52 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[Sept. 



" I don't think it hurt her much," remarked 

 Nellie, somewhat commiseratingly. 



" Perhaps not," physically speaking ; " but 

 only look at her ! Think of the indignity — of 

 the injury to her feelings!" 



"Well, she is very quiet about it," said 

 Nellie. " She has stopped buzzing entirely." 



" ' Stopped buzzing.' What are you thinking 

 of? I should think she well might without 

 wings," I indignantly answered. 



Whereupon Nellie laughed, partly at herself 

 and partly at me, and then, with composure 

 somewhat restored, we went back to our work. 

 A partially detached branch, to which a con- 

 siderable number of bees were clinging, we cut 

 off; and proceeded to shake off the bees in 

 detachments at the other hives where they were 

 cordially enough received. But the greater 

 part, with their poor, maimed queen, were put 

 back in their own hive and returned to their 

 stand. 



Next day, about ten a. m., our wilful 

 ' maiden' swarm again came forth, but this time 

 we were not greatly surprised, and of course, 

 under the circumstances, were not greatly 

 alarmed. Nellie inquired if I was very sorry, 

 now, that Rebecca had no wings. 



Her we found at the verge of the alighting 

 board, and secured, until the bees, who scatter- 

 ed themselves far and near throughout the 

 clearing, began to return, when we allowed her 

 to go in among them. 



This ends — we are confident that it ends the 

 story of our swarming experiences for this 

 season. Cyula Linswik. 



[For the American Bee Journal] 



Letter From Kansas. 



Editor Journal. — We have to report a poor 

 season here up to this writing : even worse than 

 last year, which was the worst we have had for 

 a number of years. There is time yet, however, 

 for bees to lay uj) a good supply for the winter, 

 and a reasonable surplus to all stocks that are 

 strong in numbers. Some seasons we have 

 known large quantities of honey gathered in 

 October. We never expect any surplus here 

 before August and September. The suromer 

 mouths, as a general thing, are too hot and dry 

 for the bees to gather more than a living. 



Are ventilators a humbug? They are unless 

 you know how to make them so the bees will 

 uot gum the wire cloth over and close them. 

 We find that they are very convenient during 

 the hot summer months when the bees are com- 

 pelled to leave the hive unless they are venti- 

 lated and cluster on the outside. Now we would 

 like to tell Novice how to make a ventihitor that 

 the bees will not close. We make them by 

 putting an inch hole in the rear of the hive near 

 the top, opposite the entrance, and put the wire 

 cloth on the outside of the hive, just let in 

 enough so that a button will cover the hole 



without rubbing on the wire. We have had 

 ventilators of this kind in use several years and 

 none of them has ever been closed in the least, 

 with gum by the bees. But when we started 

 out in the ventilator business we put the cloth 

 on the inside and in every case it was closed up 

 as soon as the bees reached it. 



We have got one idea from Novice that was 

 valuable to us, and we are willing that he should 

 know how to make a ventilator that is not a 

 humbug. 



N. Cameron. 



Lamrence, Kan., Aug. 11, 1873. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Bees by Mail. 



Mr. Editor : — " Bees by mail " is a question 

 of importance to queen raisers. How are they 

 to convince the Postmaster General that his 

 decision is unjust, and obtain a favorable ruling 

 from him? We submit the following: 



That you, Mr. Editor, should jjublish in your 

 Journal the form of a petition to be sent to the 

 Postmaster General. That the other bee journ- 

 als be asked to copy it, and that queen raisers 

 be requested to send or bring these petitions to 

 the next meeting of the N. A. B. Society with 

 all the signers they may be able to obtain, and 

 especially the signatures of their postmas- 

 ters, and these petitions, together with one from 

 the N. A. B. Society, and a sample mailing box 

 be sent to the P. M. G. Something of this kind 

 may secure the mails to bee-keepers. A little 

 I^rompt action on the part of those interested 

 will accomplish this before another season 

 comes. H. C. Cowan. 



Oxford, Ohio, Aug. 12, 1873. 



Bee-Stings. — A corrrespondent of the Gard- 

 ener'' s Magazine writes as follows : " On the 15th 

 of April last, a young man, employed near bees, 

 had the misfortune of being stung. No remedy 

 being near at hand, I remembered Mr. Gordon's 

 note on the cure of bee-stings, at page 461 of 

 the Gardener's Magazine for 1873. I recom- 

 mended him to apply the common soil to the 

 wound, as described by Mr. Gordon, and it im- 

 mediately relieved the pain and prevented the 

 swelling. Such a receipt is of more value than 

 gold, to all who have anything to do with bees. 

 I formerly used common blue for bee-stings, 

 but common soil is preferable." 



In a word, if you desire to have your bees 

 thrive,andprosper,keep them well from wind and 

 wet, heat and cold, destroy their enemies ; and let 

 them enjoy a sufficiency of food gotten by 

 their industry ; and if their be a want in some, 

 timely supply them, and doubt not of, by God's 

 blessing on your endeavors, the increase and 

 prosjDerity of your bees. 



Purchas. 



