25 lbs. each, since July 35. It has been 3 

 weeks since they stopped work. Think I 

 have all the surplus honey I will get this 

 season. Have no sections on at present." 



G. C. SODEN. 



Mt. Auburn, Ind., Sept. 7, 1878. 

 " My bees conmienced to swarm in April, 

 and kept it up until the middle of August. 

 Would have had a very good season for 

 honey, if we had been prepared for it. 

 Nearly all are now in good condition; plenty 

 of bees and raising more, and gathering 

 their winter stores. A sorghum mill is going 

 to start within half a mile; I do not yet 

 know what plan I shall adopt, to keep my 

 bees away." H. B. Lisk. 



Genoa, DeKalb Co. 111., Sept., 16, 1878. 

 " The honey season has been a very good 

 one in this section, especially for those that 

 have managed their bees with a proper 

 knowledge of the science of bee-keeping. 

 The notice in the Journal last winter, that 

 I would sell 80 colonies of bees, was noticed 

 by Mr. Stephens, of Toronto, Canada. A 

 short correspondence and a bargain was 

 made. In consequence of the long continued 

 cold weather before June, one-half of the 

 colonies were reduced to very few bees. 

 But as the white clover began to blossom, 

 they were soon in a condition for gathering 

 honey. And with his knowledge of the 

 science of bee-keeping and a perseverence 

 in the business. Mr. Stephens has finished 

 the season with the following result: 103 

 colonies, 8,000 lbs. of extracted honey, a 

 large amount of comb-honey, not yet 

 removed from the hives, 80 lbs. of wax, and 

 plenty of honey now in hives for winter 

 stores. The bees were moved 3 miles from 

 their old stand, with the exception of 3, the 

 product from those 3, were 9 new colonies, 

 and 380 lbs. of extracted honey, and with 

 not a particle of feed but what they gathered 

 from the fields; have now enough for 

 winter." A. Stiles. 



Warsaw, Canada, Sept. 10, 1878. 

 "The season iiere has been poor for honey. 

 Continued frost in May and to 10th of June, 

 left my hives without honey at that time, 

 and several swarmed out to avoid starvation, 

 but from that time up to date the season has 

 been very good. Colonies all in good order 

 for winter, having a large amount of brood 

 in them now. I shall extract about 300 lbs. 

 more yet from them and still leave plenty for 

 winter stores." G. Gaklick. 



South Pendleton, Ohio, Sept. 15, 1878. 

 "The weather of the month of June 

 ruined our prospect for this year, which up 

 to that time was never better. I calculated 

 on 4,000 lbs. of surplus honey, but got only 

 1,300 lbs. I had only 5 natural swarms. The 

 hive I use is a non-swarmer; its capacity at 

 one time is 133 lbs., but I never allow a box 

 or frame to remain on after it is capped over. 

 After honey season is over I get my 

 increase by taking one frame from each 

 hive, putting 6 together and giving them a 

 young queen of my own raising; having 15 

 nuclei. My increase has not been all from 

 my own; having bought 3 and traded hives 



and honey forsome, and had someon shares. 

 Bees in this locality go into winter quarters 

 strong in young bees and plenty of honey. 

 1 am now preparing my bees for winter in 

 chaff, with carpet over bees and no honey 

 board. My hive holds 8 frames 11x17^." 



W. Stump. 



Neosho Rapids, Kan. Sept. 9, 1878. 

 "My bees have increased well, this season, 

 by natural swarming. They made no sur- 

 plus honey until about two weeks ago, I took 

 40 lbs. from 3 hives last Saturday. I have 

 1 coloney which increased to 7 since last 

 spring, by natural swarming." 



Nathan Davis. 



Glen Rock, Pa., Sept. 7, 1878. 

 "There was no difference last spring in 

 those colonies wintered in chaff or without, 

 owing probably to our mild winter. 1 have 

 good prospects for 300 or 400 lbs. of comb 

 honey more this season; buckwheat harvest 

 is good thus far." J. H. Bupp. 



Hudson, Mich., Sept. 16, 1878. 

 "My loss was heavy last spring. 1 wintered 

 under a shed facing the east. All went into 

 winter quarters strong and full of honey, 

 but they dwindled all winter. They were 

 in American hives and had a fair amount of 

 ventilation and mats on top. I have a reposi- 

 tory but I deemed it too warm last season to 

 winter in. I think I will winter in chaff 

 next season, as only 1 colony died that was 

 treated that way last winter." 



J. W. Allen. 



Central City, Iowa. Sept. 16, 1878. 

 " Can Italian bees gather honey from red 

 clover ?" Mrs. M. C. Jordan. 



[Only a little.— Ed.] 



Washington Co., Wis., Sept. 8, 1878. 

 "This is my first j^ear's experience with 

 bees. I have increased from 1 to 7 ; have 

 taken 100 lbs. of surplus and have on the 

 hives 50 lbs. more of surplus honey — about 

 one half each of comb and extracted, leav- 

 ing at least 30 lbs. for each colony to winter 

 on. 'Foundation' and 'dividing colonies' 

 did it !" Geo. W. Jones. 



[Seven colonies from 1 is " good enough!" 

 but with 150 lbs. of surplus honey, it is 

 astonishing. True, the use of " comb foun- 

 dation" and judiciously "dividing colonies" 

 will do wonders. If you have young bees 

 enough, and give them 30 lbs. of good capped 

 honey to winter on, they should winter 

 well ; and if so, you have nothing to be 

 ashamed of from your first year's experience 

 with bee-keeping.— Ed.] 



Garden Plain, III., Sept. 3, 1878. 

 "Bees are at work again, but the season 

 will be a short one, being curtailed both at 

 the beginning and end. They worked on 

 clover about 4 weeks. On account of the 

 drouth, the fall crop did not begin till about 

 Aug. 30, and it will be a very light yield." 

 R. R. Murphy. 



