160 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



to extremes, and set the hive level and put 

 a swarm of bees into it, he will find they 

 will not build their combs a certain dis- 

 tance apart, but will build them just where 

 the frames are placed. 



When I first noticed the theory of a uni- 

 form and exact distance, it was a matter of 

 much interest to me to know whether it 

 was absolutely essential or not; and to 

 satisfy myself I improved the first oppor- 

 tunity I had, to measure the combs in a 

 box-hive, and found to my gratification 

 there was a variation of at least one half 

 inch; and since that I have measured a 

 number of box-hives and find a variation 

 of from 1 j^ to 2 inches or more, measur- 

 ing from base to base of combs. This ex- 

 plodes the theory with me of a uniform 

 distance from centre to centre of combs ; 

 or a uniform thickness of store combs. 

 As there is a uniform space between 

 store combs, the variation must be in the 

 thickness of them ; and as the lower part 

 of the same combs are used for breeding 

 and brood combs are of a uniform thick- 

 ness, the variation must of course be in 

 the space between the combs. I use twelve 

 combs in an 18 inch hive and do not pre- 

 tend to adjust them to the exact 1-16 of an 

 inch every time I replace them, and find 

 no trouble in keeping strong stocks and 

 getting a large increase of stocks and a 

 large yield of surplus honey. Where is 

 the key to the uniform distance from cen- 

 tre to centre of combs, since bee instinct 

 fails to explain it? S. K. Marsh. 



Palo, Mich. 



AN ADDRESS 



Read before the second semi-annual 

 SESSION op the Mich. Bee-Keepers' 

 Association, at Kalamazoo, May 6th, 

 BY T. F. Bingham. 



In introducing my subject, reference 

 should be had to the great and growing 

 interest felt in bee-culture. It is met with 

 on all sides — from the honest farmer of 

 sixty years, whose stolid, even life, opens 

 only to the rich perfume of his well tilled 

 fields, or the poetic disquisitions and 

 syren tongue of that noble middle man, 

 who in recounting the joys and glowing 

 accomplishments of the honest farmer 

 around whom honor, independence and 

 rural greatness stand like cherubim — 

 quietly introduces the liorse pitch fork 

 and the various bee journals and the patent 

 bee books — on whose glowing pages in 

 letters of fire stand these immortal words : 

 "Entered according to act of Congress in 

 the southern district of the state of New 

 York, in the year of our Lord, 1874." I 

 should not be pardoned if in this recital 

 of Patent things, around which fame and 

 fortune cluster like moths around a bee- 

 hive — if I didn't mention that muchly 

 abused necessity — that "patent bee hive," 



Neither does the interest stop here! 

 That compactly built and most ancient 

 bee keeper, and dealer in Italian queens 

 and bee keepers' supplies — (enclose 

 stamp for circular). Ex-president of the 

 Northeastern Bee Keepers' Association, 

 Mr. M. Quinby, stated before that honored 

 body that bee culture should be taught 

 in the Agricultural Colleges ; and further 

 to the glory of our state and institutions, 

 he said Michigan would be central and 

 well adapted to such training as this 

 sweet scented industry doth most require. 

 We owe this distinguished compliment, 

 I presume, to the able paper from Prof. 

 Cook read at said convention. We won't 

 find fault with anyone; but we might be 

 pardoned for asking why this body of 

 whom Prof. Cook is a part, could not have 

 had so great and valuable a paper — which 

 allow me to say — (Prof. Cook is not here 

 I believe) is the most valuable contribu- 

 tion made to bee-culture for many years, 

 and our convention should have had the 

 honor of it! 



Now gentleman — I guess there are no 

 ladies here — after this elaborate introduc- 

 tion, who among you could fail to antici- 

 pate my subject? And echo answers — an- 

 ticipated ! 



However far-sighted you may all be — 

 and bee keepers have always been like 

 spiritual mediums, chock-full of visions — 

 I will give my subject a name : 



the requisites of a successful bee 

 keeper. 



I have interrogated the historic bee- 

 keeper. The man whose cheeks have 

 glowed and rounded, whose frame has 

 filled out with the perfumed sweetness 

 of forty summers. Yea, and I have in- 

 terrogated him 



What a halo of glory ! He stands on 

 time as on a pedestal. He moves in the 

 traditions of his fathers. Bee-keeping 

 rests upon him like a mantle. It has come 

 down to him in true apostolic succession. 

 We look up — he is there, on either hand — 

 and he is before us ! We extend our vision 

 backward across the boundary of experi- 

 mental bee-keeping — and behold he is 

 there! A strange mystery encompasses 

 him. His snowy head, his look of wis- 

 dom ; we look, we venerate him ! Like 

 other bee-keepers, however, he talks free- 

 ly, recounts bee-hunting exploits, and lives 

 over again his ancient pleasures. 



He follows down the innovations and 

 encroachments of the patent bee books 

 and the patent bee hives, with their net- 

 work of slats and painted hulls, on which, 

 as if to cheat oblivion of its certain prey, 

 stands the name of the man who, year 

 after year, and month after month, watched 

 by night and by day the robber and the 

 nioth, and the devastations of winter, and 

 all the calamaties of bee-life, and who 

 now, by copyright or patent, can tell how 



