1S99 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



275 



Editorial 



Owing to the general crowd of matter, I 

 have reduced the editorial space somewhat 

 in this issue. In the mean time I would call 

 attention to the collection of excellent articles 

 from different writers. 



I have just received an article from Harry 

 S. Howe, who is conducting a series of api- 

 cultural experiments at Cornell University. 

 He is Mr. Coggshall's crack bee keeper — yes, 

 his " lightning operator." At present he is a 

 student in the university, and during his spare 

 moments he is carrying on experiments rela- 

 tive to foul brood. He has just sent in an 

 article that will give a little ' ' aid and comfort ' ' 

 to R. L. Taylor. Well, I will not say more, 

 for Harry is abundantly able to speak for him- 

 self, which he will do in our next issue. 



HONEY ADVANCING. 



I HAVE just learned from our Mr. Boy den, 

 who buys our hone}-, that good extracted 

 honey is really a scarce article; that while the 

 same could be bought a year ago for -5 and h% 

 cents, it is now necessary to offer 7, and it is 

 difficult to get a good article even then. There 

 was quite a sharp demand for both comb and 

 extracted, prior and up to the holidays, and 

 then it fell off for comb; but lately the demand 

 has increased, so that comb honey is running 

 up in price. A good article could be bought 

 a short time ago for 10 cts. ; but now I notice 

 that "fancy" brings all the way from 12 to 

 14, and No. 1 from 10 to 13. All of this is 

 encouraging. 



WINTER LOSSES UP TO DATE. 

 The reports that are coming in gradually 

 from all sources go to show that losses will be 

 almost as severe as we feared they might be 

 earlier i i the season. In New York, Wiscon- 

 sin, Northern Michigan, Pennsylvania, and in 

 our other Slates where bees are wintered in 

 the cellar, losses will be very moderate. The 

 outdoor bees in double- walled hives will come 

 out in fairly good shape, according to reports ; 

 but it is the colonies in singU-wallcd hii>es on 

 summer stands that are going to suffer. It is 

 the old story of the slipshod bee-keepers who 

 are too busy or too lazy to put their bees in 

 proper condition for winter who will be the 

 ones to lose most heavily. It is these who de- 

 moralize the market. But it will be the thrif- 

 ty, far-seeing, hard-working bee-keepers who 

 get the honey and good prices this year. 



MAKING YOUR OWN HIVES ; EOOT POWER 

 VERSUS GASOEINE AND STEAM ENGINES. 



In spite of the large supply factories over 

 the country, there are scores of bee-keepers 

 who make their own hives, frames, and foun- 

 dation. A very few, perhaps, go so far as to 

 make them with hand-saw and plane. But 



no one whose time is worth any thing can 

 afford to fuss with hand-tools. A good foot- 

 power buzz-saw is an acquisition ; but after 

 one has pumped the thing for half a day at a 

 time he begins to wish heartily that he had a 

 little steam-engine, or some sort of power that 

 would take that "tired feeling " out of his 

 legs; for it is a tremendous job to make hives 

 with a foot-power buzz-saw, as I know from 

 experience years ago before we had our fac- 

 tory. Steam-engines are rather complicated 

 to run; the steam and water must be watched; 

 and there has always been a fear that the 

 " blamed thing would burst." But very lately 

 gasoline-engines have been brought down to a 

 fine state of perfection, so that any one can 

 run them, and the cost of them is now so low 

 that one can not afford to buy even a steam- 

 engine. I believe also that, for economy of 

 running, the gasoline engine on small powers 

 is ahead of the steam-engine. 



Ascertaining that the Pierce Engine Co., of 

 Racine, Wis., were making an excellent engine 

 at a low price, I solicited their advertisement, 

 telling them that there are hundreds of bee- 

 keepers, doubtless, who would patronize them 

 if they only would let themselves be known 

 through our journal. Their card will be 

 found in another column, and I suggest that 

 our readers who are interested write to them 

 for their catalog and price on one and two 

 horse -power engines suitable for running a 

 buzz-saw for doing light work. 



If you buy one of them, after you get your 

 shop all rigged up get a photo taken of the 

 inside and send it to us, and I'll show you up. 



There is real fun, to one of a mechanical 

 turn of mind, in making things ; and even if 

 they are not nearly as good as the factory 

 goods, there is a sort of satisfaction in think- 

 ing they are your own make. 



w. S. PENDER. 



W T E have just enjoyed a visit of several days 

 from Mr. W. S. Pender, of Australia, one of 

 the leading bee-keepers of his country. He 

 is now making a tour through the United 

 States in the interests of bee-keeping ; and as 

 he goes about from place to place he has note- 

 book in hand, and jots down every thing he 

 can pick up. He goes back to his own country 

 expecting to take with him, or order shortly 

 after, a full set of machinery, including engine 

 and boiler, for starting supply-manufacturing 

 in Australia. 



His father, Mr. W. L. Pender, made a tour 

 through this country during the World's Fair 

 in 1893. Both the senior Pender and W. S. 

 by profession are architects. Mr. W. L., as 

 well as his son, has long had a side issue — 

 bee-keeping — in connection with manufactur- 

 ing bee-supplies. W. L. finally dropped out, 

 leaving the supply business to the manage- 

 ment of the boys. 



Mr. W. S. Pender is one who has accom- 

 plished not a little in the interests of bee- 

 keeping for New South Wales. It was 

 through his personal influence that the unjust 

 restrictions regarding the mailing of queens 

 to Australia were removed, so that now queens 



