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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Feb. 6, 1902 



which was full of those who sympathized with each 

 other, and were in kindly sympathy with me; of those who 

 were kindly tolerant of each other, and so would be charitable 

 with me even though I might stumble on to the wrong thought 

 or unsuitable suggestion. I have meant to give my best, and 

 only good things. That I have always been so happy as to 

 realize my desires. I am not at all certain is true. We can 

 hardly expect to be so privileged even in matters of much 

 less importance and influence in this world of imperfections. 

 I am assured of some success, in the very kind, and, I fear, 

 undeserved words of appreciation and approval that have 

 come to me from numerous members of the dear home circle. 

 It has indeed been a labor of love. 



I believe no country is above its average homes. I believe 

 more depends upon the sanctity of the home in making a 

 grand, stalwart nation, than on aught else. So, to-day, it is 

 my proud hope that I may have said some word, dropped 

 some hint, quickened some good purpose, that has worked to 

 make some home truer and better. Surely, if what two have 

 written me — that they always read "The Home Circle" article 

 first, and are always helped by it, is at all shared by many 

 others, then am I glad and happy. 



It was no pleasure, then, to write the letter that would 

 sever this connection, and strike from our dear old American 

 Bee Journal "The Home Circle" department. Other duties 

 take precedence, and I am constrained to say, Good-by. 



I still hope that the idea may not be given up, but that 

 it may fall into other and abler hands. 



We often hear doubts as to the perpetuity of our coun- 

 try. People say, "No republic has lasted, so ours will cease." 

 We do not believe it. Yet there are serious dangers that 

 should make all of us serious and thoughtful : The terrible 

 social evil, the horrid saloon, the labor problem, unequal 

 taxation. What will dominate these evils and preserve us as 

 a nation? A quick, active conscience. The recent election 

 in New York City shows that we have the conscience. If in 

 New York City, then surely in the country at large. If we 

 would make safe our country's future we must all do our little 

 part towards arousing and strengthening the conscience of our 

 people. 



When can, and must, this work be done? Surely, as we 

 all agree, in our homes. If our homes are all that they should 

 be. then our Government will feel the quickening, and we shall 

 continue to bless the world. 



The greater problems which of late have come upon us 

 make it all the more important that the public pulse as to 

 righteousness be quickened. It seems a great thing, this raising 

 of our whole people to a higher plane: it should make us all 

 feel a higher dignity and a greater self-resncct, that in our 

 own beloved homes, where the influence will be reflex, and 

 will react beneficently upon us, we may do our part in this 

 glorious work. 



It is my best hope, and my fervent prayer, that I may 

 have done a little in these "Home Circle" articles to bless 

 the homes and enrich their spirit. I come to the last word, 

 "Good-by," with only sorrow, regretting that the pleasant 

 relation might not have continued; and wishing that our limi- 

 tations were not so obvious. A. J. Cook. 



(Perhaps a few words from us tnight not be amiss, right 

 here. Prof. Cook had an opportunity to do writing for which 

 he could command much higher pay than we felt we could 

 afford to give him, and so we thought he should not sacrifice 

 his good opportunity in order to continue this department. 

 We know his home circle contributions have been greatly 

 appreciated by nearly all our readers. 



Of course, the department will be missed, and yet we will 

 use the space thus vacated in a way that will be both helpful 

 and profitable to all. 



But, after all, the great majority of those who subscribe 

 for the American Bee Journal do so for the information it 

 contains on practical bee-keeping. We could not hope, within 

 its few pages, to compete with the many rich and varied home 

 magazines that are published to-day. And almost every fam- 

 ily has such magazines, as they are so fine and so cheap. So 

 when Prof. Cook decided that he could not continue at the 

 price he was receiving, and that we could afford to pay him 

 for the work, we concluded to devote the space and money 

 to matter we are certain will be appreciated by our readers. 

 It may be more nice pictures, more splendid contributed 

 articles, and more of some other good things. 



