1898 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



41 



supposed to be in Its glory, and to be enjoying all kinds of 

 prosperity. Its comparative sluggishness is attributed by 

 some to bunions, by some to rheumatism, but by most to an 

 inconsiderate, unappreciative people. It is a well-known fact 

 that honey came to Chicago this season with great expecta- 

 tions tuckt away among its comb and other chattels. Upon 

 the passing of the autumn the sweet thing associated very 

 much with buttered toast and other representatives of the 

 bread brigade, but as time wore on a chilliness sprung up be- 

 tween them, and now the affiliations are far from brotherly. 

 There is a hope among the dealers that when the next spell 

 of cold weather drifts along, honey will retrieve some of its 

 lost popularity. 



Fancy, high-colored white clover honey, tipping the beam 

 at a pound, is sold these days to retailers at a dime a pound, 

 and imperfect oS-color stock is markt at a shade less. Buck- 

 wheat honey, resembling a Malay in color, lounges around 

 with a T-cent tag around its neck, and alfalfa stock, from the 

 rolling plains of Colorado, pegs along at 8 cents per pound. 

 Extracted honey, amber to dark, is as slow at a nickel a pound 

 as time is when a night train is being waited for. 



In connection with the foregoing there appeared a section 

 of comb honey as a poor, sick man's head, with a crutch un- 

 der one of his arms, and a bottle of some tonic for " that tired 

 feeling " which he seemed to be enduring just then. Also one 

 of his feet was bound up, and, all in all, the old gentleman, 

 whom they called " W. Clover Honey," appeared to be in 

 pretty bad shape. 



We attribute the lack of a general demand for honey hero 

 just now, to two causes, viz.: The very warm and unseason- 

 able weather, and the great quantities of adulterated liquid 

 honey (or glucose) being put upon the market by the unscrup- 

 ulous wholesale grocers. Much of it is unfit for a dog to eat, 

 and when people once get a taste of such stuff, it simply kills 

 their desire for any kind of honey, and they are slow to buy 

 again. 



Complete Voluiues ot 1897.— We have on hand 

 about 40 complete volumes of the American Bee Journal for 

 1807, which we will mail to any one upon receipt of 60 cents. 

 We also have about the same number of the first six months' 

 copies of 1897, which we will mail for 30 cents. As there 

 were 832 pages of the Bee Journal last year, here is a chance 

 for our new subscribers to get a good deal of valuable reading- 

 matter for a very little money. Better order at once, before 

 they are all gone. 



Mr. W. L. Coqgshall, of New York State, with his two 

 sons, a part of one of his many apiaries, and his elegant home, 

 are all shown in Gleanings for Jan. 1. Everything indicates 

 general prosperity and comfort. Good for W. L. 



Mk. J. F. McIntyre, of Ventura Co., Calif., writing us 

 Jan. 3, said : 



" We are having a dry year so far. The grass has dried 

 up, and prospects are poor for a honey crop next season." 



Dr. G. L. Tinker, of Tuscarawas Co., Ohio — once a promi- 

 nent apiarian writer, manufacturer, etc. — recently visited the 

 A. I. Root Co., and afterward wrote up his trip, which ap- 

 pears in Gleanings for Jan. 1. It's a deserved boom for the 

 Rootvillians. 



The British Bee Journal completed its 25th year with 

 its last issue of 1897. So did Gleanings, we believe, for if we 

 mistake not they both were started in 1873. We congratulate 

 them. The American Bee Journal is just 12 years their 

 senior, having been establisht in 1861. The three bee-papers 

 named are the oldest printed in the English language. There 



may be older ones in Germany, and there may not. We do 

 not know. In this country the next to Gleanings^in age is the 

 Review, which completed its 10th year with 1897. 



Mr. Wm. Russell, of Hennepin Co., Minn., writing us 

 Jan. 11, said : 



" I congratulate you on the improved ap pearance of the 

 Bee Journal for 1898. If I could only remember one-half of 

 the good things it contains, I would make fewer mistakes." 



Mr. Geo. Spitler, of Crawford Co., Pa., wrote us Dec. 

 31, 1897, as follows : 



"We are now having a week ot the lirst winter weather. 

 We have good sleighing, but the mercury has not gone below 

 12^ above zero. Bees are hibernating ('?)•" 



Mr. W. J. Forehand, of Lowndes Co., Ala., wrote us 

 Jan. 10: 



"This is an ideal location for the purpose of queen-rear- 

 ing, which is almost a constant honey-flow. Bees to-day are 

 bringing in loads of pollen." 



Mr. a. I. Root has been spending soma ot his leisure 

 time lately in defending the Weather Bureau that so many 

 like to poke fun at, and in trying to reform the Agricultural 

 Department which is offering prizes for articles on growing 

 tobacco. Mr. Root, why didn't you offer the Department a 

 bee-smoker, to swear off ? 



Miss Fannie C. Damon, of Middlesex Co., Mass., lately 

 sent us 25 cents for the Langstroth Monument Fund. If each 

 bee-keeper in the United States and Canada would contribute 

 25 cents, it would amount to a very nice sum, and purchase 

 and erect a splendid monument to the great Langstroth — the 

 revered Father ot American apiculture. 



Dr. C. C. Miller, who has for years so ably conducted 

 the bee-department of the excellent National Stockman and 

 Farmer, has begun to write for it some illustrated articles for 

 beginners in bee-keeping, the first appearing in the number 

 for Dec. 30, and is devoted to the queen-bee. The Doctor 

 can do some good work in that line, and he will. 



Mr. John G. Knuppel, of Kings Co., N. Y., has kindly 

 sent us a photograph ot his city apiary, regarding which he 

 wrote Jan. 11 : 



" We had a very fine crop of both comb and extracted 

 honey the past season, in all 2,000 pounds, which we sell in 

 our own home. The bees are doing nicely so tar." 



Mr. Wm. M. Whitney, of Geauga Co., Ohio, gave us a 

 pleasant call Jan. 13. He has 28 colonies ot bees, and is 

 making quite a success of the business tho he is quite ad- 

 vanced in years, and began only about two years ago. He is 

 doing what he can to get local bee-keepers to study the sub- 

 ject, and to keep their bees in an up-to-date way. Mr. Whit- 

 ney will likely be heard from later on. 



Mr. C. Theilmann, of Wabasha Co., Minn., called on us 

 last week, when in Chicago with a carload of hogs. He had 

 a very poor season with his bees the past year. He secured 

 only about 1,700 pounds of comb honey, and. had to feed over 

 3,000 pounds ot sugar to carry his bees through the present 

 winter. He has never had a final settlement with the crooked 

 Chicago commission firm to whom he shipt his 1896 crop ot 

 comb honey, some 12,000 pounds. All he has been able to 

 get so far was about one-fourth of its value. 



The Poultry Show of the Year will be held iu Chi- 

 cago Jan. 24-29, under the auspices of the National Fanciers' 

 Association of Chicago. The Borden Building, 2L4 East 

 Madison street, has been secured for the purpose, and the 

 number ot entries promises to be very large. Every prepara- 

 tion is being made for the care ajid comfort of the poultry 

 and pet stock when in the showroom. Railways and hotels 

 are convenient, and those who visit the show will find the sur- 

 roundings pleasant, and the exhibits highly entertaining. The 

 Secretary, W. W. Uogle, 1015 Benson Ave , Evanston, 111. (a 

 Chicago suburb), wilf be glad to furnish particulars. The 

 railroads are making special rates for those outside of the 

 city who desire to attend. 



