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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



April 12, 19C6 



and to the public from better inspection were urged upon the Minister, 

 who is thoroughly in accord with the Association on that point. 



As a result, it is likely that legislation will be enacted this session 

 to provide tor three, or perhaps more, inspectors. These will be en- 

 tirely under the control of the Department. The members of the 

 deputation went away quite satisfied with what is to be done. One of 

 them remarked that the present inspector had been appointed on the 

 suggestion of the Association years ago, and that it has taken the 

 Association all the time ever since to secure recognition of the need 

 for more. 



This is right in line, we believe, with the action taken 

 at the last meeting of the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association. 



Something About Cuban Bee-Keeping 



A document printed in the Spanish language (all but 

 the 30 pictures), entitled, La Apicultura en Cuba, has been 

 received at this office. Although the Spanish language is 

 "a sealed book " in this "locality," yet it is not a hard mat- 

 ter to guess from the ear-marks that it is a circular issued 

 by the government of our young sister republic, and written 

 by E. W. Halstead. 



Fortunately, by the courtesy of Mr. Halstead, a copy of 

 the Havana Post— the only English daily published on the 

 island— has also been received, containing a very interest- 

 ing article entitled, "Raising Bees Here in Cuba," and 

 comparison of the two leaves little doubt that the long 

 newspaper article is a literal translation of the bulletin. 

 Some excerpts can not fail to be of interest to readers of 

 this Journal : 



Black bees were introduced from Florida in 1774 ; Italians only 



The latest available statistics (1902) give over S2.000 colonies of 

 bees on the island ; this number has probably been largely increased 

 in the la6t three years. The exports of honey and wax in 1904 were 

 valued at more than $1,100,000. 



More than 80 percent of the bees in Cuba are in log-gums or in 

 corchas. Corchas are simply rough boxes about a foot square and 4 

 feet long, without ends. The honey is gathered by cutting it out in 

 chunks from the open ends of the boxes. Sometimes the comb is 

 built out so that it protrudes from the box and is completely in the 



The best time to transfer is just at the beginning of a good honey- 

 flow In the vicinity of Santiago de las Vegas, October is a good 

 month for the combs are almost empty of honey, and do not break as 

 easily as when full, and, as the honey-flow comes on at this time, the 

 colonies build up quickly and are soon ready to have the supers put in. 



Where wax is desired it is usual to space the frames wide apart 

 so that only 7 or 8 frames are put in a 10-frame, and only 5 or 6 in an 



8-f rame hive. 



When uncapping these combs before extracting, they are shaved 

 down to the regular thickness, so that a great deal more wax is ob- 

 tained than when the regular number of frames is put in the hive. 



miscellaneous 

 Hetps * 3 terns 



=j 



Dr. Dzierzon— the " grand old man " of German bee- 

 dom— Die Biene, a German bee-paper, reports was 95 years 

 old Jan. 16, 1906. For the past IS months the weakness of 

 his legs has compelled him to keep to his bed. He tried to 

 get up alone once, and fell to the floor, but without injuring 

 himself. His mind is in better condition than his body, 

 and he regrets to see the void made around him by the 

 death of the friends of his younger days. 



Rev. A. R. Seaman and Son are bee-keepers in South 

 Connellsville, Pa. The son is the assistant. Mr. Seaman 

 made us a brief call when in Chicago, and tells about it and 

 some other experiences in the following : 



When I left Pennsylvania I had business in Ohio, Indiana and 

 Michigan, and I thought, for a " tid-bit," that I would treat myself to 

 a touch of Chicago, just to say that I had seen the place; for I had no 

 other business there except to see, for the first time, the Editor of 

 the American Bee Journal. A long ways before reaching Chicago, on 

 the Wabash line, Illinois is low and swampy, where little lakes and 

 marshes are so extensively mixed among the beautiful prairie homes 

 that one wonders whether to call it landscape or waterscape, for one 

 can step out almost anywhere and gather water-lilies in their season. 

 When the train-men called out " Chicago," I checked my suitcase in 

 the package-office, but kept my umbrella, as every discreet (?) coun- 

 tryman will do in the city with which to battle his way through the 

 crowd ! I then looked up the office of the American Bee Journal. 



Now, there are plenty of names, no doubt, of the streets at their 

 corners in Chicago, but I didn't happen to see one while I was there; 



but they should be prominent at points where strangers are likely to 

 arrive, and the law should require it. And I saw but very few num- 

 bers along the streets, where every place of business has a right to be 

 numbered and named conspicuously. 



