814 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAi-. 



will never get through the zinc. So right 

 there the zinc serves a two-fold purpose. 



Then, in the third place, the hives are 

 secure from mice in winter, when you 

 use the zinc over the entrances, which 

 is an item. When it rains the zinc does 

 not swell ; or shrink in dry weather, 

 but is reliable, and will do its duty at all 

 times. It is usually the weak colonies 

 that are bothered by robbers ; also the 

 weak ones that swarm out, and I have 

 often thought that the main cause of 

 weak colonies becoming discouraged 

 was being tantalized by robber-bees. 



Then, just think of the perfect control 

 of the drones with Dr. Tinker's drone- 

 excluding zinc ! I can hardly estimate 

 Its value to me. 



Jennie Atchley. 



Tons of Honey in Cuba. 



Mks. Atchley : — In November (our 

 first month) we took a little over six 

 tons of extracted honey. December and 

 January should each give us 12 or 13 

 tons ; and February and March, each, 

 about the same as November. 



A. W. OSBURN. 



Cuba, W. I., Dec. 4, 1893. 



Not a Lonely Widow. 



Mrs. Atchley : — Please excuse me for 

 being so bold, but you often speak of 

 your two boys, and not of your hus- 

 band. I take you for a widow. Please 

 answer in the American Bee Journal. 



Frankford, Mo. A Friend. 



Yes, Friend, I have a kind, Christian 

 and affectionate husband ; and, by the 

 way, one of the greatest bee-masters of 

 the South. Jennie Atchley. 



Another Way to Kill Skunks. 



Mrs. Atchley : — You ask about kill- 

 ing skunks in California. Some use a 

 little honey and strychnine spread on a 

 piece of paper in front of the hive, but I 

 don't like the plan. I take a small piece 

 of comb containing sealed drone-brood, 

 in which I insert a grain of strychnine. 

 Place it in front of the hive, and you 

 have got his skunkship sure. 



The reason I do not, or did not, like 

 the honey and strychnine, was because 

 the bees were liable to get it. Of course 

 you must take up the pieces that are 

 left in the morning, or your fowls might 

 get it. 



Place the bait in front of the hives at 

 night. I always found the "chap" 

 right on the spot. They are remarkably 

 fond of the brood. Of course, if you 

 have no drone-brood, you can use worker- 

 brood — it only takes a very small piece 

 to fix him, and you can soon clean them 

 out for a long distance from the apiary, 

 so you will have no more trouble. 



Just about the time you moved, I for- 

 warded you my photograph and an old 

 copy of the Illustrated Bee Journal. I 

 have often wondered whether you re- 

 ceived them, as I got no notice about it. 

 Dr. E. Gallup. 



Santa Ana, Calif. 



Doctor, I am glad you gave me your 

 skunk remedy, and I trust you will not 

 be offended if I give it to the public 

 without permission, as I deem it very 

 valuable, not having thought of using 

 poisoned brood. I could have saved a 

 fine lot of hen's-eggs, as we used them 

 to put poison in. Please accept my 

 thanks for the remedy. 



Yes, I received your photograph, and 

 during my moving and sickness in my 

 family, I neglected to acknowledge its 

 receipt until a few days ago. I thank 

 you for it, and the old bee-paper, and 

 wish I had more photographs of old time 

 bee-keepers. Jennie Atchley. 



Mr. P. J. Mahan Wanted. 



Mrs. Atchley : — Could you favor me 

 with any information about Mr. Phineas 

 J. Mahan, who left here the latter part 

 of 1859, for Texas? Since then I have 

 not heard of hi in. My friend was deeply 

 interested in bee-keeping, and in a pat- 

 ent bee-hive of Rev. Mr. Langstroth, 

 then of New Jersey, whose agent Mr. 

 Mahan was, and lived at Raign's Point, 

 opposite Philadelphia. His father was 

 a maker and designer of fashion plates. 

 Wm. Norris Huntington. 



2242 N. 30th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 



Should any reader know of the where- 

 abouts of Mr. Mahan, or hii; family, 

 please write to Mr. Huntington. 



Jennie Atchley. 



*'Xlie IIoiiey-Bee : Its Natural 

 History, Anatomy and Physiology," is the 

 title of the l)ook written by Thos. Wm. 

 Cowan, editor of the JJriUsJi Jicc Journal. It 

 is bound in clotli, beautifully illustrated, 

 and very interesting. Price, $1.00, post- 

 paid ; or we club it with the Bee Journal 

 one year for $1.05. We have only four of 

 these books left. 



