256 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



but learn how to attain success under dif- 

 ficulties, we may yet hope to make the 

 honey-bee a success in this State. 



M. A. O'Neil. 

 Douglas Co., Kansas, Sep. 24, 1875. 



Dear Journal: — In response to your 

 enquiries, let me saj"-: 



1st. I commenced in the spring with 

 five colonies, (Italians); have taken about 

 150 lbs. of comb-honey, and increased to 

 28 hives, one of which is working in top 

 boxes, and several others now ready for 

 surplus boxes. I have had but tliree 

 natural swarms this year, all the rest being 

 artificial. 



2d. Prospect good for the balance of 

 the season, which will last to Dec. 1st., 

 and possibly until Christmas. 



3d. I cannot say with any degree ot 

 certainty what are our best honey-pro- 

 ducing plants. The Spanish persimmon, 

 mezquite and anagua seem to be the favor- 

 ites of the little workers, but they do not 

 last very long; varying with the season 

 from one to two weeks. The mezquite 

 and anagua bloom twice during the year, 

 spring and fall. 



4th. We have countless varieties of 

 wild flowers from which the bees gathered 

 honey from early in February until the 

 15th or 20th of Dec. You can see from 

 my success that this is a bee-country. I 

 think that if I had used the extractor, I 

 could hav(! slill further increased my 

 stocks, and saved several times as much 

 honey, as the honey has been in the w^ay 

 of the queen all the season. 



J. W. Dunn. 



Corpus Christi, Texas, Sept. 13, 1875. 



continues till July. Buckwheat begins to 

 bloom about June 1st, and continues till 

 the last of October. Geo. B. Wallace. 

 San Bernandino, Cal., Sept. 18, 1875. 



1st. Very good. Hives that did not 

 swarm gave me one hundred pounds box- 

 honey. My stock hives all gave two 

 swarms each, and some of them gave 

 thi'ee. 



2d. No more surplus honey this sea;?on ; 

 my bees being kept in the city, I have not 

 the benefit of buckwheat. 



3d. Dandelion, fruit and white clover. 



4th. Dandelion blooms April 11th; 

 fruit blooms about the last of April ; white 

 clover blooms May lOtli, and continues 

 until about August 1st. Tnos. Bkasel. 



Portland, Oregon, Sept. 18, 1875. 



Dear Sir: — In compliance with your 

 request under special : 



1st. We have had but few swarms, and 

 from 200 hives we have taken only 32 lbs. 

 honey. 



2d. We only expect to divide and make 

 swarms. 



3d. Mountain clover white ^age, and 

 buckwheat are tlie three best honey-plants. 

 Mountain clover begins to bloom the last 

 of March, and continues until the middle 

 of May. While sage begins May Isl, and 



I commenced the season with 16 stands 

 of bees, in good condition. I think I 

 never saw hives so full of brood as they 

 were in the early part of the season, and 

 the prospect w^as flattering; but a cold 

 spell in April killed the fruit bloom ; then 

 followed a dearth, which completely used 

 up the white clover. 



We had honey-dew for some time in 

 June, which seemed to deceive the bees 

 in regard to the season, as I had quite a 

 number of swarms, some of which were 

 returned to the parent stocks. 



The latter part of the season has been 

 poor. Buckwheat and fall flowers yield- 

 ing scarcely anything. Result, 24 stocks 

 of bees, withouthalf enough to winter on. 

 I have united some stocks, and am feeding 

 for winter, and hoping for better times. 



The principal honey-plant in this sec- 

 tion is white clover. Linn is not plentj"-, 

 and buckwheat seems to yield but little 

 honey. C. P. McClure. 



Allegheny Co., Pa., Sept. 27, 1875. 



Dear Editor: — In response to queries 

 in September number: — 



1st. A year ago I bought 100 stands of 

 bees in Langstroth hives, as used here. 

 Increased mainly by artificial swarming. 

 Lost some of the old stock and some of 

 the new swarms. Have now about 140 

 stands. But little surplus honey. What 

 I have, was taken from brood-combs. 

 Heavy frosts in April, and want of spring- 

 rains, cause of failure of honey this year. 

 I live between 20 and 30 miles from the 

 coast. Near the coast the frost did no 

 damage, (see "Amateur's" reports in Aug. 

 and Sept. No.) 



2d. Will get no surplus after this. 

 Some stocks will have to be fed. Bees 

 may yet store some honey from flea-weed, 

 and a few other fall flowers. Breeding 

 well, and carrying in plenty of pollen. 



3d. AVliite sage, sumac, and j'ellow or 

 wild alfalfa. 



4th. Sage generally commences some 

 time in May, and lasts about six weeks. 

 Sumac comes in, rigiit after sage, and lasts 

 till the latter part of July. Wild alfalfa 

 blooms at same time as both the former. 



This year the barberry or buckbush has 

 given more honey, and bloomed longer 

 than any other plant in my neighborhood. 

 Wm. Mutu Rasmussen. 



Los Angeles Co., Cal., Sept. 17, 1875. 



Dear Editor : — Last year I went into 

 winter quarters with 30 colonies; si.x were 

 short ot provisions, and died. During 

 the spring we lost three colonies; the bees 

 left their hives and united with others. 

 That left twenty-one swarms, which I had 



