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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Feb. 11. 



care for these as assiduously as we do for our kine. The ants 

 plan their nests with reference to water, which is yet a thinp 

 of the future, when the entire land is dry and parcht. Then 

 ants take their stored grain out to dry when it Is wet by the 

 storms, so that mildew will not destroy it. They clear land, 

 plant and harvest crops, and even keep pets. They will per- 

 mit any ant of their own family to milk their cows, but woe 

 to the luckless ant from another tribe that attempts this petty 

 larceny. Bees, wasps and ants will die for their home and 

 kindred without a wince. If patriotism is among the highest 

 of virtues, and sacrifice of life for country and kin the highest 

 exemplification of patriotism, then shall we say that virtue is 

 found only among the human species? 



Hundreds of examples might be given of insect habits and 

 economy that cannot be explained except that we grant these 

 humble creatures of Nature the possession of intelligence. 



1 can only give one example to illustrate the wondrously 

 delicate sense perception possest by insects. I have reared a 

 single female moth in a large room and have had over one hun- 

 dred males of the same species come in through an open win- 

 dow, though the opening would hardly more than admit one's 

 hand. There are cases on record where, in like case, male 

 moths have come down a stove-pipe to gain admittance into a 

 room. Professor Lintner of Albany, N. Y., told me that he 

 reared a female moth in a closed room, and upon going out the 

 door he saw a large number of the males flying about the 

 house. This recognition must come through the sense of 

 smell, yet I have never been able to discover the least odor. 

 Physicists tell us that insects can hear sounds which are en- 

 tirely inaudible to us. 



May it not be, then, one of the missions of the study of 

 these lower life forms to exalt our appreciation of their habits 

 and character ; and at the same time make us more humble 

 and teachable? Los Angeles Co., Calif. 



^ 



Notes and Commeuts on Florida. 



BY MK8. L. HAKRISON. 



This is the sixth winter that I've lived at this place, and 

 during this time I've received many letters from bee-keepers, 

 seeking information and asking my advice as to whether it 

 would be best for them to move their bees to Florida, and 

 come here to reside. 



If I remember correctly (and I think I do), VV. S. Hart, of 

 Volusia Co., Fla., advised all such to come and visit the State 

 and spend at least one season here before moving. 



Whenever I sail around this lovely Bay, or walk in the 

 piney woods, I see evidences of wasted money aud labor. Peo- 

 ple came here, built a house, grubbed land, planted trees, and 

 fenced them, and when their money was exhausted, left the 

 country, not deeming it worth while to close windows or doors. 

 While traveling I meet tourists who spend the winter in dif- 

 ferent parts of Florida, and they tell the same story. 



I think that there are localities in Florida that cannot be 

 surpast in the production of honey. Wewahltchka — other- 

 wise known as the Dead Lakes — is one of them ; and where the 

 black mangrove thrives are others. W. S. Hart told the 

 writer, before I came to Florida, that the best honey-districts 

 were very malarious, and abounded in annoying insects, and 

 my observations verify the truth of it. 



There is a resident here who formerly lived in Ohio, and 

 who traveled around that State introducing the Langstroth 

 hive, and transferred combs from gums and boxes into mov- 

 able frames. Two or three years ago this gentleman told me 

 that honey could be produced here at a profit If it only sold 

 for five cents per pound. On my return In December I askt 

 him, '-How are the bees?" He said, "Don't know. All 

 gone." I inquired of others whom I knew had kept bees, and 

 some said, "Worms ate them up." 



I called one day at the home of the OhIoan, and went out 

 to the apiary. It was a little paradise — enclosed with a low 

 picket fence, and the tasty, painted Langstroth hives rested 

 upon a platform under a shed. I opened the gate, and going 

 within I knockt upon the hives. All the occupants had gone, 

 except at one, where only a few answered my summons. This 

 was the loveliest apiary I ever saw, with its pretty white 

 fence, and quince trees growing within. What became of the 

 bees ? Starved ! There was a severe drouth, commencing in 

 April and lasting until to-day (Dec. 20), when a heavy rain 

 fell. There were a few light showers only. I'm told that in 

 the back country there was more rain. 



