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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Jan. 19, 





Selecting Location for an Apiary. 



THOMAS C. NEWMAN, 



EDITOR AND PitOPKIETOR, 



CHICAGO, ILL., -J AX. 19, 1881. 



GST Dr. N. 1'. Allen. President of the 

 North American Bee-Keepers' Society, 

 writes : 



"The Weekly Bee Journal cannot 

 be surpassed in its mechanical appear- 

 ance, as well as the valuable matter it 

 contains. Every bee-keeper ought to 

 subscribe for it." 



In Great Britain they have been ex- 

 periencing the coldest and most severe 

 weather tor many years past. It seems 

 that the severity of the weather is gen- 

 eral—at least in the Northern hemi- 

 sphere. In the Autumn ( says the 

 London Mark Lwm Express) storms, 

 Hoods, frosts, and unsettled weather 

 over the whole I'nited Kingdom seri- 

 ously delayed wheat sowing. 



®" Notwithstanding the fact that we 

 commenced the year by issuing ten 

 thousand copies of No. 1, the call for 

 samples was so great, and new subscrip- 

 tions so numerous, that in No. 2 we an- 

 nounced that we could not supply any 

 more of the first number. Since that, 

 we have found it absolutely essential to 

 set the type again and have printed sev- 

 eral thousand extra copies, in order to 

 supply our new subscribers with that 

 number to complete their tiles for the 

 year. In addition to the almost unani- 

 mous renewal of the subscribers of last 

 year, we have added over 500 new ones 

 during the lirst half of this month. We 

 knew there was a demand for a weekly 

 bee paper, but had no idea that it was 

 BOgeneral and persistent. The Weekly 

 Bee Journal is already established on 

 a Arm, paying basis, thanks to its friends 

 and patrons. We fully believe in pro- 

 gression—no backward steps— and shall 

 apply this to the Journal as well as to 

 bees. To this end we now apply our- 

 self with renewed vigor, and hope, by 

 next year, to surprise our friends with 

 still greater and more substantial im- 

 provements. 



^" We have accepted an invitation to 

 attend the Ashtabula County, O., Con- 

 vention, which is to be held at Andover, 

 O., on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 8 

 and 9, 1881. On the evening of Tues- 

 day, the 8th, we have engaged to deliver 

 a public lecture on " Bees and Honey." 

 There being a large number of bee- 

 keepers in that region, we expect the 

 meeting will be very largely attended. 

 All interested will please notice the date 

 —as it has been changed. 



^■Mr. Win. Carr, of Newton Heath, 

 England, has issued a pamphlet of 16 



pages and cover, on " The Introduction 



■md Early History of Beesand Honey." 



It is full of interesting matter. We 

 will give copious extracts from it when 

 in the Weekly Bee 



Last fall the burden of complaint, in 

 many sections, was "scarcity of honey 

 for bees to winter on,'' and now come 

 reports from nearly every direction, 

 saying "a great many bees will perish 

 here this winter." Of course, the lat- 

 ter state of affairs is to a great extent 

 the direct or indirect result of the for- 

 mer, occasioned by the early approach 

 of winter, and its long continuation 

 without the usual mild intermission, 

 which rendered feeding impracticable 

 with those who "trusted to luck " for 

 an opportunity to feed before this time. 

 In many cases dysentery has developed 

 itself among bees improperly protected 

 —being packed away too warm, or not 

 warm enough, or without sufficient 

 absorbents, and, in some cases, with 

 improper food— their long confinement 

 rendering them peculiarly sensitive to 

 defective preparation. 



As a consequence, many bee-keepers 

 will become dissatisfied with their 

 present locations, and will turn their 

 attention elsewhere for " fairer fields 

 and pastures green,'' with a view to 

 making bee-keeping more reliable, and 

 to retrieve losses sustained during the 

 past two discouraging seasons. To 

 such persons, and those about to em- 

 bark in bee-keeping as a specialty, a 

 few hints regarding the selection of a 

 location for an apiary may not be out of 

 place. 



Be in no hurry about making your 

 decision ; or rather, start about it soon 

 enough to allow yourself plenty of time 

 to thoroughly canvass and investigate 

 the different points under consideration. 

