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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAU 



less than one. Bees have been on the 

 wing nearly every day all Winter, bring- 

 ing in honey and pollen sufficient to 

 keep up brood-rearing. The honey-flow 

 began in February, on the wild plum 

 and orange bloom, and is now in full 

 blast on orange bloom. I have had lots 

 of practice this Winter, considering the 

 amount of bees, but as far as dollars and 

 cents are concerned, it is not so inter- 

 esting. As I shall not sell my bees this 

 time, all I can take away is a " begin- 

 ner's experience " in progressive bee- 

 culture ; and not getting -my supplies in 

 time, has given me an extra chance to 

 practice making hives, frames, and 

 putting in starters of old comb. I shall 

 start for my northern home in Hillsboro, 

 N. H., the last of the month. 



Edgar B. Whipple. 

 Grassmere, Fla., March 23, 1892. 



Early Pollen. 



My bees weie gathering pollen on the 

 25th of March. That is quite early for 

 this latitude. Stella Houghand. 



Boonville, Ind., March 26, 1892. 



Changeable Weather. 



We have had a few days of Spring 

 weather, when the bees had very fine 

 times enjoying the sunshine ; but yester- 

 day it snowed again, making the best 

 Winter month in several years. Last 

 Friday I examined the bees, and they 

 were all in first-class condition except 

 three. One was queenless, and the 

 other two were dead. The latter were 

 in good condition in the Fall, and had 

 plenty of good honey yet remaining in 

 the hives. Joseph Ehret. 



Trenton, N. J., March 28, 1892. 



Putting Bees Out too Early. 



Bees seem to have wintered very 

 poorly here so far. I have spoken to a 

 number of bee-men, and most of them 

 have lost badly, but do not know just 

 how the best of their stock will come 

 out. A number of bee-keepers have put 

 their bees out. We had a couple of nice 

 days that would make almost anybody 

 carry their bees out ; but those that 

 were k(ipt in fared best on account of 

 the cold weather that we have had the 

 past two weeks. I shall not put mine 

 out until I am pretty sun^ of good 

 weather — on or about April 5 or 10 is 

 early enough. The March winds that 

 we have had are too much for the bees, 



after being in a warm cellar for three or 

 four months. Keep your bees out as 

 late in the Fall as is safe, and do not be 

 in too big a hurry to get them out in the 

 Spring, for their is nothing for them to 

 gather — what little they do work is for 

 nothing. S. Hollow. 



Denison, Iowa, March 21, 1892. 



Bees Carried in Flour. 



I see by the papers this morning that 

 you had another storm on Sunday, such 

 as the West only can have. It was a 

 fine day here, and the bees carried in 

 flour all day. Henry Alley. 



Wenham, Mass., March 28, 1992/ 



Things to Rembember. 



I am afraid that three honorary mem- 

 bers of the bee-fraternity are fixing to 

 lose sleep over the cost of the production 

 of honey. Now, brothers, listen to a sis- 

 ter just this once, and remember the loss 

 of too much sleep tends to desroy our 

 best thoughts ; also that those three 

 " head-lights" should be kept brightly 

 burning, for by them we all see better. 

 Some things to be remembered : 1. That 

 adulterated honey, seldom, if ever, bears 

 the name of the producer. 2. That it is 

 seldom the bees that fail, but the 

 "beeist," instead. 3. That all honey 

 has more or less pollen in it. 4. That 

 we had the coldest spell ever known in 

 March, in Texas, a few days ago. 



Jennie Atchley. 



Floyd, Texas, March 24, 1892. 



Wavelets of News. 



Prevention of Robbing. 



Keep strong colonies of Italian bees, 

 have but one entrance to a hive, and do 

 not allow bits of comb containing honey 

 to lie around, where the beeg have access 

 to it, or to get at sweets of any kind, at 

 a time when honey is not to be gathered 

 from the flowers, and you are not apt to 

 be bothered by robbers. 



A strong colony of Italians will gen- 

 (sraliy meet the robbers at the door, and 

 give them to understand that there is no 

 admittance. 



However, if the robbers have - posses- 

 sion, and are running over the guards at 

 the entrance, I would close the entrance 

 entirely. 



