296 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



Another drawback to the bee business 

 in this section is the very large percen- 

 tage of cool nights that prevail. This, 

 together with the cold winds common, 

 especially in the vicinity of the Great 

 Lakes, of course, seriously interferes not 

 only with the secretion of nectar, but also 

 renders the production of comb honey in 

 a large part of northern Michigan rather 

 a hazardous undertaking. 



I will conclude the mention of what 

 may seem rather a formidable array of 

 drawbacks, by predicting that many a lo- 

 cation that at the present time would be 

 regarded as quite desirable on account of 

 the amount of basswood within range, 

 will very soon no longer have this fea- 

 ture as a recommend; as probably no pre- 

 vious time has witnessed such a general 

 onslaught on this one of our leading 

 sources of honey supply. About the 

 only resource left the apiarist, who can 

 afford the outlay in this direction, is to 

 purchase some desirable tract of timber 

 before it passes into the hands of the des- 

 troyer. 



In conclusion, I will say that after six 

 years' trial of this section of our State as 

 a location for bee-keeping, I have been 

 well suited with the change, as the win- 

 tering problem has practically been elim- 

 inated (although nearly one hundred 

 miles further North ) , on account of the 

 superior stores; and the fine quality of 

 honey produced has given my honey a 

 reputation on the market which would 

 otherwise hardly be possible. 



Two successive sea ons the output 

 from my apiaries approximated about 

 30,000 lbs. extracted each season, from 

 350 colonies; but, for the last two seasons, 

 with no willow-herb, the yield will scarce- 

 ly reach two- thirds that amount. Though 

 the increase is quite large, especially this 

 season, and about 5,000 lbs., or one-fourth 

 the amount, is comb honey. 



I have tried to give such information 

 to readers of the Review as I would ap- 

 preciate if I were thinking of changing 

 my location to this part of the State. 



EvART, Mich. Sept. 7, 189S. 



ACCURACY. 



How Essential it is to the Bee-Keeper's 

 Success. 



J. E. CRANE. 



?^HAT I shall 

 '^ say in this 

 ^ ' '^k paper is largely 



9 •-. -^Jt for the benefit of 



b e g i n n e r s, or 

 those of small ex- 

 perience in keep- 

 ing bees, and 

 something that 

 they might not 

 otherwise learn 

 except in that 

 school which is proverbially expensive. 

 There may be some who are older that 

 can read it with benefit. 



Few things, including bee stings, are 

 more provoking or try the temper more 

 than a set of hives which vaty in size, or 

 the different parts are ill-fitting, or poor- 

 ly made. 



The large number of manufactures who 

 make a speciality of making bee-keepers' 

 supplies renders it very much easier to 

 get well made hives and other fixtures 

 than was the case twenty years ago. Still, 

 there are many who do not care to pay 

 large freight bills, and who have mills 

 near at hand doing work of a similar 

 character, and would prefer to have their 

 work done near at home. To such let 

 me say that before making a large num- 

 ber of hives, make a careful study of 

 hives and find out accurately just what 

 you want, or is best adapted to your work 

 or business. If you projx)se to produce ex- 

 tracted honey, your hives may be quite 

 different from what would be recjuired 

 for comb honey. Make out a bill of pieces 

 for hives and fixtures. Make out an 

 agreement that each and every piece 

 shall be got out accurately from well 

 seasoned lumber without the variation of 

 an eighth of an inch; one-sixteenth of an 

 inch would be better. Then put them 



