iJtii!i AM±iltiUAiN JiJj^Jjj JUUKJNAL. 



21b 



^llje^mcncan gjn journal 



W. F. CLARKE. 

 Mrs. E. 8. TLUTEK, 



EDlTOliS. 



SEPTEMBER, 1S74. 



CONTENTS. 



i?l>riiig DwiiulHiig li'5 



S^(>nn.''Nt'\v Thing l-*-") 



Sale (if Honey l-'S 



Ki'poit of ni V Aiiiary 1!'6 



Kew Method of W interin- lilU 



Chips : 1''7 



Scraps 1-'^ 



NViiiteriug Bees I'H) 



Wy Report l'-'9 



How to sret rid of Drones SOO 



^Vintel■illtr Observations 300 



Chips from Sweet Home 201, 208 



Mv Experience 201 



Bee Notes 202 



Hints from Bee-Keepers 203 



When Bee-Keepiug don't pay 203 



Successful Bee-Keepiuy 203 



Wliere Linden grows 204 



Is Success Attailiable 304 



Southern Bee Notes 205 



Moving Bees in Winter 205 



Wintering and Springing 206 



Bees and Grapes Again 207 



Jefierson County Meeting 207 



A Proposition 208 



Notes and Queries 209 



^^'ork for the Month 215 



Seasonable Hints 216 



Honey Kesonrces of the Prairie 216 



Voices from Among the Hives 217 



Please Report 217 



Work for the Month. 



Kow is the time to look after surplus 

 honey. Little or iioue will be stored dur- 

 ing the remainder of the season, except 

 where buckwheat abounds. "Where there 

 is abundance of buckwheat, it is well to 

 empty the combs by the use of the extract- 

 or, and leave the bees to store up the buck- 

 wheat honey for themselves. They appear 

 to like it, and to thrive on it, quite as well 

 as on that which is more desirable for ta- 

 ble use. 



No good end is gained by leaving honey 

 boxes in the hive after they are filled. 

 Some think it is a protection against the 

 moth miller, but better protection can be 

 secured by removing them to a dry, cool 

 cellar. Should any moth eggs hatch, the 

 larvae can be quickly destroyed by a dose 

 of brimstone smoke. If boxes of honey 

 are left in the hive, they are apt to depre- 

 ciate in value, owing to their becoming 

 dark in color, as the result of the bees run- 

 ning over the combs. Not unfrequently, 



too, the surplus honey is all carried below, 

 to the suriirise and disappointment of the 

 overconfidiug bee-keeper. 



It is therefore on various accounts desir- 

 able to remove the sulphur boxes as soon 

 as the cells are filled and sealed over. 



There are several ways of doing this, 

 but the method adopted by Captain Ilether- 

 ington is as good as any, and better than 

 some. It is as follows : — Slip two pieces 

 of tin under the box, tlien remove the box 

 with one tin, which will keep the bees in, 

 while the other tin will keep the bees from 

 coming up from the hive below. Now 

 turn the box bottom up on a board and 

 place an empty box on it, removing the tin 

 to let the bees puss up into the empty box. 

 Remove and treat all the full boxes in the 

 same way, rapping on them if necessary to 

 force the bees to go up into the empty 

 boxes, then slip the tin under each box and 

 place them on the hive, when both tins 

 should be withdrawn. Any boxes in which 

 a few bees remain may be placed in a dark 

 room with a small window, or a tub or 

 barrel, covered by a thin cloth, which 

 should be occasionally turned over to allow 

 the bees clustering on the under side to re- 

 turn to the hive. Paste a paper over the 

 holes in the boxes to keep out bees, ants, 

 or moth-millers. 



There is never any difficulty about sel- 

 ling nice, fresh, white, virgin honey, stored 

 in clean boxes, and look so lusciously 

 tempting that even an ascetic might be ex- 

 pected to bid a liberal price for it. While 

 broken and black looking honey goes a 

 begging for a market, box-honey in A 1 

 condition is always in demand. Generally 

 speaking, as with other products of the 

 farm, so with this, it is well to seize the 

 early market. But very little is gained by 

 holding over for better prices. Often there 

 is waste and loss as the result of delay. 



When the yield of honey fails, it is well 

 to take precautions against robbing, especi- 

 allly in the case of weak stocks. Contract- 

 ing the entrance will usually prevent this 

 trouble. Bees are brave defenders of their 

 citadels, if they have a chance to resist 

 attact. Too wide an entrance gives the 

 advantage to an invadading force. Make 

 the entrance a ThcnnophyUe, and the bees 

 will defend it valiantly and successfully, 