 Locate where there is a profusion of 

 white clover, with timber to the west 

 and north, within range, where bass- 

 wood or linden abounds ; golden-rod, 

 asters, Spanish needle and heartsease or 

 smartweed abound in almost every 

 locality, and where they do not, it is 

 easy and profitable to put in a few acres 

 of buckwheat for late fall honey, as 

 there is none better for wintering bees, 

 and extracted buckwheat honey will 

 always find a ready sale. 



There are undoubtedly many locations 

 in the country, yet unoccupied by the 

 apiarist, where all the above requisites 

 exist, and so far, nature has amply pro- 

 vided. A broken or low country is no 

 particular disparagement, because the 

 less desirable for cultivation, the more 

 encouragement will there be for you to 

 take time by the forelock, and plant 

 plentifully of such honey plants as will 

 insure a constant bloom, and provide 

 against the time when others, encour- 

 aged by your success, shall go into bee- 

 keeping in your neighborhood anil over- 

 stock the location unless nature is liber- 

 ally assisted. With all the above natu- 

 ral advantages secured, aided by your 

 provident forethought in planting, you 

 will have done much to settle the ques- 

 tion as to the best method of wintering, 

 and your bees, let them be of whatever 

 color, will solve the problem as to which 

 is the best race. We are often almost 

 persuaded, that were more attention 

 devoted to selecting a suitable location 

 md to providing continuous pasturage, 



the superstitions and avoid the scorch- 

 ing suns of Cyprus, for their bees would 

 gather no more honey than our own ; 

 the bees of China would be left undis- 

 turbed in the shade of its historic wall: 

 and those in Caucasus would still fly 

 from flower to flower in their own native 

 valleys. What though we possessed a 

 type of bees with the wings of a condor, 

 with tongues as long as was that of 

 Xantippe. and stomachs with a carrying 

 capacity equal to that of Falstaff, of 

 what avail are they if there is no honey 

 to gather— no flowers yielding nectar V 

 In locating an apiary, avoid the close 

 proximity of laurel thickets, as honey 

 gathered from the laurel is unwhole- 

 some, if not really poisonous ; avoid the 

 neighborhood of cider mills, and do not 

 locate immediately near a large body of 

 water, as it will confine your bee-range 

 to one direction exclusively. We would 

 not like to advise the selection of a 

 location already well stocked with bees, 

 as it may be possible to over-stock al- 

 most any locality, unless some means 

 are adopted to render it improbable. 

 ilany things are desirable in making a 

 choice, and several positive disadvan- 

 tages are to be avoided. 



Our Climate Has Changed. 



In Land and Water, C. M. ('.makes 

 the following remarks upon the changes 

 that have taken and are taking place in 

 the American climate : 



Since my early youth this climate has 

 changed. " The" clearing away of the 

 forests gives unimpeded sweep to north- 

 ern winds: the leaves do not so long 



absorb and retain the fallen rains, and 

 the treading of the surface by stock, all 

 make the summer drier. There were 

 then one hundred springs where there 

 is one now. The rills or creeks are gone 

 or soon dry up. and scientific culture has 

 to ward off the effects of drouth. If 

 shallow plowing in the first breaking is 

 made, the rush of the surface water 

 more than ever sweeps the soil. What 

 remains is shallow, and the harsh winds 

 and sun penetrate the roots, and the 

 crop is injured. 



Is it any wonder that our bees cannot 

 gather as much honey as formerly , when 

 the forests are swept away by advanc- 

 ing civilization, and the consequent 

 cultivation of the land V This furnishes 

 convincing proof that it now becomes 

 a duty for bee-keepers to plant honey- 

 producers, in order to furnish bees with 

 the nectar which they may gather. In 

 this way only can we keep bees in the 

 future with pleasure and profit. 



The Beautiful.— Of all mahkind, bee- 

 keepers should admire the beautiful— 

 and we really think they do. Our bees, 

 of the Italian, Cyprian and Albino var- 

 ieties, are beautiful to look upon, and 

 they sip the nectar from the loveliest 

 flowers, hide it in dainty cells of match- 

 beauty and virgin whiteness. What is 

 there, in all God's Creation, so soul- 

 inspiring as a cultivated garden of 

 Nature's flowers, of variegated hues 

 and heavenly grandeur? None but 

 the unfortunate or despondent can fail 

 to enjoy Nature in her garb of beauty, 

 decked by the beautious hand of Deity. 

