1881. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



123 



tin I. or rap them up under any circum- 

 stances when it is too cold for them to 

 fly. Pat your bees In winter quarters 

 before cold weather— before they are 

 done flying— and when cold weather 

 comes on they will go quietly to their 

 <liistcr. and instinct teaches them the 

 balance; but it' von shut them up in an 

 air-tight hive, with no other ventilation 

 than a "key-hole" at the bottom, and 

 stir them up every few days to " roll 

 call " or to hear them buzz, you may ex- 

 pect disease, dysentery and death. 

 Irbana. 111., Aprils, 18S1. 



For the American llee Journal. 



Candying of Honey a Test of Purity. 



W. J. WILLAKD. 



The candying of extracted honey is a 

 subject of vital importance to all bee- 

 keepers in this vicinity and southward. 



My attention has been called to this 

 many times by assertions that nothing 

 but pure honey will candy, and the 

 more so by the resolutions ot the North- 

 eastern Bee-Keepers' Association mak- 

 ing candying the test of purity. This 

 is a wrong to all of us (I am no shipper 

 of honey but there are many south of 

 here who are), our honey will not candy 

 solid, only a little in the bottom when 

 it is taken from certain flowers (and 

 they are the red clover and some of the 



For nearly 14 years I have tried to 

 get my honey to candy as I have seen 

 it in the North, but without success. I 

 have exposed it to UP below zero in the 

 light and in the dark, I have exposed 

 it to 100° above in the shade, at the 

 same time had a jar standing in the 

 sunshine where the mercury stood at 

 128° ; none of it candied. This is not 

 the result of one, but of many experi- 

 ments, therefore I say that the asser- 

 tion that nothing but pure honey will 

 candy is injurious to many bee-keepers 

 of this county. Nevertheless, I will go 

 heart and soul against the adulteration, 

 not only of honey but of every other 

 article of food produced in the world. 



Last July (about the middle) when 

 our second crop of white and red clover 

 was just in its prime, 1 extracted about 

 12 lbs. of a nearly white honey, put it in 

 quart jars, exposed it to the cold, part 

 in the light, part in the dark, mercury 

 went as low as l(i c ; up to date there is 

 but about 2 inches of candy in the jars, 

 and that is the nearest I ever knew the 

 honey in this climate to come to candy- 

 ing, and I have some now which I have 

 had for 3 years ; kept it for experiment. 



Let our motto be, " Down with Adul- 

 teration of every kind," but do not tix a 

 standard of purity for honey outside of 

 a chemical test, or you will wrong many 

 bee-keepers who cannot afford the loss 

 which would accrue from the " candy 

 standard." 



Jonesboro, 111., March 17, 1881. 



He says: "I have kept such in 2-story 

 Langstroth hives and they tilled them 

 with bees from June until frost." A 

 standard Langstroth hive of 10 frames 

 will hold 2,755 cubic inches, and taking 

 out 10 frames! Inch thick leaves 1,112 



cubic inches lor bee space. One peck 

 contains o.'i^'j cubic, inches, and 3 pecks 

 I..V17 1 .. cubic inches. Now when trust 

 comes and he takes ofl the top story to 

 lit up for winter how could he get 

 1 ,597% cubic inches of bees into 1,112 

 cubic "inches of space V 



Let us look at that enormous yield of 

 comb honey. My apiary of 54 colonies 

 has an average of 154 lbs. of extracted 

 honey and but 12 increase. He is not 

 100 miles away and yet he reports such 

 unheard of yields of honey. Hear him, 

 •• my best colony gave me 245 lbs. comb 

 honey, while the parent hive gave 185 

 lbs." This, according to the custom of 

 counting it all as the product of the 

 original hive, would give 438 lbs. from 

 one colony, and a poor clover yield at 

 that ! Did he not measure his honey 

 in the same peck that measured the 

 bees V 



Our bees have not been out of the 

 cellar since early in November, hence 

 are getting quite uneasy. It is hard as 

 yet telling what the losses will be ; some 

 have lost all, others \i. I have lost 3 

 out of 4 packed in straw out-of-doors, 

 and only 3 out of 54 in the cellar. I 

 have 8 buried in a pit, and do not. of 

 course, know how they are. 1 have al- 

 ways had best success in the cellar. 



