Feb. 7, 1907 



American ^ae 



queens. The season was a very poor one, 

 but by liberal foedlDK they built up now 

 comb, and on Sept. 10 (which was rather late 

 in the season, 1 am afraiJ) I decided to ex- 

 periment with the Ferris system on one of 

 the new colonies, which was then full of 

 bees. I divided it into IJ divisions by a board, 

 and introduced an untested queen on the east 

 side, the hives facing south. About iJ weeks 

 later I examined this side and saw the queen, 

 but could tind no signs of eggs or larv;c. I 

 then fed each colony with all the bees could 

 take of sugar syrup. 



The middle of November I bunched the 

 hives together, and placed a large packing 

 box over all, cutting away on the side about 6 

 inches opposite the entrances. The hives are 

 protected by at least inches of closely packed 

 leaves on all sides. The board cut from the 

 front overhangs as a shade, so that I must get 

 on my knees if 1 want to see the entrances. 



New Year's day was warm, and I cleaned 

 away a few dead b3es that were lying just in- 

 side the entrances. I found a young un- 

 hatched bee at the entrance of the hive where 

 the young queen had been given, and it sug- 

 gested that possibly she had started to lay 

 after my inspection. 



On Jan, 5 this colony, which occupies the 

 east end of the row, was the lirst to send out 

 bees, and I suppose it was because the rising 

 sun, striking the east end of the packing box, 

 had warmed up the hive. This was U o'clock, 

 and an hour later the colony at the west end 

 sent out a few bees. The center colony made 

 the smallest showing of all. 



Bees were Hying from both divisions of the 

 east hive, but the great majority were from 

 the one in which was the young queen. The 

 drones came from this. The workers dis- 

 ported themselves in front like nurse-bees, 

 and in about half an hour there were very 

 few outside. The drones appeared almost at 

 the start of the flight. 



The following day (Jan. 6) the outside 

 temperature rose to 50 degrees, and the colo- 

 nies showed activity in much the same way 

 as they did before. However, I saw no 

 drones. 



In "ABC of Bee Culture," Mr. Doolittle 

 says he has twice seen drones flying in winter 

 during his career, both occasions following 

 very heavy honey-flows, and he assumes they 

 had not been killed otl. I watched the 

 slaughter of the drones in my own hive, and 

 I saw none flying for weeks before the be- 

 ginning of winter. 



For a definite conclusion as to the reason 

 of their existence, I feel I must wait until 

 spring, but, in the meantime, I conceive the 

 following possibilities: First, the drones 

 have lived since summer ; second, the queen 

 is now laying, but has not been mated, but 

 the flying bees that I examined are small and 

 downy, and I think they are young; third, the 

 queen is laying, but her first eggs were not 

 fertilized. To quote Kobert Burns— 



" Her prentice haun she tried on man, 

 . And then elie made the lasses, oh." 



Perhaps there may be a fourth, and even 

 other possibilities, but I will let men like Dr, 

 Miller add to their number. 



Glencoe, 111. F. Dundas Todd. 



Pollen and Honey in January 



Bees are getting pollen and honey from 

 black brunh, wild peach, mistletoe, and bar- 

 berry ; also from seedling peaches and early- 

 blooming pears. How is that for January? 



Sabinal, Tex. Grant Anderson. 



[We should think that January is pretty 

 early for bees to be working on the blossoms. 

 At this time we have nothing but snow and 

 ice in this part of the country. But 1300 

 miles south of Chicago it would be quite dif- 

 ferent.— Editor. I 



For Missouri Bee-Keepers. — Since I 

 sent the call to the bee-keepers of Missouri, 

 in the last issue of the American Bee Journal, 

 to write to their Representatives and Senators 



iu support of ihiu Apiary Bill, wliich has 

 been introduc<nl in the Senate, the Bill has 

 also been introduciil in the House. The Sen- 

 ate Bill is No. M.^>, Iho House Bill is No. MH ; 

 both Bills read alike, butin writing to a Sena- 

 tor it will be well ici name Senate Bill No, I4f), 

 and when writing tu a Representative, name 

 House Bill No, MH. 



I wish to suggesi that Missouri bee keepers 

 write a letter to their legislators, calling at- 

 tention to the great need of the apiarists and 

 horticulturists, to liavethe Apiary Bill passed, 

 and then have this letter signed by all the 

 bee-keepers, fruit-growers, and other promi- 

 nent citizens who take an interest in the well- 

 fare of the vocations named. It will be much 

 easier in this way to get signatures of many 

 bee-keepers to these letters, than to induce 

 them to write the letter themselves. Bee- 

 keepers, do all you can. It is important that 

 our legislators livar from lunne. 



