396 



THE mm^mmi^MM mmm jq)^ki«mil. 



Jn Xav ZeaI:)ii«I and Australia the 

 seasons are the reverse of ours. There 

 the houey harvest is gathered during our 

 winter, and there bees are now iu winter 

 quarters. A protracted drouth has pre- 

 vented the bees from gathering much 

 honey, and in fact they have needed food 

 in some localities. The New Zealand 

 Farmer for AprU sums up its estimate of 

 the honey crop thus ; 



From the few reports yet to hand, and 

 from private sources, we learn thatthrough- 

 out New Zealand the crop of houey har- 

 vested has been very variable. In some 

 parts it has been quite up to or a little 

 above the average, while in other parts — 

 and these appear to be the majority — it has 

 been considerably below the average ; so 

 that, judging roughly, we believe, on the 

 whole, the aggregate crop will not reach 

 more than 3-2 or --.^ of an average season's 

 crop. In the Australian colonies, from the 

 few reports to hand, we gather that the 

 result of the season's work is somewhat 

 similar to that of New Zealand. We learn 

 that in some cases there has been a good 

 taking, when in others again tte season is 

 almost a failure. We certainly anticiimted, 

 in the early part of the season, that the 

 yield for New Zealand, at all events, would 

 have been much above the average ; and 

 no doubt it would have been but for the 

 fact of the large portion of the honey not 

 being extractable. 



Kass'wood from tlie Seed.— On 

 page 148, Mr. C. F. Miller asks for infor- 

 mation about growing basswood trees from 

 the seed, and in reply thereto we now offer 

 the following, taken from one of our many 

 agricultural exchanges : 



In growing basswood from seed, a little 

 shade is usually necessary while the plants 

 are young and making their second and 

 third set of leaves. Gather the seed in the 

 fall as soon as ripe, and then mix in about 

 as much pure sand as there is of seed. 

 Place all in boxes and then bury in some 

 dry place in the open ground, covering 

 only a few inches deep, or deep enough to 

 keep out the mice aud prevent alternate 

 freezing and thawings. 



In the spring, as soon as the weather is 

 favorable, sow seed and sand together in 

 wide drills, made with a hoe, and about the 

 width of the blade. Cover with flue, light 

 soil to the depth of a half-inch, or a little 

 more, then spread brush along over the 

 rows, just thick enough to give a little 

 shade to the young plants. When the 

 plants are 4 or 5 inches high, remove the 

 brush and give frequent cultivation during 

 the summer. 



Wild ral)bits and many other animals are 

 fond of young basswood plants, and this is 

 probably why so few seedling trees are 

 found iu the woods. 



We trust that the above will fully answer 

 the querist, and many others who have 

 enquired as to the modus operandi in 

 growing basswood from seed. Let all who 

 can do so, endeavor to have plenty of these 

 young honey-trees in their neighborhood, 

 to furnish the bees with an abundance of 

 nectar in due season. 



A Heavenly Visitor. — Hon. Eugene 

 Secor, of Forest City, Iowa, has presented 

 us a stone — a visitor from some heavenly 

 body. Of it he remarks thus : 



This Aerolite was found in Winnebago 

 County, Iowa. It fell in a meteoric shower 

 on May 3, 1890. The largest specimens 

 found, weighed, respectively, 80 aud' 

 66 pounds. They were imbedded iu dry, 

 hard prairie about 3 feet. Two, weighing 

 about 10 pounds each, were also found. 

 Smaller ones, varying in size from a pea to 

 a goose egg, were found, scattered over the 

 prairie for a couple of miles west of where 

 the large ones fell. All resembled this one 

 both in outward appearance and inside 

 structure. Eugene Secor. 



We shall prize it as a treasure. What an 

 immense journey it must have made to get 

 to our planet ! Where did it come from i 

 is the question. As no one can answer it, 

 it will always remain a question. 



