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THE AMERICAN BEE JOLH^AL. 



July 30, 1903. 



have something to do with the bees, as my father kept them 

 when I was a child (but, of course, in the old style). When 

 we wanted some honey to eat the sulphured sticks 

 were called for and placed in a hole in the ground and set 

 on fire, and a hive of bees placed over it and smothered, 

 then the honey taken out. When I began keeping bees I 

 got the movable frame and began reading bee-literature 

 and have read some every year since, but I feel I have only 

 made a beginning. I think the Sister's department might 

 be improved by having a little more of it. 



I have never kept over 40 colonies, and last fall I put 

 into winter-quarters 33 colonies. Four died and three are 

 weak. I have always wintered them out-doors, and some- 

 times the hives would be nearly covered with snow for 

 weeks, and it would be more work for me to get them in 

 and out of cellar, as I am alone and do all the work myself, 

 since my dear husband left me for a better world than this, 

 nine years ago, 



I have not been so fortunate as to get the big yields 

 that some we read of have, but they are not only beneficial 

 in giving me a little "pin money" but in helping me to go 

 without my crutches, as there is nothing better for rheuma- 

 tism than the sting of bees (at least with me). I expect to 

 keep bees as long as I am well enough to care for them. 



Bees built up nicely this year on fruit-bloom, but our 

 surplus is from white clover, and basswood has been thinned 

 out very much. 



Seeing many kinds of machines for clipping queens' 

 wings I would say for the benefit of beginners, don't buy a 

 machine but use what the good L,ord has given every one of 

 us, our two fingers and thumbs. My plan is to pick the 

 queen off the comb with the thumb and finger of my right 

 hand, and place her feet on my first finger of the left hand, 

 and then fasten them with the thumb, when, with a small 

 pair of scissors in the right hand, you can easily cut off one 

 of the large wings. As there are four wings cut one each 

 year till she is old enough to be replaced by a young one. I 

 have never made a mistake but once, and that was my first 

 experience. I cut off one leg with the wing, but she did her 

 work just the same. Mrs. R. A. Huntington. 



Genesee Co., N. Y., June 1. 



So you think the Sister's department might be improved 

 by having a little more of it. Well, if the sisters continue 

 to increase in their contributions as they have been doing 

 lately, we may have to petition the Editor for more room. 

 [We have no objection to being petitioned. — Editor.] 



Bees Unusually Cross. 



For those who have bees enough to occupy all their 

 time, there are some unpleasant features connected with 

 the work not realized by those who have only a few colo- 

 nies. For instance, to-day (July 17) we went to the Wilson 

 apiary. It was cloudy and chilly, not a fit day to work with 

 bees, but the work must be done. I can't say that the bees 

 were exactly glad to see us, but certainly gave us a warm 

 reception, and they were all at home. 



We are having a good honey-flow, but it seems to me 

 that our bees are unusually cross. In taking off honey we 

 have not used an escape of any kind so far this year. Sim- 

 ply set the supers of honey on the top of the hive and let 

 .bees run out when they please. An easy way to take off 

 honey. They can sit there all day long and not a bee will 

 touch them. Not a trace of robbers. Something we have 

 not enjoyed in years. And yet, as I said, the bees are un- 

 usually cross. I can't account for it. 



Honey as a Health-Food is the name of a 16- 

 page leaflet (3>2x6 inches) which is designed to help in- 

 crease the demand and sale of honey. The first part is 

 devoted to a consideration of " Honey as Food," written 

 by Dr. C. C. Miller. The last part contains " Honey-Cook- 

 ing Recipes" and "Remedies Using Honey." It should be 

 widely circulated by every one who has honey for sale. It 

 is almost certain to make good customers for honey. We 

 know, for we are using it ourselves. 



Prices, prepaid— Sample copy free; 10 for 20 cts.; 25 

 for 40 cts.; SO for 70 cts.; 100 for SI. 25; 250 for $2.25; 500 

 for $4.00 ; 1000 for $7.50. Your business card printed free 

 at the bottom of the front page, on all orders for 100 or 

 more copies. Send all orders to the Bee Journal office. 



