1893 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



943 



TiiE following is an editorial that appeared 

 in the Bee-keepers' Eevieic; aud, in fairness to 

 Bro. Hutchinson, it should be placed before our 

 readers: 



E. R. Root calls attention to Hasty's remark, that 

 Mr. Taj'lor drew conclusions favorable to founda- 

 tion, and that the editor of the Review argued iu 

 favor of starters, both using that big table as a 

 basis. Beg pardon, brothers, but Mr. Taylor called 

 Attention to the fact tliat those hived on starters 

 *• held tbeir rate of gain decidedly better than tliose 

 hived on comb or foundation." I then called atten 

 tion to this fact, and argued that, if tlie harvest liad 

 continued a little longer, or had tiie test been com- 

 menced a little earlier, those on starters miglit have 

 come out ahead. Wlien Mr. Taylor sent in tiiat re- 

 port he accompanied it by a private note in which 

 lie said, "Tliere is a big argument in tliose figures 

 for starters," and I did wonder a little that he did 

 not enlarge a little more on this point in his sum- 

 ming-up. 



Trade Notes. 



TOP-BARS FOR 1894; TWO SI>1GHT CHANGE.S. 



A number of bee-keepers have been asking us 

 what special improvements or innovations we 

 were about to introduce in the line of supplies 

 for 1894; and for the benefit of these and others 

 it may be well to tell what we propose to do, or, 

 rather, what we shall not do. Our line of sup- 

 plies, including Dovetailed hives, Hoffman 

 frames, and thick top-bars, have been so gen- 

 erally indorsed by those who have given them 

 a careful trial, as is evidenced by hundreds of 

 letters we have from pleased customers, now on 

 file, that we shall make little or no change. 

 Aside from this, on general principles it is not 

 wise to make any radical changes too often. 

 When we changed, three or four years ago, 

 from the Simplicity hive, thin top-bars, and 

 metal -cornered frames, to the implements men- 

 tioned above, we did so because the signs of the 

 times seemed to demand it. Now no sweeping 

 change is callt^d for. That being the case, for 



e sake of uniformity of goods, if foi' no other 



a son, we propose to keep along in the ^ame 

 general lines for 1894. 



Eut we have made one or two slight improve- 

 ments. The first one to which we call your at- 

 tention is in the matter of top-bars. So far 

 from there being a general complaint against 

 having top-bars too thick, too clumsy, etc., 

 there has been a call to.have them still thicker. 

 The top-bar of our 



Hoffman frame of 

 last year was% thick 

 and ItV wide. In 

 response to a demand 

 for a thicker bar, we 

 changed our cutter- 

 knives so as to leave 

 a comb-guide like 

 what is shown in the 

 accompanying cross-section. The engraving is 

 full-sized, and measurement will show that the 

 perpendicular edges are >< deep; the comb- 

 guide is molded out as before, but in such a 

 way as to leave square blunt corners opposite 

 it, so that the bees will not take these rather 

 than the center, as starting-points for combs. 

 It will be remembered that the top-bar for last 

 year had the same coinb-gnide as now. only 

 that the wood was cut away on both sides, so 

 as to leave the sides of the bar only ^ deep. 



We may explain that the black horizontal 

 line one-third of the way down on the cross- 

 section shows the projection, !'or that part of the 

 frame that rests on the rabbet. 



This change in the brood-frame and ; top-bar 



is so slight that it will not make the least con- 

 fusion with frames already in use. 



Another slight change that we have made, or. 

 rather, are about to make, is in the matter of 

 the wood separators in the comb-honey dove- 

 tailed supers. In- 

 stead of having 

 both sides scored 

 out }4 inch deep, 

 as shown in the 

 separator at D in 

 the small cut 

 herewith present- 

 ed, we scored out 

 only one side. 

 While at the 

 World's Fair, and 

 particularly a t 

 the Big Convention, we learned that it would 

 be an improvement to make this change, be- 

 cause on the upper side the bees sometimes 

 build the comb up above the opening, and out 

 through it, making a slight bulge near the top 

 of the section. On the bottom side the separa- 

 tor is scored out the same as before, because the 

 bees seldom if ever bulge the bottom of a comb; 

 and because the section-holder bottom-bar j^ 

 inch thick, together with ^g inch for the sec- 

 tion, practically leaves the bottom side of the 

 section entirely covered up. 



Spec/of Notices. 



We have .iust gotten out some new designs in 

 labels that we think are the finest that iiave ever 

 been gotten out for the adornment of honey-pack- 

 ages. If you want to see some of these hand.somely 

 colored designs, send for special label catalogue. 



EARLY-ORDER DISCOUNT. 



Those in need of supplies for next season, who 

 know pretty well ^liat they need, and have the 

 money to invest, should nut fail to note the big in- 

 terest they can make on their money by buying 

 now instead of waiting till spring. On orders for 

 goods listed on pages 10 to :iO of our catalogue, sent 

 us this month, we allow 4 per cent discount; in Jan- 

 uary, I! per cent; February, 3 per cent; afier Febru- 

 ary, no discount. Send in your orders, and take ad- 

 vantage of these early-Older discounts. 



NEW EDITION OF A B C Or POTATO CULTURE, 

 BY T. B. TERRY. 



We have finally completed this 

 hook which we have been at work 

 on during the past few months, 

 and those who have had their or- 

 ders ill for some time have by this 

 time received the complete book. 

 It is larger than any of the other 

 of our rural books, of the series we 

 have imblished, except " What to 

 Do." It contains 220 pages, fully 

 illustrated, is bound in leatherette 

 covers printed in gold, and is a 

 most valuable book to any tiller of the soil, whether 

 he grows few or many potatoes, or does not grow 

 any at all. If any of our readers desire this or any 

 other of the six books listed with cuts el.sewhere in 

 this issue, tliey may iiave them postpaid at 2nc each, 

 ■provided you send "a year's sul)scripi ion to Glean- 

 ings, with your order accompanied by remittance, 

 and iiefore your paid subscription expires, or not 

 later than the date of expiration; or, if you are in 

 arrears and send in addition sutlicient to pay up all 

 arrears and a year In advance, you maj" take advan- 

 tage of this offer. We still have two or three hun- 

 dred of the old edition left wliicli we offer to any 

 one who wants them at 10c each; by mail, 13c. If 

 any can not afford the last edition, they will find 

 this old edition a most valuable book, and well 

 worth this small sum. I trust so many will appreci- 

 ate this offer that our stock will soon find its way 

 into your hands. 



