THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



11 



Gentlemen. — I am glad to have one 

 of the old journals pass into the control 

 of so well established and reputable a 

 concern as the W. T. Falconer Manf g Co. 

 I would rather see every bee journal 

 free from all connection with the sup- 

 ply business, if we could have just as 

 good journals in every other respect, 

 and in addition have the editorials 

 entirely impartial. But an observ- 

 ation extending through the life time 

 of bee journalism in America shows 

 me that, as a rule, a paper without 

 connection with the supply business 

 has not a very long lease of life. 



So a good strong backing gives us 

 promise of greater stability and of 

 greater usefulness. Whatever of evil 

 there may be in having our bee litera- 

 ture connected, to some extent, with 

 the supply business, the evil is not an 

 unmixed one. In these days of low- 

 priced honey, the supply manufactur- 

 er is a necessity, for if each of us had 

 to make his own supplies a good many 

 of us would be driven out of the busi- 

 ness. If there be an advantage, there- 

 fore, to the manufacturer, we are 

 likely to get the benefit of it in better 

 rates on supplies, and a better paper 

 for our money. 



Nor are our bee journals lacking in 

 impartiality, as might be supposed. 

 The integrity of the men conducting 

 them, is to some extent, a guarantee of 

 their fairness. As a matter of policy, 

 too, they must give both sides a hear- 

 ing, for if there is not at least a sem- 

 blance of this, a paper degenerates 

 into a mere advertising sheet, which 

 would very soon loose all support in 

 the way of subscribers. 



Then too, it must be remembered 

 that there is a unity of interests be- 



tween the bee-keepers and supply 

 dealers. The latter, to be successful, 

 must study the wants of the former. 

 So it is, that in general, our bee 

 journals offer an open field for all 

 comers, providing they come with any- 

 thing of real interest to the fraternity. 

 Dr. C. C. Miller. 

 Marengo, III. 



Dear Doctor. — We are glad you 

 take so broad a view of the matter of 

 manufacturers and supply dealers be- 

 ing connected with bee-journalism. 

 Your points are well taken . 



From Farm and Home. 



Look Out for Rats. 



JULIUS HOFFMAN. 



Unless the hive entrances are ar- 

 ranged so as to keep out mice they will 

 often build nests in them as soon as 

 cold weather begins, thus doing great 

 damage . A good way to prevent this 

 is to tack a piece of stout wire cloth 

 over the entrance, the meshes of which 

 are large enough to allow the bees to 

 pass through freely. When the bees 

 are housed for winter do not neglect 

 to lay some poison in the cellar, or 

 winter repository, to destroy rats and 

 mice. If some porous material is used 

 for covering the brood frames, up- 

 ward or top ventilation is not needed, 

 either for out or indoor wintering. 

 Entrances should open the whole 

 width for indoor wintering; provided 

 the temperature is kept above freez- 

 ing. For outdoor wintering the en- 

 trances should be contracted to a 

 small opening when exposed to the 

 cold winter blasts and also windbreaks 

 provided. A good deal has been said 

 about sub-ventilation to bee cellars. 



