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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Feb. 11, 1904. 



cover. We usually have been williag to anQOunoe to the bee-keep- 

 ing world the advent of new inventions, but after having done that we 

 ought not to be expected to see to it that the inventors make a fortune 

 out of their notions— and some of them queer notions at that. 



In publishing the American Bee .Journal we endeavor to keep in 

 mind " the greatest good to the greatest number." We believe we are 

 succeeding by following this line. But, no doubt, there are a few who 

 are soselflsh as to think they are the only people, and that if we do not 

 come to their ideas of things, they will simply discontinue their sub- 

 scriptions, and then the old American Bee .Journal will go to smash. 

 They seem to forget that the world is wide, that there is room for all, 

 and that, perhaps, after they and we are dead and gone the American 

 Bee Journal will still be holding aloft its conquering flag, and still be 

 leading the hosts of beedom on to victory. 



Formalin for Treatment of Foul Brood. 



Reports of failure with this drug have been unpleasantly frequent 

 of late, shaking the faith of many, no doubt, who have been hoping 

 great things from it. Very likely they have thought, even if they did 

 not say it, "After all, what could you expect? Spores of Bacillus 

 alvei are notoriously hard to kill, and it is asking a good deal of any 

 drug to compass their destruction when protected by a full cell of 

 honey." Now comes Prof. F. C. Harrison, a man whose word has 

 weight, saying in the Canadian Bee Journal : " I have actually noted 

 a destruction of the spores of B. alvei in cells filled with honey." That 

 is certainly reassuring. Prof. Harrison adds further: 



In cases where the diseased matter has become dried up and ad- 

 hering to the side of the cells, I am confident that formalin gas, if 

 properly applied, will kill the spores, even when situated in these 

 dried-up masses. However, it might be advisable in such cases to 

 sprinkle the combs with water, as the disinfecting power of the gas 

 ■seems to be greater when there is moisture and some warmth (not over 

 100" F.) present. 



I think that a large number of failures have been due to lack of 

 proper precautions in obtaining formaldehyde of proper strength, or 

 in not disinfecting in tight boxes, or in not leaving the gas long 

 enough in the disinfecting chamber. 



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Miscellaneous Items 



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The Wisconsin Convention was held at Madison, Feb. 3 

 and 4. It was a good meeting, and well attended. Officers for the en- 

 suing year were elected as follows: President, N. E. France; Vice- 

 President, Jacob Huffman ; Secretary, Gus Dittmer, of Augusta; and 

 Treasurer, F. Wilcox. It was our privilege to be present and enjoy 

 the meeting. We may have more to say about it next week. 



The Missouri State Convention was held Dec. 15, 1903. An 

 interesting session was held. The following were elected officers for 

 the ensuing year: President. J. W. Rouse; Vice-President, Emil F. 

 Nebel; Secretary, W. T. Gary, of Wiikenda; and Treasurer, F. K. 

 Thompson. A statistical report for 1903, so far as gathered, showed 

 36 bee-keepers ; with 1200 colonies, spring count, and nearly 1800, 

 fall count; 54,800 pounds of comb honey, and 48,000 pounds of ex- 

 tracted honey ; and about 1000 pounds of beeswax. 



A Foul Brood Law is what Ohio bee-keepers are asking their 

 Legislature to pass this winter. We have received a copy of it, but it 

 is almost too long for publication. Every bee-keeper in Ohio should 

 write to his State senator and representative at Columbus, and urge 

 them to work for the Bill and vote for it. It ought to be passed at 

 once, and we believe it will be if Ohio bee-keepers do their duty. Wm. 

 J. Gi'uiland, of Silverton, Ohio, the secretary of the Hamilton County 

 Bee-Keepers' Association, can give any information that may be 

 desired in reference to the matter. 



The House-Apiary of George Honess appears on the first 

 page. He wrote as follows concerning it : 



I have two house-apiaries just alike, 3 miles apart. They hold 75 

 colonies each, 30 facing south, 30 north, and 15 west. On the east side 

 is the entrance I like to work with bees in a comfortable place, bet- 

 ter than in the sunshine or rain, and it gives all the hives protection 

 alike as I found out when we had the last storm ; others in the neigh- 



liorhood were pushed off the stands, covers all off, and bees drowned 

 and killed. The house is built on eight 4-corner water-tanks, made 

 from cement and sand. It keeps out ants and other little animals. 

