244 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



March 30, 190S. 



Montana. The conclusions resulting from this tour were to the effect 

 that the introduction of various types of bees adapted in each instance 

 to the respective climates and peculiarities of these regions, together 

 with the introduction of certain honey-plants from other portions of 

 the world, which, from similarity of climate, etc., would be certain to 

 thrive in the portion of the country visited, would result in a very im- 

 portant increase in the honey-production of the West. The execution 

 of this work is therefore advisable in the near future. 



In the same way the Bureau will be able during the fiscal year 

 1904-5 to devote more attention to apiculture than has hitherto been 

 possible. It is proposed as a first step during this fiscal year to estab- 

 lish a model apiary of 50 or 60 colonies of bees at the Arlington Experi- 

 mental Farm. This apiary will be used in the general conduct of api- 

 arian investigations, and as one of the breeding stations of the races 

 or types of bees which are under observation. Queens of the Cau- 

 casian, Cyprian, Dalmatian, Italian, and Carniolan races will be im- 

 ported for breeding purposes and testing at experimental stations and 

 other places in different sections of the country. Some investigations 

 will be made, and possibly an importation of the bees of the far East, 

 particularly of the large races commonly known as the Giant Bees of 

 India, one species of which is also found in the Philippines. It is be- 

 lieved that these bees would secure the nectar from flowers with deep 

 corolla-tubes, such as the red clover, etc., the sweets in which are, for 

 the greater part, beyond the reach of our ordinary races. 



Plans have been made for the procuring and testing in different 

 parts of the country of a number of valuable honey-producing plants 

 which are known to be adapted to portions of our country where in- 

 tervals in the honey-flows occur which may thus profitably be filled in. 

 In this work preference will be given to such plants as have an eco- 

 nomic value besides their production of honey. 



Numerous complaints of the devastation of apiaries in different 

 portions of the country by diseases, some of which are highly conta- 

 gious, call for an investigation of the whole subject of bee-diseases. 

 Some'of these diseases can be dealt with during the coming fiscal year, 

 but others, of a bacterial nature, will require a more extended investi- 

 gation than the funds will permit at present. 



It seems desirable to test the efficiency of artificial heat in the win- 

 tering und rapid breeding up of bees. The apiary at the Arlington 

 Experimental Farm will be available in this work. Likewise the con- 

 struction and testing of hives and accessories adapted to migratory 

 bee-keeping. 



In addition to the experimental work enumerated above, the col- 

 lection of data regarding the industry in the United States, and par- 

 ticularly as to the honey-producing plants of the country, will be con- 

 tinued. Bulletins on pasturage for bees and the manner of increasing 

 it, with cultural and other notes on new honey-producing plants; on 

 best methods of rearing queen-bees ; and on migratory or pastoral bee- 

 keeping, have been planned. A limited number of queens of im- 

 proved races will also be reared and placed for testing at the various 

 experiment stations which do work in apiculture, and likewise in the 

 hands of special agents for testing in particular sections of the country. 



Surely, the Department has outlined some exceedingly interesting 

 and important experiments and investigations in behalf of the bee- 

 keeping industry of our country. We hope to receive reports of prog- 

 ress from time to time, so that we can keep our readers informed of 

 the apiarian work our Government is doing under the direction of 

 Mr. Frank Benton, who is its very competent Apicultural Investigator. 



ITIisccUancous 

 IXeiPs •:♦ 3 terns 



=j 



" Bee-Keeping in the Southwest " — a subject on which 

 Louis H. SchoU is writing a series of articles for the American Bee 

 Journal — has been discontinued for the present, first, on account of the 

 illness of Mr. SchoU, and also because of his extra college work in 

 Columbus, Ohio, where he has been spending the past winter. Mr. 

 Scholl is a devoted student, and has applied himself so constantly to 

 his studies that it has resulted in overwork, although it has also put 

 him ahead of his fellow students, so that he completed the term's work 

 in advance of the others. He has gone to Texas, where he will put in 

 his time with the bees during the summer, and also help prepare for 

 the meeting of the National Bee-Keepers' Association at San Antonio 

 in the fall. As soon as he is physically able, and his duties will per- 

 mit him to reach it, he will continue his articles for this Journal. 



The General Manager of the National, Mr. France, sent 

 in the following interesting items, March 17: 



Another victory for the National Bee-Keepers' Association. The 

 city of Kirkwood, 111., passed an unconstitutional ordinance that not 

 over 5 colonies of bees could be kept on any city lot. A purely spite 

 case. One hundred colonies will be moved in the spring, now that the 



matter is settled. This saves neighbors, and betters the home market 

 lor honey. 



