138 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



some signs of dysentery, while those fed 

 on sugar syrup seemed the strongest and 

 liealthiest. If any person can invent a 

 machine to miilie good artificial combs 

 that the bees will use, I will buy a right 

 if it does not cost more than five thousand 

 dollars. D. A. Jones. 



Tecumseth, Ont. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



A Sad History. 



Quinby says, give us both sides of the 

 question. AYell, here it is, although it 

 makes me sick to think of it. Six years 

 ago I commenced with six stocks of Ital- 

 ians, with black bees all around me. One 

 man about i mile from me had 80 stocks, 

 another two miles on the other side, had 

 20 odd, and another 21. 



The summer of '6U was very wet and 

 cold, and bees stored very little honey, 

 by feeding, I kept all mine through the 

 winter of 'G9 and '70, and came out with 

 13 stocks, but one lost its queen which left 

 me 12 to begin with, while my neighbor 

 had his original number 30. The summer 

 of 'TO was an extra season, and I increas- 

 ed to over 40 ; wintered in cellar all right ; 

 '71 increased to over 70 stocks, when I 

 was ahead of any of my neighbors. Built 

 a bee-house which cost about $200.00. 



But instead of wintering as formerly, 

 I removed the honey board on putting 

 them into cellar and bee-house, left caps 

 on and lost over half, having but 35 

 stocks left to commence '72 with. This 

 is a part of the dark side ; as I was teach- 

 ing in this village at a salary of $750.00 

 I was able to stand it and thought I 

 learned that year more than any of my 

 pupils. I read an article in the April No. 

 of the American Bee Journal by ]\Irs. 

 E. S. Tupper, which confirmed me in the 

 belief that too much upward ventilation 

 was the cause, or (as Mr. Quinby calls it, 

 cold was the cause.) 



In the winter of '72 and '73, I removed 

 one slat from honey board and put in cel- 

 lar and bee-house, and came out all right, 

 although the winter was very cold, so that 

 more than half the bees around me died. 

 I liked the cellar the best because it was 

 warmer in wiucer and cooler in summer. 

 The summer of '73 my bees did not 

 swarm much, but did well gathering 

 honey, for this locality, averaging over 

 $7.00 a hive. I sold my honey at my 

 bee-house for 30 cents per pound ; the 

 buyer crating it. 



In the winter of '73 and '74, I wintered 

 65 stocks as described, and did not lose 

 one, sold two. Had a cold spring and 

 bees did not do much until after the mid- 



dle of June, when the honey season com- 

 menced, soon after swarming ; and then 

 there was nothing but swarming and par- 

 tially filled with boxes. The basswood 

 blossomed on the 12th day of July, and 

 lasted till the 25th ; on which day my 

 first swarm of the season sent out a large 

 swarm, but a storm the next day wound 

 up the basswood. 



My rule was to put four small swarms 

 in one hive, and one or two with a strong 

 one, by which means I had strong stocks. 

 I had a stock or (swarm) hived the 17th 

 of July, fill 10 frames 8x16^^ inches, in- 

 side measure, and from 10 to 15 pounds 

 in eight days. I had the nicest apiary in 

 this part of the State, and put them away 

 as usual (12 stocks) half in bee-house and 

 the rest in cellar except one in double 

 walled hive which I wintered outside. 



My cellar is generally too warm for 

 fruit and vegetables, but froze some last 

 winter, and bee-house a good deal. Took 

 bees out of house in February, and let 

 them have a good fly, found three dead, 

 put them back as soon as the winter -be- 

 came cold. 



On the 30th of March, the stock out- 

 side was carrying in pollen, Igothelpand 

 cairied out of cellars, &c. Hives heavy, 

 and most seemed to have plenty of bees, 

 I remarked more than usual. We had 

 one week splendid weather, and we were 

 joyous, (the bees and I), but after they 

 had been out 18 days, a change came on, 

 but we thought every day would be the 

 last. But alas, we were mistaken, and 

 when warm weather came, I found my 

 apiary ruined, and with it all means of 

 support cut oft" as I have poor health and 

 a crippled right hand. Some froze to 

 death, but a great many came out of the 

 hive and united with others, and of course, 

 many were slaughtered. 



I am nearly discouraged ; a thousand 

 dollars would not make me good. I 

 never lost any before, after carrying out. 

 I have a house and lot which 1 cannot dis- 

 pose of at present without sacrificing half. 

 I love bees and dislike to give them up. 



Will some one answer the following : 

 Is Southern California the best place to go 

 to keep bees for box honey ? Will the 

 honey raised there sell well in our mar- 

 ket? What can Italian bees in Lang- 

 stroth hives be purchased there for? 

 What would be safe estimate (net cash), 

 per hive box honey ? Could I go in there, 

 a stranger, and find a location without 

 ditficuUy? What is the expense of ship- 

 jiiiig honey from San Diego to Chicago ? 

 What the address of Editor of Culiforrda 

 Farmer 'i 



I find a dillerence of opinion, r.s for 

 instance : IT. Goeppcr , in tl:e Ji.'y No. 



