180 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



while given without reasons have been thorongh- 



oughly demonstrated. 



The queries suggested by Querist, are of great 

 importance, it we would make bee-culture both 

 practical and profitable, and are deserving of as 

 much consideration by the majority of the read- 

 ers of tlie Journal, as the exact shade seen in 

 the third "golden circle" of doubtful, or other- 

 wise, Italian Bees. T. F. BinghA3I. 



Allegan, Mich. 



[For tke American Bee-Journal.] 



Alsike Clover. 



Mr. Editor. — Many bee-keepers have com- 

 plained of being humbugged in buying seed of 

 the above-mentioned plant, which proved to be 

 nothing but common white clover, &c. In 

 justice to Messrs. Thorburn & Co.'s advertise- 

 ment, on last page of the Bee Journal for Feb- 

 ruary, I would say that I procured seed from 

 them two years ago, and that last season it 

 bloomed beautifully, the blossoms being a va- 

 riegated mixture of white and red, and so much 

 an ornament that tliey were shown as a floral 

 curiosity to our friends. Bees were incessant y 

 at work on them at all times. 



We have found Messrs. Thorburn & Co.'s 

 seeds in general quite reliable. 



Respectfully, your old friend, 



Notice. 



[For the Americau Bee Journal.] 



Wintering Bees in Cellars— Its Advan- 

 tages and Disadvantages. 



There are but few cellars well adapted to win- 

 tering bees successfully. The cellar should be 

 dry, dark, and well ventilated— the ventilators 

 so arranged as to exclude all light, and the draft 

 so arranged that it can be governed according to 

 circunis:;tances. The temperature should be kept 

 as near 8(j degrees as possible. The hives should 

 be elevated some distance from the floor, with 

 the entrance or fly hole open, and freely venti- 

 lated at the top, so that nil dampness caused by 

 the breath of the bees may escape; otherwise the 

 combs will mould. Box hives in which upward 

 ventilation is not practicable, should be inverted 

 and left uncovered. 



The advantage of wintering in the cellar is 

 that one-half less honey is consumed than when 

 wintered in an unprotected place. If properly 

 cared for, no swarms are lost and but vew few 

 bees die. 



The disadvantage is that they will not breed 

 as rapidly in the latter part of winter and early 

 spring in the cellar, as out in the open air. 



Too high a temperature Vi'ill cause restlessness, 

 and if there is any light they will fly to it. If 

 under these circumstances they are shut in the 

 hive they rapidly become distended with licces, 

 soil their hive, consume b.oucy inordinately, and 

 contract disease. Wm. W. Cary. 



CoLERAiN, Mass, 



[For the American Bee Journal-] 



Alsike Clover. 



Mr. Editor: — I have noticed in the JouRNAii 

 a number of plants recommended to be culti- 

 vated for their honey-3'ielding qualities. Now 

 I think the Alsike clover is just what we want, 

 it being one of the best honey-yielding plants 

 that we have, and the honey gathered from it 

 is very thick and uncommonly ]:>]easant. The 

 l)ces, both Italians and black, gather honey froui 

 j it as readily as from our common Avhite clover. 



It is also one ol the most profitable crops that 

 farmers can possibly grow for seed or food, or 

 for both. On page 96, November number of 

 the Bee Journal, is an article on Alsike clover 

 taken from the Canada Parmer. The small 

 field of 3^ acres referred to in it, belongs to me. 

 From it I secured twenty loads of hay, and 

 from three-fourths of an acre adjoining it, I 

 obtained four loads more — making twenty-four 

 loads from four and a quarter acres. I saved 

 the whole for seed, and have just thresl)ed it. 

 It yielded me 33i bushels of beautiful seed, or 

 about eight bushels to the acre. The seed sells 

 here readily at eighteen dollars per bushel, or 

 thirty cents per ])ouiid, making the snug little 

 sum of six hundred and three dollars for the 

 seed crop alone, or about one hundred and forty- 

 one dollars per acre! And the haj% since it is 

 threshed, I think as good as red clover hay. 

 My horses and cattle eat ituj) readily and clean. 



I tliink this clover Avill make a revolution in 

 bee-keeping in this section, for my neighbors 

 ai'c all intending to sow some in the spring. 

 Nearly the half of my stock of seed is already 

 engaged. Some design to sow it to cut for seed, 

 and some to cut for hay. Others intend it for 

 pasture. There Avill consequently be no lack 

 of bee pasturage in this neighborhood; and I 

 hope there may be no lack of bees to visit the 

 fields, where the blossoms supply so valuable a 

 luxury. II. M. Thomas. 



Brooklin, Canada West. 



[For the Americau Bea Journal.] 



Questions. 



No. 6. To what extent can one stock of bees 

 be increased, artificially, in six mouths, Avilli 

 care and feed sufficient ? And what quantity of 

 sugar will it require for the same ? The figuirs 

 are wanted to see that it will pay. Bee vol. S, 

 No. 9, page 105. 



No. 7. What portion of pure Italian queens, 

 mating with black drones, will produce black 

 workers; and, if any, what numbers of each 

 queen will be bhiik V 



No. 8. Do ])ure Italian bees sport in color 

 like the blacks y 



No. 9. Bees carry honey from the hives to 

 moisten flour with, when fed in the spring, to 

 make the pellets and make them adhere to the 

 baskets. Do they have to moisten the pollen, 

 or is it naturally sticky enough to suit them ? 



Jay MoNRpE. 