There are many different kinds of soil here, located on a 

 quarter section of land. I'm located between two salt water 

 bayous; the soil (If you may call it thus) Is yellow sand. 

 Spruce pines nod their plumes, and shed their needles upon 

 my roof. It is high pine land, with that wonderful plant — 



saw-palmetto — interspersed with scrub oaks growing beneath. 

 In the distance may be seen magnolias and ti-ties, showing 

 that there is rich, black soil at their feet. In the silvery 

 waters of the bay, the finest fish and oysters can be had — not 

 for the asking, but the taking. On its banks may be seen the 

 magnificent live-oaks, clothed in Nature's drapery — the moss 

 of Southern climes. 



Many pensioned soldiers have taken homesteads around 

 this Bay. The inhabitants are generally from the North, who 

 live here not because they can make money, but they have 

 found health and freedom from pain, and can enjoy life better 

 here than anywhere else. The water is soft, and can be had 

 with driven wells ; the air pure, balmy and resinous, from the 

 pIney woods. Many rheumatics have buried their crutches 

 in the sand ; catarrh washt away in the waters of the Bay, 

 and kidney pains banisht to another clime. 



Washington Co., Fla. 



Report of the Michigan State Bee-Keepers' 

 Convention, Held at Mt. Pleasant. 



BV W. Z. HUTCHIKSOST. 



The Michigan bee-keepers held their annual convention 

 Jan. 1 and 2, at Mt. Pleasant. This town is decidedly the 

 home of that famous honey-plant, the willow-herb. Bee- 

 keepers in that vicinity reported bountiful crops. Most of 

 them had secured as much as 100 pounds of surplus comb 

 honey per colony. Had it not been for ti.e weather, which 

 was rainy, making the roads very bad, the local attendance 

 would have been very large. As it was, the convention was 

 the best attended that a Michigan convention has enjoyed in 

 several years. 



Pres. Aspinwall called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m., 

 and then read the following paper on 



THE WINTERING OF BEES. 



In the realm of invention success is only obtained, 

 When each part and each movement bends to the end that is 

 gained. — L. A. A. 



So In wintering of bees — hive construction — including 

 thickness of walls, packing, ventilation, and entrance protec- 

 tion against drafts of cold air ; also quantity and arrangement 

 of the food supply and strength of the colony, are requisites 

 bending to the one end — successful wintering. To exclude 

 any one of these requisites will detract from uniformly suc- 

 cessful results. With hives of the proper construction con- 

 taining sufficient stores, bees may be wintered in the most 

 exposed situations; and it matters not whether the hives face 

 the north, south, east or west, like results will follow. 



I shall treat this subject in reference to outdoor wintering, 

 considering it as I do far in advance of any indoor method. 

 The transcendent feature of outdoor wintering, is that of un- 

 restricted flight ; and with indoor methods, there is no com- 

 pensation for its loss, even when the winters are extremely 

 severe, and the periods of confinement long. 



In considering the requisites for successful wintering. It 

 may be well to note that success is frequently hinged upon 

 very small things. The neglect in attending to the small 

 affairs of life is sure to bring about disaster. 



The matter of packing between hive-walls Is not new, and 

 with the most complete outfit in that line, disastrous results 

 have occurred ; hence, the skepticism In reference to success- 

 ful outdoor wintering. The uncertain results attendant 

 upon the use of well-packt hives, has given rise to questions 

 as to the advisability of sealed covers, upward ventilation, 

 passage-ways through the combs and above the frames — (the 

 latter being afforded by Hill's device), size and shape of the 

 frames. Such questions imply a want — a lack of some re- 

 quisite. 



Let us consider these points for a moment. With the 

 accumulation of moisture, upward ventilation has been recom- 

 mended as a means of carrying it off ; and by the use of sealed 

 covers, others claim that the animal warmth of the colony Is 

 best conserved. Again, others would have the combs pro- 



