on the top of pillow, but not in the holes 

 from below, those without pillows have 

 frost in the holes from below, almost closed. 

 The Modest hive has four % inch sticks 

 across the frames ; a quilt ; then a 7 inch 

 cap tilled with dry oat-straw. They do not 

 have half the amount of ice at the entrance 

 that the box- hives have. All are on the 

 summer stands, or open shed facing south- 

 east. Some bundles of long hay are used as 

 wind breaks which are bent over the hives. 

 E. Pickup. 



Gifford, Iowa, Dec. 12, 1878. 

 I have 63 colonies of bees, and I fear they 

 are getting diseased. Some are dying off 

 rapidly, and are crowded out at the entrance 

 of the hive. I have over 40 colonies in a 

 shed, enclosed all around. An opening in 

 the center, about 20 feet, gives them plenty 

 of room to fly out and return to the hives. 

 I had 33 colonies in the same shed last win- 

 ter and lost none. They have no dysentery 

 yet, but I think they will have it soon. I 

 lost 35 colonies 5 or 6 years ago, with bee 

 cholera, and fear these will all go the same 

 way. I use the 8 frame Langstroth hive. 

 Please tell me, through the Journal how I 

 can save my bees. H. S. Hastings. 



[By this time, the fears of Mr. Hastings 

 will have been realized, or the bees will be 

 quiet and comfortable. If they have the 

 dysentery, there is no remedy known.— Ed.] 



Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 11, 1879. 

 I have 55 colonies, apparently in good or- 

 der, at the Spring Hill farm-house apiary. 

 The mercury outside was 14° below zero ; 

 inside it was 33 3 above. My house apiary 

 pleases me much. I had 40 acres of alsike 

 clover and 2 acres of melilot, which the bees 

 worked on, and some of my colonies gath- 

 ered, I think, over 300 lbs. of honey. I sell 

 all my honey for 20 to 25 cts. per lb. 



W. A. Schofield. 



East Townsend, O., Jan. 1, 1879. 

 I herewith send you a view of my home- 

 apiary and bee-house, for wintering bees and 

 storing honey. 1 am a bee keeper in a mod- 

 est way, having now 130 colonies. I had 95 

 at the commencement of the honey season. 

 I took 7,000 lbs. of surplus, 4,500 of comb in 

 sections, the balance extracted, and have 

 sold nearly all at 17c. for selected comb at 

 wholesale, and 20c. retail ; 12J^c. for ex- 

 tracted at retail, and 10c. wholesale. Have 

 no trouble in selling honey put up in attract- 

 ive shape. H. R. Boardman. 



Winchester, 111., Dec. 23, 1878. 

 From last week in May to last week in 

 August was a good honey season. The 

 early spring and through fruit bloom was 

 wet and too cold, while the early frost cut 

 off all fall bloom here, just as it began to 

 afford bees pasture. I started with strong 

 and 1 weak colony. Had 2 natural swarms; 

 3 wild swarms came to me, and 1 bought 4 

 late in the spring. Got about 1,200 lbs. of 

 honey, mostly comb. Sold the extracted at 

 15 cts. ; comb 15 to 20 cts. — mostly 20 cts. 

 Put 22 colonies into winter quarters ; that is, 



I have nearly all in double-walled hives 

 with quilts, and from 6 to 12 inches of buck- 

 wheat chaff on top. Improved my double- 

 walled hive so that one can be opened clear, 

 and either standing or hanging frames used 

 in it, and either open or close top-bar. 

 Shall try Armstrong "Centennial" the 

 coming year. Success to the Journal. 

 Wm. Camm. 



Knoxville, Iowa, Dec. 15, 1878. 



1. What is the cause of nearly matured 

 brood not being capped over, but, instead,, 

 the cells are lengthened out ? 



2. There are 300 colonies within 3 miles 

 of us. Is that over-stocking, when white 

 clover, basswood and fall pasturage are 

 good ; if not, how many more colonies can 

 be kept profitably ? 



3. How many cubic inches should a hive 

 contain to give the best results ? 



4. Will colonies having no bee-bread breed 

 before getting pollen, when fed ? 



We put 60 colonies in winter quarters De- 

 cember 1st, and intend to increase as fast as 

 possible next year. 



BlTTENBENDER BROS. 



[1. This is often the case where the 

 brood is that of a fertile worker. 



2. When these three sources yield well, 

 all may pay a dividend ; yet it seems to be 

 the growing opinion among the most observ- 

 ing bee-keepers, that a location having 

 every source except those mentioned would 

 be over-stocked, and the yield from these 

 would be less, pro rata, than if only one- 

 third of that number of colonies were kept. 

 Much, however, depends upon the bounti- 

 fulness of the season and locality. 



3. About 2,000. The tendency seems to be 

 towards smaller rather than larger. 



4. Bee-bread is essential to brood- 

 rearing.— Ed.] 



Augusta, Ga., Jan. 10, 1879. 

 From the description of the Japan plum, 

 Mespilus Japonica, by J. M.Putnam, Esq., 

 of New Orleans, and the comment upon it 

 by Prof. A. J. Cook, 1 fear many Northern 

 bee-keepers may be tempted to try its culti- 

 vation. For the information of such, I will 

 inform them that even the latitude of 

 Augusta, Ga., is too cold for it to fruit. It 

 is not worth cultivating higher than 32° N. 

 South of this, it does well, and is all that is 

 claimed for it. J. P. H. Brown. 



Eagle Lake, Minn., Jan. 6, 1879. 

 I have 160 colonies in the cellar; had 87 

 last spring, and have obtained 1,400 lbs. of 

 honey this season. I am interested in the 

 improvement of Italian bees, but I do not 

 think we can always rely on color. My Ital- 

 ians are uniform in marking and of beautiful 

 appearance; they are better honey gatherers 

 and much more pleasant to handle than hy- 

 brids. The saleof untested queens will ruin 

 the qualities of Italians. Producers must 

 have a bee that will gather honey when it is 

 scarce. H. A. Simonds. 



