THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



35 



order. We have many discourage- 

 ments and losses before we succeed in 

 turning out one. Many of these in- 

 ventions must be tested by bee-keep- 

 ers before a true verdict can be given, 

 and we should all be willing to lend a 

 hand to be one of the great jury in 

 the discussion of these cases as they 

 are brought before us by our leaders; 

 the inventors. Yet while the tester 

 goes hand and hand with the invent- 

 or, each watching the others move 

 ments, each helping the other to dis- 

 cover and rectify mistakes. It is too 

 true that many good inventions have 

 been swamped and for years laid dor- 

 mant when they might have been in 

 use, simply for the lack of wisdom to 

 guide us to small experiments first. 

 Yes, there seems to be too much rush, 

 new things can't be tested in a hurry. 

 To change an average apiary all at 

 once to some new mode of manage- 

 ment, or new style of hive, even if the 

 hives wei'e given to us, would be un- 

 wise. But add the cost of hives and 

 fixtures which the change involves 

 with the loss which one is sure to meet 

 with for a time under any new ar- 

 rangement, and can we wonder that 

 there is so little confidence placed in 

 inventions or the inventors. Still 

 had we gone more slowly, tested more 

 carefully, and on a smaller scale and 

 given ourselves more time to sum up 

 the evidence, no doubt many times our 

 verdict would bless instead of curse 

 the inventor. No doubt there are in- 

 ventors who abuse one's confidence, 

 but they too well have but little 

 chance to deceive us if we go slow. 

 We can change too much, and again 

 too little. I am aware that I have 

 missed some good opportunities by 

 being a little too set in my ways, and 



I have had too little charity for im- 

 provements; medium ground is safe 

 ground on which to stand. We 

 should watch the signs of the times 

 and not jump conclusions, nor bite at 

 all that takes our fancy, nor kick at 

 all that we dispise, we ought always 

 to review, draw conclusions and watch 

 very closely what the mass of bee- 

 keepers seem to favor, or decide upon. 

 If we are good readers of indications 

 we need never get left, and often can 

 go across lots, thus reaching the head 

 of the procession, but be sure we know 

 the way across else better we had 

 gone around. 



Ovid, Erie County, Pa. 



What I Have Observed, Etc. 



I'.Y T. K. MASSIE. 



(Concluded.) 



In the last article I promised to 

 give some evidence confirming my 

 conclusions, but before doing so I 

 want to say a word in regard to "large 

 vs. small hives." In the discussion 

 of the subject in the different bee 

 journals from time to time, I neg- 

 lected to note the size of the frame 

 used by the advocates of a large hive, 

 but I imagine they use a deeper 

 frame than the "L," and if so they 

 are evidently right in advocating a 

 large hive, for such a hive would be 

 better proportioned, and would con- 

 form nearer to the natural require- 

 ments of the bees than a small hive 

 with shallow frames. 



In Gleanings for July 15th, page 

 r>53, friend C. J. H. Gravenhurst, in 

 speaking of "handling hives instead 

 of frames," hits on the same ideas given 

 in these articles in regard to the winter 

 problem. He tells us that the bees 

 winter better in the straw skeps than 



