August, 1910. 



American Hee JoarnaJj 



convenient to have in tlie apiary is a 

 robber-cloth, which is especially used 

 when robber-bees are bothering. 



To make this robber-cloth, take U 

 of a yard of heavy cotton-cloth, turn 

 over the selvedge edges, making a hem 

 a little over an inch wide. Put into 

 these hems sliot or something that will 

 weigh them down, stitching it in at 

 intervals so that it will not all slide to 

 one place but weigh the cloth down 

 evenly. Now take 4 pieces of lath about 

 the same length as the hive, put the 

 cloth of one side between two pieces 

 of the lath, putting the lath so you will 

 leave the same amount of cloth project- 

 ing at each end, and take wire-nails 

 long enough to go through both lath 

 and leave enough to clinch. Drive the 

 nails through the cloth and laths, 

 clinching the nails firmly. Do the same 

 by the other side, and the robber-cloth 

 is ready for use. 



By taking hold of the lath on one 

 side you can quickly throw this cloth 

 over any hive that contains either' 

 honey or brood, over supers of honey, 

 or any that is exposed to the robber- 

 bees. 



We feel that we cannot get along 

 without our robber-cloths, and if you 

 have never tried them I think you will 

 find them useful articles to have in the 

 apiary. 



Melting Combs into Beeswax 



Sadly I viewed the empty hues of my 

 bees which I liad depended upon to furnish 

 me many a new gown this summer— all dead. 

 But I must save what I could of their homes. 

 I saved the straightest combs and hung them 

 in a light, airy place for future use. I washed 

 a phosphate sack clean, and put into it all 

 the crooked combs it would hold. It weighed 

 6 pounds. I put it into a large brass kettle 

 and filled it half full of soft water. I washed 

 a hoe clean and pressed it down into the 

 water. When I thought all was melted. 

 "John " made a pair of squeezers for me. of 

 two smooth pieces of boards with a door- 

 hinge between. I held the dry end of the 

 sack and John squeezed. We did a very 

 eoodiob. Ohio Bee-Woman. 



If Mr. Hershiser had the slumgum 

 left after you squeezed out the wax 

 with your boards, doubtless he would 

 find a good deal of wax left in it. But 

 it is not easy by ordinary means to get 

 all the wax out. 



of Weatherford: Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Gra- 

 ham, of Fort Worth; Mr. and Mrs. M. R. 

 Graham, of Fort Worth. Mrs. J. W. Morrow, 

 of I'auls Valley. Okla.; (Mr. John Graham, 

 of tireenville. was not present.) Of the 

 grand-children present were; Mr. and Mrs. 

 Fred Erisman. of Fort Worth. Mrs. Erisman 

 being a daughter of John Graham. W. M. 



Many stories and reminiscences of old 

 times were enjoyed. No one seemed hap- 

 pier than Mother (iraham. Her children 

 were there to honor her with their presence, 

 her grand-children to do her homage, each 

 slrivitig to do sometliing for grandma; and 

 little Fred, her only great grandson present, 

 seemed to think that the whole occasion 



Mother Graham's Birthday Celebration 



-\t the beautiful residence of Wm. M. 

 Graham, in Fort Worth. Tex. a dinner was 

 given in honor of .Mother Graham, in the 

 celebration of the anniversary of her 80th 

 birthday. June 12. loio. 



In the early 70's the writer made the ac- 

 quaintance of Wm. R. Graham and family. 

 at Greenville. Tex, Mr. Graham was a brick 

 contractor and builder. He built the pres- 

 ent court-house in Greenville, and many 

 other structures now standing in that city. 

 He was also one of the first scientific bee- 

 keepers in the State, and in connection with 

 the writer established the first factory for 

 the making of bee-hives and bee-keepers' 

 supplies in Texas. 



In 1877 the State Bee-Keepers' Association 

 was organized in Greenville, and Wm R. 

 Graham was for a number of years its hon- 

 ored president. For nearly 20 years the an- 

 nual conventions were held at his residence, 

 in the beautiful grove, among the bees of 

 his extensive home apiary. He was loved 

 as a brother bv all whoknew him. He died 

 7 years ago. and June I2tli a family reunion 

 was held, with mother, children, grand- 

 children, and great grandchildren, with a 

 few old friends of tlie family present. The 

 living members of this family today are 

 mother. i sons. 2 daughters. 28 grand-chil- 

 dren, and 9 great grand-children. There 

 were present at lliis reunion: Mrs. Wm. R. 

 Graham, of Greenville: Mrs. H. L. Russell. 



"Mother Graham's" 8oth Bikthday Party. 



Graham's children are Olin. Ernest, Clifton. 

 Ravmon. Vera. Littie. and Aura. M. R. Gra- 

 ham's children are Margaret. Evelin, Aulton. 

 and M R,. Jr John Wesley Morrow, son of 

 Mrs. Morrow, of Paul's Valley. Okla. Of the 

 great grand-children only Fred Raymon 

 Frisman was present. The friends of the 

 family present were: Dr. and Mrs. W. R. 

 Howard. Thos. H. Rattan, and little Miss 

 Ella Lonise White, all of Fort Worth. 



The dinner was spread in the spacious 

 dining hall of the handsome new mansion. 

 The table was loaded with everything good- 

 such a menu has never before been ex- 

 celled in the South. There were baked 

 turkey, chicken fried, smothered, fricasseed, 

 baked and stewed; roast beef, roast mutton, 

 baked fish with suitable dressing, fried fish, 

 all sorts of gravies and dressings, fruits, 

 pickles, sauces, salads, tomatoes, jellies, 

 preserves, ice-cream, cakes, sliced pine- 

 apples, and many other dishes and delicacies 

 " too numerous to mention." 



was on his account. Four generations were 

 present, and all was enjoyment, happiness 

 and peace. 



The photographer ended the festivities 

 by making group pictures. Then the visitors 

 sought Mother Graham, and many nice little 

 speeches were made, wishing her many re- 

 turns of the occasion, with all its happiness 

 and joy. 



Mother Graham is well preserved for one 

 of her age. She can read the finest print 

 without the aid of spectacles. Her hair is 

 as black as in youth, with only here and 

 there a silver thread. , ,..^ 



Fort Worth. Tex. W. R Howard. M. D. 



Such gatherings as the foregoing 

 are indeed very enjoyable, and are all 

 too rare in this busy, work-a-day world 

 in which we live. 



Canadian Beedom 



Conducted by J. L. Byer, Mount Joy. Ontario. Canada. 



Honey Crop Report and Prices 



Today (July 22) I have received 

 blanks for honey crop report from Sec- 

 retary Hodgetts. The committee will 

 meet on Aug. 2. and consider the price 

 to be obtained for the season's output. 

 It is surprising ? — or rather shall I say, 

 gratifying — to notice that each year 

 more and more bee-keepers report, 

 and the great majority wait to hear 

 from the committee before selling their 

 crop. That the work is a great help to 

 the bee-keepers goes without saying, 

 and it is the best thing we have yet had 

 in a step towards more systematic 

 handling of the honey crop. 



As to prices, it would be presump- 

 tuous for me to make any forecast, but 

 it seems likely that, in view of the short 

 crop, last year's prices will be at least 

 maintained, if not increased. 



The National at Albany— A Texas "Chunk 

 Honey " Lunch 



So it is settled for good that the next 

 ineeting of the National will be held at 

 Albany, N. Y. That is really too bad. 

 when so many of us Canucks wanted 

 to have it in "Toronto so as to entice a 

 great number of our cousins to come 

 over the border and see a really fine 



