March 1, 1906 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



183 



trated in the same number on page S3. For migratory- 

 hives, however, Wagner's kind would be much better. 



Printer Got "Mixed" on "Making." 



In my department on page 52, there is a queer and 

 rather unusual error. The first word of the third caption, 

 " Making " played " pussy wants a corner " with the word 

 " Mixing," which headed the fourth caption — failed to get 

 back again, and went to press in that mixed condition. An 

 adversary can accuse me now of making honey. 



Number Locations Instead of Hives. 



In the picture on page 61 we read the order of numerals 

 30, then 32, then 31. Nearly all apiary pictures with num- 

 bers on the hives show the same higglety-pigglety-ness. 

 Visible evidence of more or less effort on the part of the 

 keeper to have things in mathematical order — and proof 

 positive of failure. Give it up, brethren. The " way " is 

 to have the numbers belong to the locations and not to the 

 hives. Then have your system of arrangement so simple 

 that you can readily keep the numbers in your head and 

 need no visible ones. 



Empty Box-Hives — Roofing for Hives. 



The hives in Allen Latham's apiary look far too neat to 

 be made out of empty boxes. Although the camera does 

 flatter sometimes, this can hardly be all flattery. His pro- 

 ceedings in making them, as detailed on pages 74-80, re- 

 mind me of my own in making lath hives. In this matter 

 it is decidedly "every one to his taste." Lots of us would 

 say : "Whatever I do in this bothersome world, I'll never 

 make hives out of empty boxes — not even if new lumber 

 gets to $100 per thousand. " On the other hand, quite a good 

 few of use just delight in that sort of thing — feel as if mak- 

 ing something out of nothing, and so getting closer to the 

 Omnipotent The latter class should linger over Mr. 

 Latham's article — they don't see the like of it very often. 

 Also information for everybody as to cutting roofing paper. 

 Don't try to cut with the point of a knife along a rule. Get 

 the middle of the blade to bear, at an angle less than 90 de- 

 grees, so the severed paper on one side will be lifted as the 

 knife passes along. 



Shouldn't wonder if he was nobly right in commending 

 his roof (apart from his way of making the body of it, say) 

 to the whole fraternity. I have long used tin-covered roofs 

 — none of them too satisfactory, and many of mine very 

 unsatisfactory. If roofing paper (on a foundation with 

 cracks ad libitum) lasts years enough in actual practice it 

 would seem very attractive to me. One naturally asks: 

 Does it rot under bricks or big weights, used to keep a roof 

 from eloping with the breezes ? And how about it when 

 snow turns to ice on top, and one carelessly wrestles with 

 the ice to get it off ? Toward spring we want ice off to let 

 the sun strike it better. 



Moreover we read: "The absurd custom of tilting 

 hives forward should not be tolerated in any upright bee- 

 yard." Ahem ! Well, if we like a man we like him to be a 

 human sort of man. A man could hardly be human unless 

 he had now and then a whim. Behold how this one just fits 

 Mr. L. out with angel wings. Pages 61, 74 and 79. 



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Conducted by Morley Pettit, Villa Nova, Ont. 



Early Preparation for the Honey Season 



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"Expert," in the Journal of Agriculture and Horticul- 

 ture, speaks strongly on the matter of early preparation for 

 the honey season. He says : 



What is there to do now? would only be asked by the man who 

 is accustomed to make preparations when there is little time in which 

 to do them. There is more honey lost, I firmly believe, through lack 

 of supers (either not procured at all or not ready when wanted ) than 

 from any other cause, in apiaries that are supposed to be managed. 



I have seen hives in one garden with supers 2 and 3 stories high, 

 and all full, while near-by other bee-keepers have plenty of hives, but 

 some of them supered. What folly ! A swarm put into a box or 

 ekep will consume honey sufficient to pay more than half, if not the 



whole, of a modern outtit. io elaborating wax and building combs, as 

 well as in feeding thousands of larvie. This should not be lost sight 

 of. Suppose a strong colony sends out a good swarm and two casts in 

 due course; there will be in each hive at least 2000 hungry larviu 

 daily to satisfy with food composed of honey and pollen. By proper 

 management the three lots of bees might have been kept workiDg in 

 supers over their original home, while below only one lot of larvse 

 would be consuming honey. It is a well-known fact that one good 

 colony will store more surplus than two or three small ones. Hence, 

 it is most desirable to plan work in the apiary now, with the object of 

 limiting the number of colonies, instead of increasing by immoderate 

 swarming. 



This idea of the unnecessary amount of brood to be 

 cared for has not been enlarged on in giving reasons why 

 one colony held together will do better than though it 

 swarmed once or twice. 



Mr. Edwin Trinder 



Mr. Edwin Trinder, of Norfolk Co., Ont., is one of the 

 oldest and most experienced bee-keepers in that section. 

 Both personally and officially he is well known to the pro- 

 fession, and has filled the important position of President 

 in the County Association for 4 years. 



His success may be attributed to his personal applica- 

 tion, s udy, and attention to all branches of the work ; and, 

 being a man of great energy and thoroughness in all his 



Edwin Trinder. 



undertakings, no detail is too unimportant not to receive 

 proper care and attention at his hands. 



From small beginnings his interests have developed 

 to SO colonies at this time, to all of which he gives personal 

 attention on his own fruit-farm. His mechanical appli- 

 ances are of the most approved types, as would be expected 

 in a modern apiary like his. 



As a horticulturist in small fruits, he has always been 

 successful, quality being the first incentive in all his efforts. 



For several years he assisted Mr Groff, the well-known 

 Canadian gladiolus hybridist and specialist, as grower of 

 that beautiful flower. During that time he had entire 

 charge of the cultivation of millions of corms, which were 

 shipped to all parts of the civilized world. 



Acting on the suggestion of Mr. Groff, he also under- 

 took the improvement of the strawberry by hybridization. 

 He used the pollen of our wild species on the best garden 

 varieties available for that purpose, and secured as the re- 

 sult types of increased vigor and constitution in the plant, 

 through the revitalizing influence of this cross, as well as 

 improved texture and flavor in the berry He feels that 

 this is a work entitled to receive more attention from the 

 strawberry-growers of Canada. 



Comb Foundation 



At the Brantford Dristrict Convention comb foundation 

 was fully discussed. As to size of sheet it was agreed that 

 the foundation should be attached to the top-bar and touch 

 the side-bars of the frame so the bees will attach it there 

 immediately. Then it should come to about % inch from- 