Of course. Prof. Cook will continue, as heretofore, to give 

 to the American Bee Journal his best articles along the line of 

 bee-keeping. We have several such on hand now. So our 

 readers are not going to lose him, after all. — Editor.] 



Questions and Answers. 



CONDUCTED BY 



X>R. O. O. DULLER, JHqt&dso, 111, 



[The Questions may be mailed to the Bee Journal ofl&ce, or to Dr. Miller 



direct, when he will answer them here. Please do not ask the 



Doctor to send answers bv roail. — Editor.1 



starting in Bee-Keeping. 



I am a bee-keeper and have a mother and myself to sup- 

 port. 



1. Do you think it would be advisable for one to start 

 with six or eight colonies of bees ? 



2. Would it be necessary to liave a large piece of 

 ground ? IniNois. 



Answers. — 1. Unless you have some money to throw 

 away, don't think of beginning with so large a number as 

 6 or 8 colonies. First experiment with not more than 2 

 colonies, and find out whether you can make a success of 

 the business. You may be well fitted for the business, 

 and you may not. Onlv trial will tell. If you think of un- 

 dertaking bee-keeping, get a text-book first thing (you can 

 get one at the office of the American Bee Journal), and 

 familiarize yourself with its contents between this and the 

 time for bees to fly in the spring. The study of a text-book 

 and the reading of a bee-paper, together with practice upon 

 one or two colonies, will start you on the road to successful 

 bee-keeping if there is in you the right material for a bee- 

 keeper. 



2. No, a large piece of ground is not necessary. You 

 can get along with not more than 10 square feet of ground 

 for each colony. Sorne bee-keepers in cities have had no 

 other place for bees than a flat roof. 



Finding Queens— Knowing Bees are Not Queenless- 

 Preserving Caged Qiueen Aljove a Normal Colony. 



1. A queen is found by searching each frame in the 

 hive, of course. But it is something easier that I would 

 like to do. I tried three or four times last fall to catch the 

 queen of a certain hive ; I was sure she was there, since I 

 saw the eggs and larva?. I could never get at her, so I gave 

 it up in disgust. Now. there are various devices to catch 

 rats, mice, flies, etc., why not invent a queen-catcher? I 

 move that a premium be proposed to award the inventor of 

 the best queen-catcher. 



2. When we see the eggs or larva; anywhere in the hive 

 we know that a queen is there. But there are times when 

 the queen stops laying, as in October, generally. Well, now, 

 that is just the time we want to be sure that each colony is 

 provided with a good queen. Don't say, examine carefully 

 each frame, etc. I want to dispense as much as possible 

 with such manipulations. Is there any means of knowing 

 for sure that her majesty is at home, without entering the 

 house ? I will relate my experience : 



Last fall I had two queens to spare, so I went to a hive 

 which I suspected to be without a queen. I put her majesty 

 in a little cage with perforated zinc, and placed the cage in 

 a little box above the frame, with a glass, so as to watch the 

 actions of the bees. They came to see the queen, entered 

 the queen's apartments, seemed to feed her, and by and by 

 lots of bees came and filled the box, so I concluded they 

 were without a queen. 



I went to another colony, and repeated the same trick; 

 the bees came, but only in small numbers ; after two or 

 three days, they did not seem to care much for that queen ; 

 only 8 or 10 were with her. I was surprised that they 

 seemed to treat her kindly, and to feed her. But thinking 

 that they possibly had a queen down below, I removed the 

 caged queen. Afterwards, being a little perplexed about 

 that colony, I went to the trouble of examining every frame. 

 I found no queen, no queen-cell, eggs, no larva?, no pollen 

 stored, except one frame full of pollen. I feel I should have 

 risked to liberate the proposed queen, but I did not and gave 

 up in despair. Next march I will know, I suppose. 



Now, if you veterans have any trick to be sure about 

 the presence of a queen, we novices would be very glad to 

 know of it. 



3. Can a caged queen be preserved above a normal colony? 