ROBT. A. HOLEKAMP, 



St'f. J/itisouri iSfiitf llfe-ICeepft's^ Assoviiiiioti. 

 4afi3 Virginia .\ve., St. Louis, Mo. 



CONVENTION NOTICE. 



THE TRAPPERS WORLD 



I'ubllslied .Monthly hy 

 THE D. E. ALLVN PUBLISMINOlCOMPANY 



Minnesota— The Southeastern Minnesota 

 Bee Keepers' Association will meet in the 

 Court House at Winona, on Tuesday and 

 Wednesday, Feb. 26 and 2", 190". Everybody 

 is invited. E. C. Cornwell, Sec. 



Winona. Minn. 



" Songs of Beedom." — This is a beau- 

 tiful 16-page-and-cover pamphlet, 6x9 inches 

 in size, containing 10 bee-songs — words and 

 music— all the songs so far written specially 

 for bee-keepers, we believe. It is nice, as 

 well as convenient, to have these songs all in 

 one binding. Every bee-keepers' organiza- 

 tion should have copies for use at conven- 

 tions. They could be sold to members after 

 using once, or held by the secretary for use 

 at future meetings. Of course, every bee- 

 keeper's family will want at least one copy. 

 It is sent, postpaid, for only 25 cents, or 3 

 copies for 60 cents ; or, we will mail one copy 

 with the American Bee Journal one year — 

 both for Si. 10. Send all orders to the office 

 of the American Bee Journal. 



"Langstroth on the Honey-Bee" — 



the well-known bee-book revised by the 

 Dadants — has just passed into another edi- 

 tion. There have been some 75 pages added 

 to it, and the whole work brought down to 

 date in every respect. It is certainly a fine 

 book, and should be read by every bee-keeper. 

 It is really a classic. To become acquainted 

 with the great Langstroth through the read- 

 ing of his book is no small thing. Other bee- 

 books are good, but there is only one " Lang- 

 stroth on the Houey-Bee." The latest re- 

 vised edition will be sold at the same price as 

 the one preceding, which is $1.20, postpaid. 

 We still have a few copies of the old edition 

 on hand, which we will mail at 90 cents each, 

 if preferred, so long as they last. We club 

 the new edition of this book with the Ameri- 

 can Bee Journal for one year — both for $2.00. 

 So long as we have any copies left of the old 

 edition, we will send it with the American Bee 

 Journal one year — both for $1.80. 



IJ^^ Injustice I should say that the Ameri- 

 can Bee Journal pk-ases every member of the 

 family, and all appreciate the Editor's tire- 

 less and punctual labors. — Thbodore Lohf, 

 of Col6rado. 



STAFF OF CONTKIHLTOK8 



Our Subscribers, The Trappers, 



Hunters. Fur Collectors, Anglers, 



fJuides, and Men of the Woods. 



$1.00 A YEAR. 



10 GENTS A COPY. 



Tells alt about Trapping, Fur aod Game Sec- 

 tions, Hig tiirac Sections, Best Fur Buyers- 

 everything in tlie interest of Its readers. .Sub- 

 scribe now. One sample free. 

 aVCtf Room I, AlslnBlde., MADRID. IOWA 



THE POULTRY DIGEST 



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36Ctf 43 Centre St., N. Y. City. 



In Its Thirtieth Year 



THe RuraTGalilornian 



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A larKe monthly luaKazine devnted to Atrricui- 

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THE RURAL CALIFORNIAN 



Rooms 6 and 7 Temple Blocii, 

 ICt LOS ANGKLBS. CALIF. 



Special Oflfer.— For S1.40 we will send 

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Successful Poultry Journal 



FRANK HECK. Editor. 



Subscription Price 50 cents per Year. 



Write for Advertising Rates. 



The most prominent and successful, practica 

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iCtf 355 Dearborn St., CUICAGO. ILIj. 



TiiefiDiersoDtiiuder 



This Emerson stiff -board Binder with cloth 

 back for the American Bee Journal we mail 

 for but 75 cents; or we will send it with the 

 Bee Journal for one year — both for only si. 50. 

 It is a line thing to preserve the copies of the 

 Journal as fast as they are received. If you 

 have this " Emerson " no further binding is 

 necessary. 



QEORQE W. YORK & CO. 



334 Dearborn street, - iHICAGO. ILL. 



The San Antonio Convention Pic- 

 ture is a good one. It snows over 100 of 

 those in attendance. We are uiailing them, 

 unmounted, for only 60 cents. They can be 

 mounted by a local photographer for only 10 

 or 15 cents more. We will mail one of these 

 pictures with the American Bee Journal one 

 year— both for only S1.40. Send all orders to 

 the Bee Journal office. 



