664 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



a time and then take the back track. 

 But that it does retrograde I am certain. 



I do think I have tested the matter too 

 often wibLi results too uniform to be mis- 

 taken. I have formed no snap judg- 

 ment in this case. I was several years 

 aided by the verdict of others at my 

 table, in settling down to my present 

 conclusions. 



I have been insisting upon these things 

 regarding the care of comb honey es- 

 pecially, for several years, having 

 taught them in different bee-papers. I 

 don't know whether my efforts have 

 made much impression or not. I am one 

 of the "small fry," and very likely my 

 feeble switchings do not attract as much 

 attention as the wigglings of a bigger 

 tadpole. But — to change the figure — 

 many a person without one-hundredth 

 part as much sense as — Bismarck, 

 knows some things that Bismarck never 

 knew, and thinks and utters some good 

 thoughts that never occurred to him. 

 I am one of them — laugh if you will. 

 The care of honey is one of my hobbies. 

 I believe the general quality of the 

 honey in our markets could be and 

 should be vastly improved. At the same 

 time I believe that my own views con- 

 cerning the proper treatment of the 

 article — that is to say, "my method" — 

 are of no less importance than the sub- 

 ject itself. 



Mechanicsburg, Ills. 



Liocation and Overstockins:- 

 Xectar Secretion. 



Written for the American Be.e Journal 

 BY H. F. COLEMAN. 



Brother Doolittle's theory as to loca- 

 tion and overstocking, from my experi- 

 ence, is correct. Owing to the peculiar 

 mode of farming in my immediate vicin- 

 ity, golden-rod and asters are rather 

 scarce within a radius of more than a 

 mile from my bees, but my bees have 

 gathered stores equal to other bees sur- 

 rounded immediately with large quanti- 

 ties of golden-rod and asters. 



We thus have it demonstrated that 

 there is but little danger of overstocking 

 a fair field, and that up to the point of 

 overstocking there is but little difference 

 if any in locations ; that is, if the loca- 

 tions have the same kind of honey-pro- 

 ducing flora. 



My bees, in the instance given, had 

 all the flowers that they could attend, 

 and were thus kept busy all the time, 

 while other bees, seemingly more favor- 



ably situated, did no better, simply be- 

 cause they could not work more flowers 

 than mine, although more flowers were 

 in reach of them to work. 



PLENTY OF FLOWERS, BUT NO NECTAR. 



Bee-keepers in this section, this fall, 

 have seen verified the assertion that 

 honey-producing plants sometimes fail 

 to produce honey. Asters were never in 

 greater abundance, and never bloomed 

 more profusely here than this fall, but 

 from some cause they failed to yield 

 nectar to their usual extent. In some 

 localities, and where asters greatly 

 abound, the bees have gathered but a 

 meager supply of honey, and will have 

 to be fed up for winter. 



As to my bees, I have 75 colonies in 

 reasonable condition for winter, with 

 but little feeding. They gathered their 

 supplies from golden-rod and heart's- 

 ease, with perhaps a little aid from 

 asters. 



Sneedville, Tenn. 



l^oiiTention rVotices. 



NORTH CAROLINA. — The Carolina Bee- 

 Keepers' Association will hold its 3rd annual 

 session at the Court House in Charlotte, N. C. 

 on Dec. 7th, 1893. at 10 a.m. 



Steel Creek, N. C. A. L. Beach, Sec. 



KANSAS.— The Kansas State Bee-Keepers' 

 Association will meet at Ottawa. Kans., on 

 Dec. 28th and 29th, 1893. Free entertain- 

 ment to all members in attendance. Come 

 and get acquainted. J. R. Barnhard, Sec. 



Ottawa, Kans. 



IOWA.— The Eastern Iowa Bee-Keepers' As- 

 sociation will meet at Delmar. Iowa, on Dec. 

 13 and 14, 1893. All interested in bee-culture 

 are requested to be there, and to bring with 

 them any thing or fixture that might be of 

 interest to bee-men. 



Welton. Iowa. Frank Coyerdale, Sec. 



VERMONT.— The 19th Annual Convention 

 of the Vermont Bee-Keepers' Association will 

 be held in Burlington, Vt., on Jan 24 and 25, 

 1894. Programmes later. All interested in 

 apiculture are invited to be present. Whether 

 you live in Vermont or outside, come to the 

 Burlington meeting. H. W. Scott, Sec. 



Barre, Vt. 



ILLINOIS.— The Illinois State Bee-Keepers' 

 Association will meet at Springfield, 111., on 

 Dec, 12 and 13, 1893, in the Senate Judiciary 

 room at the State House. The Illinois State 

 Grange, the Illinois State Horticultural Soci- 

 ety, and the various Stoclc Breeders' Associa- 

 tions meet at the same time, and in the 

 several rooms of the State House. Railroad 

 fare has been secured on the Certificate plan, 

 lYi rate. Those attending, to get the rate, 

 must pay full fare going, and get a Certificate 

 of the agent where the ticlcet is purchased. 

 Rates at the hotels are secured at $1.50 per 

 day, where two or more days' board is paid. 

 The Horticulturists and Boe-Keepors are to 

 malie their head-quarters at the Hotel Palace. 

 Come, everybody, and have a good time. 



Bradfordton, Ills. Jas. A. Stone, Sec. 



