1897. 



THE AMERICAN BEE KEEPER. 



167 



few in the early spring, as the old 

 raother-bee lives alone over winter 

 and commences to build all cells 

 alone and lay eggs and raise young 

 ones, so in the summer there are 

 many of them and they can carry the 

 pollen from flower to flower and 

 fructify theclover, so that the farmer 

 can raise more clover seed. There- 

 fore, the farmers will thank those 

 bee-keepers who shall import a strain 

 of bees which will help to double the 

 thrashing of clover seed. If one 

 will say, we don't know if Apis dor- 

 sata will work on red clover, we farm- 

 ers will say: "That is just the reason 

 that we should try it, then we could 

 know it." 



Yours truly, A Forward. 



Santa Clans, Spencer Co., Ind., 

 April 24, 1897. 



The W. T. Falconer M'f'g Co., 

 Gentlemen : The goods ordered from 

 you have been received and we think 

 them very nice. The comb founda- 

 tion is so fine that I would like to keep 

 it to look at. Yours, &c., 



J. G. Todd. 



Nunda, N. Y. 



The W. T. Falconer M'f'g Co., 

 Gentlemen: The goods received O. 

 K. and I would say they are as near 

 perfection as can be made. Have 

 bought of seven different houses but 

 yours is the best yet. I shall remem- 

 ber you in the future. Yours very 

 truly, Wm. E. Close, 



Stanwich, April 10th. 



Ed. Am, Bee Keeper, Dear Sir. — 

 I have had a heavy winter loss 

 amounting to about 50 per cent', of 

 my bees, which leaves me with 70 

 colonies at the present time. I think 



that the skunks have been one of the 

 principal causes of my heavy loss. 

 They are now bothering my bees 

 every night. I am now attempting 

 to poison them, and how well I shall 

 succeed remains to be seen. I lost 

 one colony of choice full breed Ital- 

 ians which were packed in the best 

 manner possible. Upon opening the 

 hive this spring I found the combs 

 dry and free from the faintest trace of 

 mould, and the packing also was dry, 

 but only about a double handful of 

 bees were left which I thought were 

 dead, but which began to revive as 

 they were exposed to the rays of the 

 sun. 



I would like to know whether other 

 bee keepers are bothered with skunks. 

 They trouble me nearly every season 

 more or less, but this seasan more 

 than ever before. 



I have just had an experience with 

 an absconding swarm which is some- 

 thing new to me. Upon going out 

 into the apiary the other afternoon, I 

 noticed a swarm of bees in the air, 

 which I readily recognized as au ab- 

 sconding one. Just at dusk they 

 were hived iu a hive with combs in it 

 and about 15 or more pounds of 

 honey. They have stayed all right 

 and are working nicely, gathering 

 pollen. Plum blossoms are just be- 

 ginning to open to day. Yours etc., 

 G. F. Tubes. 



Annin Creek, May 10. 



Garden Seeds as Preraium. 



We will send the American Bee 

 Keeper one year and a box of choice 

 garden seeds, retail value $1.60, for 

 only 60 cents. 



