464 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



for many years, was a printer's roller 

 manufacturer. Important, because the 

 qualities he used went begging for 

 buyers among all others. Honey-dew, 

 buckwheat and other dark qualities were 

 his preferences, because cheapest. One 

 time, when we were out of cheap honey, 

 I had sent him fine basswood honey at 

 cost price, in order to hold his custom. 

 He pronounced it adulterated, in spite 

 of all aiy protestations. Offensive lan- 

 guage followed, and the loss of a custo- 

 mer was the result. Having found other 

 buyers for the same qualities, we have 

 consoled ourselves. 



Honey-vinegar is, perhaps, the best of 

 all vinegars, but owing to the cheapness 

 of the common article, its manufacture 

 is principally confined as yet to bee- 

 keepers. We use about a pound of 

 honey to a gallon of water (4C3 pounds 

 of honey for a whiskey-barrel), employ- 

 ing the natural process, the same as for 

 cider-vinegar, exposing it to warmth 

 and air. Chas. F. Muth. 



From — 



The Stinger. 



Said Mr. Drone to pretty Miss Bee : 

 " Long have I had my eye on thee ; 



And if thou wilt be mine indeed — 

 To get my drink and also feed — 



I'll live for thee, or for thee die." 

 Miss Bee just said — " Not I ! Not I !" 



There are some people who would 

 sneer at the industry of the bee, because 

 it doesn't furnish them with bread to 

 spread the honey on. — Selected. 



Golden drops of honey are as sacred 

 in this country this year as golden dol- 

 lars are. Perhaps the English " gold 

 bugs " have prevailed on the " bugs " of 

 the apiary to join with them in lessen- 

 ing the supply of gold in America. Who 

 knows ? 



What a pity it was that an Apicultural 

 Congress of the World was not arranged 

 for, that it might meet about the time 

 of the great North American convention 

 of bee-keepers. As it is too late to have 

 such a congress this year. The Stinger 

 now moves that such a convention be 

 held in San Francisco on Washington's 

 Birthday, next year, when the Interna- 

 tional Midwinter Fair is in full blast in 

 that city. Wlio will second the motion ? 



Speaking of such a congress, reminds 

 me that there is no better time or place 



for holding this meeting than in the city 

 and on the date named. Reduced fares 

 will be offered to California at that sea- 

 son ; many Europeans come over to 

 California during the winter and early 

 spring. It is a time when our bee-keep- 

 ers can better spare the time away from 

 home than at any other period. Cali- 

 fornia is a Mecca that the majority of 

 mankind have a desire to see, and Feb- 

 ruary and March are as good months to 

 see it in as any time of the year, pro- 

 vided the sight-seer does not wish to see 

 it when the hills and dales are one mass 

 of flowers, as they are toward the close 

 of April, and in the month of May. 



Mrs. Atchley advertises in a late num- 

 ber of the American Bee Journal for a 

 sample of foul brood which she wishes 

 sent to a certain Doctor in Texas, who 

 is to make a microscopical examination 

 of it for her. The trouble is, she only 

 asks for a wee little bit ; I am sure there 

 are dozens of bee-keepers in this coun- 

 try to-day who would gladly send all 

 they have, if they thought by so doing 

 they could get rid of the plagued disease 

 for ever. 



I notice that the editor reports that 

 some honey has been produced by Doo- 

 little's bees that are on exhibition at the 

 World's Fair. Now, if bee-keeper Doo- 

 little could only get a couple of tons of 

 honey from those bees, and sell the pro- 

 duct at the rate usually demanded for 

 commodities on the Pair grounds, what 

 a fortune he would have ! Just think of 

 it, ye bee-keepers who have been getting 

 no honey these long years past ! 



Talking about "experiment stations," 

 reminds me that every man becomes 

 such a station when he gets a sting un- 

 der his nose. I will bet a pin against a 

 last year's bird-nest, that such a fellow 

 will try everything that he can lay his 

 hands on, in the hope that he will find in 

 it a remedy to allay the pain the sting 

 is causing him. Have you ever been 

 there, my friend ? 



" I knows why bees never sit down," 

 said Walter. 



" Why, my dear ?" asked his mother. 



"'Cause they has pins in their coat- 

 tails, and they's afraid to." — Selected. 



A Binder for holding a year's num- 

 bers of t-he Bee Journai, we mail for 

 only 50 cents; or clubbed with the 

 Journal for $1.40. 



