342 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



July 



BOAVNUARD VENTll. ATION. 



HAS THE MATTER RECEIVED SUFFICIENT NOTICE? 



fAM interested in the facts recorded in Glean- 

 ings, and amuse myself by trying- to interpret 

 them, and reading- the attempts of others. I no- 

 tice that one class of facts, which bear upon tde 

 subject of downward ventilation, has been either ig- 

 nored or misinterpreted. Even Mr. Lungstroth, in 

 his book (prg-c 3tl), seems to use a very striking 

 one in favor of Hpu'arcl ventilation. Mr. Sturtevant 

 had 20 stocks in a row; 19 considered in good condi- 

 tion, "the 20 suspended two feet from the ground, 

 and withnid any bottom-boivd." A fter a severe -win- 

 ter, the 19 were found dead, while "the one so much 

 neglected came out strong and hearty." Isn't that 

 something- worth thinking- about? Similar facts, 

 equally impressive, have appeared in Gleaning?, 

 even during the past year; yet scarcely a single 

 plea has been offered for that to which they unmis- 

 takably point; viz., dmvnicard ventilation. 



In this western country, the health - destroying 

 and death-dealing malaria is found in the lower 

 strata of the atmosphere; while the dwellers in the 

 lowlands are shaking: with ague, those on the up- 

 lands, though in sight, are exempt. After all, may 

 not the little bees have more sense than they are 

 credited with? You know with what pertinacity 

 they labor to shut off all upward ventilation, while 

 they have never been known to utter a single pro- 

 test against downward ventilation. Of coiu-se, bees, 

 like every thing else that has life, will die, and whole 

 colonies will occasionally be swept off, no odds how 

 they have been kept, manag-e<l, or doctored. 



C. S. Callihan. 



Jem, Clark Co., Mo., March 20, 18S2. 



ANOTHER FEEDER. 



sMw^HILE I am writing to you, I want to tell you 

 Ylfl abaut a bee-feeder which I made and took 



^ -' over to the New Jersey and Eastern Bee- 

 Keepers' Convention the other day, and how it 

 looked beside one of Gray's, exhibited by our 

 worthy president, Mr. G. W. Thompson! But I 

 think the best way will be to go to the shop and 

 make a little one to send to you, and then you can 

 see for yourself. Recollect, it will be only a model 

 to send by mail, and too small for use. I make them 

 to hold 2 qts. at least. Take off the roof, and you 

 will see the point. Call in brother Gray, and ask 

 him if that isn't, after all, what he, and Shuck too, 

 were trying to make. Does he say he can make his 

 cheaper and faster? Yes; but how much can he 

 make one hold? A teacupful. I tell you, there are 

 a good many times when we want to give the bees 

 "a good square meal," and we want a feeder big 

 enough to hold it; and this is the one to do it, while 

 it answers all the other requirements of a flrst-elass 

 feeder. J. Hasbrouck. 



Bound Brook, N. J., April 15, 1882. 



Our readers will understand this feeder, 

 by supposing a Simplicity feeder made of 

 two apartments, and one very much larger 

 than the other. The small one is for the 

 bees, and the large one for the feed. A nar- 

 row slit at the lower edge of the partition 

 allows the feed to go in to the bees. You 

 see, if the feeder holds a quait or more tlie 

 bees will take it slowly from the small apart- 

 ment, until it is all gone. The idea is hardly 



new, and I do not know why it has been 

 abandoned, unless it is the difficulty of mak- 

 ing a box of several pieces of wood, that will 

 not leak. I know waxing is often used, but 

 it answers only temporarily. Tin will not 

 answer well, for the bees slip down the 

 sides. Of course, the large apartment is to 

 be covered so no bees can get in. 



Or Letters from Those Who have Made 

 Bee Culture a Failure. 



f SEND you the inclosed ad. for June No. of Glean- 

 ings. I send you $1.00. If this is not enough, 

 ' please let me know, and I will remit balance. 

 I lost nearly a'l my bees last winter and this spring 

 (over 100 stocks). I have only 4 left. I think the 

 main cause of my loss was dysentery, caused by 

 wintering in a damp cellar. Spring dwindling used 

 up the rest. My bees went much as yours did a 

 year ago. I dislike to give up bee-keeping, as I have 

 made it my main business for the last 15 years; but 

 as I am now situa'.ed, I shall have to give it up for 

 the presect. I don't like to be put into Blasted 

 Hopes, but do what is right, and may you and 

 Gleanings continue to prosper. If my combs do 

 not sell soon, I may send you some wax after a little. 

 J. B. R. Sherrick. 

 Decatur, Macon Co., 111., May 20, 1882. 



Accompanying the above was the follow- 

 ing advertisement : 



800 L. FRAMES WITH WORKER COMBS, FOR SALE. 



Best, 20c each. Frames about X filled, 1.5c; Frames V. Hlleil. lOc. 



Drone combs, full frames, 15c. Write to J. B. R. SHERRICK, 



DECATUR, ILL. 



After reading it, I sent friend S. the fol- 

 lowing :— 



Friend 8., you are making a mistake. 

 Trust your old friend to guide you. Our 

 wintering troubles are now almost all over 

 with all of us, and nearly all of oia- bee-keep- 

 ers are making money. Don't sell your 

 combs ; get at least a few bees, and build 

 up again, and in a few years you will thank 

 me for the advice. We will insert ad. un- 

 less you say nay, but I don't believe it will 

 pay you. JEverybody is using fdn. now. 



And here is bis reply : — 



Your card is received. On reconsidering the mat- 

 ter, and at j'our suggestion, I will not advertise my 

 combs for sale, at least at present. Give me credit 

 for $1.00 on account. J. B. R. Sherrick. 



Decatur, 111., May 2i, 1882. 



I do not wish to have it understood that I 

 would advise everybody who fails, to keep 

 on investing money, for I think that, too 

 many times, the lesson we should learn by 

 failure is to stop investing, or. at least, make 

 very small investments, until the business 

 begins to be self-sustaining again. In the 

 above case, I would keep bees enough to 

 take care of the combs, and then I try pretty 

 hard to make them give a clear balance in 

 cash every year. Some of our most success- 

 ful bee-men are about the very ones who 

 were about ready to give it up and drop the 

 business a few years ago. With late im- 

 provements, and late prices for honey, one 

 could almost do well to buy his bees every 

 spring, and sell out every fall. 



