168 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Mar. 18. 



■^Xf?'""' .?!'"'*''" '» AMERICA A«^ 

 CBORGB W. YORK, . Editor. 



PHBLISHT WEEKLY BY 



GEORGE W. YORK & GOMPANY, 

 lis MlcUlsaa St.. . CHICAGO, ILL. 



$1.00 a Year— Sample Copy Sent Free. 

 (Bntered at the P08t-0fHce at Chicago as Second-ClasB Mall-Matter. 



Vol. imil. CHICAGO, ILL,, MAR. 18, 189]. No, 11, 



Editorial Con)n)€r)i<y^ 



California Against Honey-Adulteration.— 



March 12 we received a letter from Mr. C. H. Clayton, of Los 

 Angeles Co., Cal., informing us that his proposed anti-adul- 

 teration of honey Bill, as publisht on page 72, is now the law, 

 having past both branches of the Legislature, and signed by 

 the Governor. The Bill was past without amendment, which 

 shows how carefully and satisfactorily it must have been 

 prepared by Mr. Clayton. We congratulate both Mr. Clayton 

 and the bee-keepers of the great State of California upon their 

 success. Now, wo trust they will see to it that it is thoroughly 

 enforced. 



Triangular Tin End-Spacers for brood-frames 

 are used by Mrs. Julia McGuire, of Shelby Co., Iowa. She 

 has kindly sent us a sample of them. It is a right-angled 

 triangular piece of heavy tin whose two equal sides are about 

 M inch in length. The square corner is to be flattened so that 

 it will stay in the wood better, then drive it in with a small 

 hammer right under the center of the top-bar, and as much 

 into the end-bars of the frame. The diagonal edge of the tin 

 will cause the frame to slip down to place at the side of the 

 hive-rabbet, and be properly end-spaced. 



Mrs. McGuire thinks her end-spacer is better than the 

 staple arraugement recently suggested. It can easily be tried, 

 as such tin points can be had at any tinshop. 



making Experiments in any line is often expen- 

 sive. And often many experienced bee-keepers allow their 

 enthusiasm to run away with their better judgment, thus get- 

 ting them into useless outlay and trouble. 



Now we are not attempting to discourage a certain 

 amount of experimenting by every bee-keeper, but we do wish 

 to enter a word of caution to those who think that every time 

 a new hive or frame is brought forward they must throw away 

 all their old fixtures and lay In a big stock of the new. 



We think the better way would be to experiment a little 

 each year. If a new hive is put on the market, just get a/cfc 

 of them' to try until fully satisfied they are an improvement 

 upon the kind you have been using right along. The same 

 suggestion will apply equally well to other apiarian novelties 

 and improvements. Belter leave the extensive experimenting 

 to the larger bee-keepers who possibly can better afford to lose, 

 in case there is much chance for loss. 



Of course, the supply manufacturers get up things to sell 

 — that's their business, and It Is often all right; but all manu- 

 facturers are not as conscientious and conservative as they 



should be, and may attempt to push the sale of things that 

 have not been thoroughly proven valuable. So we say, experi- 

 ment on a small scale, not more than you can do without en- 

 dangering your success for the year. But by all means do 

 some experimenting. Don't be entirely satisfied with the 

 favorable reports of others. Of course, most of the unfavor- 

 able reports, when given by bee-keepers of experience, can be 

 relied upon, and there's no necessity of the inexperienced going 

 over the same ground. 



A Good Bee-Book should be in the hands of every 

 one who would keep bees. It will avoid the asking of hun- 

 dreds of simple questions. A carpenter could hardly make a 

 success of his work without proper tools. Neither can the 

 bee-keeper. And a first-class book on bees is one of the best 

 "tools" a new bee-beeper can possibly have. There are three 

 " best " books on the subject publisht in this country. They 

 are: " Langstroth on the Honey-Bee," revised byDadant; 

 Prof. Cook's "Bee-Keepers' Guide;" and Root's "ABC of 

 Bee-Culture." Each is mailed for $1.25; or we can send 

 either Langstroth's or Root's with the American Bee Journal 

 for one year — both for $2.00 ; or Prof. Cook's book and the 

 Bee Journal for $1.75. Which will you have ? 



Nebraska Bee and Honey House.— On the 

 first page this week we give an Illustration of the beautiful Bee 

 and Honey house belonging to the Nebraska bee-keepers, and 

 located on their State Pair Grounds near Omaha. Mr. E. 

 Kretchmer, who is intimately associated with Nebraska's 

 apiarian history and advancement, contributed the following 

 description to Gleanings for Dec. 1, 1896: 



The illustration gives some idea of the push and energy 

 of our Nebraska brethren for apicultural industry, erected on 

 the State Fair Grounds near Omaha, during the year 1895. 

 It, no doubt, is the most complete structure devoted exclu- 

 sively to the exhibition of bee-supplies, bees, and their pro- 

 duct. The building Is a substantial frame structure, measur- 

 ing, as you view the illustration, 64 feet from left to right, 

 and bO feet wide at each end, while the central portion pro- 

 jects over feet further to the front, and the two doors are 

 covered with a so-called "lobby," surmounted with tower- 

 shaped framework, ornamented with balustrades and flag- 

 staffs, while immediately over the entrance, resting on a 

 neatly modeled lintel, may be seen an imitation of the old- 

 fashioned German straw hive. The iron-covered roof has a 

 dome-shaped center, supplied with swinging windows, admit- 

 ting central light and ample ventilation ; and over this rises a 

 neat flag-staff, somewhat longer than the others, from which 

 floats "Old Glory." 



The inside is floored with yellow pine; the side windows 

 are large, and so arranged as to show the exhibits to the best 

 advantage — the glass being stained or coated white to check 

 the effect of the direct rays of the sun. Around the sides are 

 placed long tables or shelves on which to place the exhibits, 

 with closet room underneath to safely keep cases, crates, 

 boxes, etc.; a railing, placed at a suitable distance from said 

 tables, prevents visitors from crowding each other against the 

 exhibits ; some of the honey and wax exhibits during the last 

 Fair were nearly 10 feet high, and crowding against it might 

 have caused considerable damage. 



Seats are placed in various parts of the building, where 

 the weary visitor may find rest, or refresh himself at the foun- 

 tain of pure water just outside of the door. 



In the center of the room stands a large glass case for the 

 exhibit of honey and waxwork. This case is of the same size 

 and shape as those used at the Columbian Exposition, in Chi- 

 cago, in 1893, for the exhibit of honey and wax. This case, 

 while It permits the exhibit of honey and wax in any manner, 

 shape or form, protects It against dust and damage resulting 

 from handling by visitors. Next to this case a space is set 

 apart for the purpose of practical demonstration of the man- 

 ner of extracting honey ; here our city friends are informed 

 by lectures and ocular demonstration that extracted honey is 

 Nature's own pure sweet — cleau, bright, and pure. 



The central portion of the front side of tho building, just 

 under the words " Bee and Honey," is set apart as the super- 

 intendent's office, separately enclosed, and furnisht with table, 

 chairs, etc., and hero the exhibitor may at any time, prior to 



