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even though the colony be not a strong 

 cue. 



Stocks tliat have SAvarmed should be ex- 

 amined, to see if they have fertile queens. 

 Though a sight of the queen may not be 

 obtained, yet the presence in the hive of 

 of eggs and larvte may be taken as evi- 

 dence that there is one. Queeuless colon- 

 ies should be supplied with a queen-cell at 

 once, and, if necessary, strengthened with 

 bees and honey. It is well to have some 

 surplus queens on hand to give to queenless 

 colonies, even if they are not as pure as 

 could be wished. "Better is a living dog 

 than a dead lion." A common stock can 

 be Italianized another year, but an extinct 

 stock is a dead loss. 



A careful inventory should how be taken 

 of the condition of the apiary as to stores 

 for the CDming winter. Such hives as 

 need feec.in^ should be marked, and pre- 

 parations made to give their inmates an 

 opportunity of laying in what additional 

 supplies may be needed. They must be 

 furnished with syrup or whatever food it is 

 determined to give them, before the nights 

 get too cool to admit of their working. To 

 guard against robbing, which is very apt to 

 take place during the feeding process, they 

 should be fed in the evening, so that before 

 morning their task of storing will be done, 

 and no unusual stir be observed by other 

 bees, else marauders will be attracted, bat- 

 tles fought, and stores pillaged. If any 

 stocks are weak in numbers, as well as de- 

 ficient in stores, feeding will have a ten- 

 dency to stinmlate the queen to lay, and the 

 hives will become recruited with young 

 bees, before winter sets in. C. 



Honey Resources of the Prairie. 



The question very frequently comes to us, 

 "Can bees be kept on the virgin prairies of 

 the West?" The impression seems to be gen- 

 eral that away from timber there is little for 

 bees to gather after May. This may be true 

 in a measure; after the prairies are settled up 

 and many cattle are kept that eat the pasture 

 close— weeds, flowers and all. But on tiie new 

 prairies there will be found most abundant 

 bloom, all kinds of which alfurd honey in 

 lioney weather. Keports from those who 

 have tried keeping bees in new sections of 

 the AVest have been good, invariably. On a 

 recent trip by stage, over a hundred miles or 



more of prairie, fellow-passengers remarked 

 "there was no chance for bees here, away 

 from even the sight of a tree!" We called at- 

 tention to the flowers on every hand, of sev- 

 eral varieties, besides the countless acres of 

 Golden liod in every stage, froni bud to full 

 bloom. We did not cross one half mile of 

 prairie that could not afford honey for 30 or 

 30 colonies. 



In the Spring there are numerous oilier 

 honey-produ( ing flowers, giving good success 

 throughout the season— except it may be in 

 July. 



We are of the impression that no quarter 

 section of prairie can be found where bees 

 may not be kept with profit by following di- 

 rections often given, providing water and 

 keeping only strong colonies. 



If the country is settled up— unless clover 

 is raised— other honey plants must be provided 

 to take the places of those destroyed by cattle 

 — but while the praiiie is new we warrant 

 success. 



The income of four or five stands of bees 

 and the honey afl'orded for tiie family wculd 

 make a most valuable addition to the comfort 

 of the "home trade." T. 



Seasonable Hints. 



More of the success in wintering bees de- 

 pends on their care in Septeiuber than a 

 "Novice" would easily believe. The way 

 with many is to "guess they are all right," 

 and let them alone, until it is too late in the 

 season to make any changes to good advan- 

 tage. As soon as frost comes the honey secre- 

 tion ceases, and no more can be expected froiu 

 bees for the season. 



An examination of all stocks should be 

 made before that time, as it is much easier 

 doing it while they are still flying briskly. 

 Some hives will be found to.have a good pro- 

 portion of bees and honey, and may be marked 

 as safe for winter. Others may have bees and 

 comb enough with scanty stores; these may 

 profitably be fed some sugar-syrup or honey, 

 and will then )nake good colonies for the 

 winter. 



If there are any hives half full of comb, 

 and with too few bees for safety, they may 

 be united, and two of them will make one 

 of more value than any number of weak ones 

 that are sure to perish during winter, unless 

 extra pains are taken with them. 



There is no trouble in uniting two or more 

 colonies. "When the bees of both are alarmed 

 and induced to fill themselves with honey, 

 they will unite peaceably. 



Our way is: To take away the (lueen of one 

 of the colonies to be united a few days before 

 doing it; then thoroughly smoke or sprinkle 

 the bees of both hives; select the best and 



