For the American Bee Journal. 



Where the Linden grows. 



Dear Jouknal : Oue of your corres- 

 poadents (R.H.M. I think), wishes to know 

 uow far south the Linden grows. I am on 

 the high ridge of land or " divide" between 

 the liead-waters of the Guadalupe and the 

 Piedronalis, about two thousand feet above 

 the Gulf, iu lat. 30 deg. ; and a dwarf or 

 mountain linden grows on all the creeks 

 that flow from the " divide" into these two 

 rivers. It lias never been seen any lower 

 down than tiiis, that I know of. I sent to 

 Michigan last March for 50 linden cuttings 

 and set them out in San Antoniii (lat. 29, 

 30 deg., and 750 ft. above the Gulf) and 

 they all perished though I mulched them 

 and kept them well watered. I think the 

 season was too far advanced and intend 

 trying some more this fall. The " divide " 

 is a fine range for bees. I have known 

 one person to have as many as 7 trees at 

 one time, standing in the forest, which he 

 had found by coursiug wild bees from 

 water, and I obtained my dozen swarms to 

 start with this spring for nothing. 



Texas. S. J. Newcomb. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Success in Wintering. Is it 

 Attainable? 



Probably no other topic in connection 

 with apiculture has of late been the subject 

 of such extensive experiment and thorough 

 investigation, as the one which heads our 

 article. In view of the heavy losses which 

 have been sustained by American apiaians 

 during the past three years, the interroga- 

 tion — Is success attainable ? — has become 

 one of no small significance. We believe 

 it requires no argument to convince any 

 candid mind, that the cause of apiculture 

 in our country must m\iterially sutt'er, un- 

 less some method shall be devised that will 

 insure more uniform success in " Winter 

 Bee-Keepiug " than has been attained dur- 

 ing the past few years. 'Tis true that we 

 do not lack for theory to account for these 

 losses in wintering, and demonstrate how 

 the way henceforth be avoided. But the 

 simple fact that many apiaries have again 

 been deciinalecl by that fell destroyer, de- 

 signated as the " bee disease," is sufficient 

 evidence that there is yet abundant need of 

 further investigation. 



Sugar syrup which was announced with 

 such a llourisii of trumpets, as being the 

 panacea, per se, for all our troubles, has 

 been tried and found wanting. A uniform- 

 ly warm tem])erature has done better, 

 though not a specific for the " bee disease." 

 And so of other theories ; none have prov- 

 ed universally successful. 



Please tlou't infer from the above, that 



we intend to convey the impression that no 

 one has succeeded. But we do say that in 

 sections where the bee disease has prevail- 

 ed many have failed, despite extra care and 

 exertion to secure the conditions necessary 

 to success. 



Really then, is success — complete uni- 

 form success — attainable? We believe it 

 is, 2^fovided the requisite conditions are 

 complied with. But what are these condi- 

 tions ? 



According to our best authorities, W'e 

 might enumerate an abundance of whole- 

 some food, prolific queens, young bees, 

 empty comb in the brood nest, a uniform 

 temperature of 40 degrees Farenheit, and 



well, " you know the rest." But are 



these all ? Let us see. Bees we are told 

 are "natives of warm climate," where 

 polar Masts and arctic's cold is unknown ; 

 where their joyful, busy hum is heard 

 alike in dreary January or bright July. 

 Notwithstanding this fact, the honey bee 

 has vied with man himself in manifesting 

 qualities, characteristically cosmopolitan ; 

 having with him become acclimated to 

 many an uncongenial clime. Yet for all 

 this, a fearful mortality has ever and anon, 

 decimated the ranks of " bee-dom " iu our 

 more northern latitude, blasting fond hopes 

 and depleting unfilled purses. This has no 

 doubt often been the sequence of careless- 

 ness and ignorance, though of late the 

 destroyer has often baffled the hand of 

 skill and science. But must these scenes 

 of desolation be witnessed with the return 

 of each succeeding winter? Is there no 

 "safe retreat" by which success maybe 

 attained? Or, are the conditiotis necessary 

 to success unattainable ? 



After devoting much time and thought 

 to the investigation of this ])roblem, we 

 arrived at this conclusion, regarding its 

 solution : complete succesi is to be attained 

 only by approximating the conditions which, 

 surround the bee i7i its native clime. This 

 involves a point which seems to have 

 hitherto escaped the discriminating discer- 

 ment and analytical acumen which has 

 characterized the modern Yankee investi- 

 gator ; supply natural conditions and suc- 

 cess is yours. But this is impossible. How 

 are we to arrange our bees so that they 

 may fly in December, January, and Febru- 

 ary wliere the mercury will jiersist in 

 neighboring with Zero? Away with your 

 vain tanlalliziiig theories, 'tis impossible. 



Be patient dear reader and we'll explain. 

 We, too, thought 'twas impossible, but 

 were mistaken ; and here's how we ascer- 

 tained the fact. 



A friend, by name of H. (we withold his 

 real name and address, to save him the 

 annoyance of "a thousand and one " inter- 

 rogations) thought if he could manage to 

 give his bees an occasioaal " airing" during 



