1904 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



745 



Wire cloth is nailed on to a frame the same 

 size as the top of the hive, and 1,'2 inches 

 deep. The wire cloth should never come 

 close to the top of the frame, for the bees 

 should have a clustering' space where they 

 can get a good deal of air in case of neces- 

 sity. Frames are secured in the same man- 

 ner as in the shipping- boxes; and when the 

 bees are ready to be shipped out, the cover 

 is secured by corner posts to a distance of 

 l}-2 inches over the top of the wire cloth. 

 The purpose of the cover is to protect the 

 wire cloth, both from the sun and from the 

 sharp corners of boxes or other articles. 

 The hive, of course, weighs a great deal 

 more than a shipping-box; but the customer, 

 on receipt of it, has only to put the hive in 

 place, remove the wire cloth, insert the 

 alighting-board, put on the cover, and the 

 bees are "at home." 



Right after a honey- flow it is not always 

 possible to secure combs that are light in 

 stores. For that reason the shipment will 

 be a little heavier in July and August than 

 in May or June. 



ANOTHER COMB- HONEY CANARD. 



The following is an extract from the 

 Pittsburgh, Pa., Gazette, of Sunday, July 

 24, 1904: 



HONEY-COMBS ARE MADE FROM Oil.. 



ARTIFICIAL PROCESS IS GUARDED SEDULOUSLY FROM 



THE GENERAL PUBLIC; CURIOUS USES OF 



PETROLEUM. 



Among the peculiar uses to which low-grade petro- 

 leum and the refuse of the setter grades are now being 

 put is that of the manufacture of artificial honey- 

 combs. There are four factories devoted to this prod- 

 uct in different part of Pennsylvania and Ohio, one of 

 them being in the immediate neighborhood of Pitts- 

 burgh. The process for making the combs is said to 

 have been evolved by a petroleum expert only after 

 years of experiment, and it is so much of a secret that 

 not only are visitors excluded from the factories in 

 which the combs are made, but the locations of the 

 latter are kept secret as far as possible from all but 

 those connected with or employed in them. 



The artificial honey co-nbs are so nearly like those 

 made by the bees, both by the chemical composition 

 of the wax as well as the cell formation, that the two 

 can not be told apart, even by experts. The idea of 

 making them was suggested by honey-dealers of the 

 class whose " bees " produce more of the sweet article 

 than combs can be found for. It is asserted, however, 

 that neither the empty nor the filled combs find a 

 market in this State, on account of the vigorous en- 

 forcement of the pure-food law. 



Of course, we replied at once. We sent 

 one of our SlOOO reward cards, and further 

 agreed to give them the sum of SlOOO, back- 

 ed by any kind of bond that their attorney 

 could draw up, if they could prove that 

 there were ayiywhere in the United States 

 artificial combs, such as they described, 

 filled with glucose or honey. We explain- 

 ed that we are makers of comb foundation — 

 a legitimate article that has been used by 

 bee-keepers for years. 



While our letter may have some effect, 

 yet letters received from thousands of peo- 

 ple from all over the United States will 

 have vastly more effect. We therefore re- 

 quest our readers to sit down and write a 

 short but courteous letter to the editor of the 



Pittsburgh Gazette, protesting against such 

 statements as appeared in their issue for 

 July 24, and request a retraction or a cor- 

 rection, on the ground that the article in 

 question is doing a very large class of hon- 

 ey-producers a direct damage in that sus- 

 picion is cast on the purity of all comb hon- 

 ey. Do not delay this one day, but send 

 your letter out the very next day if possi- 

 ble. We are just on the eve of the comb- 

 honey season, and such stories do an incal- 

 culable damage to the market, and should 

 be refuted at the very beginning of things. 



revised REPORT OF HONEV CROP FOR 1904. 



Since our last report conditions have im- 

 proved; rains cersed, warm weather came 

 on, with the result that there have been 

 flows of clover and basswood honey. In 

 some localities where clover had failed, 

 basswood gave a fair yield. 



Were it not for the fact that there had 

 been a heavy mortality of bees during the 

 past winter, the crop of clover and basswood 

 honey might be as heavy as last season; 

 but in many localities where there have 

 been good flows of honey there have been 

 too few bees to gather it. It is therefore my 

 opinion that the aggregate amount of clover 

 and basswood honey will be much lighter 

 than last season; and when I say this it 

 should be understood that the crop last 

 year was exceptionally heavy, heavier than 

 we reported for the reason that a large 

 amount of honey not reported was dumped 

 onto the market after the regular selling 

 season. Many held back thinking to get 

 better prices; but in this they were most 

 woefully disappointed, and they have no 

 one to blame but themselves. 



To particularize, the yield in parts of 

 Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan will 

 be from one-fourth to one-half a crop; in 

 Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Penn- 

 sylvania and Ohio, from the best informa- 

 tion we can gather, the yield will be fair, 

 but the aggregate amount of honey will not 

 be as heavy as last year, owing to the 

 aforesaid winter losses. Buckwheat in 

 New York promises well. In the New Eng- 

 land states, the yield has been light to fair. 



Reports are lacking from Colorado, but 

 the few received indicate that the crop will 

 not be as large as was anticipated; yield 

 in Nevada will be good; in Utah will be 

 largely a failure. We have not heard from 

 Canada, but the prospects so far as we can 

 gather are good. In th° meantime keep on 

 sending postal card reports of the season. 



NO MORE DRONE-LAYERS WANTED. 



In our last issue we asked for drone- lay- 

 ers, promising to seed a laying queen in- 

 stead, providing such drone- layers were 

 sent at once. We have now received all we 

 require for the purpose of scientific investi- 

 gation, and request our readers not to send 

 any more. 



