April, 1908. 



bottom of the article it says that it i 

 in the center of the cluster out-of-doors, than 

 in the cellar. My observation is that there is 

 usually a greater loss of bees in out-door win- 

 tering than in the cellar. The incentive is to 

 begin building up sooner, then a warm spell 

 in spring gets the bees to doing something, 

 while in the cellar they would remain quiet. 



Sixty- four years ago, my father and an 

 uncle cut down a hollow sycamore tree. Then 

 each cut off a lo-foot log and hauled it home. 

 The hollow was about 6 feet across. They 

 put a floor in the bottom, a floor in the mid- 

 dle, and a roof on top. All being made tight, 

 and painted, the "gums" (as they were called) 

 were set up on end on 4 blocks large enough 

 to hold the weight and not settle in the 

 ground. They stood about 6 inches from the 

 ground. On one side was a small door that a 

 man could crawl in; on the opposite side were 

 2 one-inch holes bored about 1^2 inches apart. 

 A little step was fastened just below these 

 holes for the bees to alight on. 



Each of these two primitive bee-keepers 

 made 2 box-hives, which were something new 

 then. The first swarms were put into these 

 hives and then put one in each apartment with 

 little blocks under each corner, and set up 

 close to the side where the entrances were in 

 the gum. And now began the strife between 

 these bee-keepers to see which could get the 

 most and the nicest honey. 



The first 2 years they let the bees build 

 comb and put honey wherever they willed. 

 These bees never swarmed, but were inclined 

 to rear brood everywhere. The third year 

 the bee-men made frames similar in principle 

 to the modern clothes-horse, only they were 

 nailed together solid. They cut strips of wood 

 and laid them across from one rest to the 

 other, something like a foot above each other, 

 the whole looking like a new frame for a 

 dwelling house. The old comb was cut out on 

 one side of the original box and this new 

 arrangement set up in its place. Had these 

 bee-keepers understood or known anything 

 about comb-spacing, it seems they would have 

 made a grand success. As it was. the bees 

 were more inclined to build crosswise than 

 any other way, although they got some fine 

 honey, and could get it any time they wished. 



The fourth year father made a smaller frame, 

 or rack, than the last described, and set it on 

 top of the original hive with a 2-inch hole bored 

 through the top. In this rack the bees sel- 

 dom put any bee-bread, and never tried to rear 

 any brood. Many times father would look in 

 at these bees, and especially in the winter. 

 John was mostly there and got to look in too. 

 He (that is John) never tired looking at them. 

 It was the grandest observatory arrangement 

 I ever knew. I believe those bees reared brood 

 the year around. At least there would be 

 dead bees of all ages thrown out on the snow 

 in the winter. 



So much for my first experience in bee- 

 keeping, 60-odd years ago. This experience was 

 had near Tiffin.Seneca Co., Ohio. 



My bees are in the cellar. It is snowing 

 and very stormy to-day, so I am glad they are 

 under shelter. J. H. Shedenhelm. 



Ladora, Iowa, Feb. iS. 



MONEY IN CAPONS. 



Why sell a scraggy rooster, all breast-bone 

 and comb, when less feed will produce a fat 

 capon bringing more pounds per fowl and more 

 money -er pound? There is no good reason 

 why any one should do so. Capons are re- 

 markably easy to raise, they are easy, very 

 easy to sell at top price. (Did you ever hear of 

 a glut in the capon market?), and, best of all, 

 they are easy to make — you can easily become 



a skilled operator, v, K l v;^ r>. i ;. s-. ir. n- than 

 one percent of the birds caponizeu; and if one 

 does die, it dies under the capon knife, and 

 you can have a chicken pot-pie for dinner, so 

 there is no loss if you do kill one or two. 



Look up this matter of caponizing, write the 

 old firm of G. P. Pilling & Son., Arch St., 

 Philadelphia, Pa., for their catalog of "Easy to 

 Jse" Caponizing Instruments (sent with full 

 directions) ; get the set you like the best, and 

 put money in your purse. There is money, big 

 money in capons. Why don't you get your 



A Great Poultry Establishmeot.— The illustration herewith is a bird's-eye view of 



Berry's Golden Rule Poultry Farm. It shows what wonderful strides have been made ia 

 the way of establishing; mammoth poultry plants. 



It shows what success may be attained in this business: it is one of the larg:est plants 

 that has been brought to our notice, containing: the finest and purest kinds of thoroughbred 

 chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. They are farm-raised birds, large, vigorous, and 



They manufacture an incubator and brooder— the " Biddy "—that hatches more chick- 

 ens with less care and cost than any other they have tried. 



