Correspondence. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



The Prospect for a Honey Harvest. 



J. N. M'COLM. 



My bees have come through the win- 

 ter in fair condition, but my prediction 

 is that Wisconsin will have no honey to 

 brag of this year. The last three months 

 have been a continual freezing and 

 thawing ; the result is that our clover 

 and dandelion are practically used up, 

 so that we will get but little benefit from 

 them. And, as it is the off year for 

 basswood bloom, you see that our chance 

 is slim. 



The first natural pollen made its ap- 

 pearance yesterday. We believe with 

 Mr. Heddon, that the bee business is 

 nearly overdone ; at least, the " supply 

 business." Nearly every mail brings 

 us a "circular" from some "enthusi- 

 ast," and if this thing continues we 

 shall have a load of paper rags before 

 the close of the year. Our prediction 

 in regard to the latter subject is that 

 one-half of the supply dealers will be 

 driven out of the business in less than 

 three years, from want of patronage. 

 The production of honey will not sus- 

 tain so many. 



Plymouth, Wis., April 5, 1880. 



[In Wisconsin and Northern Illinois 

 we have heard that the clover has been 

 injured— but the question is, to what ex- 

 tent ? We should be glad to hear from 

 bee-keepers on this point. Also, is it 

 so in other localities ? It does not ap- 

 pear to be injured around this city, 

 though it is late in springing up. — Ed.] 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Do We Need More Bee Papers? 



JOHN F. BEAN. 



Bee-keepers in this section read with 

 regret the unjust and uncalled for res- 

 olutions of the "Northeastern Bee- 

 Keepers' Association." We were really 

 pained to see such a spirit manifested 

 by any one, and surprised to think that 

 an association possessed of so much in- 

 telligence should be guilty of such an 

 act of injustice, and that, too, without 

 any foundation whatever. 



We do not see why an editor of a bee 

 journal should not deal in supplies ; in 

 fact we really think he ought to^because 

 he is able to judge of the merits of 



everything pertaining to bee culture. 

 He also has a right, and we consider it 

 a duty he owes to his readers, to devote 

 a reasonable amount of space in adver- 

 tising those supplies and in bringing 

 before his readers everything that is 

 new and valuable. We iook to him to 

 bring all valuable inventions to our no- 

 tice ; to criticise them in a just man- 

 ner ; and, if worthy, we are glad to know 

 we can send our money to a responsible 

 dealer and get due returns. 



We are fully convinced that the col- 

 umns of the American Bee Journal 

 are open to all bee-keepers, and articles 

 worthy of publication and of real inter- 

 est to its readers, and not written in the 

 interest of or through some selfish mo- 

 tive, receive due notice. 



We neither desire nor do we need a 

 co-operative bee journal. It would be 

 impossible to run a journal on the plan 

 proposed by our Eastern friends. May 

 I be permitted to ask if it was not " sel- 

 fishness " that prompted them to advo- 

 cate a co-operative journal ? We hope 

 they will reconsider this matter, ac- 

 knowledge to the world that they have 

 acted unwisely, and make due amends 

 for their hasty proceedings. One thing 

 is certain : such resolutions instead of 

 being an injury to the American Bee 

 Journal will only build up its list of 

 subscribers, and cause its many read- 

 ers to stick to it closer than ever. 



Allow me, before closing this, to say, 

 we were truly glad to see the able man- 

 ner in which the editor of the Bee 

 Journal treated the unjust accusa- 

 tions brought against him and the 

 Journal. 



Mt Sterling, Ky., April 15, 1880. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Increase, After-Swarms, Etc. 



JAMES HEDDON. 



I have been somewhat edified lately 

 in reading various methods of increasing 

 stocks of bees. I have been led to the 

 following conclusions by my experience: 



So long as honey brings the figures 

 it has commanded the past season, and 

 bees their present price, it is to the ad- 

 vantage of most apiarists who produce 

 honey for an income, to do all in their 

 power, consistently, to prevent increase. 

 So far as my experience goes, I must 

 say that I know of no practical prevent- 

 ives except shade and plenty of room at 

 all times. There are many other meth- 

 ods equally certain, but they are either 

 injurious or too laborious and expensive 

 to be practically successful. Well, if 

 you do not want any increase, you will 



