THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



35 



your neighbors the deaired quantity on 

 condition that if tlicy trrow them success- 

 fully they have them free; but if they ne- 

 glect them and let them die, they to pay 

 you cost price. The seeds are to be sown 

 in drills, and cultivated one year, then 

 transplanted, setting from 8 to 14 feet 

 apart each way. The seed will also grow 

 if strewn among timber, along fences, etc. 



The Wild China is also a good honey- 

 yielding tree, nearly or quite equal to the 

 above; but we do not think it will stand 

 our severe winters. 



We will answer questions concerning 

 plants in the best way we can, if cor- 

 respondents will remember to enclose the 

 necessary postage. 



We are aware that some of the above 

 remarks are at variance with the opinion 

 of some of our brother beekeepers, but 

 they will please remember that the atmos- 

 phere and climate at times change even 

 our most reliable honey-producing plants 

 and trees. C. F. Lane. 



Koshkonong, Wis. 



For ttie American Bee Journal. 



What is the Cause of it? 



Mr. Newman: After traveling for two 

 years and visiting many experienced and 

 professional bee-keepers, and listened to 

 their reports in reference to their success, 

 I have come to the conclusion that there 

 is much yet to be learned before bee- 

 keeping wi'.l be made a success. A ma- 

 jority give an unfavorable report, saying, 

 " My bees are not doing as well as they 

 did some four years past." 



That being true there must be some- 

 thing wrong. The question arises: What 

 has been the cause of such a general fail- 

 ure? Have the bees lost their instinct? 

 Have they been indolent and lazy ? Have 

 they lost their desire to propagate their 

 young and to lay up stores for future use ? 

 Has nature failed to supply the blossoms 

 with nectar? Certainly not! There may 

 be a difference in the seasons, but not so 

 great as to make a failure, if properly 

 cared for. It cannot be supposed that 

 such a change has been brought about. 

 The many different hives that have been 

 made; the new theories that have been 

 introduced, and the management they 

 have received, do not give much credit in 

 favor of improvement. The convenience 

 of the hive and the manner they are at- 

 tended has much to do with their success. 

 The lack of knowledge, the management 

 and the many humbugs put on the people 

 here caused them to become disgusted 

 and discouraged. 



Many hives, got up by inexperienced 

 bee-keepers, are no more fit for bees than 

 for a hog trough, and all you can say 

 about them is that they are different from 

 some other hive. I have examined a 

 great variety ; some have real merit, while 



many others are entirely worthless, ex- 

 cept for hens to nest in, or for store boxes. 

 The majoritv of hives are so constructed 

 that it is impossible to discover any 

 superior advantages. 



A bee-hive should be constructed so as 

 to cover all the wauls and necessities of 

 the honey-bee, and also be convenient to 

 handle; fully adapted to their nature and 

 habits. Such a hive cannot be got up 

 without a thorough knowledge of every- 

 thing that appertains to the honey-bee. 

 There are so many things to be brought 

 entirely under the control of the keei)ers, 

 that il requires much thought and long 

 experience to be able to consolidate and 

 construct into one hive or bee-house the 

 convenience and advantages necessary to 

 make bee-keeping scientific and practi- 

 cable. A scientific bee-hive alone will not 

 insure success. But knowledge, with 

 good judgment and common sense, and 

 the right management, will do so in due 

 time. When these qualifications are all 

 combined, then we may look for improve- 

 ment in bee culture. It is not a hap- 

 hazard business. No business requires 

 more perfect management than bee-keep- 

 ing. Lucky bee-keeping will soon pass 

 away, and those who keep bees will dis- 

 card all such bigoted notions Cstill in ex- 

 istence), that if a colony lose their queen 

 you must hang a." fippenny bit " or adead 

 queen in the top of the hive to cause them 

 to choose another; that when you sell 

 bees you must not take money, but a 

 sheep ; that wlien a member of the family 

 die, you must go, and rap on the hive, and 

 say to them, some one is dead, or they will 

 die out; that you must clean out the hive 

 on the 22d day of February to prevent the 

 moth from entering; to move them on the 

 16th day of March one inch to have good 

 luck; that you must not sell your bees, 

 but a neighbor may come and steal them;' 

 that you must tap on the outside and 

 whistle, to call them in when they swarm ; 

 that you must ring bells and rap on tin 

 pans to prevent them trom going away. 



Many of these hobgoblin yarns are still 

 in vogue and must be discarded; knowl- 

 edge must lake the place of ignorance, 

 and every farmer should inform himself as 

 much in reference to bee-keeping as agri- 

 culture or stock-raising. A few colonies 

 of bees will always pay good profits on 

 any farm. They, like other creatures, 

 need care and attention; were created for 

 man's benefit, and are deserving protec- 

 tion. They are a selfsupporting com- 

 munity, and yield more profit than any 

 creature kept on the farm. The}' not only 

 feed and support themselves, but with 

 good management will as^sist to furnish 

 the poor man's table, and help to clothe 

 his children and build him a comfortable 

 home. They require good management 

 and a house adapted to their necessities. 

 They are creatures of habit, and every- 