The Premiums offered this week are well worth working 

 for. Look at them. 





Nasty's Afterthoughts 





The " Old Ke]ial»le "' ?eeQ throut^h New and I nreliable Glasses. 

 By E. E. Hasty, Sta. B Kural, Tult-du, Ohio. 



NOT AN OFFENSIVE SWINDLE — BEE-I.ARV.E. 



To Mr. Stachelhausen : The word "swindle" was not 

 used in its offensive sense. It shall be recalled — although it 

 was not, I think, used in such a way as to lead to bad opin- 

 ions, either of that method of rearing queens or of the prac- 

 titioner. Page 3S6. 



And so we're all growing older (no possible swindle 

 about that) and as the bee-larva grows old the nurse grows 

 old, too, and a suitable modification of the kind of food 

 comes very naturally. Quite likely there is something in 

 that, and a something most of us had not thought of. 

 Would not apply so well when the nurse, after having 

 reared one set of charges, begins again. Page 359. 



FEEDING GRANULATED HONEY. 



In feeding candied honey as directed by A. C. F. Bartz, 

 on page 360, the greatly diverse character of candied honey 

 must not be lost sight of. Some is sharply granular, and 

 some has scarcely a trace of a granule — and all grades be- 

 tween. The granular sorts, bees are much inclined to kick 

 around and waste. Presumably Bartz's method would go 

 nicely with the non-granular sort of honey. Page 360. 



BRILLIANTS FOR BRILLIANT BEE-FOLKS. 



A lamp-pendant hung to one's hat for bees to aim their 

 stings at ! And sure the public will think we are chickens, 

 and that the dingles are to scare hawks away ! Still, let 

 some of the boys and girls try it and report. Brilliants, I 

 believe they call those things. If you happen to be more 

 brilliant than the brilliant,why, then.we must conclude your 

 experiment inconclusive. Page 366. 



VENTILATING HIVES FOR MOVING. 



Ventilating for journey by lifting the cover a little 

 crack but not quite enough to let the bees out — how about 

 that ? Might do for a few hives, new and perfectly true. 

 With such hives as a good many of us have the " critters '" 

 would get out at twists and blemish spots, I fear. Ventila- 

 tion through wire, and every opening just as tight as you 

 can possibly get it, is likely to remain the orthodox way. 

 Page 371. 



HABIT AND HOLDING THE SMOKER. 



And Ernest says, "Thumbs up — next the fire." A burn 

 on one of the fingers that writes this testifies that I am one 

 of the t'other ways. That does not prove that the t'other 

 way is the better way. Never gave the matter much 

 thought. It would not be surprising if the exact best way 

 depended on the make or shape of the individual smoker. 

 And if I'm wrong wil4 the advantage of being right pay for 

 the trouble of breaking a settled habit which is likely to 

 prove stubborn ? Page 372. 



ORGANIZING TO CONTROL SALES AND PRICES. 



Mr. Hutchinson's reasoning, as to the necessity of or- 

 ganization to control sales and prices, seems to be crushing. 

 Hardly feel like talking back to it. But still my indepen- 

 dent heart within me pleads that I absolutely won't go in 

 myself. 'Specls there's more of us. Page 373. 



FORCIBLE WORDS ON HEARING QUEENS. 



Those are very strong and forcible words of Mr. Alley's 

 on page 375. " Natural for bees to rear queens when they 

 have no queen ; but very unnatural to rear them (except at 

 swarming-time) when there is a queen in the hive." And 

 he gives us his testimony for what it is worth, that queens 

 reared out of swarming season over an excluder are poor, 

 with very rare exceptions. * 



DESERTION OF FORCED SWARMS. 



The man who for eight years has made from 100 to 200 

 forced swarms every year is the one we want to hear from. 

 And he finds desertion next day one of the greatest draw- 

 backs. I note with interest that colonies intending to 

 swarm next day or soon, desert much worse. That's kind 



