390 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 



selves together on the grass and have onr 

 photographs taken. "When the question 

 came np, the matter of identifying the dif- 

 ferent members composing the picture was 

 mentioned, and I called upon the pliotogra- 

 pher and explained to him fully how we 

 managed it with the bee-keepers' medley ; 

 viz., by affixing a number on the negative 

 so that the different individuals would 

 be all numbered, making it possible for an 

 explanatory key to give the name and resi- 

 dence. There "was, however, some difficulty 

 with the artist about the matter, and the i 

 pictures are sent out without being num- 

 bered. Now the question is, Can a printed 

 slip be so arranged as to designate each per- 

 son, as it isV I confess I do not see just 

 how to manage it where there are so many 

 diiferent people. 



A NEW TRICK FOR DISCIPLES OF IZAAK WALTON. 



We have a friend of yours in this country, John 

 Ross by name; he is a member of the M. E. Church 

 South, a good bee-man, and an active farmer— a 

 Nimrod of a liunter, and a pretty good member of 

 the Churcli; but his hist trick is new to me. He 

 lives on the bank of Oyster Creek; the trees over- 

 liang- the water, and John likes fish, but is too fldg- 

 etty to fish for them, so he baits his liook and ties 

 the fishing-line to the limb of a live-oak, and ties a 

 cow-bell to the end of the limb. When the fish gets 

 hung on the hook it rings the bell, and John gets up 

 out of bed and takes the fish out of the wet (he sets 

 his line at night). Isn't he smartV G. H. Phair. 



Velasco, Texas. 



Many thanks, friend P. The idea is in- 

 genious : and from what experience I have 

 had I do not see wliy it would not work. If 

 one could spare the "time, his chances would 

 l)robably be a little l)etter to have control of 

 the line"about the time Mr. Fish was getting 

 1 looked on : but by having several lines ar- 

 ranged as you m'ention, I think it might 

 work pretty fairly in a proper locality. 



A BROTHER IN TROUBLE. 



Too many bees ! what shall I do with my bees? My 

 hives are so full of bees and honey that I know not 

 what to do with them. There is not much sale for 

 them in this section, and I ha\e as numy colonies as 

 T wish to keep, and I think they will all swarm this 

 season, so 1 am thinking what is best to do with 

 them. J wish that some of the bee-keepers who 

 have so many empty combs had some of my Ital- 

 ians. Thoii- combs would not be empty a great 

 "iiilc. Albert (1. Brush. 



Siis(iiielianiia. Pa., Ajn-il ^'7, 18X5. 



Dear me, friend B., Avhat a queer lot we 

 are ! Some of us are in great troul^le be- 

 cause we have not any bees at all, and others 

 are in great trouble because they have so 

 many. Wliat shall you do ? AVhy, divide 

 up with tlie sufferers, of course, and make 

 the prices as reasonable as you can. Sell 

 tiiem olf by the pound ; and if you can raise 

 some ((ueeiis to go witli them, it would help 

 all around. 



KASTEM.NO THE BEES INTO HIVES WITH WIRE 

 CLOTH FOR CELLAR WINTERING. 



We put 26 colonies in cellar, and i)acked 6 in Koot 

 chaff hives on summer stands. The 2C colonies win- 

 tered in the cellar are now all alive, with hives full 

 of bees. We wintered In a cellar of 40°, with venti- 



lation through the hive, by covering the bottom 

 with wire screen, and raising the cap 'a inch, with 

 one corner of mat thrown back. One hive, where 

 we did not raise the cover, lost nearly as many bees 

 as tlie other 25, although in other respects put up in 

 the same way. Our chaff hives were contracted to 

 7 frames, with thin division-boards on each side, 

 chaff between boards and side of hive, upper story 

 filled with chaff, all alive and brooding March first; 

 four dead with dysentery April first. There were 

 but few days in March when the temperature was 

 above zero, and it was down to 26° below during the 

 month. Conclusion: We have decided to winter 

 our bees in the cellar, with 40° of heat, ventilation 

 through hive, wire screen on bottom, both top and 

 bottom ventilation for cellar, with plenty of whole- 

 some sealed honey, and I think we can then stand 

 the most severe winter of this clime. We can't rely 

 on chaff' hives here, although we have had bees win- 

 ter nicely in them heretofore. I don't see that pol- 

 len makes anj' difference in the cellar, as there was 

 no apparent difference in those with and without, 

 excepting brood. J. J. Hollexbeck. 



Saratoga Springs, N. Y., Apr. 25, 1885. 



ATTACHMENT FOR BARNES SAW. 



A Strip of ash, ^i in. thick, I'l in. wide, and 4 It. 

 long, with one end fastened to the top of the cut-off 

 guage by two screws can be used as an extension, 

 either to the right or left, and a stop can be fasten- 

 ed almost instantly at any point by a small 

 iron clamp, which any blacksmith ought to make 

 for 10 cents. I have used this sort of an extension 

 to the cut-off guagc for 4 or 5 j'ears. 



E. Springfield. O. K. M. Reynolds. 



We liave many times used something 

 quite similar to what you describe, friend R. 



FRIEND MUtH fO.MMENTS A LITTLE ON THE GEN- 

 ERAL DEPRESSION IN THE SUPPLY BUSINESS. 



It appears that you experience, as we do, a yovy 

 dull season. It was with us, last winter, too much 

 honey on hand and too large a capital invested with 

 too slow a demand for the article. There is no de- 

 mand for honey now but from our regular custom- 

 ers who had taken a rest last winter. Last year, 

 about this time we were shipping ."JOO to ICOO bee- 

 hives per week, while we don't ship 100 hives now. 

 Matters will take a change again after awhile, as 

 has always been the case: we have, therefore, to 

 exercise a Christian patience. < has. F. Muth. 



Cincinnati, O., May 15, 1885. 



A HOME-MADE TICLEPHONE TH AT W 1 t.L WOR K ILVLF 

 A MILE. 



If .>oii want a telei)hone that will work 12(!0 or 

 1300 feet, here is one. Take a piece of green calf- 

 skin, and dress it the same as you would for a 

 drum-head. Take a one or two quart measure, 

 wooden, and stretch the skin on tight while green. 

 In fact, make a drumhead of it. (Jnc measure will 

 make both. Put the wire through the center of 

 your drum-head, and fasten to a wooden button, 

 and you will ha\e a telephone that will work half a 

 mile. E. A. Kobinson. 



Exeter, Maine, April 8, 1885. 



No doubt, friend R., a teleplione as de- 

 scril)ed above would work as well as any in 

 the market. The lirst telephone we used 

 was mucli like the one you have described. 

 and 1 believe it gave about as good results 

 as any we have had since. 



