THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



23 



5. Build up your home market. 

 More can be done by letting the people 

 see and taste your honey tlian in any 

 other Avay. 



G. The best method of counteract- 

 ing the evil inlUiences of monopoly and 

 rings. 



Christianshurg, Ky. 



ANSWEUS BY J. B. HALL. 



1. Most of the various hives now in 

 use liave been got up by parties that are 

 not practical apiarists, and could not 

 make a living by producing honey, so 

 have constructed various fancy models, 

 based upon theory only, and promise 

 them A 1 extra, it being only necessary 

 to own about a dozen of such, and put 

 bees into them, and all will go well, and 

 the owner will be able to reap large, 

 yes, very large, yields of honey, and 

 that without so much as getting a sting. 



I cannot understand the reason that 

 the beginner should not expect to be 

 puzzled. If he enter any of the profes- 

 sions or trades of life, he does not ex- 

 pect to be perfect at the start, but on 

 the contrary, to expend time, labor and 

 money, to accomplish his desires. 



If by apiculture it is meant (if it is 

 possible) to teach every person the suc- 

 cessful method of keeping bees profit- 

 ably, my answer would be no ! but if by 

 apiculture it is meant those already en- 

 gaged in and those intending entering 

 the profession for a living, my answer 

 would be emphaticalltj yes, and the why 

 so, that a practical man in a good loca- 

 tion for honey, can make a success with 

 any kindor shape of hive with movable 

 comb frames, and soon find what his 

 special field demands, and will act ac- 

 cordingly. 



There is nothing impossible in the 

 improvement in hives, but uniformity 

 in hives for the far south and northern 

 extremes, and all the intermediates, I 

 think not desirable, any more then uni- 

 formity in dwellings, stables, vehicles, 

 clothing, etc. 



2. To put his name and address on 

 every package of honey, no matter to 

 whom sold, and here in Ontario, enforce 

 the good law we have against adultera- 

 tion of food. The first otfence for mak- 

 ing or selling is $100 fine and the third 

 ofl*euce imprisonment I think. 



3. This is a sticker to me as I ex- 

 pect to all specialists. The small men, 

 as you call them, will not take honey in 

 good shape, and if they by chance get a 

 few hundred pounds more than the fam- 

 ily will be likely to use, it is rushed on 

 the market in July (I have known it to 



be in town five hours after it is extract- 

 ed) and disposed of for any price, and 

 for any trick, or trade, thus breaking 

 the home market. One of my neighbors 

 in July called to ask if I woukrfiU an 

 order that he had taken, expecting to 

 have lots of honey to supply. He found 

 that he would have to feed his bees, 

 and buy honey for the family use. This 

 same man retailed honey 5 cts. per 

 pound less than even sold by me. I 

 cannot give them advice as they will do 

 as they please, living in a free country. 



4. I am of the opinion tliat the best 

 beekeepers are not opposed to conven- 

 tions and publications but tliey are in- 

 difl'erent to them, and take no part, be- 

 cause to them they are one-sided^ they 

 gain nothing for the time and money ex- 

 pended, also that they wish the produc- 

 tion of honey to be increased but are 

 disgusted at the way the novice acts 

 when he has honey to sell. 



5. Cannot say. 



G. The stamping out of foul brood, 

 so called. Condemn and contradict 

 the following statements : 



The gush about large yields of honey 

 with little capital and labor. 



That it is very pleasant and profitable 

 for weak ladies and gentlemen to keep 

 bees. 



That there is" no hard work in the 

 apiary. 



That it is all profit as bees work for 

 nothing and board themselves. 



That the pure Italian bees are the 

 best. 



That clipping the wings of the queen 

 hurt her or the colony in any way. 



That properly reared (artificially) 

 queens without the swarming fever or 

 impulse are not as good and in no case 

 better than those raised at swarming. 



Woodstock, Ontario. 



ANSWEKS BY L. C. TwOOT. 



1. I consider this great variation in 

 the forms of hives very objectionable. 

 There are many reasons why a stand- 

 ard hive and section would prove of 

 great advantage. Bees could be pur- 

 chased more advantageously. If one 

 desired to sell his bees, hives or sec- 

 tions, his chances of doing so to advan- 

 tage would be much greater. Surplus 

 combs, empty, or filled with honey, 

 would often be a desirable purchase, in 

 fact the general confusion incident to 

 this great variety of hives would be re- 

 moved. This diversity has arisen 

 largely from the selfishness of individ- 



