1871.] 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



ble. Probably for New York it would ship 

 best in Mr. Chase's small boxes. 



Mr. Denson finds that the small boxes are 

 best for New York, as the honey will not get 

 dusty ; thinks the best form is a single comb 

 box with two glass sides, weighing from four to 

 five pounds. This is considered very aristo- 

 cratic. 



Mr. Knight uses a six inch tube, four glass 

 sides, three combs in a box ; has taken such to 

 New York, and they looked and sold better than 

 any he saw there. While in the city he saw at 

 Mr. Thomas', at Washington Market, a sample 

 of small frames which he would not buy, as it 

 was accessible to ants, flies, &c. Thinks that 

 while a greater amount of honey could be ob- 

 tained in large boxes, yet on account of the bet- 

 ter prices received per pound, that in small boxes 

 will make the lai-ger returns in the gross amount 

 of money received. 



Best antidote for bee stings ? 



Mr, Griswold keeps ammonia for the use of visi- 

 tors. Once when stniig himself so as to feel sick 

 at the stomach, he eat a large quantity of honey 

 which relieved him. Others recommended Ray's 

 Salutifer, keroRine oil, an application of spittle, 

 salt, or wet earth or dry or chewed plantain 

 leaves. Several made the statement, that bee 

 stings would after a while, so inoculate the sys- 

 tem as to render it less liable to the effects of the 

 poison. 



Hoio high from the ground should the hives be 

 ■placed ? 



Mr. Hadsell prefers to set them low. From 

 four to six inches from the ground. Bees 

 when heavy laden can get back when they fail 

 to reach the lighting board, if a slanting board 

 is set for them to climb up. 



Mr. Knight prefers to iiave them low as possi- 

 ble without danger from moisture — from ten to 

 twelve inches — for the reason given by Mr. Had- 

 sell. It is easier, too, to take out the surplus 

 honey than having them higher. 



3Ir. Chase places his on a stand of boards with 

 two inch cleats, thus making the hive three 

 inches from the ground. Puts planing mill shav- 

 ings on the ground around the hive. 



What is the proper distance to place hives apart ? 



Mr. Griswold thought they should be placed 

 at such a distance, that the bees may not quarrel 

 from mistaking their home, and so the queen 

 may not be lost when returning from the bridal 

 trip frotu the same cause. If covering a good 

 deal of ground, it is more trouble to manage. If 

 the hives are of different colors, two or three feet 

 wdl do, 



Mr. Knight would have the hives of different 

 colors, and five or six feet apart. 



What can zee provide in the way of pasturage for 

 bees ? 



Mr. Griswold has grown Alsike, but the result 

 was unsatisfactory. It might have been owing 

 to white clover being in blossom at the same 

 time. Thinks buckwheat good. 



Is there any superiority of Italian over native 

 bees f 



Mr, Knight had one Italian queen given him 

 in swarming time. The swarm was cleaned out 

 in the fall. Has dealt in honey gathered by Ital- 

 ians ; it is not of as good quality as that of the 

 common bee, probably owing to their gathering 

 from poorer flowers. If they gather enough to 

 more than make up the difference in price, they 

 may be more profitable than the common bee. 



Mr. Griswold obtained queens from two noted 

 importations ; found the bees unnecessarily quar- 

 relsome, stinging when unprovoked. Not hav- 

 ing got any in condition to sell, he had not had 

 a chance, nor does he feel disposed to talk about 

 their good qualities. Of those he had, he soon 

 got rid. 



To prevent robbing, it was said that a noxious 

 smell, as of kerosine or coal tar, would keep rob- 

 bers away, while the other bees would endure it 

 rather thaii leave their home, but it was thought 

 best to keep the colonies strong ; and with weak 

 ones to contract the entrance according to their 

 weakness. 



Mr. Denson asked if the use of the melextrac- 

 tor is advisable ? 



Mr. Knight said it would be if the honey 

 could be sold, which it has been difficult to do, 

 such honey being a drug vipon the market. 



Mr. Coke has not found strained honey a very 

 valuable article. Any one undertaking the 

 process of working sugar, can make an artificial 

 article that is difficult to distinguish from genu- 

 ine, and people seem to be afraid that honey 

 ofi'ered as strained may not be all right. 



Mr. Knight's strained honey sold at ten cents, 

 when his box sold at thirty cents. 



jNIr. Coke has been experimenting with 

 strained honey to prevent it candying, but has 

 not arrived at a satisfactory result ; thinks he 

 may yet. Has restored candied honey by heat, 

 but thinks it darkens its color. 



[For the Americaa Bee .Journal.] 



Novice. 



Dear Bee Journal : — We have so many 

 things to say, just now, June 8th, that we hardly 

 know where to begin. 



Our bees are not as strong nor as busy as we 

 had expected to have them by this time, and in- 

 deed we cannot tell why, either. During fruit 

 blossoms many of the stocks hung out on their 

 hives, and, to keep them strong, we fed them 

 on coffee sugar and water for two or three 

 weeks, daily. Yet several severe frosts during 

 that time, and quite a drouth since, rather 

 checked brood raising ; and we feel sure that we 

 have not now as many bees as we had a month 

 ago. ]\Iany of the old bees were lost during cold, 

 high winds, and we have got to look to the now 

 rapidly "rising generation," 



Last season we had over half a ton of honey 

 from locust tree blossoms by the last of May, but 

 these were a failure this year. Only a few trees 

 blossomed, and those the bees did not notice. 



