218 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[April. 



poorest season you ever knew ? Our locality will 

 certainly do it, and we think the mass of our bee- 

 keepers who have used the extractor will call our 

 claim a very modest one. 



We should not invariably leave " four frames of 

 sealed honey" in the middle of the hive all the time, 

 because they would occupy valuable room, but after 

 about the fourth of July we would extract from the 

 upper comb only, for there would be, at that season, 

 not so much need of giving the queen room. In 

 case hives are used in which combs are extended 

 horizontally, of course the central combs should be 

 left, after such a date, as different localities seem to 

 designate proper. 



In quoting Quinby for the benefit of Alley and 

 Adair, we certainly did the latter some injustice, 

 for he did invite criticism, even if he did afterwards 

 seem to think it proper to retaliate rather recklessly. 

 We had given up trying to get at the " New Idea," 

 but as late developments seem to indicate that it 

 means combs spread out horizontally, we must insist 

 that that isn't new. See former volumes of A. B. J., 

 besides what Argo says, page 211. As to putting 

 empty combs in the centre for the queen to deposit 

 eggs in, some who "over-did" that business in 1868, 

 or earlier, should report. 



How about wintering small colonies? Why don't 

 those report who have tried it? It's our impression 

 that it can only be done in very warm cellars, and 

 even then we are afraid it will be like some other 

 great things, viz: "'twon't work with everybody." 

 A report from Mr. Hosmer's neighborhood says he 

 has lost sixty colonies this winter. How is it ? 



Mr. Aldrich, page 207, is almost unkind, but we 

 hope he don't mean to be. Just see, Mr. A., how 

 you have wronged us. First, the upper and lower 

 frames are only three-fourths of an inch apart, for we 

 have just measured them this minute. Second, we 

 don't advise sawing the cover off; that was only for 

 an illustration ; yet it can be done, after all, for we 

 have done it. Third, sliding the hive forward does 

 not open it at the back in practice. Fourth, we use 

 the "lighting board with hooks," on all our Lang- 

 stroth form of hives, too, of course. Fifth, don't 

 " stand on your head " we implore you, for it's easier 

 to raise the cover and look inside, by far. Sixth, 

 grease the bevel, and the hive icortt "stick fast." 

 Your opinions were from reading the articles ; ours 

 after having used sixteen hives all summer, before we 

 decided to put them in print. 



When we feed meal, much is wasted unless we are 

 careful to carry it all in before a rain ; but now we 

 have a shallow trough 60 feet long by 3 inches wide, 

 on the south side of our north high fence, and a slant- 

 ing board fixed over this just high enough to exclude 

 rain, hut admit the sun. We have had no time to 

 use it, yet are all ready. Our colonies are all in fine 

 order, except the one that had dysentery, and they had 

 dwindled so low that we couldn't save them ; and the 

 small nuclei we mentioned last month, six lost in all 

 out of 71. So we have 65 now. If we don't get 6 J 

 barrels of honey this season, call us forever 



Novice. 



Marketing Honey. 



J. B. Colton, of Sycamore, 111., writes: "We have 

 had some trouble in selling our honey at fair prices. 



We extract all our surplus honey, and of course have 

 to encounter the common prejudice existing in regard 

 to all strained honey. The fact that we sell at figures 

 that would make the manufacture of artificial honey 

 unprofitable, ought to silence grumblers and probably 

 would if we had time to argue the subject on all and 

 they were disposed to listen and reason. We put up 

 most of our honey in half gallon jars and let the gro- 

 ceryman sell for us at one dollar per jar. The jar, if 

 returned, is purchased back at 25 cents, which leaves 

 only 75 cents for half a gallon of honey. We are 

 determined to make a market for our honey at home, 

 and therefore sell at a price all can afford to pay. 

 When the demand exceeds the supply we shall raise 

 our price, but till then we shall sell low and content 

 ourselves with small profits in the hope of making 

 quick sales. Honey has not yet become a common 

 article of food. It is not inquired for at groceries as 

 sugar and tea are, and will not be in some time even 

 though it is sold cheap. Honey dealers in cities are 

 working against the interest of bee-keepers by keeping 

 up the price of honey. Last season we sold our honey 

 in Chicago to the ' exclusive honey dealer ' for 

 one shilling per pound, he at the same time retail- 

 ing it from 30 to 40 cents per pound. It must be 

 evident to all intelligent bee-keepers, that at the rate 

 honey is being produced, the retail price must come 

 down before we can ever sell the large amount that is 

 now yearly put on the market." 



Common Sense. 



B. C. Anshampaugh, of West Township, Albany 

 Co., N. Y., writes : "I have kept bees the past eight 

 years ; have been a careful reader of the American 

 Bee Journal four years ; have used different style 

 of hives ; have at times had success and at other 

 times have met with disappointments and losses, and 

 have come to the conclusion that a man, to make bee- 

 keeping profitable, has got to be governed by common 

 sense, for I find that the system that one advocates of 

 managing an apiary will not do for another. For 

 example, an expert apiarian keeping bees in a warm 

 or mild climate, by his plan of management may 

 have success every year. Now, let the same man go 

 into the cold northern climate, where the mercury 

 freezes up, and he will find, with the same manage- 

 ment, that his bee-keeping will be in part, if not 

 wholly, a failure. Some advise using one style of 

 hive, and others recommend other styles, all claiming 

 that their hive is the best. Some advise upward 

 ventilation and others no ventilation at all. One 

 has his hive ventilated by raising the honey-board, 

 and another has his hive perfectly air-tight, and all 

 claim success. 



Now, Mr. Editor, how are young beginners going 

 to make bee-keeping profitable without being governed 

 by common sense ? I would say to beginners, first 

 take the American Bee Journal, and read it care- 

 fully, and then in your own judgment decide which 

 style of hive to use, and what mode of management 

 to pursue. Do not go to extremes in any case, for 

 fear of draw-backs, but first know that you are right 

 and then go ahead. By the way, I will give you in 

 brief my mode of wintering bees. I have wintered 

 them in the cellar and in the garret; have burried 

 them ; have wintered them in a special repository 

 with double walls filled in with saw-dust, with lower 