We have prepared an engraving from a 

 photograph sent us by our friend Secor, of 



the one weighing 66 pounds, and here 

 present it to our readers. 



It resembles the light gray granites iu 

 appearauce. The outside of the pieces is 

 blackened, and it does Hot easily rub off. 



It feels "heavy," and if it came from 

 other heavenly bodies, it proves that they 

 are composed of similar material to our 

 earth. This is a very natural conclusion, 

 however, if the earth was originally 

 thrown off from the sun when in a red-hot 

 condition. When contemplating these 

 things we are lost in wonder, aud must 

 conclude that we know but little of our 

 surroundings, as well as of our past, 

 present and future. 



1^" Jacob T. Timpe's descriptive Circular 

 and Prioe-List for 1890, of the five-banded 

 Golden Italian Bees is on our desk. His 

 sample bees sent to us was noticed on page 

 No. 291. 



Clubs of 5 New Subscriptions for $4.00, 

 to any addresses. Ten for $7.50, if all are 

 sent at one time. 



Statisitics. — The usual spring report of 

 statistical information is given in Oleanings 

 for June 1, and is summed up as follows : 



A summarized statement is as follows : 

 The average percentage of loss among the 

 special reporters during the past winter is 

 only 8?8 per cent. 



By referring to the statistics of a year 

 ago, we find that the loss was 9 per cent. 

 We expected to see a smaller percentage 

 for this year. 



The only losses, with few exceptions, that 

 occurred during last winter, of any account 

 were from over-breeding and consequent 

 starvation. If we eliminate this cause of 

 mortality, the percentage will probably be 

 very low. 



The average loss in the vicinity of the 

 reporters, we find to be 14 1-6 per cent. 

 Last year at this time it was 17 per cent. 



Perhaps it will be interesting here to 

 compare the average losses of the three 

 preceding winters, since we began the 

 department of statistics. 



The special reporters' loss during the 

 winter of 1887 was 16 per cent. ; during 



1888, 9 per cent. ; during the winter of 



1889, 8-8 percent. 



The locality losses for the winter of 

 1887 were 33 per ceut. ; for 1888, 17 per 

 cent. ; 1889,14 1-6 percent. It is to the 

 credit of the books, periodicals, and pro- 

 gressive apiculture, that the winter losses 

 have been decreasing. 



Although the reports do not show it, we 

 notice by correspondence that there has 

 been a heavy loss iu the region of Gallup- 

 ville, N. Y., many bee-keepers losing all 

 their bees. 



One bee-keeper said his Italians, be- 

 cause they gathered nothing but white 

 stores, wintered beautifully, while his 

 blacks and hybrids, having gathered a lot 

 of honey-dew and buckwheat, almost all 

 died — a great score for Italians, because 

 they will get white stores if there is any 

 possibility of doing so. 



We also gather from correspondence that 

 there have been quite heavy losses in cer- 

 tain parts of Minnesota. 



It is Often quite important to know 

 the colony from which a swarm has issued, 

 when such has not been noticed when 

 issuing. Dzierzon prefers this method of 

 ascertaining : 



After it has been hived and removed to 

 its new stand, let a cupful of bees be taken 

 from it and thrown into the air, near the 

 apiary, after having sprinkled them with 

 flour ; they will soon return to the parent 

 colony, and may easily be recognized by 

 their standing at the entrance fanning, 

 like ventilating bees. 



Frank Leslie's Illustrated News- 

 paper " for last week contains 14 pages of 

 handsome illustrations, not to include those 

 in reference to fashion and other specific 

 subjects. Some depict summer pleasure 

 haunts in southern Michigan, and a double- 

 page illustrates the new town at the foot 

 of the Cumberland Mountains in east Ten- 

 nessee. 



■f tlie Surplus Cases are on before 

 the honey flows, swarms will be less numer- 

 ous, more especially if the sections are 

 furnished with foundation, to attract the 

 bees, and the entrance enlarged to aid 

 ventilation.— IFcstcrii Bee- Keeper. 



