41 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Brooklin, Canada, had pure seed. I seat a 

 small sum to him to pay for some, and in a short 

 time received by mail li pounds of what I sup- 

 pose to be 2)ure alsike, as there was not a seed 

 ef any kind, except the alsike in the package — 

 not even a particle of dust. It was put up, too, 

 i n a good, strong, cotton sack, so that every seed 

 put therein came to me ; whereas the seed put up 

 by others was in paper bags, some of whicli 

 were torn and nearly half the seed wasted before 

 it reached me. 



The seed I got of Mr. Thomas is growing 

 very well, though it was sown late (April 23). 

 1 will endeavor to get more seed from Mr. 

 Thomas next spring, and sow several acres ; 

 and would like to know the best mode of gath- 

 ering and cleaning the seed myself, that I may 

 not be at the trouble and expense of sending 

 all the way to Canada ; and I presume there are 

 many others in the same condition. Those 

 having the knowledge will please communicate 

 it through the Journal, and doubtless oblige 

 many readers. H. Nesbit. 



Ctnthiana, Kentucky. 



P. S. I saw some Italian bees gathering honey 

 freely from red clover on the 2oth and 26th of 

 June last. Bees are doing well here. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Will some of your able correspondents through 

 your valuable paper, inform me how I can get 

 honey from my l)ees. 



In the spring of 1864, 1 had only three swanns ; 

 I have now ninety-three, all from the three. I 

 never sold a queeu, and do not care to keep 

 more than ten stocks, and from them get what 

 honey I need in my family. 



The cost of hives and annoyance of swarming 

 and hiving, without honey, is too much for .me, 

 not having " bee on the brain." 



Have you a legitimate money-making man 

 among all of your subscribers or correspondents 

 who will inform me how I can get honey, and 

 no more bees ? 



My bees swarm when they have ample room 

 for fifty pounds more honey in the boxes over 

 the hives, and often without making a pound of 

 honey in the boxes. 



F. Daniels. 



Grafton, Vt. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



I would suggest for the consideration of cor- 

 respondents, that restricting themselves to argu- 

 mentation, comments, and statements of facts, 

 would give more permanent value and real inter- 

 est to their contributions. Readers want re- 

 marks on bees and hives ; discussions of debate- 

 able points of theory or practice, correction of 

 misconceptions, exposure of error or misstate- 

 ment, &c., and not ridicule of other correspond- 

 ents. It is indeed not always easy to deal with 

 such matters without letting some pungency in- 

 termingle : but personalities should be avoided. 

 While fresh, they are amusing to some, but they 

 do not read well after the volume is bouud and 

 put away in some good company for the use of 

 apiarian posterity. E. A. 



[For the American 



A Paper Quilt. 



lournal.] 



iVIr. Editor : While perusing Mr. Lam- 

 brecht's able article, " The effect of water on 

 the combs and life of the bees," I was expecting 

 in every line some mention of the use of paper, 

 instead of straw, for the purpose of absorbing 

 the surplus moisture so detrimental to the pros- 

 perity of the bees in winter. For the benefit of 

 the readers of the Journal, I will describe what 

 we call a "Paper Quilt," answering several 

 purposes : First, carrying off the moisture. 

 Second, keeping the bees warm. Third, allow- 

 ing the bees to pass to any part of the hive, en 

 masse, in the coldest weather ; in which condi- 

 tion they never perish for want of honey so long 

 as there is any in the hive ; and last, but not 

 least, the quiltoffersbetter opportunity for feed- 

 ing in cold weather than any other arrangement 

 yet known. 



To make the quilt, take four pieces of half- 

 inch board, one and a half inches wide, and of a 

 length so that when nailed together the inside 

 of the frame will be as large as the inside of the 

 hive on which it is to be used. This done, you 

 have a frame or box the size of your hive and 

 one and a half inch deep. Next, paste four 

 sheets of brown sugar paper over the top edge 

 of the frame, allowing on every side one or more 

 sheets to come down over the outside to the 

 ]ower edge of the frame, to keep out cold. A 

 slat nailed across the top, to handle it by, and the 

 quilt is finished — cost, five cents. 



The cap or chamber of the hive should be ven- 

 tilated near the top. Two half-inch holes on 

 opposite sides will be sufficient to keep the inte- 

 rior of the cap dry. I prefer offering ventilation 

 for the bees near or at the bottom of the hive. 

 Give plenty of it. Twenty stocks are lost for 

 want of ventilation, where one is by giving too 

 much. j3Ut do not allow a draught of air through 

 the hive, so long as we can prevent dampness 

 collecting so much cheaper and safer by the use 

 of the paper quilt. 



Every open-top hive, whether of straw, paper, 

 or wood, should be provided with such a quilt, 

 whether wintered indoors or out. We do not 

 consider a hive half finished without one. Food 

 can be given to the bees by laying down honey- 

 in the comb on top of the bars ; or liquid sweets, 

 water ; or flour placed in empty comb will be 

 taken down when needed, in cold or warm 

 weather. A shallow feeder of any form may be 

 used, if preferred to comb. 



C. Hastings. 



DOWAGIAC, MiCniGAN. 



Honey Vinegar. 



Take thirty gallons of rain-water, heat it, and 

 put it into a barrel ; add two quarts of whiskey, 

 three pounds of honey, five cents worth of citric 

 acid, and a little mother of vinegar. Fasten up 

 the barrel, and put it in the cellar, and in a short 

 time it will contain vinegar unsurpassed for 

 I5urity and excellence of taste. — Kretchmaf s 

 Guide Book. 



