120 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



support and rearing of populous stocks — stocks 

 sufficiently populous to generate the amount of 

 heat requisite to protect them from the cold, 

 enable them to save their combs from destruc- 

 tion by the moth worm, and to defend them- 

 selves, by proper aid, from the assaults of rob- 

 bers. 



Will the general experience and enlightened 

 knowledge of bee-keepers and the Bee Journal, 

 coincide in this, that to have a good stock of 

 bees it must be populous, and have ample stores 

 for its support, in all cases ? Remove the latter, 

 and the most prosperous stock will fail, and the 

 secondary causes I have referred to will com- 

 plete the destruction. 



Now, by the above, do not understand me to 

 say that there are no other primary or original 

 causes of common failure in bee-keeping, than 

 the want of sufficient pasturage for the bees. 

 But I do say that this is one of the chief sources 

 of failure and the want of profit in bee-culture. 



The loss of a fertile queen, from any cause, 

 would be another source of certain failure, in 

 the most populous stocks of bees. The remedy 

 here is not the bee-pasturage, but the introduc- 

 tion of another fertile queen, or young larvae 

 Jrom which to rear one in the proper season. 



The sooner, then, we introduce the proper 

 means to make bee-keeping prosperous, the 

 sooner it will become profitable; and those "en- 

 lightened men" become "systematic" bee-keep- 

 ers, and chance luck be changed into something 

 worthy of the "country's attention." 



J. Davis. 



Charleston, Ills. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Reply from Novice. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Bee Feeder. 



A good bee-feeder can be made out of the 

 usually castaway tin fruit and oyster cans. 

 At the tinsmith's you can get the zinc shoulder 

 and screw top, such as are used on kerosene oil 

 cans. Those of one inch in diameter are the 

 right size. Take the top and from the inside 

 punch holes with the end of a file (small holes) 

 being careful not to deform it. After punching 

 eighteen or twenty holes evenly, turn and file 

 the top smooth. The end or edge of the shoul- 

 der wdl fit most of the cans in the crease around 

 the hole made for the cover. Fit and solder. 

 Thus for one dime you will have as good a bee- 

 feeder as any yet devised — one that you can 

 feed on syrup with, thick or thin, or water your 

 bees in the winter or spring. 



Or you can have a neck fitted around the 

 opening in the can, and by tying a piece of 

 coarse muslin over the end of the neck, you 

 will accomplish the same end. 



To use, fill up full with honey, sugar syrup, 

 or water, and place the neck in a hole over the 

 cluster of bees. J. M. Price. 



Buffalo Grove, Iowa. 



The smell of balm (Melissa officinalis) is very 

 agreeable to bees, and it is well to have this 

 fragrant plant growing in the neighborhood of 

 the apiary. 



Dear Bee Journal: — In reply to many inqui- 

 ries, both through the Journal and otherwise, 

 in regard to removing the honey from the comb 

 just as it is taken from the flowers, we would 

 say that we think there can be no possible dan- 

 ger of the honey turning sour, as the very thin- 

 nest we had — which was from bass-wood, and 

 in some cases, by way of experiment, removed 

 ou the same day it was gathered — is now so 

 thick that a spoonful may be turned upside clown 

 without spilling. 



It has seemed to be quite a general impression 

 that our "machine honey" would be inferior on 

 that account ; but we are happy to state that 

 such is not the case at all, and that the honey 

 which seemed quite thin during the very hot 

 weather when it was taken out, is now quite 

 thick, although it was closely sealed on the 

 same day ; and some, which was purposely left 

 open during the warmest weather, showed not 

 the least sign of fermentation. 



Our success in the bee business has made 

 quite a sensation about here, especially as every 

 one else has done so poorly, and the season is 

 called almost a failure by old bee-keepers. 



Now, all we ask is more seasons as good as that 

 of 1868 ; and if we cannot do the same thing 

 again, or better, (two hundred and three pounds 

 from one stock), call us forever Novice. 



Medina, Ohio. 



[For the American Bee Journal. ] 



Singular Disease of Bees. 



Mr. Editor : — I had in my yard, at the close 

 of the past season, about thirty-five stands of 

 bees — six of them Italians, one hybrid, and the 

 remainder black. 



Early in September I noticed an unusual 

 number of dead bees at the entrances of some 

 of my hives. I soon found that in several of 

 them the bees were all gone, although the hives 

 were well supplied with honey ; and now, with 

 the exception of the Italians and the one hybrid, 

 there are but six stands left, and some of these 

 are dying. The bees seem to drop to the bot- 

 tom of the hive in a stupefied condition, and 

 lie there partly alive for some time. All had 

 plenty of honey ; and it is evident that there is 

 no poisonous property in the honey, as the Ital- 

 ians, which were supplied with the frames from 

 the diseased hives, are apparently strong and 

 healthy. There are no indications whatever of 

 foulbrood. That disease has never appeared in 

 this vicinity. I will send you a few of the dead 

 bees, if desired. Can you explain the disease, 

 and give me a remedy ? C. E. Thorne. 



Selma, Ohio, Nov". 9, 1868. 



E^"We have no knowledge of any disease 

 similar to that above described, and cannot 

 suggest any remedy. Transferring the bees 

 and combs to hives well wash d with a solution 

 of chloride of lime and thoroughly dried, might 

 perhaps be useful. Please send us a few of the 

 bees. 



