1880 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



81 



Three of my colonies have died, one of them leav- 

 ing considerable honey. They did not freeze. I 

 would like to know what was the matter with them. 



Vigo, Boss Co., O., Jan. 21, '80. John Motes. 



"money in the home papeks." 



I think you would better continue the "Home 

 Papers." There is money in them. They remind 

 me of a good old Methodist brother who spoke in 

 class thus: "I am just as sure that I have got re- 

 ligion, as I am that there is sugar in Audubon ; and 

 that I know to a certainty, as I yesterday got 3 bbl. 

 which I will sell cheaper than any other man in 

 town." $• 



[Many thanks, friend "$," for reminding me to be 

 careful that selfishness does not crop out even in 

 the Home Papers. But why did you not sign your 

 name? I cannot find even a post-mark on your 

 postal; is it possible you were so afraid you might 

 be discovered that you got the P. M. to skip it? You 

 need not be afraid to stand up before us all, and tell 

 me right out, when you think me in error; lam 

 pretty sure I shall not get mad, or hold any 

 "grudge" against you. By the way, could that 

 brother be a very good Methodist, and say he " would 

 sell cheaper than any other man in town?" What 

 do the boys think about it?] 



DEPOSITORY OP 



Or Letters from Those Who Have Made 

 Bee Culture a. Failure. 



fT appears that you have some trouble in getting 

 Blasted Hopes filled up, for want of reports. I 

 i will give you an item. In the spring of 1879,1 



had over 100 colonies in line trim, with an immense 

 amount of bees; but on going into winter quarters 

 I had but about £0 colonies— poor ones at that, with 

 no honey and scarcely any bees. I had to feed all 

 my bees, and thus far all are right that were proper- 

 ly fed. I fear, however, that I shall find trouble in 

 the spring. If I come through with 25 colonies I 

 shall feel well satisfied. I have traveled over a large 

 portion of Illinois, and I find that at least three- 

 fourths of the bees are dead from starvation. 

 Pana, 111., Jan. 5, 1880. A. L. Klar. 



I am a young beginner, and have not been able to 

 get along with the bees. I have had bad luck with 

 them all the time; they either fly away or die. 



Louis Werner. 



Edwardsville, Madison Co., 111. 



From 47 hives, I only got 100 lb. of box honey. 



A. Robb. 

 Patoka, Gibson Co., Ind., Dec. 12, 1879. 



BUCKWHEAT NOT ALWAYS A HONEY PLANT. 



We have no honey here this fall. I had 5 acres in 

 buckwheat, but the bees wouldn't look at it. I had 

 to feed in the fall. G EO. Ebell. 



Baker City, Baker Co., Ore., Dec. 18, 1879. 



Pertaining to X5eo Culture. 



[We respectfully solicit the aid of our friends in 

 conducting this department, and would consider it a 

 favor to have them send us all circulars that have a 

 deceptive appearance. The greatest care will beat 

 all times maintained to prevent injustice being done 

 any one.] 



fore, containing a lot of testimonials to her 

 honesty and truthfulness hut "never a name" 

 is appended to one of them. The price of a 

 sample hive, not a full sized hive, mind you, 

 only a small model, is $b'.00, hut as she can- 

 not make money enough at this, she comes 

 out now with the following (it is free advert- 

 ising I know, hut 1 can't help it): 



At the earnest request of many residing at a dis- 

 tance, who wish to obtain my improvements, but 

 have been hindered from doing so, (they not wishing 

 to incur the heavy express charges for transporting 

 sample hive and fixtures,) I have now secured the 

 services of the most skillful artists in the United 

 States, and have prepared elaborate and very minute 

 drawings and illustrations of the controllable hive 

 and all fixtures, giving exact measurements and 

 specifications of every part, so that any carpenter, 

 with these, can construct the controllable hive and 

 all the fixtures. 



By this arrangement all who desire can now secure 

 the benefit of my invention at a small cost. 



Drawings and illustrations, with priuted directions 

 for managing bees on my plan, with receipt for 

 feed, everything so plain as to be readily understood, 

 all sent by mail to any part of the United States or 

 Canada on receipt of four dollars. 



Now, Mrs. C. your printed instructions 

 may he awfully cheap, at S-1-00, hut you 

 promised that wonderful book that would 

 tell every thing about bees for only $1.00, a 

 few years ago; now, it isn't a book at all, but 

 just "printed instructions," and you want 

 four dollars. O dear, O dear! how I do want 

 that book — or my precious dollar back again. 

 If some one who can make Mrs. C. "send 

 things" after she has got the money will get 

 me a copy of that "directions," 'elaborate 

 drawings and all, I will have them printed 

 in Gleanings, and then it won't cost any- 

 body any ••dollars"' at all. 



fBS. LIZZIE COTTON must be pros- 

 jH, pering in spite of the many times she 



~ — ! has been held up to public gaze. She 

 has got out a larger circular than ever he- 



N. C. MITCHELL. 



Mr. Mitchell has made an inroad on some of our 

 citizens, with his patent division board and hive, and 

 promising to furnish an extractor for a very small 

 sum; but in no case have 1 heard of any of his pat- 

 rons getting their extractors. J. P. Holloway. 



Monclova, Lucus Co., O., Jan. ^'0, 1880. 



Mitchell's men have made their appearance in our 

 place here. Can they hurt us for using division 

 boards and triangular comb-guides? Please let us 

 know in next GLEANINGS. They claim a patent 

 right on the above-mentioned articles. 



Jacob Stoltzfus. 



Lewisburg, Union Co., Pa., Dec. 21,1879. 



I have said so many times during the past 

 years that their false claims of a patent on 

 division boards and comb guides was only 

 another kind of highway robbery, that I 

 guess I will make a little "extract from the 

 American Agriculturist in regard to such 

 matters: 



THBBE IS MUCH FRAUD ABOUT PATENTS. 

 Some scoundrels make it a business to go about 

 the country, claiming a royalty upon things not pat- 

 ented by them or by anyone else. The farmer fears 

 that be must either pay the sum demanded or stand 

 a lawsuit. But do not be frightened. Farmers In 

 this country have rights as well as patentees. In 

 such cases, go slow. One claiming to hare a patent 

 knows himself whether he is a fraud or an honest 

 man. If his claim is a just one, he will feel confi- 

 dence in it; he Will not threaten or try to bully. He 

 will know that he has the law on his side, will know 

 that ttje farmer has unintentionally violated his 

 right. At the same time, the farmer, seeing that he 

 has unwittingly trespassed upon the patent of an- 

 other, will be willing to do the fair thing. Those 

 two — the farmer and the holder of the patent, if 

 bona fide — will not be long in coming to u settlement 

 satisfactory to both. 



