I' would like to see a description of the 

 Harbison sectional honey boxes in The 

 Bee JoniNAL. James Knowles. 



[This cut shows one of the Harbison or 

 California Sections. The sides and top 

 piece are 63^ inches long and 1% inches 

 wide. The sides are 5-lG and top 3-1(5 thick. 

 The bottom bar is }4 incli square nailed on 

 the angle. The sides have a groove 1-16 

 inch deep, on the outside (as shown in the 

 cut), to admit of a strip >^xl-l(i inch to hold 

 tlie sections together when on the hive. — 

 Ed.] 



Dixcm, HI., Dec. 25, 1877. 

 " Two years ago 1 began with a wild 

 swarm, in a box hive, which I caught on 

 July 4th. They lilied their box, and gave 

 25 lbs. of surplus that season. Last year it 

 increased one. This year the two increased 

 to six and gave nie lOU lbs. of surplus. This 

 spring I transferred to a frame hive and 

 allowed one to have its own way. That 

 swarm increased to 3 and gave 60 lbs. of 

 honey. All are doing well." 



B. F. Pkatt. 



Which variety of Mignonette is the best 

 honey plant? What are the comparative 

 merits of Melilot and the ordinary white 

 clover? Will it pay to sow Uie former 

 where the latter is abundant? 



J. N. McConN. 



[We could see but little difference in vari- 

 eties of Mignonette. 



Melilot is excellent.. Do not think it will 

 pay to sow it where White Clover is plenty. 

 Melilot is a biennial. White Clover an an- 

 nual. The latter furnishes good hay and 

 feed, so has two uses.— A. J. Cook.] 



Milledgeville, HI., Dec. 24. 1877. 

 DearEditok:— "Last season, we gave 

 our bees a flight, one day in February, and 

 then returned them to the cellar, where 

 they were allowed to remain until about 

 April 20, when they were placed on their 

 summer stands, to remain for the season. — 

 I allowed them to remain in winter quarter's 

 later than I have ever done before, and the 

 result was very satisfactory. Our cold 

 Avinds were all over, and the loss from 

 exposure to spring winds was small. We 

 found our hives heavy with honey and brood, 

 and in the best possible condition to gather 

 pollen and honey, which was then being 

 produced by willows, soft maples, etc. — 

 The yield of honey from fruit bloom was 

 small, and so rapidly did our bees breed, 

 that ere raspberries bloomed, most of our 

 stock was sliort of honey. 1 supplied their 

 wants by feeding them extracted, candied 

 honey, at the entrance, feeding just before 

 dark. It was really pleasing to see them 

 come out and say " thank you," and then 

 partake of refreshments, which were 



usually removed during the night. Easp- 

 berries, gooseberries, etc., yield a fair 

 amount of lioney. The yield from white 

 clover was fair, but not extra. Basswood 

 was a total failure; leaving us a small flow 

 of honey from white clover, until the 2nd 

 crop of red clover, which yielded a fair 

 amount of honey; then followed wild flow- 

 ers, yielding well, causing brood rearing to 

 continue until tlie middle of October, giving 

 us strong stocks, with which to go into 

 winter quarters. Our bees were placed in 

 the cellar, Nov. 17, in good condition. At 

 the opening of the season we had 40 stocks; 

 at the close. GO; sold 16 queens, and 2 colo- 

 nies. Surplus comb honey, 900 lbs; surplus 

 extracted honey, 400 lbs. We have had 

 Italian bees since 1867. Success to the 

 AmekicanBee Jouijnal." 



F. A. Snell. 



Madison, Ind., Jan. 7, 1878. 

 "Can you tell me what is the matter with 

 the bees? They are dying, leaving plenty 

 of honey in the hive. There are several 

 bee-keepers in this county that have lost 

 heavily; and they cannot account for it. — 

 The season has not been cold here; indeed, 

 we had a very pleasant winter up to the 1st 

 inst. My bees have done finely, so far. 1 

 examined them on Christmas day. and they 

 were in good condition." H. C. White. 



[Of course not, with so few data. Symp- 

 toms and kind of season should be given. 

 It may be foul brood; may be all old bees; 

 may be bad honey.— A. J. Cook.] 



Dorset, N. Y., Jan. 12. 1878. 

 " I have kept Dees in the old-fashioned 

 way for some years; for the last two years, 

 I have adopted the Langstroth hive, two 

 stories, and got an extractor and have been 

 trying to post myself in the science of bee 

 management. I had 18 colonies last spring, 

 in box hives, that were strong; and 20 lbs. 

 of surplus was all that the best of them 

 gave, while my best colonies in Langstroth 

 hives gave 150 lbs., and black bees at that. 

 When I tell my neighbors about taking 150 

 lbs. from a hive, it makes them stare, but 

 still they can't afford to take the Bee Jour- 

 nal." A. S. Sheldon. 



Monroe, Wis., Jan. 4, 187S. 

 "At the close of the honey season, my 

 bees began to rob, and each seemed to try 

 to rob the other. 1 lost one weak swai'm, 

 and have 8 swarms in fair condition for 

 wintering. During the warm days, the last 

 of December, I set them out on their sum- 

 mer stands; they flew vigorously, but im- 

 mediately commenced robbing again. How 

 can I prevent them from it? Will they 

 fe-rget it by spring? E. C. Gillett. 



[Contract the entrances so that but one 

 bee can pass at a time. Italians, if strong, 

 always defend their stores successfully.— 

 Ed.] 



Memphis, Ky.. Jan. 20,' 1878. 

 " Three years ago I began with 2 swarms in 

 box hives; increased to 6; lost 2 in spring. 

 That year I increased to 8 and lost 1, queen- 

 less. The past year I increased to 17; all are 

 now in good order in their summer stands." 

 James Needham. 



