THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



41 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



THE WEATHKR. 



If the reports regarding the weather 

 west and south are not exaggerated, 

 we may expect to hear of fearful loss of 

 bees wlieu spring opens. The careless 

 beekeeper who left ]iis hives unpro- 

 tected on the summer stands will be 

 most likely to make the first report of 

 henvii losses. 



With the exception of one week of 

 severe weather, the season liere has 

 been mild and not at all bad for bees 

 wintering outside. We saw a few bees 

 flying, within a week, from hives left 

 out. 



BEEKEEPKRS' CONVENTIONS. 



This is the season for beekeepers* 

 conventions. Of late there seems to 

 be more interest taken in such mat- 

 ters. Judging by the reports we re- 

 ceive, the attendance is nnich larger 

 than usual; tiiis means, of course, 

 increased interest. Tliese meetings 

 should be attended by all who 

 can spare the time. The novice goes 

 expecting to hear tiie old veteran tell 

 all he knows about bees and their man- 

 aiiemeut; we siiepect that but few of 

 the latter class give themselves away 

 on such occasions. There is much 

 about bees and beekeeping that 

 can only be learned by long and 

 sometimes costly experience. The 

 novice must learn some of them the 

 same way. One would have to attend 

 many conventions in order to get from 

 any experienced beekeeper all he 

 knows about bee culture. It is best to 

 attend the conventions and meet some 

 of tiie men whose contributions in the 

 various journals are read with so much 

 interest and benefit to the beginner 

 and inexperienced. 



CLEANSING FLIGHT IN WINTER. 



Bees that are wintered on the sum- 

 mer stand will take a flight when the 

 temperature reaches 45° in the shade. 

 We have permitted them to enjoy a 

 frolic at such a temperature, provided 

 the wind is not blowing too hard. We 

 would not think of removing bees 

 from the cellar, or bee-house to give 

 them a flight unless the weather is 

 much warmer. A few of the bees may 

 be lost on the snow when the tempera- 

 ture is as low as 45°, but the loss in 

 this respect is more than compensated 

 for by a cleansing flight, which is of 

 immense advantage to any colony after 

 it has been conttned in the hive two 

 months or longer. We like to have 

 the bees fly about Feb. 20, and if the 



weather is sufficiently warm at that 

 time, and the bees need a flight, they 

 are given an opportunity to do so. If 

 there is snow on the ground it will be 

 tliickly bespattered with the excrement 

 of the bees. The inexperienced sup- 

 pose this fact to indicate that the bees 

 are diseased with dysentery. Such is 

 not the case. When bees can fly and 

 discharge their faeces outside the hive, 

 it is a pretty sure and never-failing test 

 of perfect health. Bees sufl'ering from 

 dysentery cannot fly ; their bodies are 

 so distended that they cannot take 

 wing. 



The fronts of hives left on the sum- 

 mer stand should be shaded from the 

 light and warm sunshine. This can be 

 done by standing a wide board against 

 the hive. Unless thus protected many 

 bees will venture out and be lost on 

 the snow. A few bees lost each day, 

 in this way., would sadly reduce the 

 colony before spring. 



A REGULAR VISITOR. 



Mr. H. D. Davis of Bradford, Vt., 

 made his annual visit to us a few days 

 ago. Mr. Davis had several samples 

 of his new and neat device for one- 

 pound sections. These sections are 

 made from white poplar wood, and 

 the workmanship is a credit to any- 

 one. After the sections are tilled, the 

 honey is protected from injury by thin 

 wooden sides which tit in place nicely, 

 and having an inch and a half aperture 

 in them covered by transparent mica, 

 so that the contents of the box can be 

 seen. It is a neat and attractive way 

 for putting up honey. This device is 

 protected by letters patent, and it is 

 the intention of Mr. Davis to protect 

 the public from being swindled by un- 

 scrupulous dealers wiio persist in pur- 

 chasing a few pounds of some well 

 known'brand of pure honey by which 

 they can dispose of the vile stufl" they 

 know to be impure. 



Mr. Davis will sell these sections 

 only to those who will comply with 

 his terms and conditions. Some of the 

 sections Mr. Davis had were filled with 

 beautiful honey, which we know to be 

 good, as we had the pleasure of "going 

 through" one of them. 



A NEW IDEA. 



Beginning with the April number of 

 the Apiculturist, "Old Beekeeper" 

 will propose such questions for an- 

 swers, as will elicit information appli- 

 cable to the current month. The 

 answers will give instructions how to 

 manage and care for bees each mouth. 