Again, I have received some syrup samples issued by the Syrup 

 Refinery Co. They have the best labels for honey I ever saw, and very 

 cheap. They are in five colors, showing clover leaves and clover heads 

 with bees working on them, all life size on the labels, and in bright 

 colors. I hope before the time for the National members to market 

 their honey to get such labels before the members, as I am after any- 

 thing to help them sell their honey near home. 



Good honey prospects are reported from California, Colorado, 

 Texas, and Cuba. 



Northern bees are reported wintering well, also good clover pros- 

 pects. 



It has been decided to hold the next National convention in San 

 Antonio, Tex. N. E. France. 



Apiary of H. Gibson. — Four little views of Mr. H. Gibson's 

 apiary appear on the first page. He had this to say about them when 

 sending us the pictures: 



I enclose four snap-shots of my apiary. 



No. 1 is a swarm of bees just hived, which covers the front of the 

 hive and quite a space on the ground. 



No. 3 is my son and myself, where I scraped up two handf uls of 

 bees from the swarm shown in No. 1. You will see we have no veils 

 on, and are barehanded. 



No. 3 shows my wife and apiary. j 



No. 4 shows the back of the house and part of the apiary. fl 



H. Gibson. " 



Apiary of F. Z. Dexter. — This is shown on the first page. 

 When sending the picture, Mr. Dexter wrote thus : 



As some of the noted bee-keepers are getting pictures of their 

 apiaries in the papers, how would ours look? You might ask what we 

 are noted for. Well, for reading the old American Bee Journal every 

 week. I send a picture of our home yard that was taken some time 

 ago. You can easily recognize the "old man," and my son and oldest 

 daughter are the other persons in the picture. My place is named 

 " Pine View." F. Z. Dexter. 



Hurrah for Missouri Bee-Keepers ! — Just a little too late 

 to catch last week's issue, we received the following from Mr. R. A. 

 Holekamp, of Missouri, which will be read with great interest by the 

 bee-keepers of that State : 



Dear Mr. York : — I send you to-day good news for the bee- 

 keepers of Missouri. Our Apiary Bill has now been passed by both 

 Houses of our Legislature, and as it has an emergency clause, and an 

 appropriation of S2000 has been made in the general appropriation for 

 the purpose of this Bill, it will become effective as soon as signed by 

 our Governor. 



If an inspector of apiaries can be selected and appointed during 

 the next month, he could probably start on his work of inspection by 

 the time the bees begin to gather honey, and good work ought to be 

 done this season. 



I wish to thank you for the assistance you have given us by pub- 

 lishing my former communications in the valuable American Bee 

 Journal. Robt. A. Holekamp, 



Assistant Secretary Missouri Utate Bee-Keepers' Association. 



We congratulate Missouri bee-keepers upon their success. It shows 

 what persistent and determined effort will sometimes do when put 

 forth in a righteous cause. It will also be an encouragement to other 

 States that should have similar legislation. 



Later. — We have just learned that Gov. Folk has vetoed the 

 above Bill after having passed both branches of the Legislature. 

 More about this next week. 



Honey as a Health-Food.— This is a l6-page honey- 

 pamphlet intended to help increase the demand for honey. 

 The first part of it contains a short article on " Honey as 

 Food ", written by Dr. C. C. Miller. It tells where to keep 

 honey, how to liquefy it, etc. The last part is devoted to 

 " Honey-Cooking- Recipes " and " Remedies Using Honey ". 

 It should be widely circulated by those selling honey. The 

 more the people are educated on the value and uses of honey 

 the more honey they will buy. 



Prices, prepaid — Sample copy for a two-cent stamp ; SO 

 copies for 70 cts.; 100 for $1.25 : 250 for $2.25 ; SOO for $4.00 ; 

 or 1000 for $7.50. Your business card printed free at the 

 bottom of the front page on all orders for 100 or more copies. 

 Send all orders to the ofiBce of the American Bee Journal. 



Some Facts About Honey and Bees.— This is the 

 subject of an article written by Mr. J. E. Johnson, and pub- 

 lished on pages 581-82 of the American Bee Journal for 

 Aug. 25, 1904. We have republished it in 4-page leaflet 

 form for general distribution, and furnish it, postpaid, at 

 35 cents per 100 copies. Send all orders to the oflice of. the 

 American Bee Journal. 



