GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Sept. 1. 



valuable than this; namely, that the apiary, 

 during all the time that bees were working in 

 these hives, showed no signs of robbing. In- 

 deed, for the last two months we have been 

 able to open the hives just as we did during the 

 honey-flow, without a single robber poking its 

 nose around to investigate. Those that would 

 otherwise be robbers, and make much annoy- 

 ance, seem to be occupied in getting honey out 

 of the stacked-up hives. Incidentally also we 

 discovered another decided advantage. We 

 found we could introduce queens from queen- 

 cells, and do iwery thing else, in fact, as easily 

 and successfully as during a nice moderate 

 honey-How; for it is a well-known fact that 

 bees will accept queens and queen-cells much 

 more readily during a time when honey is com- 

 ing in than at a time when none is coming, and 

 when robbing seems to be the order of the day. 

 This discovery has been worth to us many dol- 

 lars. Dr. C. C. Miller was the first one to give 

 us the idea of letting bees rob quietJy in this 

 way; but he did not then anticipate how many 

 valuable results would grow out of it. 



By the way, did it ever occur to you, dear 

 reader, how much of an experimental apiary 

 ours has come to be? We are constantly test- 

 ing new ideas and inventions, and reports from 

 the same are being given in nearly every issue. 

 The most valuable thing this summer that we 

 have come across is a perfect working scheme 

 for keeping the bees quiet during a dearth of 

 honey, thus rendering a bee-tent and other 

 things unnecessary, and work in the yard pleas- 

 ant and profitable. 



In another column it will be noticed that the 

 reports c/iscouraging are more numerous than 

 the reports e?icouraging. The e.xceedingly dry 

 weather has rather put a quietus on the usual 

 late honey-llow: hut the reports discouraging, 

 it will be noticid, apply to territory where the 

 seasons have been poor, and have been so re- 

 ported along with the reports encouraging when 

 he scales turned the other way. 



THE BEE. 



DIRECTIONS FOR USING MEKCURIAI. AND AN- 

 EROID BAROMETERS. 



We have had a lot of these printed, and will 

 mail them free of charge to any one who will 

 send us a stamped envelope directed to himself. 

 As it is all pi'inted matter, a one-cent stamp 

 will be sufficient. They will apply to the 

 barometers we have sold, or to any mercurial 

 or aneroid barometer. Please take notice, how- 

 ever, that they have no reference to a cheap 

 kind of glasses that have been sold by agents 

 all over the country. What I mean is, some 

 sort of powder dissolved in a liquid. When it 

 is going to rain, the liquid becomes cloudy — at 

 least, that is what the directions say. A true 

 barometer records the pressure of the atmos- 

 phere; and, in fact, it can be used to tell the 

 altitude of a hill or mountain as well as to fore- 

 tell the weather. If you go up a high moun- 

 tain, of course there is not so much air above 

 you, so the pressure is less. The aneroid ba- 

 rometers work on the same principle as the 

 mercurial, except that the scale is, for conven- 

 ience, made in the form of a circle. Please 

 keep in mind that, when we use the term '• high 

 barometer " or " low barometer" we mean high 

 or low pressure. The average pressure, but 

 little above sea-level, is about 39 inches; there- 

 fore, when the indicator moves toward 28 inches 

 we mean "down." When it mov^s toward 39 

 or 30, it means " up." I mention this, because, 

 unless you look at the figures on the aneroid, 

 you may get confused, because sometimes the 

 hand is really going down when the mercury in 

 the mercurial barometer is going up. 



Oh tlie bee! tlie bee! the liouey-bee! 



He's just the fellow I like to see. 



His life is g'ay as the day is long-. 



And overflows with a flood of song; 



He bathes in the dew of a new-born day. 



And revels like schools of children at play. 



Oh the bee! the bee! the honey-bee! 



A marvelous creature is lie to me. 



I watcli him often with raptured eye 



As he wends his way and blends with tlie sky ; 



He flies to the fields, and, lo ! lie dips 



His tiny bill in the drop tliiit drips 



From the clover-blossom's laughing- lips; 



And he leaves a, tunc and he leaves a kiss, 



But he takes a globular world of bliss. 



Oh the bee! the bee! the honey-bee! 

 It teaches a truthful lesson to me. 

