Glucose for Feeding Bees. 



We regret that the retiring Presi- 

 dent of the N. A. B. K. Association so 

 strongly endorsed the use of glucose 

 for feeding bees. It was doubtless a 

 mistake ; and when contrasted with the 

 experience of the Rev. J. W. Shearer, 

 as stated, on page 392, of this Journal, 

 it appears exceedingly unfortunate. 

 Mr. Shearer killed nearly all his bees, 

 by feeding them glucose, and remarks 

 on page 393 that "there is sufficient 

 acid in the best glucose to kill bees." 



Mr. King has tried both the native 

 and foreign article, and says that he 

 " could not eat a piece the size of his 

 thumb nail without vomiting !" 



Prof. Hasbrouck remarked that the 

 sulphate of iron, which is not fully 

 removed in its manufacture, caused the 

 difficulty. He also stated that " if 

 pure, glucose is not deleterious." This 

 is the very point we propose to test. 

 We tasted some of that, which was said 

 to be pure, a few days ago, and should 

 as soon think of feeding our bees 

 arsenic as any of that vile trash ! We 

 expect to give in the next issue the re- 

 sult of a carefully conducted analysis 

 which is now being made in the Michi- 

 gan State Agricultural College labora- 

 tory. Till then we will suspend 

 judgment. 



A letter from Mr. L. P. Best, Super- 

 intendent of the Davenport Glucose 

 Manufacturing Co., says that it is not 

 true that dry glucose is obtained by 

 using a great quantity of chalk, as 

 stated by Mr. Dadant ! He adds : "We 

 are offering $.50 reward to any one that 

 will find one per cent, of chalk in our 

 grape sugar." Mr. Dadant has an- 

 swered this matter on page 375. 



It must be a strange infatuation that 

 could allow Novice to say (as he does on 

 page 348, Oct. Gleanings), that glucose 

 " for brood-rearing, is even better tliayx 

 honey P'' Is he not over- worked and 

 worried with his new building on the 

 fair grounds— making him " light in the 

 upper story V" We fear that it may be 

 so, but hope not. His perversion of the 



language quoted from Mr. Langstroth's 

 work, would seem to indicate a liberal 

 share of insanity ! Rest, Brother, 

 Rest ! Review and Recant ! 



i^°At the Iowa State Fair T. B. 

 Quinlan, of Cedar Rapids, had the 

 largest display of nice honey, and took 

 a prize of $10.00 therefor. It is spoken 

 of by the papers in that locality in 

 terms of strong praise. Of course he 

 used the prize box and crate. D. W. 

 Thayer and J. R. Rogers, also obtained 

 prizes for honey. Iowa is a progressive 

 State, and its citizens fully appreciate 

 honey when made attractive. 



i^F. B. Thurber, Esq., is in Europe 

 on business. In his absence a cable 

 despatch was sent him ottering him the 

 nomination for Mayor of New York — 

 but he promptly declined the honor. 



^'A bottle of honey sent by mail, 

 to the National Convention, in our 

 care, Came to hand with the bottle 

 broken and honey all gone— spilled 

 about the mails. There is no doubt 

 about the wisdom of the Postmaster 

 General in excluding such from the 

 mails. Its being forwarded was in 

 disobedience of his orders, and no 

 doubt was visited by a rebuke. 



i^The Paris Exposition Judges 

 have awarded to Thurber & Co., of 

 New York, the "gold medal" for 

 honey and beeswax, while the French 

 Apicultural Society have bestowed 

 upon this firm a " Medal of Honor " for 

 the " best honey in the most marketa- 

 ble shape." 



A Curiosity. — Postmaster Boughton 

 of Ridgebury, Conn., has discovered in 

 his yard a comb of honey attached to 

 an apple tree. It was made by a small 

 swarm of bees, and the comb is as large 

 as a peck measure, hanging from one 

 of the limbs of the tree. At night the 

 bees cover the outside of the comb 

 instead of resting in a bunch in some 

 one part of it. They do this to protect 

 it from the dew, and so closely do their 

 bodies join as to completely cover the 

 surface. So says an exchange. 



