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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Nov. 6, 1902. 



successfully for some years. The soil from these fields is 

 thoroughly infected with the alfalfa bacteria, and can be 

 used for inocculating new areas. In the experiinents con- 

 ducted by the station, this infected soil was applied at the 

 rate of from 320 to 1920 pounds per acre, the heavier appli- 

 cations being the most effective. Prof. C. G. Hopkins states 

 in the bulletin that where lime is applied at the rate of 400 

 pounds per acre in connection with 100 pounds of infected 

 soil, the inoculation will be very satisfactory in a year or 

 two. The infected soil can be secured from Kansas or 

 Nebraska, if it does not seem desirable to get it from 

 Illinois. 



The Experiment Station advises farmers to try a few 

 acres of alfalfa, and to apply infected soil to at least a small 

 plot. The infection enables the alfalfa to feed upon the 

 supply of free nitrogen in the air, greatly enriching the 

 land on which it grows, as well as producing heavy crops 

 of forage. On the limestone soils of the State it will not be 

 necessary to add lime. 



This information will come a little in the nature of a 

 surprise to those who have been in the habit of thinking 

 that the main, if not the only, difference between Illinois 

 and Colorado, as to producing alfalfa, is the matter of irri- 

 gation. As a better understanding 'prevails, it is likely 

 that better success will attend the cultivation of alfalfa, 

 and it is perhaps not too much to expect that some time it 

 may be practicable to create conditions whereby alfalfa 

 may be a honey-plant east of the Mississippi River, even if 

 not so valuable as farther west. 



The Poison of the Bee. — A clipping received speaks 

 of formic acid as the basis of bee-virus, saying, " To this 

 formic acid, in all probability, the therapeutic value of the 

 honey-bee is mainly, if not entirely, due." While it is true 

 that formic acid plays an important part in the economy of 

 the hive, it should be remembered that the latest investiga- 

 tions show that the real virus is a thing separate and apart 

 from formic acid. 



Perforated-Zinc A French writer says the measure- 

 ment of perforations should be very exact, as a bee not 

 filled with honey passes through a perforation of 4.06 

 millimeters, but is stopped if loaded with honey. The true 

 dimension, he says, is 4.19 millimeters, or 165 thousandths 

 of an inch, the measurement favored in this country. 



Five Requisites for a Qood Honey-Yield, particularly 



where there is an early and short harvest, are thus given in 

 Leipziger Bienenzeitung : 1. Colonies strong in time. 2. 

 Limiting the brood during harvest. 3. Repressing drone- 

 brood as much as possible. 4. Giving sufficient room. 5. 

 Having a good strain of bees. 



A Cough Mixture given by E. J. Rien, in the Austra- 

 lian Bee-Bulletin, is as follows : 



" Castor oil, honey, one dessert-spoon of each ; the white 

 of one egg, juice of a lemon. Dose : One spoonful a few 

 times a day." 



Keepers' Association ; and to say for the benefit of the 

 voters of that Association, that I have no desire for the 

 office, and could not serve if elected. Yours truly, 



R. L. Taylor. 



Mr. Dadant having expressed himself similarly to Mr. 

 Taylor, leaves only Mr. Abbott and Mr. France as candi- 

 dates for the General Managership up to this time. We are 

 ready to announce further nominations in these columns, 

 should there be any, but we must decline to publish any 

 electioneering matter in the interest of any particular can- 

 didate, as we consider such publication would be unfair. 

 We prefer to have each candidate stand on his own merits, 

 and then have the voting membership of the Association 

 make their own choice. 



To be just and fair, any bee-paper that mentions one 

 candidate must mention all candidates. An editor's per- 

 sonal feelings have no bearing in a matter of this kind. 



l ^ The Weekly Budget. * I 



Hon. R. L. Taylor, who was nominated as a candidate 

 for General Manager of the National Bee-Keepers' Associa- 

 tion, wrote us as follows on Oct. 25 : 



Editor American Beb Journal.— 



Please allow me, through your Journal, to thank Mr. 

 Moore for thinking me worthy to be named in connection 

 with the office of General Manager of the National Bee- 



RuLES ON Asking Questions. — We have decided to 

 make the following rules, which must be followed hereafter 

 if any one desires to have his or her questions answered 

 in the " Question and Answer " department . 



1st. The questioner must be a paid-in-advance sub- 

 scriber to the American Bee Journal. 



2d. The questioner must sign his or her full name and 

 address each time when sending in any question. Of course, 

 we shall continue to give only the State as a signature to 

 the question or questions asked, as that is all that is neces- 

 sary, and does not " give away " the ignorance of the ques- 

 tioner as one's name might do sometimes. 



We now have several questions from some one in 

 Urbana, III., who simply signs himself " Ills." If the 

 " Question and Answer " department is worth patronizing 

 it is worth signing your name and address in full when 

 sending in the questions, and also keeping your subscrip- 

 tion to the American Bee Journal paid in advance. 



An Invitation from the Ontario. — We have re- 

 ceived the following from Secretary Mason, of the Na- 

 tional Bee-Keepers' Association : 



Editor American Bee Journal — 



Dear Sir : — I received the enclosed communication sev- 

 eral days ago, and have been waiting to learn the time of 

 meeting, but as Secretary Couse will probably give notice 

 of the time in all the bee-papers, I'll wait no longer. 

 Very truly yours, 



A. B. Mason, Secretary. 



Here is the communication referred to by Dr. Mason : 



Dr. a. B. Mason, 



Secretary of the National Bee-Keepers' Association — 



Uear Sir : — I am directed by the Executive Committee 

 of the Ontario Bee-Keepers' Association to extend to the 

 officers and members of your Association a very cordial in- 

 vitation to attend the annual meeting of the Ontario Bee- 

 Keepers' Association at Barrie, early in December. The 

 date not being finally set yet, we can not be definite; but 

 hope soon to know, when we will advise you. 



We look forward to having a very pleasant meeting. 

 Yours truly, 



W. Couse, Secretary. 



We trust that a goodly number of bee-keepers of the 

 United States can accept the invitation thus kindly ex- 

 tended. 



Why Not Help a Little— both your neighbor bee-keep- 

 ers and the old American Bee Journal — by sending to us the 

 names and addresses of such as you may know do not now 

 get this journal ? We will be glad to send them sample 

 copies, so that they may become acquainted with the paper, 

 and subscribe for it, thus putting themselves in the line of 

 success with bees. Perhaps you can get them to subscribe, 

 send in their dollars, and secure for your trouble some of 

 the premiums we are constantly offering as rewards for 

 I such effort. 



