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Published by 'Phe A. J. Root Co., Medina, Ohio 



A. I. Root, Edilar Ilumc Diiiar'.r.K :it J. T. Calvi;ut, Business Manager 



H. H. Root, Managing Kdilor E. 1\. Koot, lOdior A. L. Bovden, Advertising Manager 



Entered at tlie Postoffice, Medina, Ohio, as second-class matter 



VOL. XLITT. 



MAY 1, 1915 



NO. 9 



EDETOMIAL 



Clover Prospects for this Season 



Reports are somewliat conflicting. Some 

 say that clover looks well, while others say 

 the weather has been too dry. Tn this lo- 

 cality we have not had quite enough rain to 

 insure a good crop of clover honey. The 

 spring has been favorable for building up 

 colonies. 



Late California Mains 

 .Just as we go to press the following re- 

 I'urt has been received: 



The Califoniiu situation has improved witli a rain 

 ranging from one-quarter of an inch to one inch and 

 some places more than that in the hi'^her mountains. 



This will put an altogether different complexion 

 on the prospects of some localities, which had beicun 

 to dry out with hot winds. The weather for the last 

 ten days has been rather cool for the production of 

 orange honey, though several people report that they 

 are taking out honey in liberal quantities. 



Idaho Not Without Foul-brood Leg- 

 islation after all 



Joseph J. Anderson, of Salem, Idaho, 

 in one of his recent letters, in referring to 

 the fact of the governor having vetoed their 

 foul-brood bill, says the beekeepers of the 

 state are not without protection after all, 

 but they needed something better. Fortu- 

 nately they have an appropriation of $.1000 

 to put the old law they have into effect. 



Big Quadruple Wiiiier Cases vs. Indi- 

 vidual Double-walled Packed 

 Hives 



The past winter's experience does not 

 clearly show that these big winter cases are 

 ahead of the double-walled so-called chaff 

 hives. In one yard the big ones showed a 

 marked superiority over the individual dou- 

 ble hives. In another yard there is no ap- 

 preciable difference. The fact that we had 

 so much aster honey last fall has compli- 

 cated the results, and it is tlierefore a little 

 difficult to make anv definite assertion. 



Where tliere aie good stores and a fair 

 colony, big winter eases are ahead in that 

 they have mucli more brood than the in- 

 dividual double-walled hives. 



le Country have 



Reports thus far received from over the 

 country show remarkably good wintering. 

 There are a few reports, where bees had 

 aster stores, showing that there was from 

 25 to 50 per cent loss, and hives badly 

 spotted with dysentery. The losses seem to 

 be largely in the aster districts of north- 

 ern Ohio than anywhere else. Our own loss 

 will run about 35 per cent among colonies 

 supplied with aster stores. There was no 

 appreciable loss among bees having good 

 stores. 



We shall be glad to get reports from our 

 subscribers as to how bees have wintered in 

 their respective localities; and if there was 

 any considerable loss, whether the spring 

 has been favorable enough to compensate in 

 part for this loss. This information will be 

 very interesting and valuable, as it will have 

 a bearing on the price of honey this coming 

 season. 



The Folly oi Spreading Brocd at this 

 Time of the Year 

 Very often wlicn a premature warm spell 

 of weather comes on, lasting for a couple of 

 weeks, the temptation is veiy strong to hast- 

 en brood-rearing, either by unwise feeding 

 when the bees have plenty of stores or by 

 spreading brood. The novice is very apt to 

 conclude that the bees will increase faster 

 if he puts a frame of empty comb down in 

 the center of the brood-nest; and if the 

 warm weather continues, with no cool 

 nights, the practice may do no harm, and 

 it may do some good. But as a general 

 thing old Dame Nature has a fashion of 

 bringing on one extreme after anotiier. A 



