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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU 



I never had such a flow from buckwheat; 

 some colonies have already filled 80 sec- 

 tions, and many of them have 2 and 3 

 cases of sections filled. One colony, 

 hived on Juno 22nd, has stored 60 

 pounds of surplus. 



If frost keeps oflP, buckwheat will last 

 two weeks yet. The colony that I have 

 on scales stores from 3 to 5 pounds per 

 day. Some of my neighbor's bees are 

 doing equally as well — others not doing 

 much good ; but those I have induced to 

 take the American Bee Journal are 

 having the best success. I don't see 

 how a bee-keeper can do without it. I 

 give many lessons verbally, instead of 

 publishing them, to my bee-keeping 

 friends in this county. G. W. Bell. 



Bell's Landing, Pa., Aug. 23. 



Drones-and-Q,ueen Episode. 



On Sunday, Aug. 19th, while seated 

 among the shade-trees at the " Island 

 Apiary," enjoying my lunch, I was star- 

 tled by an unusual sound above my 

 head, and in looking around to see from 

 whence it proceeded, a cluster of several 

 hundred drones dropped almost to the 

 ground through the trees within eight 

 feet of where I sat. A portion of the 

 cluster broke away about 10 feet from 

 the ground, the balance coming so low 

 that the golden-rod and asters swayed 

 with the commotion they made. It cer- 

 tainly was a free fight among the drones, 

 proving true the old adage — " Faint 

 heart never won fair lady." The queen 

 would have none of them, and returned 

 to her hive still a virgin. 



John McArthur. 



Toronto, Ont., Aug. 23. 



Abundant Fall Bloom Expected. 



My bees came through the last winter 

 in fine condition, and did splendid work 

 till the last half of June. The drouth 

 struck us on June 14th, and our first 

 rain came on August 19th. My 38 col- 

 onies had partly filled about 300 sec- 

 tions at that time, and have since fin- 

 ished about 100; and if nothing unfore- 

 seen happens, I will see all those finished, 

 and many more by October 12th, as the 

 prospect now is favorable for an abun- 

 dant fall bloom, which will give me a 

 better crop of honey than for the past 

 two years. Last year was the poorest 

 in many years here, but I am hopeful 

 now. 



My estimate now is about 800 pounds 

 of comb honey for this year, which I 

 think I will fully realize. I had 32 col- 



onies, spring count, and had only 6 

 swarms, which is fewer swarms than I 

 have ever had in one year, with a less 

 number of colonies, and I conclude that 

 bees are often wiser than their keepers 

 in regard to their increase, especially in 

 time of drouth, like this year and last. 



I will report again next winter and 

 tell how I came out. 



E. F. BOULTINGHOUSE. 



Rockport, Ind., Aug. 27. 



Another Bee-Boy Heard From. 



I saw Charlie Sanford's letter in the 

 Bee Journal some time ago, and I 

 waited for responses before I wrote, but 

 as I have waited two weeks and there 

 are no answers yet, I thought I would 

 write a little. I believe that more or 

 less of the bee-keepers' children are bee- 

 keepers themselves. I have a colony of 

 Italians. The drouth has injured the 

 honey crop so that there will be no sur- 

 plus honey. It has not only injured the 

 houey crop, but other crops as well. 

 There will not be a half crop of corn in 

 this part of the country. Success to the 

 Bee Journal. Clyde Bennett. 



WalkerSville, W. Va., Aug. 23. 



May Get Plenty of Winter Stores. 



It has been almost a total failure here, 

 that is, as far as surplus honey is con- 

 cerned, on account of the awful drouth ; 

 but I think my bees will get plenty of 

 winter stores, and that is a good deal, 

 considering everything. 



I bought a select tested queen of one 

 of our queen-breeders, and I introduced 

 her. I left her 30 days in the hive, and 

 couldn't find an egg then. So I sent to 

 a Texas breeder for two queens, which I 

 am well pleased with. They give very 

 good satisfaction. After I had the first 

 mentioned queen introduced 30 days and 

 she didn't lay, I wrote the breeder about 

 it, and the answer I got was, "If you 

 expected me to replace her, you ought to 

 have notified me sooner." But how 

 could I notify before I had the matter 

 tested ? Jno. H. Rupp. 



Washington, Kans., Aug. 27. 



Basswood and Alsike Clover Honey. 



I send you by express two one-pound 

 sections of white or clear honey. Will 

 you please examine it carefully, and let 

 me know what it was gathered from. 

 My bees had access to Alsike clover, and 

 some white clover, also basswood. I 



