189S. 



THU AMERICAN Bt:E EEEPER. 



43 



know, however, that two or three lead- 

 ing bee-keepers did secure as much as 

 450 or 500 pounds each from a single 

 colony and its increase. — Ed.] 



The foregoing quotation Is one of Dr. 

 Miller's Stray Straws, followed by edi- 

 torial comment, in Gleanings. Now, if 

 that Texas yield is the one reported 

 years ago from Dresden, it has shrunk 

 some 300 pounds since its palmy days 

 of great popularity, as we recall it. It 

 is the duty of the American press to 

 stand by and defend American's rec- 

 ord. Of course we don't want to 

 crow, but we can hardly allow this 

 alarming decline to continue unno- 

 ticed. Cannot B. P. C. yet set the mat- 

 ter aright before an envious world? 

 Was it really 700 or 1,000 pounds? 



Seriously, now, it would be interest- 

 ing to know who does hold the cham- 

 pion single-colony record of America. 

 In this connection we take occasion to 

 refer to a visit that it was our good 

 fortune to enjoy in the fall of 1894 at 

 the home of W. S. Hart of Florida, who 

 had, during the season then just past, 

 filled to the bung with honey 101 bar- 

 rels from his apiary of 116 colonies. 

 While together in the "bee yard" Mr. 

 Hart pointed to two hives standing 

 side by side, remarking: "There are 

 two colonies that gave me over 600 

 pounds each. I did not weigh the 

 honey separately, but I am certain that 

 the two gave upwards of 1,200 pounds 

 of honey." Until better claims are 

 forthcoming we concede the laurels to 

 W. S. Hart. 



AS TO FOUL BROOD LAWS. 



Inquiry is being made by the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, at Washington, 

 regarding the foul brood laws of the 

 various states. Editor Abbott of the 

 Busy Bee, while approving this mani- 

 fest interest in behalf of bee-keepers, 

 is inclined to regard the enactment of 

 stringent laws against the adulteration 

 of all food products as of greater im- 

 portance to bee-keepers just now. 



To those whose bees are in no imme- 



diate danger of foul brood, the pure 

 food laws may appear to be of primary 

 moment. But there are today In the 

 United States bee-keepers who are 

 struggling to eliminate the foul brood 

 scourge from ■ their apiaries, while 

 within the same range whole apiaries 

 have been wiped out by the disease and 

 others badly affected are still kept by 

 one of that rare, though too numerous, 

 know-it-all, bull-headed class who re- 

 fuses to either act or to permit others 

 to treat his bees, though It would be 

 undertaken without expense to the 

 wise (?) owner, who "knows his own 

 business." 



This condition of affairs exists in one 

 of the most productive honey fields in 

 the whole country, wherein are estab- 

 lished, under efficient management, 

 large apiaries, constantly menaced by 

 this veritable hotbed of bacillus alvei. 

 Without the aid of foul brood laws to 

 stamp out and eradicate the contagion, 

 ultimate ruin to surrounding bee-keep- 

 ing interests is evident. Yet, owing to 

 the prevalent lack of knowledge of bee- 

 keeping in general, action upon a most 

 perfect foul brood bill, introduced at 

 the last session of the State Legisla- 

 ture, was indefinitely postponed. Let 

 us assist, rather than discourage, any 

 possible interest that may have been 

 awakened upon the part of the govern- 

 ment. To many bee-keepers the im- 

 portance of securing legislation in this 

 line is measured by the value of their 

 apiarian interests. 



THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH. 

 Today, February 1st, the frozen snow 

 squeaks and moans beneath the feet of 

 passing pedestrians; the graceful win- 

 dow ornamentation, artistically de- 

 signed by Jack Frost, obstructs the 

 view of drifting snow without. A typi- 

 cal Northern winter day, with the mer- 

 cury hovering about the zero mark and 

 fires blazing high upon every hearth. 

 No sound emanates today from the 

 hives packed upon the summer stands; 

 and as the bee-keeper sees the swirling 



