation in the wired frame.
All Presses warranted to give satisfaction. Send for
Catalogue and Samples.
1wly
D. S. GIVEN, Hoopeston, Ill.
Be SURE
To send a postal card for our Illustrated Catalogue
of Apiarian Supplies before purchasing elsewhere.
It contains illustrations and descriptions of everything
new and valuable needed in an apiary, at the
lowest prices. Italian, Cyprian and Holy Land
Queens and Bees.
J. C. & H. P. SAYLES,
2eow15t
Hartford, Wis.
WILBOR’S COMPOUND OF
PURE COD LIVER
OIL AND LIME.
Wilbor’s Cod-Liver Oil and Lime.—Persons
who have been taking Cod-Liver Oil will be pleased
to learn that Dr. Wilbor has succeeded, from directions
of several Professional gentlemen, in combining
the pure Oil and Lime in such a manner that it is
pleasant to the taste, and its effects in Lung complaints
are truly wonderful. Very many persons
whose cases were pronounced hopeless, and who had
taken the clear Oil for a long time without marked
effect, have been entirely cured by using this preparation.
Be sure and get the genuine. Manufactured
only by A. B. Wilbor, Chemist, Boston. Sold by all
druggists.
llw4t
A full variety of all kinds, including Melilot, Alsike
and White Clover, Mammoth Mignonette, &c. For
prices and instructions for planting see my Illustrated
Catalogue,—sent free upon application.
ALFRED H. NEWMAN,
972 West Madison St.,
Chicago, Ill.
FEEDERS
Now is the time to make preparations
for Spring Feeding.
Shuck’s Feeder may be placed at the entrance of
the hive, any time of the day, without danger from
robbers; feed much or little as may be desired; feed
can only be reached by the bees from the inside of
the hive. Price, by mail, postpaid, 30 cents. By express,
25 cents each, or $2.40 per dozen. Special
rates on large quantities.
Novice’s Simplicity Feeder is made in two sizes, at
the following prices: 5c. for the pint and 10c. for the
quart feeder, or per dozen, 50c. for the small and
$1.00 for the large, by express. If sent by mail, twice
the above prices.
Kretchmer’s, by mail ….. 35c.
Van Deusen’s, by mail …. 75c.
I will mail my Illustrated Catalogue and Price List
FREE, upon application, to any address. All orders
for Bee-Keepers’ Supplies will be promptly filled.
ALFRED H. NEWMAN,
972 West Madison St.,
Chicago, Ill.
THE ORIGINAL
Patented Jan. 9, 1878, and May, 1879; Re-issued
July 9, 1878.
If you buy a Bingham
Smoker, or a Bingham &
Hetherington Honey Knife
you are sure of the best
and cheapest, and not liable
to prosecution for their
use and sale. The largest
bee-keepers use them exclusively.
Twenty thousand
in use—not one ever
returned, or letter of complaint
received. Our original
patent Smokers and
Honey Knives were the
only ones on exhibition at
the last National Bee-Keepers’
Convention, 1880.
Time sifts the wheat from
the chaff. Pretensions are
short-lived.
The Large and Extra
Standard have extra wide
shields to prevent burning
the fingers and bellows.
A real Improvement.
Send postal card for testimonials.
| Bingham & Hetherington Honey Knife | 2 | in., | $1 00 |
| Large Bingham Smoker | 2½ | “ | 1 50 |
| Extra Standard Bingham Smoker | 2 | “ | 1 25 |
| Plain Standard Bingham Smoker | 2 | “ | 1 00 |
| Little Wonder Bingham Smoker | 1¾ | “ | 75 |
If to be sent by mail, or singly by express, add 25c.
each, to prepay postage or express charges.
To sell again, apply for dozen or half-dozen rates.
Address,
BINGHAM & HETHERINGTON,
9wtf
OTSEGO, MICH.
FREE!
We wish to obtain 25,000 New Subscribers to
THE FLORAL MONTHLY
during the next few months, and we propose
to give to every reader of this paper
50c. worth of Choice Flower Seed.
Our offer is to send Free of Cost, 50 cents’ worth of
Choice Flower Seeds to each and every one who will
send us 25 two cent postage stamps for the FLORAL
MONTHLY one year. Seeds sent free
by return mail. Specimen copies free. Address.
W. E. MORTON & CO., FLORISTS,
615 Congress Street, Portland, Me.
☞ Natural Flowers preserved to last for years.
9w4t
It will Pay you
To read our forty page Catalogue of
Apiarian Supplies. It gives the latest
information about the best appliances
and methods pertaining to
Profitable Bee Culture
Sent free to all who send us their names
and addresses, plainly written, upon a
postal card. Address
H. A. BURCH & CO.,
9wtf
South Haven, Mich.
R. A. BURNETT.
Successor to Conner, Burnett & Co.,
165 South Water Street, Chicago, Ill.,
GENERAL PRODUCE COMMISSION.
HONEY A SPECIALTY.
We ask you to correspond with us before disposing
of your HONEY CROP, as we can be of much service,
having constant intelligence from all parts of the
country. We would refer to James Heddon, Dowagiac,
Mich., and J. Oatman & Sons, Dundee, Ill.
1w1y
GOOD WORK
AT FAIR PRICES.
HALLOCK & CHANDLER
WOOD ENGRAVERS
& Electrotypers
167 Dearborn St.
CHICAGO
1w1y
Rev. A. Salisbury. 1881.
J. V. Caldwell.
SALISBURY & CALDWELL,
Camargo, Douglas County. Ill.
