26 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



honey flows, but more particularly when 

 feeding back to have incomplete sec- 

 tions finished up. 



It is a noticeable fact that colonies 

 that are handling a flow of honey from 

 the feeders, when "feeding back," will 

 rear less brood than colonies that had 

 been gathering only a few drops of nec- 

 tar daily from catnip and other scattering 

 flowers. 



FULL SHEETS OF COMB FOUNDATION. 



Mr. Z. T. Hawks in "Api" is hard on 

 full sheets of foundation. I agree with 

 him concerning full slieets in sections. 

 My experience with feeding back liquid 

 honey to have sections built has taught 

 me that little is gained by full sheets in 

 the sections, and the quality of the hone}' 

 is injured. I only use starters in the 

 sections. 



But when I want a large number of 

 combs for' the extractor I have found it 

 the cheapest and best way to have them 

 drawn from full sheets of foundation in 

 the upper stories. Otherwise, I think 

 it too expensive to use full sheets of 

 foundation indiscriminately as many bee- 

 keepers do. 



SUGAR FEEDING, AND WHO CAFiES? 



It may be very philosophical in Sis 

 terAxtell, to "don't care who knows it.'' 

 But I care when people refuse to buy 

 my honey because Mrs. A. and others, 

 "feed sugar and don't care." Mrs. A. 

 wants to do right. I cheerfully grant 

 her full credit for that, but she caa't 

 feed sugar as she advocates, witliout sell- 

 ing "sugared honey," if she sells any. 

 No man ("nor yet a woman") can pre- 

 vent sugar from going from the brood- 

 nest to the surplus. 



G. W. Demaree. 



Chrisfiansburg, Ky. 



WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL! 



Mu. Alley : Enclosed flud 75 cts. for 

 tlie API 18'J2. 



The queen you sent me is doing fine. 

 Slie tilled lier liive full of baas. On Jan- 

 uary 1, 18!)2, tlie baes from tliis c >lony 

 were strong and carrying pollen. Drones 

 were also flying from this particular hive 

 on that day. 



Murris X Boads, Pa. John Baker. 



ONE OF THE BEST. 



Mr. Alley : I yot an Italian queen 

 from yon that turned ont Avell. She is 

 very prolific and the bees are the best 

 honey gatherers in my apiary. 



Sedalia, Mo. Frederick Sciiach. 



(From Gleanings.) 



It has been observed that bees will win- 

 ter on lioney-(iew; but jn.sl how much bet- 

 ter they would have done on sugar svrnp 

 is somewhat of an open qnestioiL Here 

 is a litUe item in point, from a subscrioer, 

 Mr. E. E. Smith, of Carpenter, III. He 

 writes : 



Bees wintering on honey-devv are rear- 

 ing brood; but tiiere are about twice as 

 many dead bees in front of their liives as 

 there are of those fed on sugar syrup. 



Yes, and when spring comes, there 

 will be lOo per cent more dead colo- 

 nies with those wintering on honey-dew 

 than among those wintering on sugar 

 syrup. 



BEEKEEPING IN KANSAS. 



Mr. Alley: — Have been thinking of 

 writing you on the bee question for some 

 time, so liere goes. 



I am somewhat of an amateur in bee 

 culture, never have made a "howling suc- 

 cess" of the business— have been dabbling 

 with bees oft'and on for about twenty years. 

 Was a very enthusiastic student in the 

 seventies trying to follow Qninby, but 

 was obliged to follow other business to 

 make the financial part come out right. 



My early experience Avas in New York 

 State and the later in Kansas where I am 

 meeting with some success. 



Last year, 189u, I spent 8 months in Cal., 

 studying the subject from a practical point 

 of view. California is a fine honey region 

 especially the southern portion of the 

 stale ; as high as -tOO stands are frequently 

 seen in one "apiary, quality of honey from 

 the sages very flue; but to return. Last 

 spring I purchased 16 colonies of bees iu 

 L. hives. Fifteen stands were worked 

 for extracted honey, but no increase ; the 

 one was increased to 5 and secured 75 lb", 

 comb honey and 100 lbs. extracted. Took 

 from the 15 stands 2600 lbs. extracted hon- 

 ey. Now I have 20 stands all in good shape 

 for winter. Our surplus honey season 

 begins about Aug. 15 and ends Sept. 25. 