Ithaca, Wis., March 12, 1881. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



To the Bee-Keepers of Indiana. 



L. R. JACKSON. 



For the American Bee Journal 



Some Incorrect Statements Criticized. 



c. A. HATCH. 



Several articles from E. A. Morgan, 

 of this State, have appeared in the Bee 

 Journal and should not go unnoticed 

 for fear that some novice might think 

 his remarkable results are easy to ob- 

 tain. He asserts that " basswood buds 

 are all right," etc. We would be only 

 too glad to know that all of this is true, 

 but we have had 4 years' experience 

 with bees and basswood trees and we 

 cannot tell by what means he can know 

 thus early. Does he forget that even 

 the twig which is to support the flower 

 stalks yet has to grow from the bud V 

 Or, are his eyes so much sharper that 

 he can look down into the bud and see 

 the embryo twig, and even discover the 

 sap which is to develop into the future 

 bloom V Might lie not as well look into 

 a kernel of corn to determine how many 

 ears the stalk to grow from it will have 

 on it ? Is it not a little absurd to talk 

 of the buds swelling when in the same, 

 chapter he tells us that the mercury has 

 not been above 30° above zero, and 

 down to 40° below V 



Again, those 3 peck swarms, and over 



— we should call one peck a good 



swarm , and any over that extraordinary. 



It would seem from the reports 

 through the Bee Journal that we 

 have lost more bees during the past 

 winter than any other section of the 

 country. This is an evidence that we 

 are behind other States in scientific 

 bee-keeping. We should not allow this 

 to be so. Our State is as good a field 

 for bee-keeping as the adjoining States, 

 and, in some respects, far better. It 

 has not been as well worked up and the 

 apiarist has a better chance to make a 

 selection of a location. Bee-keeping is 

 no longer a business of doubt. We have 

 many bee-keepers all over this country 

 who are making bee-keeping pay as 

 well as any other industry, according 

 to the labor and capital invested, and 

 far better than many trades or occu- 

 pations where far more capital is re- 

 quired. 



Whatever business we follow we must 

 learn it if we wish to be successful. We 

 should learn from every available 

 source. I know of no business that we 

 have as good opportunities to learn 

 from the experience of others as bee- 

 keeping. A scientific bee-keeper is 

 ever ready and willing to assist you ; he 

 will give any information that will 

 make you more successful in your busi- 

 ness, and will not ask that you pay him 

 a large sum of money for some receipt 

 for taming or handling bees. There is 

 a fascination about bee-keeping that 

 would seem to bind us closely together 

 as members of one family or fraternity. 

 We should take and study the bee 

 periodicals and at least one good book 

 on apiculture. I would recommend 

 Prof. Cook's -'Manual;" it is a very 

 scientific work and has done more to 

 aid me in my work with the bees than 

 any work I have read. Such study will 

 improve the mind and make us more 

 useful to ourselves and others. If we 

 take the Journal we get the advice 

 of the very best bee-keepers in the 

 country anil have the help of hundreds 

 of intelligent apiarists ; each week we 

 receive something new to aid us. 



Bee-keeping is yet in its infancy. It 

 has been but a few years since we used 

 the old box hive and knew but little of 

 the interior workings of the hive. 

