^oxvtspomUnct. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Chips from Sweet Home. 



On page 88 of the American Bee Jour- 

 nal, James Heddon seems to be afraid of 

 over-stocking our bee pastures witli bees. — 

 One year ago to day I would have said 

 amen to his two columns, but last season's 

 experience has changed my amen to, that — 

 I started out with 150 hives, located on less 

 than 3^ acre; increased to 200,— think I held 

 the increase down too close, however.— 

 These 150 hives averaged me a little over 

 100 tt)S. each. This spring, I shall start out 

 with about 270 hives, to be increased to 400, 

 all in one apiary, and shall get in honey— 

 well— we will tell you better next fall, 

 and as F. I. Sage says, on page 75, we will 

 get it by plenty of hard work, which is not 

 suitable for invalids, &c. "Palmer, how 

 much help do you have?" I will tell you 

 what I have to do this season: Commence 

 with 350 hives, 4 acres of small fruit, 4 acres 

 of garden truck, 3 horses, 5 cows, 4 calves, 

 hogs and poultry; this will be our work to 

 accomplisli. 1 hire one hand. If 1 could 

 get one trusty, competent person, (such are 

 scarce for bee business), I would start 

 another apiary next season. James, " with- 

 a-head-on," as O. Clute says, we must work 

 bee business as we do fruit. If we could 

 get a very early, or a very late berry, do you 

 think we could glut the market with that ? 

 O ! no ; says you, because we would have 

 the market to ourselves. Very good; afeiv 

 bee-keepers will keep up to the times, put 

 up honey to suit the demand, and get the 

 highest price; and the many, with box- 

 hives, inch-board boxes of honey, will not 

 be able to compete with the few; conse- 

 quently, the many will not be among the 

 {etc that will supply our large market with 

 oney. 



We, at one time, advocated early breed- 

 ing by stimulating, but vye now think, for 

 our location, it is better to not use any arti- 

 ficial stimulation, either by feeding or sepa- 

 rating the brood part and inserting empty 

 comb. Such may pay to keep invalids busy 

 on a few hives, but does not us. None need 

 such but poor, weak hives, and these do not 

 pay us to fuss with, as we have plenty 

 of others that will pay. We will try over- 

 stocking, by running 400 hives in one 

 apiary. 



Tiiere is a lack of honey-producing flow- 

 ers between apple bloom and white clover 

 for 10 or 12 days. Where wild raspberries 

 are not abundant, it will pay to cultivate 

 some of the best improved kinds for honey 

 and fruit, as they bloom at this interval, 

 filling up this vacancy. The honey is 

 abundant and of the best quality; bees may 

 not store any in boxes, but it keeps up the 

 breeding, so that when white clover blooms 

 they are strong in bees and brood, ready to 

 store the tinest of honey in the siu-plus 

 boxes. Of all persons who should cultivate 

 fruit for profit, it is the bee-keeper, for he 

 has both fruit and honey; the latter giving 

 him some profit more than his neighbor, 



who does not keep bees. With care, they 

 can be increased quite rapidly. The first 

 Sweet Home I raised in 1873; in 1874, I 

 raised 23 plants, and fruited the finest Black 

 Caps that I ever saw; in 1875, I raised 50 

 plants; in 1876, I raised 38 plants from the 

 original bush and 585 in all; in 1877, I raised 

 about 3000 plants, of which my brother bee- 

 keepers have availed themselves of guite a 

 share. They can be planted any time in 

 the month of April. Set 3 feet by 6 feet, and 

 cultivate as corn. 



We frequently have persons call to see 

 our apiary, ask questions, &c. We take 

 pleasure in showing them anything of in- 

 terest, and answering a reasonable number 

 of questions, but there is one class I wish 

 to allude to. and such have just left. They 

 came 10 miles to see things and ask ques- 

 tions. This was all right, but among the 

 first questions I put to such is: "Do you 

 take a bee journal ?" Usually those who 

 are over inquisitive do not, and will 

 remember but very little you have told 

 them. Such were "my visitors to-day, and 

 after spending 3 hours of precious time to 

 me, I quit answering questions. The last 

 two questions were: "How do you trans- 

 fer, and how do you raise (jueens ?" I 

 answered them thus: " It will be cheaper 

 for you and me, for you to take a bee 

 journal; then you can read at your leisure, 

 remember and put in practice. What I tell 

 you, you will not recollect." The last words 

 i said to them were, " Take a bee journal." 



On page 71 of the American Bee Jour- 

 nal, A. J. Cook thinks patents are a public 

 benefit. I, for one, think otherwise, and 

 will say in regard to bee-hives and apiarian 

 supplies, that there has been far more 

 money spent in patents than the benefits 

 arising by the sale of them. Patents has 

 been a bee-hive for sharpers, humbuggers, 

 and a few workers. It has been the m«ans 

 of keeping the price so high on many im- 

 provements as to hinder their introduction 

 to honest, law-abiding citizens. 



Eliza, Mercer Co., 111. D. D. Palmer. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Experience of a Beginner. 



I have been taking the American Bee 

 Journal for nearly 3 years, and I think I 

 can safely say that no person can advance 

 very rapidly in the culture of the honey-bee 

 without having the Journal as a guide, 

 to instruct in the science that bee-keepers 

 must necessarily possess. 



I have been engaged in this pleasant and 

 lucrative business for nearly 2 years, and I 

 think I have succeeded remarkably well for 

 a beginner. I have, 20 colonies in good con- 

 dition. 



I am partial to the Langstroth hive, which 

 I am using. I consider it the best hive for 

 general utility that I ever saw. I keep 

 them well painted, and a little elevated, to 

 protect them from the ground. I winter my 

 bees on their summer stands, with nothing 

 to protect them from the winter's cold, but 

 a board roof or covering. 



It is very important for bees to go into 

 winter quarters with strong colonies. If 

 weak cues, two should be put together, as it 



