424 



THE AMERICA]S1 BEE JOURNAL. 



■water accumulates in the intestines 

 of the bees, and if they are prevented 

 by cold from voiding it, they become 

 uneasy and perish. 



Now that we understand this, one 

 of the causes of sickness in bees dur- 

 ing winter, let us remember : 



1. Not to remove in summer all the 

 spring honey that the bees have 

 stored, leaving in the hives a suffi- 

 cient reserve for the coldest part of 

 ■winter. 



2. To remove all the combs contain- 

 ing honey stored in cells partly BUed 

 with pollen. These combs are easily 

 found on account of their opacity. 

 They are splendid for bees in the 

 spring, for this mixture will incite 

 breeding. 



3. To remove all the unsealed honey 

 that the bees will be unable to con- 

 sume before winter. 



■1. To remove also the honey-dew, 

 when there is any. 



5. To prevent bees going to the 

 cider presses, or to remove the cider 

 stored in the hive. This liquid always 

 remains unsealed. 



6. To replace with good sealed 

 honey, or ■with good thicK syrup all 

 the honey taken out, so as to give to 

 the bees sufficient provisions. The 

 best syrup is made with one pound 

 and one-half ounce of water for two 

 pounds of granulated sugar. 



Of course such precautions are not 

 indispensable every winter ; for a bad 

 food can keep bees alive if they have 

 frequent flights. Besides, as it is 

 very difficult to follow my advice to 

 the letter, I have been accustomed to 

 awake my colonies in winter every 

 day when I foresee that the ther- 

 mometer will reach 45^ in the shade. 

 This precaution is especially neces- 

 sary with chaff hives, for the sun 

 cannot easily warm them inside. The 

 bees, thus awakened, enjoy a good 

 flight, and return with empty bowels, 

 ready for another continement. 

 Hamilton,*o Ills. 



tons of horse-mint honey, and Florida 

 a never failing supply from palms and 

 mangroves, and yet not equalling the 

 famed clover of the North. During a 

 good flow of clover honey, when comb 

 is built rapidly, it is so delicate and 

 tender as to be almost imperceptible, 

 and of snowy whiteness. As this 

 honey is so fine, every effort should 

 be made to secure as much of it as 

 possible, and in the best shape, un- 

 mixed with other honeys. As fast as 

 the comb is sealed, it should be re- 

 moved, so that its delicate whiteness 

 may not be impaired by the bees. 



Where extracted honey is the pro- 

 duct sought, the bees should be pro- 

 vided with clean, white comb, and not 

 extracted until well ripened and 

 sealed. White clover honey, unmixed 

 with any other, is the most delicious 

 and healthful sweet known, and every 

 care should be exercised to keep it 

 intact. The uncapping knives should 

 be clean, not stuck up with other 

 honey, and also the extractor, and 

 the utensils into which it is drawn. 

 Jars are very good receptacles for 

 holding it, and should be covered 

 with muslin tied down closely to 

 prevent the ingress of insects, and 

 give it an opportunity to ripen by 

 evaporation. If the jars are piled one 

 upon another they should have cross 

 sticks, not close boards to prevent the 

 air circulating freely. Some pro- 

 ducers say there is no need of strain- 

 ing the honey as it runs from the ex- 

 tractor, as all debris will rise to the 

 top, and can be easily skimmed off. I 

 prefer straining through cheese cloth, 

 and when the jars are piled away, feel 

 certain tliey contain nothing but pure 

 honey — no comb nor bees. 



Peoria,© Ills. 



evidence that we do not take that 

 interest in the matter that we ought, 

 and that we may not be able to make 

 a vigorous flght. 



The moral effect of numerical 

 strength is great, and many battles 

 have been won by sheer force of 

 numbers, and without striking a blow. 

 So with us ; if ■sve can show an un- 

 broken front, composed of a majority 

 of the bee-keepers of the country, and 

 cause it to be understood that each 

 and every one of us are pledged to 

 pull together in unison and harmony 

 for defense of our rights, we sliall 

 bear down all opposition by this 

 moral weight alone. 



