THE AMERICAN A PIC UL TURIS T. 



137 



time. I suppose their reason for it 

 is that the larvae will not expire un- 

 der the operation. Some do not 

 relish larval honey anyway, and Jo- 

 seph prefers quality to quantity, nor 

 does he believe it benefits brood or 

 comb to be violently whirled in the 

 vortex of death. 



They talk about a glutted market. 

 Well ! well ! honey is down and the 

 mourners go about the streets. What 

 shall we do ? Create a home de- 

 mand ? I think friend L. C. Root 

 has answered this question on page 

 48, Vol. II, "American Apiculturist" 

 when he says "we must devise some 

 means of producing smaller crops," 

 and I would add without diminishing 

 our income that we annihilate the 

 extractor. What other method can 

 we rationally adopt to curtail the 

 quantity and enhance the quahtyand 

 thus keep up a demand at home and 

 abroad ? Self interest for one is self 

 interest for all honey producers. It 

 is better to make a little pay than a 

 good deal not pay. I am not talk- 

 ing for the supply business ; if I were, 

 I should undoubtedly advocate the 

 extractor, because what bees it does 

 not kill in the larval state are has- 

 tened to an untimely death by a 

 cruel and barbarous system, which 

 creates a demand for fresh victims, 

 fresh queens and fresh workers, so 

 that now the supply dealer alone makes 

 anything. 



When a law is passed by the Leg- 

 islature against the wicked practice 

 of extracting honey as now carried 

 on, it will be the happiest day that 

 the bee, or the beekeeper who keeps 

 bees for profit, has seen. Of course 

 I do not hope to do justice to 

 this question in so short an article, 

 but would submit it to your thought- 

 ful consideration as one of the most 

 important questions touching the in- 

 terest of the American beekeeper. 



Be gentle with the little bee 

 Which toils the summer day. 

 To bring its treasures to your home 

 From every hidden way. 



The fragile insect needs the care 

 And kindness of your heart, 

 If you would win his services 

 To aid you in a start. 



J. C. Clark. 

 Alden, N. K, Apr. 15, 1885. 



CHAFF HIVES AND DESTRUCTION OF 

 BROOD. 



Mr. Editor : 



I drop these few lines to you to 

 ascertain whether the "Apiculturist" 

 is opposed to publishing opinions of 

 beekeepers in regard to certain hives, 

 in certain localities, their good and 

 bad qualities, etc. 



I sent A. I. Root my opinion of 

 the chaff hive, in my locality, how I 

 lost my bees very nearly all one 

 season, by using them ; and I proved 

 the cause to be the fault of the hive.i 

 I must have been right, or he would 

 certainly have published the article. 

 At least I thought I was, since he 

 didn't publish it, which is about two 

 years ago. Now he ought not to 

 have been opposed to publishing my 

 article, because I have already read 

 in the Glean inos, where he said he 

 was always glad to have the children 

 write pieces for it, because, as he 

 says, they generally speak their mind 

 right out, no matter whom it hits. 



Now, I am no child, nor am I a 

 professional writer ; but I consider 

 that my article was as well gotten up 

 as any child could get one up, and it 

 was just as plain spoken too, as any 

 article a child ever wrote for Glean- 

 ings, but it must have hit in the 

 wrong place. 



Now, Mr. Editor, if the " Ameri- 

 can Apiculturist" is conducted and 



1 We are unable to decide to what extent 

 the "Chaflf Hive" was liable for the loss of our 

 friend's bees, as quite frequently the lack of 

 a thorough knowledge of beekeeping will re- 

 sult in loss of queens or bees which is attrib- 

 uted to the hive or dealer. 



Our friend certainly has a right to speak and 

 the columns of the "Apiculturist" are always 

 open to those who wish to express opinions, 

 so long as they do so in a fair, manly way. 

 — Eu. 



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