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Emered at the Post-Offlce at Chicago as Second-Class Mail-Matter. 



QEORae W. YORK, Editor. 



CHICAGO, ILL, APRIL 21, 1904. 



Vol, XLIV— No. 16. 





Editorial Comments 





Replacing Winter Losses of Bees. 



Xo doubt many bee-keepers will tind themselves with more bee- 

 less hives and combs on their hands this spring than for years. It so, 

 the thing to do is to purchase nuclei as soon as settled weather arrives, 

 and restock those hives and combs. In some cases it may be possible 

 to divide strong colonies and thus utilize the hives and combs where 

 bees died during the past severe winter. 



Discouragements .of Bee-Keepers. 



No life or business is all a pathway of roses. Each has its trials 

 and discouragements. Doubtless a good many bee-keepers will be 

 inclined to feel somewhat discouraged when contemplating their win^ 

 ter losses of bees. But that won't do. " Faint heart never won fair 

 lady." " L'p and at it again " is the only way to success after appar- 

 ent defeat. We learn by our failures; we gain strength by constant 

 effort. If life were all ease and sunshine, where would come in the 

 zest that arises from overcoming obstacles and compelling success 

 through difficulties? 



Guide-Posts to Success in Bee-Keeping. 



Bee-papers and bee-books are but the guide-posts that show to 

 would-lie bee-keepers the way to the destination of Success. If you 

 persist in following your own way, whether it be on the road, or in 

 bee-keeping, there is no need of consulting real guide-posts or the best 

 bee-literature. But if you want to be sure you are on the right road, 

 and save retracing your steps, or perhaps avoid accidents or losses, 

 better heed directions. As others have traveled over the way you ex- 

 pect to go, why not avail yourself of their experience, much of which 

 was perhaps dearly bought? Life is too short, and competition all too 

 strenuous, for any one in this day and age to " go it alone," or inde- 

 pendently of what may be had so cheaply in the way of helpful advice. 

 At best, we can not learn it all in this life. But we all want to make 

 the most out of lite. In order to do that we need to know just as 

 many of the " short cuts " to success as possible. By reading the 

 liest bee-literature it will not be necessary to spend so long a time in 

 creeping. ^^^^^^^^^__ 



Non-Swarming Hives. 



In England much dependence in the way of non-swarming is 

 placed OQ what is called a non-swarming chamber, a chamber below 

 the brood-nest, containing starters. It is said that so long as this 

 chamber is not tilled the bees will not swarm. Formerly we were told 

 that from time to time the combs should be moved above, so as to 

 keep the bees constantly starting fresh combs below. Now, however^ 

 we are told this is not necessary. In reply to a man who works for 

 section honey, the British Bee Journal says : 



" The main object of a non-swarming chamber is to start the bees 

 at work storing honey above the brood-nest, and once this is done tlR- 

 needful room which prevents uvenrowding and consequent swarrllin^^ 

 is given o'r (-/(.'.((Z as required; nutbing being needed below but a fuli- 

 width entrance. In extreme cases of strong colonies in hot weather. 



it may be necessary to wedge the hive from its floor-board so as to 

 allow a free current of air all around; liut plenty of room above — as 

 a rule— suffices to prevent swarming. Therefore, when bees are at 

 work in the non-swarming chamber, remove it, bees and all, above the 

 brood-nest." 



Little dependence could be placed upon this in this country, for 

 when the bees are fully at work above, no matter how many sections 

 are added, there is danger of swarming. There is a wide difference 

 between the climate of this country and that of England. Can that 

 account for the difference in practiced 



The New York Bee-Disease. 



Some weeks ago there was received at this office " A Report on 

 the Investigation of an Infectious Bee-Disease," made by Veranus A. 

 Moore, M. D., and G.Franklin White, B. S., ot the New York State 

 Veterinary College, under the direction of the State Agricultural De- 

 partment. The results ot the investigation are more or less negative, 

 and some of them a little surprising. 



The specimens ot black brood examined showed in every ease the 

 presence of Bacillus alvei, leading to the conclusion " that the pre- 

 vailing bee-disease in this State is very similar to, if not identical with, 

 the ' foul brood ' of other States, Canada, and Europe." 



Regarding the study of healthy brood, the report says: 



" We have had an opportunity to study the healthy brood from 

 three apiaries only. Two of these examinations gave negative results, 

 so far as the bacteria found in the diseased brood are concerned. The 

 other examination was ot a healthy brood taken in a vicinity of bees 

 affected with ' black brood.' It showed Bacillus alvei to be present in 

 considerable numbers.'" 



Nitrogen Bacteria— Illinois Bulletin 94. 



This bulletin, written by Dr. C. G. Hopkins, is one of exceeding 

 interest to farmers, and especially to bee-keeping farmers. In the 

 summary of items contained in the bulletin, will be found the follow- 

 ing: 



Soil nitrogen can not be used by plants until it is changed to the 

 form of nitrate nitrogen by the nitrifying bacteria. 



Atmospheric nitrogen can not be used by any agricultural plants, 

 excepting legumes, and even leguminous plaats have no power to 

 obtain nitrogen from the air unless they are provided with the proper 

 nitrogen-gatheriny bacteria. 



As a rule, each important agricultural legume must have its own 

 particular species of bacteria. 



Investigations, reported in this bulletin, furnish conclusive proof 

 that infected sweet clover soil can be used tor inoculating alfalfa fields, 

 and with the same results as are obtained from an old alfalfa field. 



This whole matter ot nitrogen bacteria is ot more importance than 

 generally supposed. Of the ten essential elements of plant-food, 

 nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the three that have market 

 values. Commercial nitrogen costs about 15 cents a pound, and i 

 takes a pound for a bushel ot corn, so it would be an expensive busi- 

 ness to buy it, but Mr. Hopkius tells us that there are about 75,000,000 

 pounds of atmospheric nitrogen resting upon every acre of land, and 

 that it is possible to obtain unlimited quantities ot nitrogen from the 

 air at very small cost, providing we have leguminous plants, such as 

 clover, alfalfa, or peas, accompanied with the right kind ot bacteria 

 at the roots. 



The item ot special importance tor farmers outside alfalfa regions 

 is that which relates to the furnishing ot the proper bacteria tor the 

 growth of alfalfa. The bulletin says : 



"In Winnebago County, where sweet clover Is very prevalent 

 along roadsides and in waste places, it was noted that the abundance 



