130 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 15. 



and if he takes your 32 lbs. of honey in an 

 old-style 24-lb. case he will want the extra 8 

 lbs. at a discount. 



I could say much more in favor of the fence- 

 separator system for comb honey, but will only 

 add this: In my opinion the system has come 

 to stay, for, in every manipulation, from start 

 to finish, it is preferable to the old style. 



In this dry climate the shrinkage is more 

 than the wedge takes up. But I prefer to 

 wedge on both sides with upright wedges, at 

 each end and middle. This gives the Pettit 

 system, or loafing-ground, to my satisfaction 

 at least. 



I like your changes for 1 899 in the fences, 

 and the system now seems nearly perfect. I 

 have been told that I would use any thing that 

 the Roots would make, and call it all right 

 anyway. This I deny; for you have manu- 

 factured two things, and sent them out to the 

 trade, that I would not use. One was the 

 most provoking thing I ever saw — your Clark 

 cold-blast smoker. The other is or was the 

 most comical thing I ever saw, and that is 

 your little strainer sent out with extractors. 

 I remember poking one of them into the bung 

 of a barrel in Kentucky, and filling it with 

 thick yellow poplar (tulip) honey. That was 

 ten years ago, and I don't know whether it 

 has all run out yet or not. You used to send 

 them out that would hold about two pounds. 

 I heard a man say he filled one of them (dry) 

 and hung it up in his cellar, and it didn't even 

 leak for two days. I will say, however, that 

 the honey was alfalfa that would weigh close 

 to 13 lbs. per gallon. 



Boulder, Colo., Feb. 6. 



HIGHER PRICES FOR PEAIN-SECTION HONEY. 



I had your plain sections in use with fences, 

 and must say that I am pleased with them, 

 particularly the Z% x 5x \y 2 sections. They 

 were very nice, better filled than the old style, 

 and made a great deal better show — so much 

 so that they brought me a better price, and 

 they sell much quicker. I am so well pleased 

 that I will use none but plain sections this 

 season, and have sent my order for such. 



Alphin, Va., Feb. 6. ' P. I. Huffman. 



ECHOES FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE BEE- 

 KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION. 



Ninth Annual Session, Jan. n and 12. 

 BY J. H. MARTIN. 



Although there was an encouraging rain of 

 two inches the day previous to the meeting, 

 there was a very light attendance. Even some 

 quite extensive bee-keepers who live within 

 easy distance, or even in the city, were con- 

 spicuous by their absence. 



President C. A. Hatch, at last accounts, was 

 feeding four coal-stoves for comfort in Wis- 

 consin, and, lacking some 2000 miles of being 

 available, Mr. C. H. Clayton was elected pres- 

 ident pro tern. The treasurer, who some 

 weeks ago was reported as lost in the wilds of 

 Oregon, and for whom there was some solici- 



tude, turned up in due time. Secretary Mc- 

 Intyre felt much relieved when the man and 

 the funds — especially the latter — came in 

 sight. 



The first session was held at 2 p. m., and 

 the first paper was by Mr. Geo. W. Brodbeck, 

 on "The Bee-keeper of the Future." 



The secretary read a paper sent in by Mr. 

 W. A. Pryal, of Oakland, subject, "The Gi- 

 gantic Honey-producer, the Eucalyptus." 



This paper brought out a lengthy discussion, 

 and it was agreed that, among the many 

 species now in California, Eucalyptus robusta 

 was the species eminently adapted to the needs 

 of the bee-keeper. The bloom is the most 

 profuse from November until April, and just 

 when needed to help the bees through the 

 winter. 



Mr. Mendleson led quite a lengthy discus- 

 sion upon feeding. He had fed over a ton of 

 sweets. He preferred to reduce the number 

 of combs, and feed so as to crowd the queen 

 to a small space for breeding, otherwise quite 

 an amount of the stores would be used in 

 breeding a useless number of bees. 



The meeting on the 12th was, during the 

 morning session, devoted to foul-brood laws 

 and the treatment of the disease. 



Mr. McNay, of Portage, Wis., was in at- 

 tendance, and gave an interesting talk upon 

 methods of selling honey, the proper package 

 to use, and, above all, packages free from rust 

 and dirt. 



He finds that extracted honey is gaining in 

 sales, and for table use. Some of his custom- 

 ers called for basswood honey solidly candied. 

 He found that these salesmen had a stand in a 

 conspicuous place in their store window ; the 

 barrel of honey was placed thereon, the hoops 

 cut off, the staves removed, and the honey 

 was chipped off in chunks in size to suit the 

 buyer. 



Mr. Lambkin, of New York, was in attend- 

 ance, and gave a few ideas respecting sec- 

 tions and fences. He said they had been in 

 use in his portion of the State for 20 years; he 

 was strongly in favor of their use. 



Mr. Wilkin addressed the meeting upon the 

 subject of co-operation. 



Mr. Wilkin was elected president for the 

 coming year. 



Mr. J. F. Mclntyre was re-elected secretary. 

 The present treasurer continued. 



There was an estimate that fully 50 per cent 

 of the bees in Southern California had died 

 during the past dry season. 



It was with regret that we learned of the 

 death of J. P. Israel (Skjlark). He was one 

 of the veteran bee-keepers of California. 



Samples of honey were on exhibition from 

 Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. 



Mr. Farr, who has apiaries in Acton, Cal., 

 was present. Mr. Farr is one of those bee- 

 keepers who migrate during a dry season. 

 His migration this past season took him to 

 Utah. Mr. Farr was quite reticent on the sub- 

 ject ; but we learned from other sources that 

 the cost of moving a carload of bees to Utah 

 was $400, and Mr. Farr produced honey 

 enough to sell for $2400. This proved to be a. 

 good move, even if it was a long one. 



