THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



79 



[My experience as an exhibitor for a 

 dozen or more years, leads nie to agree 

 with the views of my friend Martin. I be- 

 li eve that honey is more or less popular- 

 ized by its exhibition at fairs, but not to 

 the extent that some of us have imagined. 

 I think these exhibitions might be so 

 conducted as to accomplish more in this 

 direction, but the same amount of time, 

 money, and energy expended in other 

 channels, like those mentioned by Mr. 

 Martin, for instance, will accomplish ten 

 times as much; and for the reasons he 

 gives. — Ed.] 



SOME COMMENTS 0\ THE REVIEW. 



A few Encouraging Words. A Glimpse of 



Southern Bee-Keeping. Editorial 



Comments. 



DR. A. T. PEETE. 



EDITOR Review— I enclose |i.oo as 

 subscription for the current year. The 

 new make-up of the Review came as a .sur- 

 prise, and a most pleasant one. Paper, 

 print and illustrations are high-class. 

 There is also a marked improvement in 

 the matter of late. 



The most valuable part of the matter is 

 likely to be the editorial department. I 

 am firmly convinced that editorial com- 

 ments are of more value than anything 

 except occasionally some rare article. 

 Everybody wants the editor's judgment 

 on passing topics, new methods, or ap- 

 pliances. 



I have never seen anything objectiona- 

 ble in the Review excepting in the January 

 number; where appears a familiar adver- 

 tisement. If those people are square, 

 which I doubt, they should be made to 

 change the wording of their ad. 



lyike your other readers, I felt deep 

 sympathy on learning of the great trouble 

 which came upon you last year. Words 

 do nothing in the way of help, in such 

 cases, yet, as I am writing, I ma}- as well 



deliver my message to j^ou. Having 

 been in the past ' ' acquainted with grief, ' ' 

 I can say this: Early happiness never 

 lasts. When it departs it never returns. 

 It is, perhaps, a stimulus needed in youth, 

 while we grow strong for future burdens. 

 But when there comes in its place peace, 

 which is better, because it is enduring, 

 these outrageous w-ounds are healed in 

 time, and leave only scars which give al- 

 most no pain. To endure bravely and to 

 do one's duty steadfastly is the noblest 

 thing in life. 



As 3-ou say you take interest in our bee- 

 keeping affairs, here are a few details. 

 There are vast numbers of colonies of 

 bees in this State kept in box hives and 

 cypress logs. The number of movable 

 frame hives is suq:)risingly small. I have 

 been a missionary in introducing modern 

 liives and Italian bees into this section. 

 Have instructed numerous pupils and writ- 

 ten many articles for the leading newspa- 

 pers of the State. Professional work 

 leaves me time for attending to only a 

 few colonies; so I generally have no more 

 than forty. Surplus honey is made here 

 almost exclusively from flowering trees 

 and shrubs; such as black gum, holly, lo- 

 cust, persimmon, magnolia, huckleber- 

 rj-, gallberry, etc. The harvest begins 

 about April 15, and lasts four to six weeks. 

 Cotton, cow-peas, etc., give a little honey 

 to fill the hives for winter. The fall-flow 

 seldom amounts to nmch. Onr white 

 honey (limited in amount) is, in my judg- 

 ment, equal to any in the country. 



My bees commenced to carry in pollen 

 January 10. There is plenty of brood and 

 young bees in the hives now. Fruit 

 bloom is close at hand. 



When our fanners learn to plant the 

 clovers ( something needed here ) this 

 State should rank well for honey produc- 

 ing. We have very little cold weather 

 (bees fly all the year ), no winter prob- 

 lem, no bee-diseases of any kind, no laws 

 to interfere with us, and no cantankerous 

 neighbors to give trouble. 



This rambling talk is going to unreason- 

 able lengths, and I will end by wishing 



