385 



iiixni the unthinking as substitutes, 

 when the proof is wanting. 



When to Buy a Machine. 



This depends upon how much founda- 

 tion will be required, and at how low a 

 iigure it can be purchased. After 

 taking into consideration the capital 

 required to be invested in press, boilers, 

 room, etc., each bee-keeper should be 

 a I ile to decide that for himself. Mr. 

 Xebis thinks 200 colonies warrant the 

 ownership of a mill. At the low job- 

 bing prices of foundation^ I think he is 

 about right: but as the press is not 

 mine expensive than the roller ma- 

 chines, and as it puts the foundation in 

 the wired frames, too, I think 100 colo- 

 nies warrants an ownership. Unless 

 bee-keepers can buy foundation at rea- 

 sonable prices, it would pay to purchase 

 a press for 25 colonies. 



Many have used foundation more ex- 

 tensively than I. I am writing for the 

 benefit of those who are newer at the 

 business, and know less of this subject, 

 and because it is a luxury to communi- 

 cate to others what we conceive to be 

 truth. 



Here are two facts from my expe- 

 rience book : Drone foundation is in no 

 place as good as worker— bees work it 

 more slowly. The best way to fasten 

 foundation to sections and boxes is by 

 pressing on with a honeyed putty-knife. 



I send the accompanying samples to 

 the Bee Journal Museum, to aid in 

 showing what I am writing about. 

 Things seen make a more lasting im- 

 pression than those heard of. 



While I feel thankful to all those who 

 have aided in the perfection of founda- 

 tion and- methods of applying it, from 

 tacking it to the top-bar with a stick, up 

 to the Given press, I cannot but feel 

 sorry that the supply field is so full of 

 ci uiscienceless men. Adulterated foun- 

 dation kept me back 3 years. Do not 

 do it ; it is not best for you. Do not use 

 snap about its manufacture. Do not 

 send out sampies that are better than 

 the goods. Better die a financial fail- 

 ure, than have lived a continual disap- 

 pointment. 

 Dowagiac, Mich., July 6, 1880. 



[Mr. Heddon's samples came to hand 

 duly and are placed in our museum. 

 They are very fine and well made. The 

 wax is of a bright color* and all the 

 cells of one that has been in the hive 

 are draw out evenly, presenting the 

 same appearance over the wires as else- 

 where. The piece of thin (10 square 

 feet to the lb.) is very nice, the base of 

 the cells being exceedingly thin, while 



the lines of the side walls are thick, 

 placing the wax where it is just ready 

 to be drawn out by the bees. Our ex- 

 periments with comb foundation are 

 reported in the editorial pages.— Ed.] 



For the American Bee Journal. 



The Queen Duplication Trial. 



D. A. PIKE. 



After getting the July Bee Journal 

 and seeing Mr. Moon's* article on page 

 320, I sent him the following letter 

 about July 5 : 



Mr. A. F. Moon : If you will look at 

 your proposition in the American Bee 

 Journal for September, you will find this 

 sentence, which we think good English: 

 "And still further, we bind ourselves to 

 pay the committee for the trouhle of 

 making the test requested." We can un- 

 derstand that in but one way. We have 

 accepted your proposition, as you gave 

 it. If you mean to stand by it, do so ; if 

 not, "forever hold your peace," and draw 

 in your flag. D. A. Pike. 



Since that time I have awaited his 

 answer, hoping to find out whether he 

 meant to stand by his proposition or 

 not. I fear that he means to back down 

 from it. Any one who will read the 

 proposition made by Mr. Moon, in the 

 September number of this Journal 

 (page 400), and then turn to his article 

 in the July number (page 320), will see 

 that Mr. Moon is trying to creep away 

 from his proposition, in which nothing 

 is- said of the one accepting bearing part 

 of the expenses or of paying anything. 

 He now wishes to bind me to paysTo in 

 case of failure. I consider that his way 

 to withdraw the original proposition, 

 and shall dismiss the subject. 



Smithsburg, Md., July 16, 1880. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Absconding Queens. 



j. d. hill. 



I noticed a letter in July number of 

 the Journal entitled " Wonderful In- 

 stinct of Queen Bees," by R. M. Argo, 

 Lowell, Ky. I have had some experi- 

 ence with queens flying away, but in 

 regard to their returning to the place 

 where they left my experience varies 

 very much from that of Mr. Argo. 



The first case I had of this kind was 

 about the 1st of last May. with a black 

 queen. I opened the hive to clip the 

 queen's wing, and, it being a native col- 

 onv, as usual. I had much difficulty in 

 finding her. I examined all the combs 



