Published by The A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. 



H. H. Root, Assistant Editor E. R. Root, Editor A. L. Boyden, Advertising Manager 



A. I. Root, Editor Home Department. .f. T. Calvert, Business Mgr. 



Entered at the Postoffice, Medina, Ohio, as second-class matter. 



VOL. XLIT. 



JUNE 1, 1914 



NO. 11 



EDITORIAL 



Broken 



In addition to the danger of losing valu- 

 able swarms there is the added danger, when 

 one is obliged to climb trees, of breaking a 

 leg or an arm. For this reason, if for no 

 other, queens should be clipped. 



We are indebted to one of our subscrib- 

 eis, George M. Fetzer, Allentown, Pa., for 

 a clipping describing a most jjainful acci- 

 dent to Frank Coffin, of Slatington, Pa. 



Mr. Coffin had climbed a tree for a swarm, 

 and, holding himself by means of a line- 

 man's belt, began to saw off the limb on 

 which the swarm had clustered. In some 

 way his arm was broken as the limb swung 

 down; and as he was unable to free himself 

 so as to get to the ground he was so badly 

 slung that he had to be taken to a hospital. 



Degtmietive Smeltteir Smmoke in ami 



The following letter, received from our 

 Colorado correspondent, Mr. Wesley Foster, 

 came too late for ins3rtion in his regular 

 department ; but it is of such great impor- 

 tance that we have thought best to place it 

 before our readers in the editorial columns. 



SMELTER SMOKE OR CITY SMOKE. 



Several thousand colonies of bees have been deci- 

 mated by some undetermined cause. This is Vifithin 

 fifteen miles of Denver. The brood is not affected, 

 e.xcept as it becomes chilled or starved from the lack 

 of care and warmth. The great majority of the hives 

 have but a small number of bees in them — less than 

 one month ago. Some of the colonies may build up, 

 but there will be little surplus from them unless 

 there is a good late flow. 



The strongest colonies are affected the worst, and 

 weak colonies with pollen carried over from last 

 year are not affected seriously. This leads to the 

 conclusion that it must be something which poisons 

 the pollen. Smelter smoke and probably ordinary 

 city coal smoke will do this. The sulphur deposit 

 from the smoke may fall upon and mingle with the 

 pollen to cause the trouble. There is nothing that 



can be done that is known so far. The malady affects 

 the bees north and west of Denver for fifteen miles, 

 and east and south for eight or ten miles. This 

 trouble has visited the vicinity of Denver before, 

 and also has wiped out large numbers of bees around 

 Pueblo. 



This, if it comes upon us often enough, will play 

 havoc with city beekeeping, and suburban beekeeping 

 for that matter. Beekeepers will have to remain 

 strictly " rural " to avoid smoke. 



This bad report from Denver and vicinity will 

 hardly affect the crop in Colorado greatly ; but there 

 have been destructive hailstorms in the Arkansas 

 Valley in the past two days. Five inches of hail 

 fell at Colorado Springs, and a very destructive 

 storm visited the west end of Prowers County. I 

 will inform you later of its severity. Prospects are 

 simply unequalled in some parts of Colorado. 



The New Rmliinig aim Regard la Lalbel- 



_ MCft§ 



Our readers will remember, perhaps, see- 

 ing on labels covering many of the princi- 

 pal food products on the market the words, 

 "Guaranteed ui]der the pure food and drugs 

 act of June 30, 1906. Serial No. — . But 

 it now appears that certain unscrupulous 

 manufacturers are trying to make it appear 

 that when the Government gave them a serial 

 number it thereby put its seal of approval 

 on their products. All this serial number 

 signifies is that the manufacturer has agreed 

 to comply with the requirements of" this 

 food act. While he may comply strictly 

 with the letter of the law, his ]iroduct may 

 be of very poor quality, and the guarantee 

 clause has made it appear as if tlie Govern- 

 ment said they were all right. The Govern- 

 ment has now amended the rules and regu- 

 lations in such a way that after May 1, 9i5, 

 the words "Guaranteed under the piire food 

 and drags act of June 30, 1906, serial No. 

 — ," shall no longer be used. But a manu- 

 facturer has a right to guarantee on his bill 

 of sale, invoice, bill of lading, or other 

 schedule that the article is pure in accord- 

 ance with the pure food and drugs act. 



Those who are using honey-labels with a 

 guarantee clause, as before mentioned, will 

 please take notice. To be on the safe side, 



