THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



135 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



WASHINGTON, JANUARY, 18G8. 



^W The Ajiektcan Bee Jouknai^ is now 

 published monthly, in the City of Washington, 

 (D. C.,) at $2 per annum. All communications 

 should be addressed to the Editor, at that place. 



'We have again on hand a large number 

 of interesting and valuable communications re- 

 ceived too late to appear in our present issue. 

 The occurrence of the Christmas holidays made 

 it necessary for us to anticipate the usual time 

 of going to press. 



The Erica, or Heath-like Aster. 



Dr. J. W. Iluuler, of Salem, North Carolina, 

 ■writes to us as follows, respecting the species of 

 Aster recently mentioned in the Bee Jouknal 

 by a correspondent, as a valuable bee plant: 



"I see in the last number of the Journal that 

 you speak of a plant that has been sent to you 

 from West Virginia, and which you call the 

 Aster ericoides. We have the same plant here. 

 It is a great honey-yielding plant; and if it had 

 not been for it this fall the majority of our bees 

 Avould have died before spring. You seem to 

 doubt its honey j'ielding qualities, but I can 

 assure you that it is an invaluable plant for bees. 

 I know some stocks that gathered as much as 

 thirty-live pounds of honey from the time the 

 Aster bloomed until frost killed it. It was a 

 pleasure to go out in the fields and along hedge- 

 rows and see the bees gather honey." 



In the character of a iceed, this Aster abounds 

 in the fields in the neighborhood of Washing- 

 ton, Pity it does not possess sufiicient exchisive- 

 ness to supplant and eradicate the noxious wild 

 garlic so prevalent in the same quarter. 



[n response to a correspondent, wc would 

 remark that one of the primary objects of the 

 Bee Journal is to enable practical bee-keepers 

 to communicate with each other, easily and 

 freelj', on all topics interesting to them, as such. 

 Hives, processes and manipulations are thus 

 expected to be brought under notice and dis- 

 cussion; merits and demerits pointed out; ad- 

 vantages and disadvantages ascertained; the 

 valuable separated from the useless; the new 

 and well-tested brought into favor, and the in- 

 efticient or obsolete discarded — in short, the 

 chaff winnowed from the wheat. This, of ne- 

 cessity, involves inquiry, investigation and dis- 

 cussion, which can only be conducted to any 



valuable purpose when untrammelled. To this 

 end the Bee Journal cheerfully affords room, 

 indulging its correspondents with the largest 

 liberty compatible with propriety; for it is a 

 settled ma.xim with us that whatever Avill not 

 bear discussion has no right to challenge ac- 

 ceptance. We much desire, however, that cor- 

 respondents should treat each other courteously 

 on all occasion.s. 



It is, moreover, very desirable that investiga- 

 tion and discussion should be the work of dis- 

 interested parties — of persons sincerely anxious 

 to aid in evolving the truth and advancing bee- 

 culture, whether as a business pursuit, a scien- 

 tific study, or an amateur hobby. Wc shall 

 ever be pleased to receive and publish the ob- 

 servations, remarks, and comments of practical 

 men; but would respectfully decline the favors 

 of those who write merely to "praise up" some 

 favorite fancy or contrivance, or to "run down" 

 others. If from actual experience or well de- 

 vised and carefully prosecuted experiment, dis- 

 advantages of any kind, in any case, have be- 

 come manifest, point them out plainly that 

 others may be benefited — regardless whether or 

 how it affects the interests of originators or pa- 

 tentees. So likewise let that process receive 

 your approval or praise which has stood the 

 test of scrutiny, having been found valuable on 

 actual trial. In every case, however, be sure to 

 give us the facts, plainly stated, so that what- 

 ever may be thought of the accompanying com- 

 ments or theories, there shall ever be something 

 valuable added to our stock of knowledge. 



In conducting this journal we have no par- 

 tialities to indulge. Entertaining very decided — • 

 perliaps peculiar — notions on some points, we 

 are not prone to obtrude them on our readers; 

 and are quite willing that those who differ from 

 us should enjoy their own opinions, and ex- 

 press them, too, when tkey please, in our col- 

 umns. 



This may seem to have a tendency to keep 

 disputed questions unsettled. But till they are 

 satisfactorily solved, it is better thus than that 

 they should be summarily disposed of by the ar- 

 bitrary dictum of any one. The muddiest stream 

 will, in tiwie, work itself clear, if allowed free 

 cour.se. 



laii 



Editor Bee Journal: I would wish you to 

 tell your printer not to change again my phra- 

 seology so as to make me say just the reverse of 

 what I wrote. 



On page IIG (B. J.) where writing about 

 what IVIr. Harbison believes, after the phrase 

 a seminal sac, eleventh line from top, the fol- 

 lowing sentence is left out altogether — ''that she 



