628 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Sept. IS, 1904. 



not do any injustice to the army of reputable bee-keepers 

 in America. 



A hasty glance at this array of authorities might lead 

 one to say that Dr. Walker was more than justified in say- 

 ■ ing just what she did say in her department in June. But 

 the heading of her present statement is " Artificial Paraffin 

 Honeycomb ", and the only thing she talks about is the use 

 of paraffin for comb, whereas in the June number it was 

 comb honey — quite another thing — for she says, " the little 

 cells are then filled with glucose slightly flavored to give 

 the honey taste, and the artificial product is ready for use." 

 The first quotation is entirely to the point ; the three 

 successive ones grow weaker as they proceed. The second, 

 from Dr. Thompson, refers only to artificial comb, the bees 

 being credited with the filling — apparently with pure honey. 

 The third, fromLefi'mann and Beam, refers only to genuine 

 honeycomb, no paraffin in the case. The fourth, has only 

 to do with adulteration or imitation of liquid honey, there 

 being no comb, neither paraffin nor any other kind, in the 

 case. 



But it is human nature to make as strong defense as 

 possible, and Dr. Walker has done the manly— rather the 

 womanly — thing to say in plain terms, "the statement 

 made in the June issue was erroneous ". If all who have 

 helped to injure the bee-keepers' interests were thus ready 

 to make the amende honorable, we should have cause for 

 gratitude. 



In a private letter referring to this matter. Dr. Walker 

 wrote us as follows, under date of Aug. 17 : 



" I am sure that you will feel satisfied with the state- 

 ment concerning comb honey, which I have written for the 

 Ladies' Home Journal for September. I think that as long 

 as this statement remains in our reference books there is 

 always danger of its being innocently quoted. It seems a 

 great pity that this should be true. I can not imagine any 

 fair-minded writer wishing in any way to harm a legitimate 

 industry." 



We all now know that Dr. Walker never intended in any 

 way to injure or misrepresent honey-producers. And all 

 will be glad to see that she has thus set herself right on the 

 subject, and before the bee-keeping world. 



Superseding the Common Fate of All Queens. 



This is the time of year when more superseding occurs 

 than at any other time. The beginner is likely to think of 

 superseding as a rare occurrence. Instead of that it is the 

 common thing. In the natural course of events, every queen 

 closes her career by being superseded. 





Miscellaneous Items 





J. B. Hains, a pioneer beekeeper in Cuyahoga Co., 

 Ohio, the inventor of the Hains atmospheric feeder, in 

 vogue some years ago, died at his home Aug. 24. He bottled 

 honey for the Cleveland market, buying of other beekeep- 

 ers after his own crop was disposed of. 



Some National Association Notes have been sent to 

 us for publication by General Manager N. E. France, as 

 follows ; 



Two more victories — lawsuits. 



A large number of members have secured board at the 

 Christian Endeavor Hotel, St. Louis, to attend the Fair and 

 bee-keepers' convention. I am securing rooms near each 

 other so as to make it pleasant. 



Freight on honey, in cans, boxed or cased, is 4th class ; 

 in cans otherwise, double first-class. If those using the 



single 5-gallon jacketed can will bill the same as cased at 

 4th class, they will save overcharges. 



The last Annual Report had many names of members 

 whose membership had expired, making the total too many. 

 This year over 2000 are at present paid-up members. 



I feel there is much valuable work to be done by the 

 Association, and recommend that city members do not cause 

 quarrels among neighbors, and thus allow the Association 

 more time and money to advertise the use of honey, help 

 the sales of the same, etc. 



France's honey display at the National Convention is 

 worth going to see. Sept. 27 to 30, Christian Endeavor 

 Hotel, at St. Louis. 



The voting ballots for nominating officers for 1905 and 

 three directors are coming in very fast. 



The Apiary of Mr. A. J. Freeman is shown on the 

 first page. When sending the picture, Mr. Freeman wrote 

 thus : 



I enclose a partial view of my apiary. I have 18 colo- 

 nies, all in good shape for fall flow. Our flow is now com- 

 mencing (Aug. 9). I have taken 300 pounds from about 6 

 colonies, all white clover honey. I am in hopes my 18 colo- 

 nies will give me at least SO to 7S pounds each. 



My father bought 3 colonies when I was about 13 years 

 old, in Illinois, and they all froze out that same year. Some 

 years later — about 1877 — we moved to Kansas, where I have 

 remained ever since, and I have been keeping bees nearly 

 all these years, but the first five years were full of blunders 

 and loss, both in bees and money ; but since I am better in- 

 formed I make a success every year. We always have 

 plenty of honey, and generally lots to sell, and I get IS cents 

 a pound for all of it — extracted and comb. 



My bees are nearly all full-blood Italians, and I think 

 they are the best. I aim to introduce several queens every 

 year from the best breeders. 



I read three bee-papers, and I also have about half a 

 dozen bee-books. 



I don't have much trouble about introducing queens. I 

 have never lost a colony from bee-moth, as I always keep 

 them strong, with young queens, and plenty of honey on 

 hand. A. J. Freeman. 



The Apiary of T. R. G, Welch, of Morgan Co., Utah, 

 appears on the first page. When sending the photograph 

 he wrote as follows : 



At this writing (Aug. 1) my apiary consists of ISO colo- 

 nies. In the spring I had 88 in good condition, and have 

 hived 62 swarms, and lost 6 or 8. I am running 40 colonies 

 for extracted and 110 for comb honey. In the shed, at the 

 left hand of the picture, I do all my extracting, and cleaning 

 and grading comb honey. In the open shed are 48 colonies 

 in two rows ; on the shed are 14 colonies. All the hives 

 have shade-boards, which are nearly all taken off and set at 

 the back for this ocgasion. I am just giving the open col- 

 ony another frame of comb. 



The whole apiary covers an area of only 4x6,'4 rods, 

 with plum trees in front. The shed faces south, 19 degrees 

 east, and the hives set mostly in pairs, about 4 feet apart, 

 and 6 feet between the rows. 



I winter my bees in just the positions they stand during 

 the summer. 



I am in my 70th year, and do all my work myself. I 

 love the bees and the work. I do not consider myself a 

 professor in apiculture, but for the purpose of being suc- 

 cessful I spend much time in studying their habits. July 10 

 I hived a swarm that to-day (Aug. 1) has 16 drawn combs, 

 Langstroth size, filled with brood and honey, and a super of 

 comb honey ready to take off — in just 21 days. But it was 

 a swarm. 



Last year I netted from my apiary $5.00 per colony in 

 honey and beeswax. T. R. G. Welch. 



Mr. Philip Prior and His Apiary,— Mr. W. A. Pryal, 

 of San Francisco Co., Calif., some time ago sent in the fol- 

 lowing concerning a San Francisco apiary and its owner : 



The first gold hunters that came to California landed 

 in San Francisco ; the first bees that sought the incompa- 

 rable nectar of the Golden State, also passed through the 

 Golden Gate and made their first home on the sand-hills of 

 the metropolis of the West. That is close on a century ago, 

 if it is not that far back already. In those days, the city 

 that is built on a hundred hills did not offer much induce- 



