1905 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



743 



instance. 1000 bags printed with four different names 

 and addresses, 250 of each, would be $2,00; with ten 

 different names $3.00, etc. As the bags must be print- 

 ed before they are made up and coated, we can not 

 change the label except in lots of 10,000 or over. We 

 have some plain 2-lb. size of darkdrab paper which 

 we can furnish plain at $2 00 per 1000 less than prices 

 quoted above, or we can print a smaller special label 

 in one color at above rat s extra for printing.- 



Special Notices by A. I. Root. 



"how to keep bees." 



I had another of my happy surprises when Mr. Boy- 

 den put in my hands a pretty book with the above title. 

 My first thought was that we had almost enough bee- 

 books alreadj : but when I noticed this one was written 

 by a woman, and a noted woman too, I began to turn 

 over its pages. One of the first things that impressed 

 me was the beauty of the engravings. The one on page 

 50, showing bees at work, is something to artistic and 

 wonderfully true to nature that I turn to this page and 

 gaze at it again and again. I have often felt thrills of 

 delight when gazing at the inside of a hive while the 

 bees were building comb in the height of the season; and 

 I have wondered if photography could ever catch the 

 lights and shades, and that fresh newness, with every 

 thing so perfectly clean and neat as is seen in the inte- 

 rior of the hive. Mrs. Comstock evidently caught hold 

 of one of the very best specimens of this work, and her 

 photographer evidently is an expert in his line. And, 

 finally, the paper and ink are of the very best quality; 

 and the pressman also must have been an expert in his 

 line. The author is not only of great literary ability, 

 but she has gone into the work with rare enthusiasm; 

 and one can not but admire the skill and wisdom with 

 which she decides just how much to say and how much 

 to omit. She says in the pi-eface that the book is pre- 

 pared especially to meet the needs of the beginner, and 

 is not a treatise for the professional apiarist. I am 

 going to make a few extracts. In regard to bee-keep- 

 ers' catalogs she says: 



"Never were such breathlessly interesting pamphlets 

 written; and I would add that, on the whole, they are 

 the most honest and reliable of all advertising catalogs." 



Now, ye brethren who make and send out catalogs, 

 shall we not all try hard to deserve this rare compli- 

 ment from such a good lady ? 



You will laugh when you read the book; in fact, I do 

 rot know but you will laugh all the way through at her 

 quaint way of expressing and impressing great truths. 

 See the following: 



" If our poor human queens possessed this power of 

 producing male heirs at will, much trouble would have 

 been saved to many of them, and (to some of them) 

 their heads " 



And again on page 67: 



"Mr. Root, who thinks before he speaks, suggests 

 that the swarm follows the queen and the scouts 

 through listening to their song, that of the queen being 

 easily distinguished from the hum of the workers when 

 on the wing; and that it is quite possible, therefore, 

 that the noise, if loud enough to drown the voice of the 

 queen, would cause confusion on the part of the flying 

 bees and a consequent settling." 



In regard to after-swarming, page 80, the writer says: 



"This misguided kindness to young queens is as de- 

 moralizing to the colony as unwise giving of alms is in 

 the human world, and finally a swarm may be sent off 

 so small that a teacup would hold it." 



I have often been impressed vsdth the fact that bee 

 culture has at different times been taken up by not only 

 our best-educated men, but by some of the greatest 

 humanitarians the world has ever known, and I quote 

 as follows in regard to it: 



" It is interesting to note that knowledge of bees has 

 been given to the world by men who have attained the 

 high peaks of scientific fame." 



In summing up the bee literature of the day I beg to 

 be excused for quoting her words in regard to our own 

 A B C of Bee Culture: 



^ "I never take into my hands that delightful book, 

 A B C of Bee Culture,' without turning to the biog- 

 raphies of noted bee-keepers, and looking again at the 

 faces there depicted, noting the noble forehead of 

 Huber; the keen, scholarly face of Dzierzon, the judi- 

 cial countenance of friend Quinby, and the beautiful 

 expression of the venerable Langstroth." 