 Within a quarter of a century there has 

 been more learned about the honey bee 

 than there has in a thousand years be- 

 fore. While many sections of the coun- 

 try are availing themselves of the ben- 

 efit of this knowledge and reaping large 

 rewards for their labor, we are quiet 

 and indifferent. Let us make an effort 

 this year to do better work than we 



have ever done. We have every indi- 

 cation of a good honey year. Prepare 

 lor it now and have your hives and 

 everything ready in time, 



I have no doubt that the past winter 

 has discouraged many who should 

 rather have learned a lesson by it. This 

 lias not been a hard winter on bees in 

 this section of the country, where they 

 were properly protected. I have not 

 had bees winter as well in 5 years as 

 they have this winter, and never have 

 had bees in as good condition the 1st 

 of April as they are now. Bees should 

 be prepared for winter before cold 

 weather sets in. I never allow Oct. 25 

 to pass without having my bees packed 

 in chaff and all preparations made for 

 winter. I winter on the summer stands, 

 and would winter no other way. I have 

 never lost a colony of bees in wintering, 

 and will give my plan for packing. I 

 use the Gallup frame, 12 to the hive. In 

 October I remove 4 frames and put a 

 chaff cushion on each side, then spread 

 a quilt over the tops of the frames and 

 fill the top story 6 inches deep with 

 loose chaff. If this chaff becomes wet 

 at any time raise the top of the hive and 

 stir the chaff up, leaving the top off for 

 half an hour and the chaff will soon dry 

 out. If I have any colonies that will 

 not cover 8 frames I double them up 

 with some other weak colony. I use a 

 loose bottom board, and every 3 or 4 

 weeks I raise the front of the hive gen- 

 tly and brush out all the dead bees. I 

 cut a hole through the centre of each 

 comb so that the bees can move from 

 one part of the hive to another without 

 having to go around the frame ; then 

 they will never starve with plenty of 

 honey in the hive. 



Do not put off packing the bees till 

 cold weather or they will be almost 

 sure to have the dysentery early in the 

 winter, unless they take a good flight 

 a short time after they are packed. 

 Packing on the outside of the hive will 

 do but little if any good ; the bees will 

 not freeze as long as the inside of the 

 hive is kept dry. If they are strong, as 

 they should be, the chaff will generally 

 take up all the moisture. If this mois- 

 ture is allowed to freeze on the hive it 

 is very apt to chill the bees to death 

 when it begins to thaw. The hive then 

 becomes filled with a cold damp atmos- 

 phere, and you know how quick you 

 chill one of these cold damp (lays. 



In conclusion let me urge all to make 

 an extra effort this year. If your neigh- 

 bor bee-keepers do not take a bee-paper 

 show them a copy of the Journal and 

 ask them to subscribe for one ; and if 

 you have not read a good work on api- 

 culture, do so at once. Oue colony of 

 bees intelligently managed will make 

 you more clear money than 5 poorly 

 managed. 



Allow me to congratulate the editor 

 on the success of the Weekly Bee 

 Journal. I have often wished for a 

 Weekly, but did not think anyone could 

 make a success of it. I no longer have 

 any doubt of its success after reading 

 the many excellent articles in the first 

 3 months of its publication. I do not 

 think it can be beat as a scientific jour- 

 nal. The editorials alone have been 

 worth more to me than the price of the 

 Journal. 

 Fairland, Ind., April 4, 1881. 



Southwestern Iowa. 



The Southwestern Iowa Bee Associa- 

 tion met at the Court House in Corning, 

 April 2. 1881. 



The President delivered a short but 

 interesting lecture. 



Seven new names were enrolled, ma- 

 king 05 members. 



The Secretary read a paper from J.T. 

 Fife on the management of bees. 



L. E. Mercer, Vice President for Tay- 

 lor county, had the hive formerly adop- 

 ted by the Association on exhibition, 

 and gave a very interesting description 

 of it; also samples of comb foundation, 

 queen cages, prize boxes, smokers, etc. 



Deferred subjects for discussion were 

 called up. The purity of drones from 

 hybrid queens was discussed. It was 

 maintained that the drone inherited the 

 purity of the mother, and was not affec- 

 ted bv her mating. 



G. W. Churchill claimed that by the 

 improved methods of dividing, 2 swarms 

 could be saved in the time lost by the 

 natural or old system. 



The following questions were submit- 

 ted for discussion at the next meeting : 

 What is the best method of controll- 

 ing the swarming fever ? 



Which are preferable, top or side 

 boxes i 



Which is most profitable (the market 

 price being proportionate), comb or ex- 

 tracted honey ? 



The President named G. W. Church- 

 ill, of Essex, Vice President for Page 

 county. 



