Watertown, Wis.. Feb. ii. 1880. 

 From an editorial article on the " Sec- 

 tions all in one piece' 1 on page 70 of 

 the February number, the '•public'" 

 may be led to think it is necessary to 

 glue them. We do not recommend it, 

 and all seem to be pleased who use them 

 without glue. Lewis & Parks. 



[We did not intend to convey the idea 

 that glue was absolutely necessary. Of 

 course they can be used without ; but 

 glue adds exceedingly to their strength. 

 Perhaps experience will prove, however, 

 that they will be sufficiently strong 

 without— that the bee-glue will be all 

 sufficient.— Ed.] 



Dundee, 111., Feb. 11, 1880. 

 I have 84 colonies of bees in the cel- 

 lar. They seem to be quite easy now, 

 but have been very restless. Last sea- 

 son was a very poor honey season. 1 

 obtained about 1,600 lbs. from 80 colo- 

 nies. I was obliged, on account of the 

 extreme dry weather, to feed consider- 

 able of it back to them for winter. 

 When they become uneasy in the cellar 

 would it do, some warm' and pleasant 

 day, to let them have a fly, and then 

 put them back ? I am very anxious for 

 spring to come, so that they can be put 

 out. Fayette Perry. 



[Yes ; it would be best to do so. — Ed.] 



Embarrass, Wis., Feb. 10, 1880. 

 We are having very mild weather for 

 January, and there has been 8 flights 

 for the bees ; they are wintering finely 

 so far. The average temperature for 

 the month is 27 3 . We have had snow 

 about one foot deep, and splendid 

 sleighing. I was pleased to learn that 

 the P. M. General had decided to let 

 queens pass in the mails again, as I am 

 so far from an express office that it is 

 a great inconvenience to be obliged to 

 depend on it to get queens, &c. Suc- 

 cess to the American Bee Journal, 

 and here is to the health of the Editor 

 in nice honey, but not in any thing 

 stronger. J. E. Breed. 



Salamonia. End., Feb. 18, 1880. 

 My thanks are due to Prof. Cook and 

 the Committee appointed by the Na- 

 tional Association at Chicago, for the 

 results of their exertions to get queen 

 bees again admitted to the mails. I 

 read the last number of the AMERICAN 

 Bee Journal with more interest than 

 ever. It increases in value with every 

 number. My bees did well last season'. 

 Out 1 lost 18 colonies during the previous 

 winter, out of 18 ; the 2 remaining I in- 



creased to 1"), and traded hives and 

 queens for 4 more making in, and ob- 

 tained 250 lbs. of honey, mostly ex- 

 tracted. They are doing well so far, 

 this wilder. I wish ; II success to the 

 Bee Journal. David \i. Knoll. 



Fuller's Station, N. Y., Feb. I, 1880. 

 On Dec. 5, 1878, I put 78 colonies in 

 my bee-house; I lost 2, and united 2, 

 leaving 70 with which to commence the 

 season of 1879. I have sold 6,151 lbs. of 

 unbiassed comb honey and 488 lbs. of 

 extracted, total 6,639 lbs. On Nov. 27, 

 1879, I put 88 colonies in the bee-house 

 and left 19 on the summer stands. 



W. S. Ward. 



Burlington, Iowa, l^eb. 11, 1880. 

 My bees have wintered well in the 

 cellar. I shall have to feed considerably 



in the spring. I have 35 colonies. 

 Thousands of colonies, in this locality, 

 will perish for want of supplies before 

 fruit blossoms come to their relief. If 

 good syrup, made from "A" sugar will 

 save mine, thev shall not die. 



I. P. Wilson. 



Anderson, Iowa, Feb. 6, 1880. 

 The Journal for February is here 

 and much of its contents perusei I. Eow 

 rapidly time flies; nearly a year has 

 passed since I spent a day at the office 

 of the Journal, and closely examined 

 its Museum of bee-keepers' supplies. I 

 remember with pleasure the editor's 

 kind and patient pains-taking, enume- 

 rating the advantages claimed for each 

 article— for all of which accept thanks. 

 How easy it is to write the accounts of 

 the doings of the busy little workers 

 when we sit in the sunshine of a golden 

 harvest, but when heavy dark ones 

 shadow a year's labor, how different *} 

 The year 1878 was a sunny one in this 

 section, but in 1879 the clouds of disap- 

 pointment never passed oxer. I com- 

 menced the winter lsTs it with 80 colo- 

 nies all in good condition. 1 packed !•"> 

 in chaff and straw on the most approved 

 plan ; 35 were left on the summer stands 

 without protection. In the spring, 9 of 

 those packed in straw had died, audi 

 of those unprotected; leaving 70 colo- 

 nies to commence 1S79 with. 1 led them 

 a barrel of honey, for I always keep t be 

 poorest honey to feed with. By the 

 time of basswood bloom they were in fine 

 condition, but the seven-year locusts 

 swarmed the woods, storing all the 

 small limbs full of eggs, especially the 

 basswood ; as a result there was no 

 honey, and the fall was very dry with 

 no dews: the result can easily he 

 imagined. I had but 160 lbs. of sur- 

 plus honey and no increase. Would 



