106 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURANL. 



is now fairly up for thorough investigation and 

 the test of practical experiment ; and thus it 

 may speedily be determined who is right, and 

 which of them can cure the genuine or natural- 

 ly produced disease— if either can. 



We sent to Professor Porter, of Easton, Pa., 

 the specimens of bee plants enclosed to us by 

 Mr. Gardner, of Christiansburg, Virginia, and 

 Mr. Paul, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, as mentioned 

 in the correspondence of the Bke Jouknal for 

 this month. That received from the former is 

 the Aster ericoides L., noticed in a former num- 

 ber of the Journal, as an excellent bee plant, 

 flowering in autumn, and abounding almost 

 everywhere, especially along roadsides and in 

 old fields. Those received from the latter are 

 Golden Eods, No. 1 being Solidago rigida L., 

 rather rare in the Eastern States ; and No. 2, 

 Solidago Canadensis X., common in all parts of 

 the country. 



Professor Porter rernarks — "North America 

 is the true home of the golden rods and asters, 

 which are poorly represented in Europe. By 

 reason of their great numbers and profuse 

 blooming, they form a striking and beautiful 

 feature in our autumnal flora. It is interesting, 

 therefore, to know that the bees have found 

 them out, and that they are likely to increase 

 the yield of honey." 



We have often heard the golden rods spoken 

 of as superior honey plants, and have examined 

 many varieties of them ; but have never been 

 60 fortunate as to find bees working on any. 

 We suppose the secretion of honey by them de- 

 pends much on the kind of soil in which they 

 grow and the character of the season. 



"The Hearth and Home" is one of the 

 best illustrated family newspapers now issued. 

 It is published by Messrs. Pettengall, Bates & 

 Co., in New York, at four dollars per annum 

 for single copies; but thi'ee copies are sent for 

 nine dollars, five copies for twelve dollars, and 

 all over five copies at same rate, alwaj's in ad- 

 vance. These are strong inducements for club- 

 bing ; and those desiring to take a paper of 

 this class cannot fail to be pleased with one 

 so carefully edited and cheap as the Hearth 

 AND Home. 



We have received a copy uf the '■'■Illustrated 

 Catalogue of Grapes, Small Fruit, ^c, published 

 by the proprietors of the Bushberg Vineyards 



and Orchards, at Bushberg, Missouri. Though 

 regarding ourselves as much better qualified to 

 judge of fruit in its edible state, than of plants 

 or such publications, we can say of this cata- 

 logue that it appears to have been prepared with 

 judgment and care. The condensed treatise jpn 

 grape culture will be a valuable companion to 

 those who design to devote attention to that 

 subject. 



Just as this number goes to press, we receive 

 a copy of the '■' Beekeeper^ s Jn.siructior0BooJc,^^ 

 by S. B. Eeplogle, Roaring Spring, Pennsylva- 

 nia. It contains practical hints for the general 

 management of bees, and is intended for begin- 

 ners. It is written in simple plain language, 

 and is very brief. Price, 15 cents. 



Correspondence of the Bee Journal. 



Council Bluffs, Iowa, Sept. 19. — Inclosed 

 find two specimens of flowers that grow very 

 thickly on our bottom lands. Tliey have been 

 in bloom for two montbs, and will continue in 

 bloom until the frost cuts them off. They are 

 the best lioney-producing flowers I ever saw in 

 any country. For the last two months my bees 

 came in so heavily loaded that they f 11 in front 

 of the stands, and sat there several minutes be- 

 fore they started to enter their hives. 



My bees have averaged thirty pouuds of box 

 honey to the hive, within the last three weeks, 

 I had two swarms of hybrids come out on tlie 

 6th ot September. They issued at the same 

 time and united. I hived them together, and 

 to-day they have their hive full — ten frames, 

 and are working in two of the surplus honey 

 boxes. If the frost keeps off two weeks longer, 

 they Avill fill three ten-pound boxes. As soon 

 as the.se bees stop working this fall, 1 will weigh 

 them, and an empty hive, and let you know the 

 amount of honey stored by them from the 6th 

 of September until frost comes. Please find 

 out the names of those plants. — H. Paul. 



Christiansburg, Va., Sept. 20.— Inclosed I 

 send you a flowering specimen of a weed grow- 

 ing in great quantity in some of our pastures, 

 and also in the woodland, and which proves to 

 be the best honey plant that I am acquainted 

 wiih — always excepting the white clover. The 

 honey stored from it is of fliie flavor and highly 

 perfumed, and as clear as that gathered from 

 white clover. 



My bees are now working as strong as in 

 June, and had it not been for the severe drouth 

 which prevailed from the 15th of July to the 

 10th of this month, they would have stored a 

 good supply of surplus honey ; but during the 

 drouth they consumed a large portion of their 

 stores. Now they are gathering honey rapidly; 

 the queens are depositing eggs at a great rate ; 

 and the hives will be very populous at the close 