Warranted Italian Queens, $1.00; Tested Italian
Queens, $2.00; Cyprian Queens, $2.00;
Tested Cyprian Queens, $4.00; 1 frame
Nucleus, Italians, $4.00; 1 frame Nucleus,
Cyprians, $5.00; Colony of Italians,
8 frames, $5.00; Colony of Cyprians,
8 frames, $10.00. Wax worked
10c. per lb. Pure Comb Foundation,
on Dunham Machine, 25 lbs. or over,
35c. per lb.
☞ Send for Circular.
1w1y
Florida Land—640 Acres.
☞ CHEAP FOR CASH. ☜
Description.—Sec. 4, township 7, south range 7
west, Franklin county, Florida, situated about 50 miles
south of the Georgia line, 25 miles west of the city of
Tallahassee, the capital of the State, and about 25
miles northeast of the city of Apalachicola, a seaport
on the Gulf of Mexico, and within 2 sections (5
and 6) of the Apalachicola river; the soil is a rich,
sandy loam, covered with timber.
It was conveyed on Dec. 31st, 1875, by Col. Alexander
McDonald, who owned 6 sections, including the
above, to J. M. Murphy, for $3,200, and on Sept. 5th,
1877, by him conveyed to the undersigned for $3,000.
The title is perfect, and it is unincumbered, as shown
by an abstract from the Records of the county, duly
attested by the County Clerk; the taxes are all paid
and the receipts are in my possession.
I will sell the above at a bargain for cash, or trade
for a small farm, or other desirable property. An offer
for it is respectfully solicited. Address,
THOMAS G. NEWMAN,
974 West Madison Street, CHICAGO, ILL.
SUPPLIES FOR THE APIARY,
FOR 1881.
It is to every person’s interest, when they wish to
purchase anything, to go where they can get the most
for their money. State on a postal card just what
you want, and we will let you know by return mail
what we will furnish it for. No Circulars. Address,
2wtf
HIRAM ROOP,
Carson City, Mich.
65 ENGRAVINGS.
The Horse
BY B. J. KENDALL, M. D.
A TREATISE giving an index of diseases, and
the symptoms; cause and treatment of each, a table
giving all the principal drugs used for the horse, with
the ordinary dose, effects and antidote when a poison;
a table with an engraving of the horse’s teeth
at different ages, with rules for telling the age of the
horse; a valuable collection of recipes, and much
valuable information.
Price 25 cents.—Sent on receipt of price, by
THOMAS G. NEWMAN,
974 West Madison Street, CHICAGO, ILL.
PARKER’S GINGER TONIC
Ginger, Bucha, Mandrake, Stillingia and
many other of the best medicines known are combined
so skillfully in Parker’s Ginger Tonic as
to make it the greatest Blood Purifier and the
Best Health and Strength Restorer ever used.
It cures Dyspepsia, Rheumatism, Neuralgia,
Sleeplessness, and all diseases of the Stomach,
Bowels, Lungs, Liver, Kidneys, Urinary Organs
and all Female Complaints.
If you are wasting away with Consumption or
any disease, use the Tonic to-day. No matter what
your symptoms may be, it will surely help you.
Remember! This Tonic cures drunkenness,
is the Best Family Medicine ever made, entirely
different from Bitters, Ginger Preparations and
other Tonics, and combines the best curative properties
of all. Buy a 50c. bottle off your druggist.
None genuine without our signature on outside
wrapper.
Hiscox & Co., Chemists, New York.
PARKER’S HAIR BALSAM
The best and most economical
Hair Dressing
ITALIAN QUEENS. Full Colonies, Nuclei
and Bee Hives specialties. Our new Illustrated
Catalogue of Bees, Supplies, Fine Poultry, Small
Fruits, &c., Free. ☞ Send for it and save money.
J. T. SCOTT & BRO., Crawfish Springs, Ga. 2w82tx
The American
Poultry Journal.
Is a 32-page, beautifully Illustrated Monthly Magazine
devoted to
POULTRY, PIGEONS AND PET STOCK.
It has the largest corps of practical breeders as editors
of any journal of its class in America, and is
THE FINEST POULTRY JOURNAL IN THE WORLD.
Volume 12 begins January 1891. SUBSCRIPTION:—$1.00
per year. Specimen Copy, 10 cents.
C. J. WARD, Editor and Proprietor.
182 CLARK ST., – CHICAGO.
1. Colchian Honey.
REV. W. BALLENTINE, A. M.
This letter includes a quotation from Professor Wilson’s botany.
The copy of this quotation contains many errors.
These are listed below and have been corrected in this eBook.
Apochynoceæ, should read Apocynaceæ.
dog-bones, should read dog’s-bane.
astychine, should read strychnine.
strychinea, should read strychnia.
Strychorea, should read Strychnos.
Heroclea, should read Heraclea.
Æglatherem, should read Ægolethron.
Liculus, should read Siculus.
Tournefoil, should read Tournefort.
mischevous, should read mischievous.
Neriun, should read Nerium.
(apocyhnaceæ), should read Apocynaceæ.
Rhodaraceæ, should read Rhodoraceæ.
narctoic, should read narcotic.
2. J. W. Winder.
Thibodaux, La., Feb. 10, 1881.
“as well as heads of white clover are
pushing out their lovely forms to the…”
The word ‘that’ has been added.
“as well as heads of white clover that are
pushing out their lovely forms to the…”
3. From Florida.—The BEE JOURNAL
is at hand; we do not know how we could do without it.
The past [time-period missing. Year/Month/Season?] has been a
very good honey season here. Left as original.
4. “Everything should be kept ready and in
order. He gave an estimate of produce in…”
Word ‘an’ inserted.
5. “We can furnish Emerson’s Binders, gilt lettered on
the back, for American Bee Journal for =1890=,…”.
This looks like an error. This issue is for March, 1881.
Left as original.
6. Silently corrected simple spelling, grammar, and typographical errors.
7. Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.