thousand is worth looking after. Could a 

 set of tins for this rack be fastened to a 

 frame work, and all be let down together 

 between the sections when ready for the 

 bees?. 



Among the many interesting essays in the 

 Nov. American Ber Journai., I found in 

 one by Mr. Metcalf. an expression of opin- 

 ion in regard to "pure queens, and pure 

 progeny," whicii I liave been expecting to 

 find in each succeeding number. 1 believe 

 he has given voice to the private thoughts 

 of very many. Facts in one's experience 

 are stubborn things, and do not yield grace- 

 fully to any theory with which they are not 

 in harmony. 



That an intelligent, truth-loving apiarist 

 •can spend season after season among his 

 bees, improving, and testing them, and 

 then go into his study, and " in the presence 

 of the innermost, holiest of conscience," as 

 Rev. Joseph Cook might say— deliberately 

 put pen to paper to teach beginners the 

 *' drone theory of the books," has been to 



■jr 



if-l 



LANGSTROTH FRAME WITH SMALL SECTIONS. 



me, for years, a source of wonder. The 

 suspicion that he uses separators between 

 himself and his conscience is not to be 

 entertained; therefore useless, any inquiry 

 as to how tficse may be worked. 

 Ridgeville, 111. A. L. Gould, 



[Above we give a view of a Langstroth 

 frame (2 inches in width) tilled with 8 sec- 

 tions, 43^X'li^ each ; and another showing the 

 use of the separators. The latter are pieces 

 of thin tin, tacked at each end to the sec- 

 tions, to be easily removed when the frames 

 are filled. Their use is to keep the combs 

 straight. About % of .one inch should be 

 left between the two separators, and their 

 size must be governed by the size of the 

 hive used. The separators should not come 

 nearer than about }4 inch to top or bottom 

 of frames. Some favor separators, while 



NOVICE'S CHAFF CUSHION. 



others prefer to use foundation without 

 them. If friend Doolittle is still using them, 

 he does not say so in his article in this issue. 

 Wi 1 1 he please give his experience with them 

 to our readers? The rests used by Ur. 

 Southard can be made by any tinner. Take 

 strips of sheet-iron 3 inches wide, and turn 

 up X inch on each side for the centre— only 

 one edge turned up for the ends. The rack 

 sits on the hive, making it bee tight. Will 

 Dr. Southard please give us his manipula- 

 tions for our next issue? — Ed.] 



GLEANED BY FRANK BENTON. 



The following is the translation of a 

 letter recently received: 



Monselice, Italy, Nov. 28, 1877. 



MoN Cher M. Frank Benton:— I await 

 from day to day the bees of the island of 

 Java which I am to receive at the port of 

 Venice. 



I believe Apis dorsata, of the island of 

 Java, to be the best, whether we consider 

 its size, which enables it to collect much 

 honey, or whether its large proboscis, en- 

 abling it to obtain honey from flowers that 

 our bees cannot collect from on account of 

 their short proboscis. 



I think that it is unnecessary to make a 

 journey to the island of Java, because pro- 

 fessors of natural science are there who 

 would be able to procure and send the bees. 



As to the Cyprian bee, it is more yellow 

 than our Italians, but possesses no other 

 special points. 



With sincere respect, I am yours truly, 

 Joseph Fiorini. 



"The year 1877 is, decidedly, to be reckon- 

 ed among the unlucky years for apicultur- 

 ists."— i'Ape ItalUma, Turin. 



"In consequence of an exceedingly 

 changeable spring, followed by a hot, suffo- 

 cating summer with a prolonged drouth 

 which dried up the sources of honey, this 

 year has given few swarms and but little 

 honey." — U Aplcoltore. 



I^'ln a letter to I/MpJcoZtore, Milan, 

 Sig. Giuseppe Fiorini. who has undertaken 

 the importation of Apis dorsata to Italy, re- 

 marks: "I should be proud to be able to 

 import this race of bees to our beautiful 

 Italy, for I would like to have the names of 

 our Italian apiarists praised as well as those 

 of other nations, and that it might be said 

 the Italians first imported Apis dorsata to 

 Europe." 



Paris Exposition.— The October num- 

 ber of U Apiculteur (Paris) states that the 

 assignment of space to exhibitors in class 

 83, at the Exposition of 1878, has not taken 

 place, as yet, because of changes in the pro- 

 posed location and arrangement of articles 

 in this class. It says that the area, 800 

 metres, first asked for would not have been 

 too much, yet the request liad to be lowered 

 to 400 metres, and 260 metres will be granted 

 the department. It seems the plan is to 

 exhibit the products of the apiary only in 

 connection with the various agricultural 

 products. UApic^dteiir remarks: "Not 

 being united the products of the apicultur- 

 ists who have requested of the departmental 

 Commission or of the Agricultural Society" 

 in session, space in which to exhibit, will be 

 scattered throughout the agricultural exhib- 

 it, and will neither be seen by the public or 

 viewed by a special committee. What the 

 exhibitors ought to do is to state to the said 

 Commission or Society that they expect to 

 exhibit only in Class S3, to refuse to exhibit 

 elsewhere, and to address immediately a 

 request to the Minister of Agriculture that 

 their products be admitted to Class 83. It 

 is not too late, but there is no time to lose." 