 The hives are all double, each with 24 frames one foot square. It 

 works all right. Bees have a cool place in summer, and don't lay out- 

 side. There is plenty of ventilation. When I work on the first row 

 1 stand on the ground, or can sit if I like to, in position the same as 

 sitting on a bench, because I left room to work clear around between 

 the floor and the lirst row (20 inches), but iit the second and third I 

 have to stand on the floor. Each hive has a number on the little door 

 in the back. 



Bee-keeping is not the only work I have to do. I am a truck- 

 farmer, shipping pineapples and tomatoes, and have to cook for myself 

 besides. That is what makes me think so often about the sisters who 

 are interested in bee-keeping, and who make the future still sweeter. 



Dade Co., Fla., Oct. 31. George Honess. 



Mr. N. Young, of Hardin Co., Iowa, writing us Jan. 14, said : 



Editor York: — I herewith enclose a poem I clipped from a news- 

 paper, that I think would be nice for bee-keepers to read in remem- 

 brance of the old veterans or loved ones who are passing away. 



N. Young. 



The poem referred to is the following, which is indeed a beautifvU 

 one, and we are glad to give it a place here : 



Auld Liang Syne. 



It singeth low in every heart, 



We hear it, each and all — 

 A song of those who answer not. 



However we may call ; 

 They throng the silence of the breast. 



We see them as of yore — 

 The kind, the brave, the true, the sweet. 



Who walk with us no more. 



'Tis hard to take the burden up 



When these have laid it down ; 

 They brightened all the joy of life. 



They softened every frown ; 

 But, oh ! 'tis good to think of them 



When we are troubled sore ! 

 Thanks be to God that such have been. 



Though they are here no more. 



More homelike seems the vast unknown, 



Since they have entered there ; 

 To follow them were not so hard, 



W herever they may fare ; 

 They can not be where God is not. 



On any sea or shore : 

 Whate'er betides, thy love abides, 



Our God, for evermore. 



— John White Chadwick. 



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The Picture of a Fair Display, shown on the first page, is 

 referred to as follows by Wm. F. Carson : 



I send you a photograph of the honey and bee display of J. J. 

 Measer and Wm. F. Carson, at the State Fair, Hutchinson, Reno Co., 

 Kans. 



J. J. Measer got $43 in premiums — on comb honey, $10; on ex- 

 tracted honey, 15; bees in observatory hives, $10 ; nuclei, $5; bees- 

 wax, $3; and bee-supplies, $10. 



Wm. F. Carson, on full colonies of bees, $10; second on honey, .$5; 

 and second on supplies, $5. 



Mr. Measer has about 100 colonies of bees, and is the largest bee- 

 keeper in the county. I have 28 colonies. Bees are becoming quite 

 plentiful in this part of the country. They did not do well the first 

 part of last season ; owing to the wet and cold weather, colonies grew 

 lighter instead of heavier until about the first part of July. I got but 

 one new colony during the season, and very little alfalfa honey, but 

 the fall crop of heartsease was quite good. Wm. F. Carson. 



The Apiary of John G. Schoon is pictured on the first 

 page this week. He wrote us about it as follows: 



I am a great lover of bees, and there has been only about 10 years 

 of my life that I was not wtth bees. In 1898 I started in again with 

 one colony in a box-hive, and increased to 34 colonies, which I have 

 at this time. Last season I started in with 13 colonies, spring count, 

 increased to 34, and produced 2137 pounds of comb honey, actual 

 weight. My bees are well cared for, as you will notice in the snap- 

 shot picture taken by myself, off one of my sheds, I have tw o sheds, 

 48 feet long. 



I am a coach-builder. I attend to my bees mornings and evenings, 

 and during m,v absence my wife attends to the swarms and such things 

 as may be necessary. 



I am a friend of the American Bee Journal. 



John G. Schoon. 



