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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Oct. 1, 



eSORQS "Wr. YORK, - E^ditor. 



PUBLISHED WEEKLY BT 



GEORGE W. YORK & COMPANY, 

 IIS Micbigaa St.. - CHICAGO. ILL. 



$1.00 a Year— Sample Copy Sent Free. 

 (Bntered at the Post-Offlce at Chicago aa Second-Class Mail-Matter.) 



VoLinVI. CHICAGO, ILL, OCT. 1, 1896, No. 40. 



EBITDRIAL CDMIVIENTS. 



Tlie Lincoln ConTention Next "VJTeek.— 



Yes, just oue week yet, and then the long-looked-for and 

 much-talked-about North American convention of 1896 will 

 be in session. As the time draws near, we often begin to 

 wonder whom we shall see there — what new faces? We 

 always are sure to meet and greet some whose faces we have 

 never seen, but whose names are very familiar. We presume 

 there will be a large attendance from the State of Nebraska. 

 We hope there will be, for we want to see as many as possible 

 of those hospitable people of the West. You know if the con- 

 vention next week is not a big success, it won't be the fault 

 of the Nebraska folks. They have been planning for a won- 

 derful time. 



We shouldn't be surprised if, when it's all over, wc'Jf be 

 glad that Lincoln was chosen instead of St. Paul or Minneap- 

 olis. At any rate, we are expecting a splendid time. 

 *-»-♦ 



Look Out for the Hone^r-Sliarks. --Glean- 

 ings gives some timely warning in these words : 



Don't, don't ship honey to strangers, even if thoy do write 

 plausible letters and give bank references. A syndicate of 

 sharks this year are quoting honey at high prices, and want- 

 ing to purchase outright. Their scheme is to get the pro- 

 ducer to make a bona-flde sale, and then the bee-keeper will 

 wait and never get his pay, because these swindlers are execu- 

 tion-proof ; in other words, not collectable. When honey is 

 sent on commission, the commission-man is liable if he does 

 not make some sort of returns. 



We think that the reading bee-keepers will not easily be 

 caught this year by strange firms quoting high prices for 

 honey. Surely they have had ample warning. 



Sw^eet Clover and the Farmer.— In the Coun- 

 try Gentleman of recent date, the following was published 

 concerning sweet clover and its value to the farmer : 



It first grew on our land (Scoharie, N. Y.) in spots, as the 

 seed was washed on from the creek overflowing the land ; then 

 as it grew up, and the land was plowed for corn, it was plainly 

 seen that the corn would be much better than where there 

 was none growing. I considered it then advisable to gather 

 some of the seed, as it grew wild, and seed it upon part of a 

 piece of rye in the spring, as you would with ordinary clover. 



The result was, in the fall after the rye wasoff the ground 

 there was a very rich growth of about two feet high, a solid 

 mat of it that it was almost impossible for a man to walk 

 through. In the spring it was left to grow about up to the 

 horses' knees, and in due time for corn-planting, and then 

 was turned under by having a sharp share on the plow to cut 

 the roots well, and a chain attached to the plow to drag under 

 completely the green growth. It was perfectly subdued, and 

 the corn on that four acres of a 12-acre lot was much heavier, 

 and a better, healther color than on the remaining ground 



where red clover was seeded, and there was only about six 

 inches growth to turn under. 



I would advise all farmers, in preparing ground for a 

 good corn crop, to seed their ground with this clover, either 

 with winter grain or spring grain. It will yield much better 

 corn crops, and will enrich their ground more and more each 

 year. There is no danger of the seed lying in the ground and 

 coming up another year, and it quickly dies after turning un- 

 der. I think it is worth five times the quantity of common 

 clover turned under. It also acts as a subsoiler, as the roots 

 will root deep, and loosen the subsoil. I will gather a good 

 quantity of the seed this year to use for another season. It is 

 the cheapest manure that can be used, and is equal to many 

 more loads of manure to the acre than any farmer puts on his 

 land. The seed should be hulled and cleaned the same as 

 other clover seed is prepared. For hay for cattle it is good 

 cut early before it gets stalky, and two and three crops can 

 be cut from it In that state, and then it dies off. 



How does the foregoing compare with the laws in some 

 States that class sweet clover as a " noxious weed ?" It 

 proves pretty clearly that certain law makers were led astray 

 — which probably was not the first time. 



We understand that a Wisconsin bee-keeper, who has a 

 pasture field of sweet clover, has lately been ordered by the 

 Weed Warden to plow it under, as that is one of the States 

 where it is called a noxious weed by the law. Now, we'd like 

 to see the Bee-Keepers' Union stand back of that bee-keeper, 

 and make a test case of it. It cau very easily be proven that 

 sweet clover is not a " noxious weed," as thousands outside of 

 States legislatures know. 



-*-•-»■ 



"Sweet Clover Floiivers are said to act like 

 camphor when packed with clothing to preserve it from 

 moths." So says the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. 



The Honey Season for 1896.— Editor Root in 

 Gleanings for Sept. 15, gives a revised report of the honey 

 season of the United States this year. On page 597 we gave 

 his estimate (following the reports on the honey markets by 

 commission-men), made up from the few reports that had 

 come in up to that time. Mr. Root says : 



Now that all the reports are in, it appears that the season 

 was a little better than the partial report of our last issue 

 made it — particularly for some States. It appears that the 

 discouraging reports came first, and the more favorable ones 

 later. 



Taking the States in order, it would seem from the latest 

 advices that the season has generally been good for Florida ; 

 same for Georgia. In our last issue Illinois seemed to be gen- 

 erally a failure, with the exception of Dr. Miller's locality. 

 Later advices confirm it. As in our last issue, so in this, In- 

 diana reports a general failure. Iowa comes out in marked 

 contrast. With one exception, all the respondents for that 

 State report the season " good ;" " very good ;'' best known in 

 years," etc. Only one respondent answers for Kentucky, 

 and he calls the season there poor. The States in their 

 alphabetical order between Iowa and Michigan are the same 

 as reported in our previous issue. Michigan, generally re- 

 ported as having a poor season in our last issue, is now re- 

 ported as having anywhere from good to a fair season. 



The year has generally been good in Missouri ; indeed, 

 one man says it is the best they have had in seven years. Only 

 two respondents answer for Nebraska, and they both report 

 good seasons. One answers from North Dakota, calling it 

 fair. In our last number, New York was reported as having 

 had an indifferent season ; for this issue it is reported from 

 good to fair. What was true of New York was also true of 

 Ohio. Pennsylvania, according to our last issue, had a poor 

 season. A larger number answer for that State now, and all 

 report, with one exception, poor and very poor. Tennessee 

 is the same as the last issue reported ; so also are Vermont 

 and Virginia. Utah is represented by two respondents, who 

 call the season very good. Wisconsin, not reported at all in 

 our last issue, is reported from fair to good. 



All scattered reports that come in regarding the honey 

 crop must ever be quite unsatisfactory. Just because one 

 bee-keeper has a good yield, is no reason for thinking that all 

 the bee-keepers in his locality fared equally well, for just as 