 To produce agarden of living gorgeous- 

 ness we may all aspire, and long enjoy 

 its gratifying results. 



These thoughts were awakened upon 

 opening Vick's Floral Guide, which the 

 morning mail brought to our desk. Of 

 the many seed and Plant Catalogues 

 produced by Seedsmen and Nursery- 

 men, that are doing so much to inform 

 the people and beautify and enrich our 

 country, none are so beautiful, and in- 

 structive as Vick's Floral Guide. Its 

 illustrations are are handsome, and 

 given by the hundred, while its Colored 

 Plate is a gem. This work, although 

 costing but 10 cents, is handsonme 

 enough for a Gift Book, or a place on 

 the parlor table. Published by James 

 Vice, Rochester, N. Y. 



Hints to State Vice Presidents. 



During the first three months of the 

 year, the premium lists for County, 

 State and District Fairs are usually 

 made up. The Vice Presidents of the 

 National Society should therefore soon 

 commence their work. 



We respectfully suggest that they 

 communicate with the different official 

 Boards of the Agricultural Societies in 

 their respect.vc States. and endeavor to 

 induce them to offer appropriate prizes 

 for BEES and HONEY at the Fairs for 

 the coming season. 



The following or something similiar 

 to it would be well to recommend in the 

 line of prizes : 



Best package of honey in the comb, 

 one pound or more. 



Best package of extracted honey, one 

 pound or more. 



Best crate of honey in the comb, in 

 the most marketable shape. 



Best display of honey, both comb and 

 extracted. 



Best display of bee-keepers' supplies. 



Best colony of Italian bees. 



Best exhibition with a colony of bees, 

 in a movable-frame hive, including 

 their public manipulation. 



Best show of beeswax. 



Best bee-hive for all purposes. 



we can find room 



Journal. Mr.Carr has our thanks for there would be less cause for so much 

 the compliment of a copy. talk about procuring the best races of 

 . , m i ■ — bees; the 1 s reared 'neath Italia's 



^■The N. E. Wisconsin Convention skies would scarcely repay the expense 



was held yesterday at Osbkosh. We of importing ; no longer would we tread 



are sorry the notice came too late for the shining sands of Syria in search of 

 last week's Journal. 



a better type ; we could afford to respect 



Questions.— 1. How long can bees be 

 confined to the hive, in cold weather, 

 without any injurious effects ? 



■1. When giving a matured queen-cell 

 to a nucleus that has just started cells 

 of their own. should the cells that are 

 started be cut outV 



:;. When two or more swarms of black 

 bees cluster together, is it best to hive 

 them together, or divide them; and 

 how could they be divided SO as to get 

 the queens V A. G. Castle. 



[1. If everything is favorable— feed, 

 temperature, etc.— they will stand four 

 months' confinement. 



2. It is better to remove them, though 

 not necessary. 



3. Unless very heavy, hive them to- 

 gether. To find the queens, shake the 

 cluster on a sheet, and while the bees 

 are scattered, the queens can be easily 

 distinguished and secured.— Kr>.] 



i^" Those who have subscribed for 

 the Monthly or Semi-monthly, and may 

 want to change for the Weekly, can do 

 so at any time by paying the difference. 



As Others See us. 



Friend Newman, of the Bee Jour- 

 nal, published at Chicago, has made a 

 new step in journalism, which marks 

 also the rapid advance in the bee indus- 

 try "i tliiscountry. The BEE JOURNAL 

 Which has for twenty years been pub- 

 lished as a monthly, appears with its in- 

 itial number for the new year as an 



8-page weekly. We welcome this evi- 

 dence of the' healthy growth of the 

 apiary ami the enterprise of the veteran 

 editor. The Journal stands at the 

 head of bee periodicals of this country, 

 which includes that of the world, for 

 America leads the world in the science 

 and industry of apiculture. The Jour- 

 nal is among our most welcome ex- 

 changes.— Kansas Farmer. 



