90 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



Mat 



Any of our readers who have never 

 used such a device will hardly appre- 

 ciate the great convenience and service 

 secured in handling frames by having 

 an ordinary window blind staple driven 

 into the end of each bottom bar, allow- 

 ing it to project about one-fourth of an 

 inch. While it serves as an end spacer 

 for the frames, its great utility lies in 

 the protection it affords to any bees 

 that may be on the end bars, when 

 shaking or otherwise handling frames. 

 Such a safeguard against the possible 

 injury or destruction of queens is in 

 itself a source of satisfaction when 

 working hurriedly. Try a few this 

 year, and if not pleased with the result, 

 tell us why. 



PROTECTION IN SIGHT. 



Hon. Eugene Secor, who, with Rev. 

 E. T. Abbott, as delegates from the 

 United States Bee-Keepers' Union, 

 represented American bee-keeping in- 

 terests at the pure food and drug con- 

 gress in Washington in March, writes: 

 "A policy and plan of work was out- 

 lined that will doubtless result in good 

 for not only our industry but all other 

 food preparations." 



The Brosius Pure Food Bill, H. R. 

 No. 5441, now before congress, was 

 found to comprise such provisions as 

 are much needed to compel honest 

 branding of all food preparations and 

 thus protect the honest producer of 

 honey and others from fraudulent com- 

 petition, in the way of adulterated 

 imitations; and every bee-keeper is 

 earnestly advised to write at once to 

 his congressional representative and 

 senator, urging its early consideration 

 and adoption, in the interest of every 

 honest industry 



FINISHED SECTIONS— ARE THEY 

 DESIRABLE? 



From the plain-section controversy 

 has developed a new question. "Is it 

 desirable that sections should be filled 

 and finished to the wood on all sides?" 



Some of our most successful produc- 



ers hold the negative position on thit 

 subject. Wo have never been troublec 

 with over-filled sections, and have al- 

 ways worked to secure as far as possi- 

 ble perfectly filled and capped boxes ol 

 honey. They look better, stand ship- 

 ment with less breakage, reduce the 

 section and shipping case items of ex 

 pense and shorten the hours of labor; 

 both in producing and preparing the 

 crop for the market. From our pres- 

 ent knowledge, however, we are in 

 clined to regard the projecting side 

 pieces as a valuable protection to the 

 surface of the comb in handling; while 

 the extra completion of the honey 

 through the use of the plain section, is 

 by no means an established fact. 



To those who desire to test the rela- 

 tive merits of the two styles of sections 

 this year. The W. T. Falconer Mfg. Co. 

 is prepared to supply your needs. 



SOURCE OF BEE-KEEPING KNOW- 

 LEDGE. 



Complaint is made by some of our 

 New York state readers that the bee 

 news of our home state is not in pro- 

 portion to its subscribers. Ah, this is 

 a more welcome criticism than any 

 commendatory remarks that have been 

 offered during the last three months; 

 for it affords an opportunity to remind 

 our bee-keeping friends that they, 

 themselves, are the sole originators of 

 bee-keeping news, and that it is the 

 mission of the American Bee-Keeper to 

 disseminate such items of interest as 

 are reported. 



Every class or trade journal relies 

 upon the active workers of the indus- 

 try which it represents, for informa- 

 tion and support. Since the art of 

 printing was invented — since nature's 

 first swarm of bees started for the 

 woods to hunt a hollow tree, not one 

 practical bee-keeping idea has origin- 

 ated in an editorial room. To verify 

 this statement would involve a line of 

 reasoning too long for these columns; 

 yet it is a fact. The point is, all bee- 

 keeping knowledge must have its 