Low prices are quoted in a very valuable book, " Profitable Poultry." that tells about 

 their mammoth poultry farm and 45 breeds of fowls. This finely illustrated book of 84 pages 

 tells of their success and how others may succeed with poultry. It will pay every one to 

 send 4 cents for this book to Berry's Poultry Farm. Box 272, Clarinda. Iowa. 



share? Please mention the American Bee Jour- 

 nal when writing. 



What is Vulcanite? 



A great many farmers and builders are ask- 

 ing what "V'ulc.vnite" is. \'ulcanite is a 

 mineral rubber compound, and has been used 

 for over sixty years in the manufacture of 

 ready roofing. It is the most durable material 

 ever discovered for the purpose and makes a 

 roofing that has never been equalled. It is 

 particularly adapted to farm buildings of all 

 kinds; is more lasting than shingles or tin; 

 much cheaper in first cost and costs next to 

 nothing to maintain, as it does not require an- 

 nual painting. 



Vulcanite is not affected by rain, snow, sun 

 or frost — weather does not mjure it in any 

 way, and it makes a handsome appearance on 

 the building. 



For making old roofs new — especially old 

 shingle roofs. Vulcanite is the most satisfac- 

 tory thing you can use — simply lay it right over 

 the' old shingles and' make the roof better than 

 new — no expense or time removing old shin- 

 gles. 



For further particulars, write to the Patent 

 Vulcanite Roofing Co., 626 S. Campbell Ave- 

 nue, Chicago, 111-, for free samples and their 

 roof book. Kindly mention this paper and 

 the book will be sent free also. 



Please mention the American Bee Journal when 

 you write. 



Souvenir Bee Postal Cards 



We have gotten up 4 Souvenir Postal 

 Cards of interest to bee-keepers. No. i 

 is a Teddy Bear card, v^ith a stanza of 

 rhyme, a straw bee-hive, a jar and sec- 

 tion of honey, etc. It is quite senti- 

 mental. No. 2 has the words and mu- 

 sic of the song, "The Bee-Keeper's Lul- 

 laby;" No. 3, the words and music of 

 "Buckwheat Cakes and Honey;" and No. 

 4, the words and music of "The Hum- 

 ming of the Bees." We send these cards, 

 postpaid, as follows : 4 cards for 10 

 cents, 10 cards for 20 cents; or 6 cards 

 with the American Bee Journal one year 

 for 50 cents. Send all orders to the of- 

 fice of the American Bee Journal, iiS 

 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, 111. 



SMALL FARM COLONY. 



The most inviting small farm colony in 

 South Jersey is being exploited by the Daniel 

 Frazier Co., 750 Bailey Bldg., Philadelphia, 

 Pa. It is especially attractive because it is 

 very close to 2 large towns with schools, 

 churches, stores, factories, and all the con- 

 veniences of city life close by. The opportu- 

 nity is thus offered, if desired, for one or 

 more members of the family to work in the 

 city while the others are taking care of the 

 suburban home. The Frazier Company have an 

 extensive bureau of information about their 

 South Jersey Colony, and they will gladly give 

 full particulars about locations, prices, etc., to 

 any one who requests them. Some of the 

 5-acre garden farms are sold for $100 on in- 

 stallments of $5.00 a month, to those who prefer 

 to pay tliat way. It is only 17 miles from 

 Atlantic Citj*, and 37 miles from Philadelphia, 

 being traversed by 3 railroad lines, which af- 

 ford shipping facilities to New York, Phila- 

 delphia, and Atlantic City markets. If this mat- 

 phia, and Atlantic City markets. If this mat- 

 er appeals to you write to the Frazier Co., as 

 above, and they will tcU you all about it. 



Eastern New York Convention 



The second semi-annual meeting of 

 the Eastern New York Bee-Keepers* 

 Association was held at Albany. March 

 12, 1908. There was a good attendance 

 of bee - keepers. Eleven new members 

 were added to the Association. A con- 

 stitution was adopted and the following 

 committee of 5 appointed to draft by- 

 laws: Stephen Davenport, C. B. Loomis, 

 J. Van Auken, the President and the 

 Secretary. There was considerable dis- 

 cussion on the subjects of apiarian sup- 

 plies, spring management, etc. 



D. A. Frazier, Sec. 



Albany, N. Y. 



Apiarian Pictures 



We would be glad to have those who 

 can do so, send us pictures of bee- 

 yards, or of anything else that would be 

 of interest along the line of bee-keep- 

 ing. 



