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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



329 



permitted to preseot the matter from the standpoint of the 

 bee-keeper, and to show the Department our view of the 

 matter. 



I am sure that we can convince you that no one can bo 

 injured, and that no mall matter can be Injured by transmis- 

 sion through the mails of queens under your former Instruc- 

 tions and rulings. 



But as this letter is merely to inquire as to the truth of a 

 rumor, which I sincerely trust is groundless, I will not argue 

 the case In advance. Yours truly, 



Eugene Secor, 

 Qeneral Manager U. S. B.-K. U. 



Attacht to the above, Mr. Secor promptly received this 

 very satisfactory reply : 



PosTOFFiCE Department — 

 Office of the General Supt. Railway Mail Service. 



Washington, D. C, May 14, 1897. 

 Respectfully returned to Mr. Eugene Secor, Forest City, Iowa. 

 There must be some mistake about this matter, as no one 

 at the Department has any knowledge of a change of the reg- 

 ulations excluding queen-bees being contemplated. 



James E. White, 

 General Supt. 



We are glad that it was only a " mistake," for it would 

 be a great calamity to bee-beepers and others, as Mr. Secor 

 says, should the present ruling concerning queen-bees be re- 

 voked. We believe our PostotHce Department (which is 

 perfection itself) would not do anything to unjustly interfere 

 with the success of any honorable business. 



Square vs. Oblong: Sections.— On the first page 

 of this number we show an illustrated comparison between 

 the usual square section and the oblong, or what is sometimes 

 called the " tall," section. 



Some leading bee-keepers are using the oblong section, 

 and prefer it for several reasons. Mr. Doolittle, we believe, 

 uses it. The Danzenbaker hive takes the oblong section, 32 

 of them in a single-tier super. We expect to give this " tall " 

 section and the Danzenbaker super a trial this year, so as to 

 know for ourselves whether or not we prefer them. We will 

 also use some of the much-talktof drawn foundation in these 

 sections, and see how nearly the total destruction of the pur- 

 suit of bee-keeping is threatened by its use, as some of the 

 would-be apiarian prophets have foretold ! 



We are indebted to the kindness of Gleanings in Bee-Cul- 

 ture for the use of the beautiful engravings on the first page 

 this week. 



Here is what Mr. Doolittle said awhile ago in Gleanings, 

 concerning his preference in the way of a ^section, and his 

 reasons therefor : 



"My own preference is a section 3}^x59^xl?| inches, 

 this holding a pound as nearly as may be when well filled. 

 This size is used in single-tier wide frames with separators, so 

 as to secure each comb built perfectly in the box. My rea- 

 sons for preferring them are, that more in number can be set 

 over a given space than can those of less depth ; besides, 

 such a cake of honey is of symmetrical proportions, and pleas- 

 iug to the eye, it being just sufficient to set on the table for 

 an ordinary family, and, covering more surface, apparently, 

 to look at, does not give a scrimpt appearance or pattern. 

 Why I prefer them to the larger size is, they bring from two 

 to three cents per pound more in market." 



Beginners in Bee-Keepingf make their annual 

 appearance as regularly as the spring-time. And they are a 

 hopeful lot of people. We have met several of them this 

 spring, as usual. We rather like them. We started wiih 

 bees once upon a time, ourselves. So did Dr. Miller. And 

 Doolittle. And Dr. Miller says it's just as much fun now to 

 watch the bees get to work each spring as it was nearly H) 

 years ago. We believe him, even if we are not much more 

 than half as old as he is. (It probably Is more fun for the 

 bees to watch the Doctor get to work each spring !) 



But we started out to say a few words about the enthusi- 



astic beginner. We want to advise him not to invent a new 

 hive the first season. Wait at least two or three years, until 

 you get a little acquainted with the habits of bees. Perhaps 

 by that time you'll discover that bees will do pretty well in 

 almost any of the hives already in use. 



Another thing, don't try to go too fast Into bee-keeping. 

 Better grow into it. For instance, start with say two colonies ; 

 to begin the second year you might have four, and thus let 

 your apiary grow with your experience. You'll stand a better 

 chance of making a success of it in that way. 



Above all things, read very carefully that bee-book. Don't 

 borrow one and then forget to return it, but own one your- 

 self. The book will help you to understand your bees, and 

 vice versa. 



Ti)c Weekly Budget 



Mr. J. T. Haikston, of Indian Territory, writing May 

 18, said: 



" I suppose I could get along in a way without the ' Old 

 Reliable,' but I don't see how I could. My bees have had the 

 swarming fever this spring — 3.5 swarms from 9 colonies. But 

 they have stopt, and are getting down to business." 



Editor Merrill, of the American Bee-Keeper, when an- 

 nouncing the selection of Hon. Eugene Secor as General Man- 

 ager of the United States Bee-Keepers' Union, said : " Every 

 bee-keeper in this country should joiu the Union." That's 

 good advice, surely. We hope that several thousand of Edi- 

 tor Merrill's subscribers will send their membership fees to 

 him to be forwarded to the New Union. . 



Mr. F. Bussler, a progressive bee-keeper in Old Mexico, 



writing us May 1 1, said : 



" I have now some bees, comb and extracted honey in the 

 exhibition in Cojoacan, and it looks as if people here had never 

 seen such things. Mexico is a wor.derful land for honey, and 

 could export tons and tons of the nicest kind. Later on 1 

 will report more about the exhibition. Long may the banner 

 of the American Bee Journal wave !" 



Mr. J. S. Scott, of Utah Co., Utah, had this to say when 

 writing us May 15 : 



"I have only one objection to the American Bee Journal, 

 and that is, in allowing Doolittle to be so cruel to his little old 

 man, by making him stand so long in one position, with that 

 woe-begone, tired look. Say, Doolittle, can't you turn his 

 face to the wall for awhile ? I am sure he would present a 

 better appearance. 



"The bees in Utah county have wintered better than ever 

 before. They are having a good run on fruit-bloom, and are 

 coming to the front in fine style." 



The a. I. Root Company report, in Gleanings for May 

 1.5, that their bee-supply business is booming. They have 

 this to say about it : 



" We never had quite such a run of orders as we are hav- 

 ing this spring. If we were no better organized for taking 

 care of so much business promptly than we were in 1890, we 

 should be hopelessly behind. As it is, we are working a man 

 in every available place ; and in the wood-working department 

 two turns of workmen keep the machinery going 22 hours 

 out of the 24. In the shipping department there are several 

 who are working 14 or 15 hours almost every day to get 

 orders off promptly. By these extra efforts we are able to 

 keep the goods going out as fast as the orders come in, so that 

 orders do not remain in our hands unfilled very long." 



We shall be glad to announce in this column the present 

 condition of business of any of our other regular advertisers 

 if they will let us know about It. We hope that all are hav 

 lug a satisfactory trade this year. 



It^" This is a good time work for new subscribers. 