But I saw that I was getting there, for the few numbers visible 

 had an increasing ratio. Finally, I met a stranger in the city of whom 

 I asked, as he stood watching, waiting and wondering, " Kind sir, can 

 you tell me where this city keeps the names of its streets and the 

 numbers of its buildings displayed for the benefit of the public?" 



" Indeed, I can not," he answered, "for that is just what I am 

 trying to find my6elf, for I am also a stranger in these parts." 



Finally I saw " 334" over an entrance to a sky-scraper, and I 

 looked all over the front of that great building to find the name that 

 my longing heart was aching to see; but "nary "a mark did I dis- 

 cover. This rigid economy in names and numbers in Chicago may 

 have the tendency to give the cabmen, and guides and guzzlers a bet- 

 ter chance for their respective business; but enough names and num- 

 bers would be better than placards of caution. 



Then I went into a cigar stand and said, " The Directory gives me 

 334 Dearborn Street as the place where the American Bee Journal is 

 published, can it be found in this building ?" 



" Just step back in the hall to the elevator man and he will show 

 you up to it." 



I did so, and Mr. York received me kindly, in the upper regions. I 

 didn't hang on to consume his valuable time, and make him glad to 

 see me, and more glad to get rid of me ; for the first moment with the 

 hand-touch were the golden points that I went to get, and after I got 

 them, and the exchange of a few social words, I was ready to say 

 "Good-bye." 



I took a circuitous route through the city on my return without 

 any further regard to street, names and numbers, but counted the 

 squares this way and that as I passed, and finally fetched around to 

 the Dearborn depot without asking a question of anybody. It was a 

 mere glimpse of the city taken in my hurry to leaye it on the first 

 train that should go my way ; and I wa9 soon on my return trip among 

 the little lakes and water-lilies, without staying to see the beet and the 

 worst things in Chicago, or its many good people. A. R. Seaman. 



We hope Mr. Seaman will tell us about his bee-keeping 

 experience, some time. 



Notes from the National.— General Manager France 

 reports that $469.50 in annual dues have been received since 

 the last report was sent to the printer. This shows that 

 funds are still coming in to carry on the good work of the 

 National. Mr. France also added the following : 



As soon as the cold weather lets up there will be trouble by bees 

 spotting clothes, which should be avoided by the bee-keeper. Then 

 poisonous spraying will be next. This, also, can largely be avoided 

 by the local bee-keeper. 



There are many inquiries from those who wish to buy bees and 

 also honey. This latter will show there is no danger of old honey be- ' 

 ing in the market when the 1906 crop is ready. 



The following letter is from an Illinois mayor, replying to my in- 

 quiry as to a petition being circulated in his city for the purpose of 

 prohibiting the keeping of bees in that city: 



Mr. N. E. France, Platteville, Wis.— 



Dear Sir .—Replying to your favor of the 14th inst., I will say 

 that the petition presented to the Council for the passage of an ordi- 

 nance prohibiting the keeping of bees in the city limits was ridiculed 

 by the councilmen, and no action was taken towards passing such an 

 ordinance. The request is so ridiculous that I do not think it neces- 

 sary for any one to be alarmed at such an ordinance being passed. The 

 Council realizes that the petition was circulated by an enemy of some 

 party who was keeping bees. 



Thanking you for the interest you take in this matter, I am, 

 Yours truly, Mayor. 



I have thanked the mayor for his reply and for the wise action of 

 that Council. ««««, N - E ' France - 



Apiary Of Orpheus Diller.— Whea sending the picture 

 shown on the first page, Orpheus Diller, of York Springs, 

 Pa., wrote thus : 



I enclose a picture of my 30 colonies of bees kept in a town gar- 

 den. I always take pleasure in seeing pictures of other apiaries in the 

 American Bee Journal. I have been interested in bees for some time, 

 but being a merchant have little time to devote to them. The first 

 two in the front row, covered with snow, are Danzenbaker hives with 

 outer cases made of store-box boards. The third hive is a Danzen- 

 baker hive also, with a Mrs. Cottou hive used as a ease over it. 



Orpheus Diller. 



Quadruple Chaff-Hive Apiary of C. N. Seward, of 

 Silver Creek, Nebr., is pictured on the first page. This is 

 what its owner says of it : 



I send a photograph of my apiary which contains 116 colonies of 

 bees, all in chaff hives, most of them being quadruple tenement hives. 

 In winter the 4 colonies cluster near the center of the quadruple hive ; 

 they are able to retain considerable of the animal heat, which, I think, 

 is a great advantage, both in good wintering and protecting the early 

 brood against the changes of the weather. 



If you will notice you will see the "Boss" (my 2-year-old grand- 

 daughter) sitting on one of the hives. 



In the fall of 1904 I had 109 colonies, and in the 6pring of 1905 