We must at all events flght every 

 suit brought, and carry the battle if 

 needs be to the decision of the highest 

 courts of the land, and thus prevent 

 the establisliment if possible of any 

 dangerous precedents. Two or three 

 cases won against us will tend to 

 make a law that it will he hard in the 

 hereafter to overcome ; but if we can 

 prevent such a state of things, and by 

 so doing show the enemy tliat we 

 fight each for the other, and tliat the 

 enemy of one is the enemy of all, it 

 will cause our jealous neighbor to 

 pause and consider the chances before 

 he begins a suit against us. 



A fight against 300 or 400 is a far 

 different thing from one against that 

 many thousands, and while tlie one 

 might prove an easy conquest, the 

 other would prove a disastrous defeat. 



Rouse yourselves, brother bee- 

 keepers I send in your names and of 

 your substance, and thus make our 

 " Union " a sure defense. 



Foxboro,CH Mass. 



For tne American Bee JoumaL 



I'rairle Farmer. 



Storing Honey- 



-ExtractiiiE, etc, 



Importance of " Our Union, 



J. E. POND, .IR. 



I! 



MKS. L. HARBISON. 



The best place to store honey when 

 removed from hives, is in hot, well 

 ventilated rooms. Some cellars may 

 do. but I have none in which the 

 honey will not in time get thin, break 

 the capping and run from the boxes ; 

 and extracted honey grows thin and 

 bubbling. One year, while experi- 

 menting to find a suitable place for 

 storage, some ■was put in an airy 

 chamber, some in the cellar, and a 

 portion put on the top of a cupboard 

 in the kitchen, where a coal lire was 

 kept, and the thermometer at times 

 in the poieli adjoining indicated lOO'-" 

 in the shade. In the lattei- place, the 

 honey kept perfectly, and in the 

 others grew watery, oozing from the 

 combs. 



I have eaten honey gathered in the 

 canyons of Califomia from the cele- 

 brated white sage, from orange 

 groves, and cacti, but not equalling 

 in flavor our white clover. Some 

 seasons Texas boasts of her tons upon 



I have read with real pleasure our 

 Manager's report of the workings of 

 the " Union " during the last year, 

 and heartily concur in all tliat Mr. 

 Clarke says in regard to it and Mr. 

 Newman.' I am, I must confess, 

 however, somewhat surprised that so 

 few of our vast army of bee-keepers 

 have enrolled themselves under its 

 banner. The "Union" is a means 

 of defense; and while perhaps the 

 many may never need its aid and 

 assistance, no one can tell where or 

 when a blow may be struck by our 

 enemy. 



To-day there are virtually no prece- 

 dents of law, but I fear that an at- 

 tempt is being made to create such. 

 Suits will, I fear, be brought in 

 localities where no defense will be 

 made, and j udgments given on default 

 or for want of proper defense, that 

 will come up in the future to work us 

 harm. 



Our aims and objects are well 

 known, and our weakness in point of 

 numbers is equally as well known, 

 and the very fact that of the many 

 bee keepers in the country, so few are 

 members of the Union, is prima /acic 



Eureka Springs Daily Times. 



Enrelo SDrings, Arl^., Convention, 



On June 19, ISSfi, the bee-keepers of 

 Eureka Springs, to the number of over 

 thirty, met at Eureka Springs, for the 

 purpose of organizing a bee-keepers' 

 association. 



After several addresses on the sub- 

 ject of bee-keeping, a constitution 

 and by-laws were adopted, and the 

 following officers elected for the fol- 

 lowing year : President, W. F. 

 Bragg ; Vice-President, J. W. Hart; 

 Secretary, Dr. S. S. Purcell ; and 

 Treasurer, T. F. llawley. 



The object of the association is to 

 promote good-will among the mem- 

 bers of tile association ; to exchange 

 ideas on bee-keeping ; to discuss the 

 merits of the different kinds of flow- 

 ering plants and shrubs as regards 

 bee-pasturage, and the dilTerent kinds 

 of hives and the manner of keeping 

 bees through the winter. 



The association adjourned to meet 

 in August next at the call of the 

 President. In the meantime all in- 

 terested in bee-keeping not present 

 are requested to correspond with the 

 Secretary, by mail or otherwise, so 

 that they may receive notice of the 

 next meeting. All parties interested 

 are cordially invited to be present, 

 join the association and take part in 

 the work. 



