1870.] 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



37 



6tb. In one minnte you can have a circulation 

 of air passing- througli every part of the hive ; or 

 in the same time you can allow as little as you 

 wish. 



7th. It has a swinging bottom board, which 

 enables the apiarian to clean the hive of dead 

 bees and of filth, without removing hive or 

 combs. 



8th. There is a passage through the bottom 

 board covered with wire cloth, through which 

 the bees receive air when shut in by the apiarian 

 or snow. 



9th. The frames can be handled with ease by 

 the ends, which project 1;^ inches from the side 

 of the comb, instead of taking hold of the frame 

 among the bees. 



loth. It contains the strongest frame we have 

 seen. 



1 1th. It cannot be surpassed for storing honey. 



12th. It has comb frame stops, which hold the 

 frames in their places and prevent the bees filling 

 between with wax. 



iSth. It has two revolving bands, which gives 

 the apiarian access to the ends of the frames, 

 and when turned down form an alighting board 

 for the bees and a short passage to the surplus 

 honey boxes. 



14th. It has a cover which carries the water 

 to the sides of the hive. 



15th. It does not gather dampness on the bot- 

 tom board, as it touches the ground only on the 

 ends of the side board. 



16th. The bottom board slants to the front, 

 the hive being vertical, enabling the carrying 

 out of dead bees, aiding them to repel robbers, 

 carry off moistui'e, and prevent rain from enter- 

 ing the hive. 



17th. There are no openings in winter through 

 which mice may get in. 



18th. One, two or four boxes may be used. 



19th. It presents a beautiful appearance in an 

 apiary. Placed as ours are, in rows north and 

 south, and east and west, they look like a village. 



The disadvantages are : — 



1st. It costs more than many others. First 

 cost here $3 50. 



2d. We hJive to set the boxes on the ft-ames, 

 instead of using Langstroth's honey board and 

 air chamber. 



3d. The improvements are worse than useless 

 to one who will not properly use them. 



Palmeu Bros. 



Neio Boston, III. 



[For the Amei-ican Bee Journal.] 



Letter from Tenness.ee. 



A few years after Tennessee was admitted as 

 a State in the Union, emigration set in in earn- 

 est to the western country — a laud akin to the 

 one the Israelites were seeking — " flowing with 

 milk and honey." The cane afforded pasturage 

 for cattle during the whole year, and the forests 

 abounding in bee-trees. Most of the settlers in 

 this (Rutherford) county, were from North Cai"- 

 olina and Virginia. At particular seasons of the 

 year baits were set up and the bee-trees marked — 

 an expert finding several bee-trees in a day. From 



twenty-five to fifty pounds of nice honey, was 

 generally taken from each, and the bees fre- 

 quently left to take care of themselves. Tiie 

 more thrifty and economical hunters would se- 

 cure the sAvarms, and carry them home in guma 

 previously prepared. 



Hollow oak, elm, and cedar trees were felled, 

 sawed in pieces frcmi two to two and a lialf feet 

 long, and the inside smoothed with what the old 

 people call a round shave. One inch holes were 

 bored about midway the gum, and around stick 

 passed through. Tlie top was covered with bark 

 of the red or black oak, the bottom left open, 

 and three or four inverted v's (a a a) cut in its 

 edge, and it was then placed on a flat stone in 

 the back yard. Robbing or taking honey every 

 year in the spring, was attended toby removing 

 the top and cutting out the conrb down to the 

 X sticks. The broken combs in the gum v,-ere 

 then sprinkled with wheat, bran, and the top 

 replaced. 



Bee-moths were then (from 1810 to 1825) un- 

 known, and for years after. I have been unable 

 to ascertain the exact year the moth miller made 

 its appearance in this county. But when it came 

 the bees were killed by thousands, oftering only 

 feeble resistance to the inroads of the destroyer. 



As early as the year 1880, a man by the name 

 of Jenkins, living in this county, discovered 

 that the queen bee accompanying a swarm last 

 spring, generally led the first swarm the spring 

 following ; but he never observed her the third 

 season. He ascertained this by notching the 

 queen's wing so much that it impeded her flight 

 having caught her while passing into the hive 

 d\xring swarming time. 



About the year 1840. the more wealthy bee- 

 keepers were galled into purchasing bureau- 

 wlieatfan-like looking articles called bee-palaces 

 and enough was paid for them to keep a small 

 family in honey for ten years. It is not neces- 

 sary to tell you they were short lived — the con- 

 cerns lasting longer than the bees that were in 

 them. People were so '■ burnt " with them, and 

 such a quantity of them were scattered through 

 this country tliat that generation had to nearly 

 pass away, before improved hives of any descrip- 

 tion or pattern whatever could be introduced. 



Within a few years past several patent hives 

 have made their ai>pearance in our midst ; and 

 soine interest is being manifest in an improve- 

 ment on the old gum and procuring better 

 bees. 



The movable frame (Langstroth) hives have 

 been much used here for three seasons past, and 

 w'th intelligent bee-keepers give satisfaction ; 

 although we nave never experienced with that 

 hive those marvellous returns in honey claimed 

 by some persons interested in other hives. 



We winter our bees in the open air. No foul 

 brood has made its appearance in our county. 

 Wishing your journal success and more patron- 

 age, I am yours, &c. 



Wm. p. Henderson. 



Murfrcesboro\ Tenn., June 37, 1870. 



Early in October all the hives in an apiary 

 should be carefully examined, to see if they are 

 in a suitable condition for wintering. 