 Patiently toiling from day to day, 

 Wearing by little a life away; 

 Each load you gather, each drop of sweet 

 You lay in store for others to eat — 

 Yet, uncomplaining, you toil along, 

 Rejoicing in labor and filled with song. 



Oh the bee! the bee! the honey-bee! 

 God's wisdom is manifest plainly in tliee. 

 And may we ever be steadfast and true, 

 Devoting our lives to the good we can do; 

 For the world is a meadow of sweet-clover 



bloom. 

 And we, like the bee, have plenty of room 

 To gather the nectar of kindness and love 

 Tliat drops like the dew from the heavens 



above. 

 Alexandria, Ind. Evan Er^LEisy Edwards. 



CONVENTION NOTICE. 



The North .American Bee-keepers' Association will hold its 

 24th annual convention on the 11th. 12th, and 13th of October, 

 1S9.3, in Chicagro. III. 



Pl.\i'E of Meeting.— a hall for the use of the convention 

 has been secured in tlu' " Louisiana Hotel," at the <rovner of 

 71st Street and Seipp .V venue, only a few minutes' walk from 

 the south entrance to the W(]ild's Cohunljian Exposition, This 

 hall is large, well lisihtcd. and in a quiet lUace. 



Hotel Accommodations —The Louisiana Hotel itself will 

 furnish comfortable accommodations to a largre numbei- of the 

 members, at very moderate prices. For a small room two 

 persons pay daily 75 cts. each. Larger rooms occupied by two 

 at $1.00 per person. Four persons occupying a room having 

 two beds will pay .50 cts. each. Meals can be obtained in the 

 hotel at reasonaole rate.s, nr at numerous restaur.ants in the 

 vicinity. It is Vic^t to eniratfe rooms )iy letter lifforehand. The 

 proprietors of the L.iuisiau.t Hnti-l jjive us tlit- use ot the hall 

 free, expecting tliat many of tin- imiubeis will t;ilce rooms 

 with them; and as the prices are moderate, and the rooms are 

 neat and coiivciiieut, it is but .just for all who can well arrange 

 to sfojp the'-c to ilo SI). For this purpo.se. address " Manager of 

 Louisi.-iiia Hotel, coiner 71st Street and Seipp Ave., Chicago," 

 statint;' what priced room is wanted. 



Railway Tk kets and Baggage —Most of the railwxys ticket 

 to til" Expo<ition Depot, ne ir which the Louisiana Hotel is lo- 

 cateil; and baKnage should be checked to that station, thus 

 avoidins- extra charges, a'* it is about seven miles from the 

 cit.y stations lo the World's Fairgrounds. IiifDrmation as to 

 rates . if travel, time liekets are good, etc., <-:in be obtatained 

 of all loc.nl ticket agents. From many points — especially from 

 cities having numerous coiiiiieting lines — excursions will be 

 starting which will permit those who can take advantage of 

 them to go and return at the usual rate for one fare. 



Programme and .Attendance —The programme, of which 

 further notice will be given, consists of interesting papers by 

 well-known specialists, and discussions of top'-s which will 

 interest honey-producers, queen-breeeders, manufacturers of 

 apiarian supplies, publishers and e litors of bee-literature, and 

 dealers in hinev and wax. Viewing the various foreign and 

 home exhibits in apiculture at the World's Fair will form an 

 attractive and instructive feature of the meeting, and the 

 number of a]iiarists widely known here and abroad who will 

 be present and take i.art iii the proceedings is of itself a guar- 

 antee that this will be a highly interesting and enthusiastic 

 meeting. Counting, therefore, upon a large attendance, the 

 Executive Committee of the society has made arrangements 

 accordingl,v. Let every State in the Union send tho strongest 

 possible delegation, an I let ever,v In-anch of our industr.v be 

 represented at this great Columbian gathering. No other oc- 

 casion is likely to occur in our generation when so much of 

 interest can lie seen and heard at the time of one of these 

 meetings; and it is earnestly hoped that a much larger num 

 ber of the bee-keepers of North .America than has ever met at 

 any previous convention will be able to avail themselves of 

 this grand opportunit.y. A .special invitation is extended to 

 the bee-keepers of eveiy foreign country. 



Notice of Attendance or of Presentation of Papers.— The 

 Secretary is desirous of obtaining, as earl.v as possible, the 

 names of all who contemplate being present Kindly notify 

 him by card or letter; also any who may wish to present papers 



