43d YEAR. 



CHICAGO, ILL, DEC. 24, 1903, 



No, 52. 





Editorial Comments 





The Merriest Chpistmas of All! 



This is our wish to each one of the readers of the old American 

 Bee Journal. May the gifts received and bestowed at this merry 

 Christmas tide cause tender and loving thoughts in the hearts of both 

 giver and recipient. It is the time of all the year when joy and hap- 

 piness should prevail everywhere. That they may be in large measure 

 in every home where goes the American Bee Journal, is also our 

 earnest wish. 



Sections Filled With Foundation. 



In a work under review, the British Bee Journal objects to the 

 phrase, " sections filled with foundation," and thinks " filled " is a 

 misprint tor " fitted." On this side it is common to speak of sections 

 filled with foundation, when, instead of a small starter of foundation, 

 the section contains as much foundation as it is practicable to put in. 

 Will our British cousin tell us how the same thing is expressed over 

 there? 



Self-Hiving of Swarms. 



A case of self-hiving is reported in Gleanings in Bee-Culture by 

 G. W. Strangways. A colony with a clipped queen was placed on a 

 stand abont 18 inches high. An old hive made ready for the expected 

 swarm was, by chance, left on the ground in front of the colony. One 

 day it was discovered that this old hive was occupied, a swarm having 

 issued and entered with its clipped queen without any one to witness 

 the proceedings. 



Keep Your Colonies Strong. 



This, called Oettl's Golden Rule, was considered so important by 

 Father Langstroth, that in the closing words of his classic work, the 

 following words are found: 



" The essence of all profitable bee-keeping is contained in Oettl's 

 Golden Rule; Keep Your Colonies Strong." 



Latterly, considerable emphasis has been put upon the importance 

 of knowing thoroughly one's honey-resources so as to have colonies 

 strong at just the right time, without having a lot of useless con- 

 sumers when there is nothing for them to do. In other words, Oettl's 

 rule would be modified to read : Keep your colonies as strong as pos- 

 sible when there is work in the fields, and keep down unnecessary 

 numbers at other times. 



There is good sense on the side of this modification — theoretically, 

 at least — for what good can it do to have an immense number of bees 

 in a hive at a time when they have nothing to do but diroinish the 

 amount of stores in the larder ; But is it a thing to be put in practice 

 universally? Can one always know in advance just when numbers 

 will be needed:! In localities where there are frequent and rapid 

 changes in the amount of nectar to be had, is it possible to make the 

 frequent and rapid changes so as to have the number of fielders 

 always correspond with the auiount of the nectar offered? 



So far from this being the case with S. E. Miller, he thinks the 

 rule with him should be: Keep your colonies always strong. No 



doubt the reasons that make this rule applicable with him make it 

 equally appropriate for a good many others; and he gives thus his 

 reasons in the Progressive Bee-Keeper : 



I want them strong early in the season, so that they may be able to 

 build up strong during fruit-bloom, so that they will be ready for the 

 white clover bloom. During the white clover bloom I want to keep 

 them strong, so that it there is a surplus to be gathered during the 

 latter part of July and early August, they will be early for it. I want 

 them strong about Aug. 1st to Aug. 15th, so that they will be ready 

 tor the autumn flow, which commences about Aug. 20th, or later; and 

 I want them stronger when they go into the winter, for it Is a well 

 known fact that strong colonies consume proportionately less quanti- 

 ties of stores than do weak colonies. Then, I want them strong early 

 in the spring for the reason stated above, so that in my locality there 

 is seldom a time that worker-bees will certainly become useless con- 

 sumers, and should there be such a time I can not be sure that it is 

 coming, in advance of its coming. Therefore, the rule with me must 

 be, Colonies always strong. 



Mr. Miller is broad-minded enough, however, to admit) that what 

 is true with him may not be equally true with others, and wisely adds: 



From what I have said above, it is evident that no bee-keeper can 

 be too well informed as to the resources of his own particular location. 



Staples for Fastening Hive-Bodies, Etc. 



These seem to be coming into quite general use for fastening hive- 

 bottoms and hive-bodies together, or for any other use where it is at 

 times desirable to take away the fastening. The usual size of these 

 staples is 1}.^ inches wide with points 84 inch long. It is a ques- 

 tion of some importance whether this is the best size. Would there be 

 an advantage in having staples of larger dimensions? Would there 

 be any greater security in a staple 3 inches wide? There is little 

 question that points more than ,^4 inch would hold more securely. 

 Such a staple will hold quite well if it be driven in full depth ; but if 

 driven in full depth it is hard to draw the staple afterward. If driven 

 in to such a depth that something can easily be slipped in to draw it, 

 it may sometimes happen that the staple will be loosened by the shak- 

 ing on the wagon in going to or from the out-apiary, especially if the 

 staples be new and smooth. What is the experience of our constit- 

 uency? What is the best size for staples? 



Organizing Local Bee-Keepers' Associations. 



We are often asked about starting a bee-keepers' association — how 

 to go about it. The same question was brought up at the recent meet- 

 ing of the Chicago-Northwestern convention. Perhaps a few words 

 outlining the manner in which this flourishing association was started 

 might be of interest, and also be a help to others who contemplate a 

 similar movement. 



In the first place, we published a call in the bee-papers tor a meet- 

 ing of all interested in bees, to be held at a certain place, and at a 

 stated time. It we were in a country town, we would put such a call 

 or notice in the local newspapers. 



Then, on the appointed day, the thing to do is to get together and 

 organize by electing a chairman or president, a vice-president, a secre- 

 tary, and a treasurer. Sometimes the last two offices are combined, 

 making one person the secretary-treasurer. 



In the absence of any special program, the best plan is to pass 

 slips of blank paper around, and ask each one to write any question 

 he may desire to have answered. Then the question slips are to be 

 gathered up, and the president read each one, giving ample lime, how- 

 ever, for a full reply by all who desire to take part in the discussion 



