1894 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



379 



revenue tax placed on the manufactured ar- 

 cle. This would increase the price to the 

 ctent that it could not be used profitably for 

 le purpose of adulterating. In detrimental 

 Tects it certainly ranks next to distilled liq- 

 ars and tobacco, and has, I believe, no more 

 adeeming qualities than either of these, and 

 lould be as much subject to taxation. This 

 onld be a good scheme for the honey-producer, 

 nd a jolly scheme too. What think you ? 

 Franklin, Pa. Ed. Jolley. 



[Yes; as we have intimated recently, the 

 lortesi way around this glucose problem 



to suppress its sale or manufacture, if it is 

 ^ver used for any honest purpose. — Ed. J 



OUR GLUCOSE POLICY INDOKSED. 



I want to give you a word of encouragement 

 I regard to your course in the glucose-honey 

 asiness. Rest assured you have the hearty 

 ipport of all honest bee-men the country over, 

 et your motto be, " Let no guilty one escape." 

 ^hile it is sad to think that any one with in- 

 jence and position should be found with even 

 le "appearance of evil," it is encouraging to 

 now of the healthy sentiment of bee-men in 

 meral on the question. C. A. Hatch. 



Ithaca, Wis., Apr. 9. 



AKTIFICIAL QUEEN cells; A NOVEL IDEA. 



I have raised some hundreds of queens this 

 ason by Fooshe's drone -cell plan; but oc- 

 Lsionally suitable drone comb was not avail- 

 3le, in which case I would procure a sheet of 

 lick worker foundation and cut it into strips 

 30ut ^ in. wide. I would attach these, three 

 ' four sheets, to a bar, and at every third cell 

 inch a hole about % in. deep, with the end of 

 stout pen holder or other conical stick. These 

 ould then be manipulated exactly the same as 

 oolittle cups, and accepted just as readily by 

 le bees. There is no fussing with melted wax 

 ith this plan, and finestrong cells result, which 

 •e very easily detached from the stick. A 

 rge number of cells can be prepared in a short 

 me. H. L. Jones. 



Goodna, Queensland, Aus., Feb. 16. 



[We were interested, not so much in the arti- 

 ;ial cells as in the fact that you made drone 

 imb <( la Fooshe a success. We knew Mr. 

 ooshe made it work, but till now we had seen 

 ) reports of any one else doing so. How is it, 

 leen-breeders? — Ed.] 



CANDY FOR SHIPPING QUEENS; HOW THE 

 ATCHLEYS MAKE IT. 



I see on page 'u a caution offered by T. J. 

 ugdale. After reading his cauiion regarding 

 le kind of sugar, etc., I see the editor calls 

 If me as a witness. It is the XXXX, or con- 

 ctioners' sugar, 'that I use altogether for 

 ailing queens. Almost any kind of sugar will 

 ) for a short distance, say when queens are 

 )t in transit more than 48 hours; but for long 

 stances nothing equals the finest grade of 

 )Dfectioners' sugar; and when the candy is 

 •operly made it will keep soft and in good 



shape as long as thciro is any of it left, or for a 

 long time at least. I had one customer write 

 me one year after he had received the queen, 

 and the candy was still soft and in good order. 

 Candy should be made so that it will appear 

 tough, or, whtMi you pull it, it will hold togeth- 

 er somewhat like wax; then it seems to hold 

 moisture. It should be thoroughly kneaded, 

 and the sugar ought to be damp, or the candy 

 should be made in damp weather, as the sugar 

 gets so dry and hard in dry weather that it is 

 very hard to get the honey and sugar thorough- 

 ly mixed; but if the sugar is steamed a little, or 

 made in damp weather, the honey and sugar 

 will congeal; otherwise it is very hard to get 

 good candy, as the hard dry sugar will not dis- 

 solve as it should. This is why I say it is hard 

 to get real good candy every time. It is no 

 trouble to get candy that will be good to ship 

 queens to any part of the United States or Can- 

 ada; but when they are to be 30 to 40 days in 

 transit, and going through different climates, 

 it means something to get a candy that will 

 keep good. I gently boil and skim, or use 

 honey from the solar wax-extractor, as this 

 honey is not so apt to candy. 

 Beeville, Tex. .Jennie Atchley. 



[Yes, indeed, it is hard to get real good every 

 time.— Ed.] 



yellow jasmine, poisonous. 



I note what was said in your paper lately 

 about yellow-jasmine lioney being poisonous. 

 I am well satisfied that new jasmine honey is 

 poisonous, not only to human beings, but also 

 to bees. I base my conclusions as to bees being 

 poisoned by it from ten years' exp.^rience here 

 in Florida. Every year during jasmine blos- 

 soming, our young bees are found crawling out 

 of the hive and dying about the entrance. We 

 never see them doing so at any other time of 

 the year. It is a common opinion here that 

 jasmine honey should not be used till it is seal- 

 ed over; and I am inclined to the opinion that 

 it is better not to use it till capped. 



Lake Helen, Fla. Geo. VV. Wehsteh. 



the ITALIAN bee. 



Many men of many minds. 

 Many bees of many kinds; 

 Some are bad, some are worse, 

 Some a blessing, some a curse; 

 Some will work without excuse. 

 While some are of no special use. 

 But very rarely do we find 

 All virtues in one bee combined. 

 Such is the case, though, with the breed 

 That now is taking fast the lead; 

 For th' Italian bee no rival knows 

 In any breed that nature shows. 

 To give a special virtue to a bee 

 Is what some do. as you see. 

 Th' Italian is itself possessed 

 Of all the merits of the best. 

 Columbus, Wis. Super Lifter. 



