THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



line between brood and surplus must be 

 very sharply drawn, and to get the right 

 proportion of the fine, white honey stored 

 above this line requires skillful and pe- 

 culiar management. 



THE VALUE OF DISCUSSION. 

 Mr.F. L. Thompson has so thoroughly 

 covered the ground in his article on the 

 subject of discussions, that there is little 

 room for editorial comment. In my 

 opinion there is nothing like free discus- 

 sion for V)ringing out the whole truth. As 

 a rule, I think we bee-keeping editors are 

 too much afraid of criticism and discvis- 

 sion. As soon as the "fur begins to fly," 

 just when the interest in a discussion is 

 thoroughly aroused, down comes the 

 editoral gavel. As Mr. Thompson well 

 says, one great difficulty is that a discus- 

 sion is so likely to drift into some side- 

 issue somewhat foreign to bee-culture. 

 It may also degenerate into a dispute or 

 into personalities. To the majority of 

 readers these things become very tiresome. 

 So long as the original subject is kept in 

 view, and each "round" brings out new 

 facts and ideas, and argument takes the 

 place of dispute and personalities, I see 

 no reason for closing a discussion. If 

 others wish to express their views on the 

 subject, the columns of the Review are 

 open. 



DOES A POPUI^OUS COTTONY STORE MORE 

 HONEY IN PROPORTION TO ITS NUM- 

 BERS THAN IS THE CASE WITH A 

 WEAK COLONY ? 



Dr. Miller, in the American Bee Jour- 

 nal, admits the correctness of my reason- 

 ing regarding the securing of more bees, 

 per comb, or per hive, by having a queen 

 for each single story, instead of doubling 

 them up, but defends his position by say- 

 ing that he thinks it is agreed that a 

 large colony produces more honey /;/ pro- 

 portion to the ninnber of bees\\\a.\\ a small 

 one; also that it will consume le.ss honey 

 in a year m proportion to the number of 

 bees than a .small one. 



Doctor, I am not .so sure about the last 

 assertion; it is possible that it it is true, 

 but I do not agree with the first one. So 

 far as securing honey as surplus is con- 

 cerned, I believe nothing is gained by 

 having a colony above the normal size. 

 Other things being equal, the colony 

 that has the least brood to care for, in 

 proportion to its numbers, while the har- 

 vest is on, will store the most surplus in 

 proportion to its pdpulation. This ques- 

 tion of the size of colonies and its rela- 

 tion to success is a real, live, practical 

 subject, and the Review will be glad to 

 publish articles on both sides of the 

 question. Give your reasons, gentle- 

 men. 



HOW OUR CRITIC IS RECORDED. 



I have received a large number of let- 

 ters regarding the Department of Criti- 

 cism. I am very thankful for them. I 

 can not print all of them, but I will give 

 a few characteristic ones. As permission 

 to publish has been given in only a few 

 instances, no names are given. 



"Mr. Taylor is a severe critic." 



"Mr. Taylor is taking the shine off 

 some your other correspondents. " 



"You ask for expressions of opinion 

 touching the Department of Criticism. 

 It is not to be expected said department 

 will be liked by those most open to criti- 

 cism; but I think it is much needed. 

 Apicultural literature is very sloppy and 

 and needing a tonic. Mr. Taylor will 

 need much discretion and tact in order 

 to make a success of his delicate task. 

 Let me suggest an avoidance of that style 

 which will seem to indicate enjoyment of 

 the tray. Mr. Hasty illustrates better 

 than I can describe the light and kindly 

 but firm touch which is needed for such 

 work. If you can make it go, by all 

 means continue it; for we need an anti- 

 dote to the . slush." 



"Friend H. It is io;i5P. M. I have 

 just read what you say about the new 

 Department of Criticism; and, as I am a 

 very poor correspondent, I will drop you 

 this as I may not do so if I put it off. 



