AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



m 



There was only about a pint of bees in 

 it then, but now they cover well nine 

 Simplicity frames, and I have taken 

 several frames of brood and honey from 

 this colony to strengthen others. I thinlf 

 that I will Italianize most of my bees 

 this season, for I am quite sure that 

 they are better than the blacks and 

 hybrids. Ed. Clakk. 



Nat, Ala., May 28, 1892. 



A Good Year for Ducks. 



What a hard year for bee-keepers, and 

 all others, in fact. Ducks are about the 

 only ones to rejoice, and they must needs 

 have a full coat of feathers to enjoy 

 life. A. J. Cook. 



Agricultural College, Mich., May 27. 



Bees are Working Hard. 



I put my bees into the cellar on Nov. 

 15, 1891, and took them out on April 

 15, 1892. It was a long winter for 

 them, but they all came out in fine con- 

 dition. It has been so cold and wet 

 nearly all the time since, that they could 

 not do anything. It is quite warm to- 

 day, and they are working hard. The 

 season is at least 15 days later than 

 usual. Lyman Chandler. 



New London, Minn., May 28, 1892. 



Killing off Drones. 



I would like to ask in regard to bees 

 killing drones at this time in the early 

 part of the season. I have 5 colonies, 

 all in good condition, and the strongest 

 are killing the drones. What is the 

 cause, and also the remedy ? 



Frank Perks. 



Minden, Iowa, May 28, 1892. 



[Doubtless the cause of the bees kill- 

 ing off their drones is on account of 

 being short of stores. If honey is not 

 obtainable soon, of course the bees 

 should be fed. — Eds.] 



Forming Nuclei from Hatching Brood. 



A subscriber to the Bee Journal in 

 Nebraska, wishes me to give my opinion 

 of forming nuclei out of hatching brood. 

 In reply I would say that it is dangerous 

 to make nuclei of hatching brood alone, 

 unless the weather is warm, and the 

 operator is very careful. It will be best 

 to have the adhering bees with each 



frame ; but you can form nuclei with 

 hatching brood, by keeping the hive 

 shut up, or out of reach of robber bees, 

 until the nuclei are sufiBciently strong, 

 and old enough to fly. You had better 

 not risk it very much, is my advice. 



Bees Ave gathering honey briskly at 

 present, but, all in all, we have had the 

 hardest spring on bees for many years. 

 Mrs. Jennie Atchley. 



Floyd, Tex., May 27, 1892. 



[We would refer the questioner to any 

 of the various bee-books for further in- 

 formation on the subject of forming 

 nuclei. Every beginner should have at 

 least one of the standard works near at 

 hand, to which he can refer upon all 

 subjects relating to bee-keeping, which 

 are there usually treated of more fully 

 than could be done in any bee-periodical. 

 On the second page of this issue of the 

 Bee Journal may be found a list of 

 apiarian manuals, etc., from which to 

 select. — Eds.] 



Fruit-Bloom is Heavy. 



We are having the coldest, wettest, 

 and most backward spring here within 

 the memory of the oldest inhabitant. 

 There has really been only one what 

 might be called a real good bee-day this 

 spring, and that was day before yester- 

 day. Bees were out that day before 

 seven o'clock, and until sundown. Fruit- 

 bloom is at its height, but it was cloudy 

 and rainy yesterday, and we are having 

 a cold rain again to-day. Every day 

 like this adds to the already heavy loss, 

 and if there is not a change soon, " seed 

 bees " will be in demand here. The loss 

 of several bee-keepers liere has already 

 reached 100 colonies, and there does 

 not seem to be much consolation in 

 knowing that it will stop at the 100 

 mark. There is every prospect of plenty 

 of flowers, and a fair year, if a little 

 sunshine could be mixed in to give the 

 bees a chance. The fruit-blocm is the 

 heaviest known in years. 



L. J. Clark. 



Wiscoy, Minn., June 1, 1892. 



Unwarranted Charges of Adulteration. 



In looking over the Report by Prof. 

 Wiley a few days ago, I noticed that he 

 charges Chas. Muth, of Cincinnati, with 

 adulterating honey. Perhaps he mean.*- 

 it "only as a scientific pleasantry," but 



