AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



473 



it had to let go, and the whole thing fell to the ground with a shudder-producing 

 thud. 



Dr. Miller, I believe, lately told one of his questioners that it is a matter of 

 course that no honest person will feed sugar syrup to his bees with the design of 

 having it stored in the sections and sold for honey. Well, it is a satisfaction to 

 know that it is sometimes easy for a man to call a spade a spade, though at other 

 times he may find it expedient to write an article of less or greater length in order 

 to avoid saying anything about it. 



But to return. When the clamor was all over, and a general hush fell upon the 

 apicultural world, I found myself in possession of some colonies in the little hives, 

 and some in the big ones — and I am not sorry. I shall work that way the rest of 

 my apicultural life. I shall work for honey and some other things connected with 

 the pursuit that have no market value, and let the money part of it take care of 

 itself. Strong colonies of Italians in the home apiary, large enough for the home 

 field, and worked for comb honey and increase of colonies, which apiarists say you 

 are sure to have, and these big natural swarms Lived in the big Dadant hives and 

 sent to the out-apiary — why will not work along this line give as good returns with 

 as little labor as any other, to the man who would devote all his time to bee-keep- 

 ing ? To the man who will work along this line unremittingly from year to year, 

 there is much honey, considerable money, and some indiscribable things that are 

 pleasant besides. I appeal to Dr. Miller and to Mr. Doolittle, and to all the old 

 veterans, and to some who are not veterans, to say if there are not many things 

 about this pursuit which they would not sell for cash if they could. Into this in- 

 viting field of apiculture I may never enter far. The shadows are falling around 

 me, and with a sigh I surrender to the conviction that I never shall do much of 

 what I love to do so well. Leon, Iowa. 



1^~ Do not write anything for publication 

 on the same sheet of paper with business 

 matters, unless it can be torn apart withou 

 interfering with either part of the letter. 



Best Year He Ever Saw. 



I put out my bees on April 18, 1894. 

 I had 7 colonies, spring count, but sold 

 one, which left 6 in good condition. I 

 lost the queen of colony No. 5, and they 

 reared another and did not swarm till 

 August, when I hived them back. 



I lost the first swarm of the season, 

 which came out on June 22nd, at the 

 first appearance of white clover. I in- 

 creased to 13 colonies, and got 50 

 pounds to the colony — 280 pounds of 

 comb honey and 364: of extracted. 



Mr. GriiBn spoke of Mr. Tarr some 

 time ago. I for one should like to hear 

 from him. 



The Amekican Bee Jouknal is a wel- 

 come weekly visitor, and I have learned 

 many a good lesson from its columns. 

 May success always attend it. 



F. M. Poland. 



Freedom, Me., Sept. 20. 



Very Tedious Work. 



I have 19 colonies of bees, and no 

 honey to sell this fall. I was well pre- 

 pared for it, too. It was too dry this 

 summer — no white clover — all burned 

 up. I think it was Solomon who said, 

 "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick." 

 Well, I am not sick yet, but really it is 

 very tedious getting ready year after 

 year, and then be dissapointed. 



Joseph Mason. 



Wallace, 111., Sept. 4. 



Fairly Good. Season for Honey. 



The season here has been fairly good 

 for the production of honey. A contin- 

 uous rain during fruit-bloom prevented 



