1895. 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



217 



sonable distance has any white clover 

 comb-honey of superior quality and 

 wishes to dispose of 50 pounds or 

 more, we wish they would write us 

 mentioning prices wanted. 



The honey crop seems to have been 

 a total failure in most localities, al- 

 though we occasionally hear of a good 

 crop having been gathered. What is 

 strangest too is the fact that even in 

 California there is great complaining 

 of a short crop. 



A few copies of the article " Giant 

 Bees of India," by Frank Benton, 

 are left. We will mail them to any 

 address at 5c each. 



Wire Bottom-Bars in Brood 

 Frames. 



We have recently received from Mr. 

 S. M. Keeler, of Chenango Bridge, N. 

 Y. , a sample brood frame having the 

 fcottom bar made of wire. We. give 

 an illustration of the frame below. 



Mr. Keeler v^■rites that for a long 

 time he has studied the question how 

 to get bees to build combs down to 

 the bottoms of the frames, and now 

 believes he has solved it. 



The wire used is about 3-32 diam- 

 eter, the ends are turned up and 



driven into the ends of the end bars 

 as shown. By using these wire bot- 

 tom bars there is left no heding place 

 1)etween the comb and bottom bar 

 for the queen, and the combs being 

 built right down to and fastened to 

 the wire will not sag. The combs of 

 ])rood and honey can be handled very 

 much better and safer. 



The end bars are made the thick- 

 ness of the wooden bottom bar long- 

 er and with the space which would 

 otherwise be uniilled makes the comb 

 about one inch deeper. 



The frames have a very neat ap- 

 pearance, and do not cost any more 

 than when made the old way. Mr. 

 Keeler has given us the privilege of 

 making this style of frame, and we 

 will furnish fhem to our readers at 

 same prices as all wood frames. 



HOW THK NEW ZEAI.ANDKRS EMBRACE, 



There is one habit whicli the Europeasn 

 have not been able to introduce among the 

 Maoris, that of kissing ; and when one looks 

 at the mouth of a native woman it is evident 

 tiiat an osculatory caress might not be 

 pleasant, for tbe lower lip is covered with 

 tattooing on the inside, which must be a 

 very painful operation. But what will not 

 a womon do to be in fashion ? In New 

 Zealand a native^ woman would as soon think 

 of dispensing with her tattooed under lip as 

 an American btlle would think of wearing 

 an unfashionable bonnet. 



The natives are very affectionate, but, as 

 I said before, have not learned the habit of 

 kissing ; instead they throw their arms 

 around each other, and pressing their noses 

 together move then- heads up and down, 

 making at the svune time a crooning sound 

 which is changed to suit the occasion, being- 

 mournful if a mutual friend has died since 

 they last met, but always somewhat sad, for 

 it is intended to convey the idea of the sor- 

 row they have felt at their separation. 

 When two Maoris meet, they stick their 

 spears, or war-chibs. — the latter being also 

 used as walking-stafiEs, —in the ground, as a 

 sign that they are at peace with each other, 

 and throw their arms over each other's 

 shoulders and rul) noses. — Frmn " The New 

 Zealanders," in Demorest's Miujazine for 

 August. 



