840 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Sept. 1 



there is not nearly as much of it as former- 

 ly. After the bees learn where this supply 

 of food comes from, it is not necessary for 

 them to hunt it up, but they go right to the 

 spot, take a drink, and go straight back to 

 the hive. 



The only possible objection that can be 

 urged against outdoor feeding is the feed- 

 ing of neighbors' bees. If they are located 

 within a quarter of a mile I would urge 

 some sort of arrangement by which each 

 neighbor will shoulder equally the expense 

 of the work. 



I was talking with one of our neighbors 

 who has one hive of bees about three-fourths 

 of a mile away. These bees are bringing in 

 a little honey, but their line of flight is in 

 the opposite direction to that of our bees, 

 or, rather, where our outdoor feeder is lo- 

 cated. The fact is, goldenrod is just com- 

 ing out, and that neighbor's bees are located 

 within three-fourths of a mile of the river, 

 where it is most abundant. But for this 

 natural source of supply his bees would 

 in all probability help themselves at our 

 feeders. 



The big colonies will get a larger supply 

 of the food that is given outdoors ; but when 

 they are filled they can be given to the 

 weaker ones ; and when the feeding is all 

 done, the stores may be equalized through- 

 out the entire yard, with very little trouble 

 and expense. 



ARTIFICIAL PARAFFINE HONEY-COMB IN THE 

 ladies' home JOURNAL. 



Our readers will remember that in the 

 June issue of that magazine appeared an 

 article by Emma E. Walker, M. D., on the 

 general subject of foods and their adulter- 

 ants. Among the list was included artificial 

 honey-comb filled with glucose, etc. We, 

 as did others, immediately sent in our pro- 

 test to the publishers, and in reply received 

 a very courteous response, to the effect that 

 the matter would receive their careful con- 

 sideration. 



In the meantime, Mr. W. A. Selser, of 

 Philadelphia, on behalf of the National Bee- 

 keepers' Association, was asked to call and 

 see the Curtis Publishing Co., and, if possi- 

 ble, get an interview with the editor, Mr. 

 Bok. We also wrote Mr. Selser, authorizing 

 him as our representative (for he is the 

 manager of our Philadelphia branch) to say 

 when he called that we would pay $1000, re- 

 inforced by any kind of bond that could be 

 drawn up, for evidence showing artificial 

 honey-comb honey on the market, filled with 

 glucose as described in their June issue. 



It so happened that Mr. Selser was an old 

 neighbor of Mr. Curtis, and was received by 

 him very cordially. To make a long story 

 short, there were several interviews, during 

 which Mr. Selser finally convinced the pub- 

 lishers that the statement by Dr. Walker 

 was incorrect. At last a statement was 

 prepared and submitted to Mr. Selser, which 

 he accepted on behalf of the National and 

 of The A. I. Root Co. The same now ap- 



pears in the Ladies' Home Journal for Sep- 

 tember, and we herewith present it just as 

 written by Dr. Walker herself: 



ARTIFICIAL PARAFFINE HONEY-COMB. 



Since making the statement in this department in the 

 June Journal concerning- paraffine honey-comb, I have 

 received a number of letters from those interested in 

 the subject challenging my authorities. 



My authorities are these : 



In "Foods: Their Composition and Analysis," by 

 A. Wynther Blyth. it says : 



"A curiosity of food is a commercial American arti- 

 ficial honey, which is entirely composed of glucose syrup, 

 while the comb is also artificial, and made of paraffine." 



In "Practical Dietetics," by W. Oilman Thompson, 

 M. D., Professor of Medicine n the Cornell University 

 Medical College in New York City, visiting physician to 

 the Presbyterian and Bellevue Hospitals, it says : 



"Artificial honey-combs are now being made from 

 paraffine, stamped into cells to imitate the original, which 

 enables the bees to devote more energy to the manufac- 

 ture of honey and bestow less on the combs." 



In " Food Analysis," by Leffmann and Beam, it says : 



"A common method of adulteration consists in pour- 

 ing glucose syrup over honey-comb from which the hon- 

 ey has been drained, and allowing the mixture to stand 

 until it has acquired a honey flavor." 



In "The New International Encyclopaedia " for 1893 



it says : 



" It is stated that much of the so-called honey which 

 is sold contains none of the product gathered by the 

 bee, and is entirely artificial. Of sixty-six samples of 

 honey examined by the Massachusetts State Board of 

 Health fifteen were adulterated with cane-sugar or 

 commercial glucose, or both. One sample contained as 

 high as eighty-eight per cent of commercial glucose." 



Notwithstanding these apparently authoritative state- 

 ments, wide inquiry among practical bee-keepers now 

 convinces me that paraffine is not used for this purpose, 

 and never has been except in an experimental way. 

 Therefore, the statement made in the June issue was 

 erroneous. What appears to be further evidence of this 

 is the fact that a reward of $1000 for a sample of paraf- 

 fin comb was ofi'ered some years ago, and I understand 

 has never been claimed. give the above facts so that 

 my former statements may not do any injustice to the 

 army of reputable bee-keepers in America. 



While, perhaps, some may feel that Mr. 

 Selser should have demanded a stronger re- 

 traction, without any reference to the so- 

 called "authorities," yet I think he should 

 be congratulated in securing what he did. 

 In the mean time we will write to these au- 

 thorities as soon as we can get the address- 

 es of the publishers, making a vigorous pro- 

 test. 



It should be stated that the army of bee- 

 keepers who, in response to the request of 

 the bee-papers, wrote to the publishers of 

 the Ladies' Home Journal, undoubtedly ren- 

 dered Mr. Selser important aid; for that 

 gentleman says the Journal was fairly be- 

 sieged and deluged with protests. Mr. Ben- 

 ton, of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

 Washington, D. C, filed with them a vigor- 

 ous denial. Then, besides, there were let- 

 ters from the editors of all the bee-papers. 



Copy for our new department, ' ' Bee- 

 keeping among the Rockies," arrived too 

 late for insertion in this issue. It v/ill ap- 

 pear in our next. 



