228 



TMm SMERIC3KH BE® JOlS^RIfSt, 



*-*-^*— -^-^^^ arr * ■* *j^ * * 



Spring' Work.— A correspondent in 

 the Ohio Farmer gives these hints about 

 seasonable spring worli in the apiary : 



There are many fine days from the first of 

 March until spring fairly opens when we 

 can handle bees in perfect safety. I have 

 found to my entire satisfaction that there is 

 no time during the year that my attention is 

 more demanded than during March and 

 April. These two months are the key to 

 large honey crops, and I must have my bees 

 in such shape at this time that I can attend 

 to their wants. . ,, ^ , 



I endeavor to put my bees in the best pos- 

 sible condition for safe winteringduring the 

 fall months, but at my regular time of mak- 

 ing examination during the following March 

 I have never failed to find that attention 

 was needed, and often many colonies are 

 saved just at the nick of time. 



I may have been very particular to give 

 each colony in the fall the necessary amount 

 of provisions, but from some cause I am not 

 able to explain, many will consume almost 

 their entire stores by the following March, 

 while others have abundance in reserve. 

 Hence such colonies must be provided with 

 provisions, or they will starve long before 

 spring sets in. 



While it is a fact that food cannot be pro- 

 vided in winter weather in some forms, it 

 can be in perfect safety in others, and not 

 only in perfect safety, but it is very benefi- 

 cial to healthy colonies, and very healing to 

 those affected with diarrhea. This most 

 dreaded disease generally shows itself in 

 March, and fine days, together with careful 

 manipulating, will bring such colonies 



All coionies badly affected thus should be 

 placed upon clean combs and provided with 

 candy made from pure granulated sugar. 

 This candy is the only safe winter food we 

 can give bees. 



Liquid food of any kind fed to bees during 

 winter is very damaging to them. It tends 

 to produce diarrhea, while this candy re- 

 ferred to will tend to heal it. 



After the weather has become broken,and 

 the bees can get a good flight once or twice 

 a week, we can safely feed liquid food, and 

 we should commence as soon as possible by 

 feeding a little to every colony once a day. 



From this time forth all depends entirely 

 upon our management as to the force of 

 bees we have on hand ready for the work 

 when the harvest comes. By judicious 

 feeding to stimulate brood-rearing, we can 

 easily have our force double That it would 

 otherwise have been if allowed to take their 

 chances. Large crops of honey wholly de- 

 pend upon the strength of the colonies, not 

 upon the numbers in the hive. 



Catalogues for 1SS9 are on our desk 



from— 



J. W. Bittenhender, Knoxville, Iowa-4 

 pages— Bee-Keepers' Supplies. 



S. W. Morrison. M. D., Oxford, Pa.^ 

 pages— Carniolau Queens. 



Hulbert Fence & Wire Co., 904 Olive St., 

 St. Louis, MO.-24 panes-Fencing Wire- 

 Work, for Residences, Cemetery, or Public 

 Grounds. 



W. E. Clark, Oriskany, N. Y.— 20 pages- 

 Apiarian Supplies. 



Martin & Macy, North Manchester, Ind. 

 —12 pages— Bees, Apiarian Supplies, Foul- 

 try, Plants, etc. 



Rumsey & Co., Seneca Falls, N. Y.— 16 

 pages— Spraying Pumps. 



Morehouse & Annis, Rochester, N. Y.—g 

 pages— Garden, Field and Flower Seeds. 



W. E. Clark, Oriskany, N. Y.— 28 pages— 

 Bee-Keepers' Supplies. 



Xlie Bees are Sn'arniing Over. 



—On page 196 was published a pretty 

 melody, which, no doubt, delighted many a 

 bee-keeper's family ; but to make the words 

 more appropriate for the apiarian home, 

 they have been parodied by Geo. W. York 

 as follows, and now all bee-keepers can join 

 heartily in the song : 



1 love to wander by the brook. 



That winds among the trees. 

 And watch the birds flit to and fro— 



But hate the hum of bees ; 

 'Tis my delight from morn till night. 



To ramble on the shore. 

 But often there my mother's voice 



Comes from the kitchen door— 



C7ion/s— Maggie, Maggie, 



The hives are running over. 



The bees begin to swarm ; 

 Go and hive them, Maggie, 



Before they leave the farm. 



I'm not allowed to have a beau. 



Except upon the sly ; 

 So yesterday he came and took 



Me far from mother's eye ; 

 We strolled along so lovingly — 



From bees far out of reach- 

 When just from out that kitchen door. 



Came that unearthly screech- 

 Maggie, Maggie, etc. 



He took me to a country fair- 

 Went up in a balloon ; 



Says he to me, " We'll go and see 

 The man up in the moon ;" 



We drifted over towards our farm. 

 And never thought of bees ; 



But suddenly I heard a voice 

 Come far up through the trees- 

 Maggie, Maggie, etc. 



That music on page 196 was " a treat " to 

 our subscribers, unannounced and unex- 

 pected, and we find that it struck the popu- 

 lar chord. Many have written to thank us 

 for the surprise, and asking us to insert 

 more music occasionally. The following 

 from friend C. P. Dadant is only;a fair sam- 

 ple of many others : 



Please send us another copy of No. 13 of 

 the American Bee Journai^ for my 

 daughters. They find that tune very nice, 

 and wish yon would occasionally put in 

 another such a treat. 