The Association adjourned to meet at 

 the Court House in Corning, April 30, 

 at 9 a. m. J. T. Fife, Pres. 



G. W. Churchill, Sec. pro tern. 



Central Kentucky. 



The Central Kentucky Bee-Keepers' 

 Annual Convention met at Winchester, 

 Ky., April 5, 1881, Vice President John 

 W. Bean in the chair. 



After some preliminary business, and 

 owing to the small attendance (proba- 

 bly on account of the severe weather), 

 the Convention adjourned to meet in 

 Louisville, Ky., in conjunction with the 

 State Convention, which meets in the 

 Exposition Building, Oct. 12, 1881. 



John W. Bean, Vice Pres. 



W. Williamson, Sec. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



The Bee Moth. 



I believe many readers of your valua- 

 ble Journal will read with pleasure a 

 simple method for destroying that pest, 

 the bee moth. The following is one 

 which I have used for the past 3 years : 



I placed a gallon mustard jar in my 

 apiary in which I put about 4 inches of 

 water sweetened with refuse honey. 

 The first year I caught hundreds, as 

 well as codling or apple moths ; the 2d 

 year I did not get so many, and the last 

 year I caught but few. I think I will 

 soon destroy them all. The vessel must 

 not be too narrow at the neck. The 

 moths only fly at night ; the vessel must 

 be taken in in the day or many bees 

 will be lost in it. The moths must be 

 removed every 2 or 3 days, otherwise 

 those which come into it will light on 

 them and be able to escape. 



g^ The Southwestern Wisconsin Bee- 

 Keepers' Association will meet at the 

 residence of W. B. Wallis, at Darling- 

 ton, Weduesday,Mayll,1881,atl0a.m. 



There will bean opportunity given for questions 

 and answers. Interesting papers will be read, among 

 which may be mentioned : 



Location of Apiary, by E. France. 



Implements of the Apiary, by R. D. Wilson. 



Feeding Extracted Honey to Produce Comb Hon- 

 ey, by Dr. C. Abraham. 



Foundation, and its Advantages, by D. K.Sylvester. 



Bee Foraee, by H. Gllmore. 



Preparation for Winter, by George Fox. 



Wintering Bees, by Keese Powell. 



Advantage in Preparing Papers, by E. France. 



Profitable Bee-Keeping, by E. Pike. 



Bee-Ke^pinL', will it Pay 'i by N. E. France. 



The Prize Essay of the N. K. Convention, on How 

 to make the Apiary the most Profitable, by George 

 W. House, of Fayetteville, N. Y. 



A cordial invitation is given to all. 



N. E. France, Sec, Platteville, Wis. 



ig^ 3 Programme of the Northwestern 

 Bee-Keepers' Union, to be held at Has- 

 tings, Minn., May 17, 1881 : 



1.— Address nf Welcome, by J. N. Searls. 



2.— Reports of committees. 



:i.-Keports from all-number, kind and condition 

 of bees. 



4.— A paper by Pres. A. Tidball, on honey-produc- 

 ing plants and flowers. 



r>.— A paper by Dr. P. Barton, of St. Paul, on honey 

 an fond and medicine. ..,.,,. 



i; —Apiary culture and our fairs, by Hon. William 

 Avery, of St. Croix Falls Wis. 



7.— A paper on sales of honey, by F. B. Dorothy, of 

 Taylor's Falls, Minn. B _ 



8.— A paper on wintering bees, by L. Day, of farm- 

 ington. 



if.— Progressive bee-culture, by J. G. Teter. 



The above subjects will be open for discussion, in 

 addition to the above, the followiog subjects are sug- 

 gested : .. .. 



1.— Essential properties of a good bee hive. 



2.— How to prevent and cure foul brood. 



3.— How to prevent spring dwindling. 



4.— Comb Foundation, with dividing and natural 

 Bwarminy. 



Appointment of committees. 



Election of officers. Adjournment. 



iy AH bee-keepers are cordially invited. Enter- 

 tainment free. F. B. Dorothy, Sec. 