Finally, with all due deference to the authors of the 

 excellent books on bee culture which we have already, 

 my opinion is that this new book, "How to Keep Bees," 

 is the best one for a beginner, or one who does not 

 wish or expect to keep more than a dozen colonies, that 

 has yet come before the world. 



While perui-ing its pages, as a natural consequence 

 the reader will have a desire to get a glimpse of this 

 bright woman who fascinates us by her vivacious and 

 entertaining way as well as by her scientific knowledge. 

 On page 110 there is a picture of a woman standing 

 under an apple-tree in full bloom; and I have been bold 

 enough to guess this woman is the author of the book, 

 although the book itself does not give me any authority 

 for saying so 



Permit me to say, in closing, that Mrs. Anna B. Com- 

 stock, with all her education in other directions, is a 

 member of the Society of American Wood Engravers. 

 Perhaps this latter fact explains how it is that she is 

 able to give us the beautiful illustrations that tell us so 

 exactly what she is talking about all through the book. 

 We are prepared to furnish it at publishers' price, $1.00 

 postpaid, or for $1.75 with Gleanings. 



Convention Notices. 



TEXAS bee-keepers' CONVENTION. 



The Texas State Bee-keepers' Association will meet 

 at College Station with the Farmers' Congress, and 

 will be in session July 25 27. These annual meetings 

 are usually largely attended, and are pleasant and prof- 

 itable occasions. Visiting bee-keepers from other States 

 are cordially invited to be with us. 



W. H. Laws, President. 

 Louis Scholl, Sec.-Treas. 

 Beeville, Tex., June 24. 



The National Bee-Keepers' 

 Association. 



Objects of The Association. 



To promote and protect the interests of its members. 

 To prevent the adulteration of honey. 



Annual Membership, $1.00. 



Send dues to the Treasurer. 



Officers: 



J. U. Harris, Grand Junction, Col., President. 



C. P. Dadant, Hamilton. Ill , Vice-president. 



W. Z. Hutchinson, Flint, Michigan, Secretary. 



N. E. France, Platteville, Wis., Gen. Mgr. and Treas. 



Board of Directors : 



E. Whitcomb, Friend, Nebraska. 

 R. L. Taylor, L,apeer, Mich. 

 W. A. Selser, 10 Vine St.. Philadelphia, Pa. 

 R. C. AiKiN, Loveland, Colorado. 

 P. H. Elwood. Starkville, N. Y. 

 Udo Toepperwein, San Antonio, Texas. 

 G. M. DooLiTTLE, Borodino, N. Y. 

 W. F. Marks, Chapinville, N. Y. 

 J M. Hambaugh Escondido, Cal. 

 C. A. Hatch, Richland Center, Wis. 

 C. C. Miller. Marengo, Illinois. 

 Wm. McEvoy, Woodstock, Ont. 



YTA.LIAN QUEENS. -Fine, northern-bred: 

 * originated from best long-tongued "Red-clover" 

 breeders in the United States; work on red clover; bred 

 in full colonies; under swarming influence; noted for 

 their excellent honey-gathering, wintering qualities, 

 and gentleness. Untested, $1.00; six, $5 00. Tested, 

 $2 00; six. $10.00. After July 1st: 75c. $4.00, $1.50, $8.00. 

 Satisfaction guaranteed. Write for full descriptive list. 

 Isaac F. Miller, R. F. D. No. 2, Brookvllle. Pa. 



MV GOLDEN BREEDERS gave me over 300 lbs. of 

 * honey each, last year; two years ago over 400 each. 

 Their untested daughters are 7.5c each, or $8.00 per 

 dozen. Tested, double the above prices. Breeding 

 queens, $5.00 and $10.00 each. 



QrO. W. COOK. Spring Hill, Kan. 