Molasses for Feeding Bees in the 

 Spring.— Mr. W. S. Peck, of Stafford, N. Y., 

 asks the foUowinglquestions to be answered 

 in the American Bee Journal : 



Is New Orleans or any other cane molas- 

 ses fit to feed bees in the spring ? What is 

 the cheapest good feed for bees ? 



We answer : When the bees are flying 

 freely in the spring, anything that the bees 

 will take will not be very objectionable ; so 

 that you can feed them molasses then with- 

 out much danger. On general principles its 

 use cannot be recommended. Sell the 

 molasses and buy sugar, if you have no 

 honey to feed the bees. 



diapinan Honey-Plant Seed.— 



The United States Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture has a quantity of the Chapman 

 honey-plant seed for free distribution. 

 Applicants desiring packages of the seed 

 will be supplied while the seed lasts, in the 

 order of their applications. The request for 

 seed should be addressed to the United 

 States Commissioner of Agriculture (Seed 

 Division), Washington, D. C. 



What Apiarists Say about the April 

 number of the Illustrated Hojie Jour- 

 nal, which they have just received, may be 

 ascertained by the following which are 

 samples of the multitude : 



J. E. Pond, of North Attleboro, Mass., has 

 this to say of it: "The Illustrated Ho.vte 

 JiiuRNAL is received. Tlie work is simply 

 superb, as a specimen of tvpographical execii- 

 tiou. As a jouruul for the liume it is flrst-elass. 

 clean, interesting, and instructive, not only an 

 ornameat to the library or drawing? room 

 table, but a means of friving- to many homes a 

 much-needed source of amusement, as well as 

 instruction, both moral and secular. To those 

 who know you, the .Tournal seems just like 

 you. For the purjiose it is intended, I know of 

 none that are quite up to it." 



Dr. C. C. Miller, of Marengo, His., writes 

 thus: "WeU, well; the editor and publisher 

 of the good old American Bee JoL'RN.tL is 

 now publisher of II literary magazine. Well, 

 you were born ii publisher; sol am not sur- 

 )nised to see it gotten up in such beautiful 

 style, on paper that is a pleasure to handle. I 

 wish it great success." 



Dr. G. L. Tinker, of New Philadelphia, Ohio, 

 writes: "The April number of the Illcs- 

 TRATBD Home Journal is received. It is beau- 

 tifully printed and illustrated, and is full of 

 choice and instructive reading-matter for the 

 family. It is deserving of a wide circulation, 

 for it stands second to none of the jMipuIar 

 monthlies." 



Mrs. Mahala B. Chaddoek, of Vermout. Ills., 

 expresses her opinion thus: " I have read the 

 Aiuil number of the Illustr.ited HojrE 

 Journal through, and pronounce the work- 

 manship excellent, and the matter good, cheer- 

 ful and useful— fully up with the times— and I 

 wish you success in publishing it. I send jou 

 a short story and some jioetry for the next 

 number." 



Charles Dadant & Son, of Hamilton, Ills., 

 write thus: "The Illustrated Home Jour- 

 nal is Indeed very nice, and after having seen 

 it, we want it regularly. We compliment you 

 on its appearance." 



N. W. McLain, Director of the Minnesota 

 State Agricultural Experiment Station, St. 

 Anthony Park, Minn., writes: "I like your 

 new magazine, the Illustr.ited Ho.me Jour- 

 nal, and I hope you will And it very profitable. 

 I shall have pleasure in contributing an article 

 for its pages, as soon as I can find the time to 

 do so." 



George E. Hilton, of Fremont, Mich., writes: 

 "The April number of the Illustr.ited 

 Home Journal is at hand. The typography, 

 quality of paper, and general finish of the 

 mechanical work, as well as the entertainment 

 and instruction it contiiius, like cver\thing 

 else that comes from your hands and oifice, is 

 simply A No. 1. My wife is also delighted 

 with the Home Journ.ai,. May it receive the 

 reward it so richly deserves." 



S. W. Morrison. M. D.. of Oxford, Pa., writes: 

 " Tour beautiful Home Journal is received. 

 I take great pleasure in welcoming such a 

 clean, healthy and instructive journal (as it is) 

 into my home." 



G. M. Doolittlc, of Borodino, N. T., writes 

 thus: " The April copy of the Illustr.ited 

 Home Journal came last night. It is simplj- 

 PERFECTION in aU its parts." 



J. M. Hambaugh. of Spring, Ills., has this to 

 say: " The Illustrated Home JourNjIL is 

 at hand, and is certainly a credit to its editor 

 and publishers. Jlay its success be all that you 

 desire." 



Never did the advent of a magazine for the 

 family touch such a responsive chord, or re- 

 ceive such a hearty welcome. 



Trial subscriptions will be taken 3 months 

 for 40 cents each : or it will be clubbed with 

 the Bee Journal for a year at $:i.00 for both. 

 Agents, who are working for premiums, may 

 take " trial subscriptions," and count 4 as one 

 yearly subscriber. One sample cop.v sent free 

 to subscribers of the Bee Journ.\l, upon ap- 

 plication. That will tell you all about the 

 "Premiums " olfcred tor getting up clubs, and 

 "Cash Prizes" for the largest clubs sent in 

 before Sept. 30, 1889. "Good pay for good 

 work " is our motto. See page 238. 



