50i 



THE AMERICAI^ BEE JOUIUSTAL. 



see the propriety of excluding the 

 bee-bread from the bees in winter, 

 but think that we should provide 

 against the primary causes; and I 

 shall hold that the latter policy may 

 be more economically exec\ited than 

 the former, and that it is practicable, 

 effectual in results, and consistent iii 

 theory." Eight here we differ again, 

 and in more ways than one. What- 

 ever maj; be the most practical method 

 of avoiding the disastrous results, I 

 believe that bee-keepers will bear me 

 out in asserting that to pollen is 

 properly attached the term " primary 

 cause." The disease is intestinal in- 

 flamation. The inflamation was pro- 

 duced by the irritation of pollen resi- 

 due coming in actual contact with 

 the diseased parts. 



But we also differ regarding the 

 most efficient method of prevention, 

 according to our present light in the 

 matter. It is preposterous to make 

 the claim that any repository, system 

 or ventilation, out-door packing, ab- 

 sorbant, or anything of the kind, can 

 be relied upon as a prevention of the 

 disease. The sad experience of hun- 

 dreds of bee- keepers not only proves 

 to them, but likewise to every 

 thoughtful bee-keeper, that there is 

 no certainty of success through any 

 of the conditions mentioned by the 

 Doctor. 



Whenever we know just what is the 

 cause of this premature consumption 

 of pollen, it may or may not turn out 

 that we can remove "that auxiliary 

 cause more easily than the primary 

 cause— pollen ; but at present I have 

 this advantage: If we agree that 

 consumption of pollen produces the 

 inflamation, we do not agree to any 

 cause of said consumption. 



For two years past we have been 

 experimenting in regard to the pre- 

 vention of bees storing their combs 

 with pollen in the fall, and we now 

 think it clear that cheap, off-hand 

 practical methods can readily be 

 adopted to avoid such storing. I do 

 not doubt, and have so stated to my 

 students, that we may so arrange 

 auxiliary conditions that a moderate 

 amount of bee-bread may remain in 

 the hive without danger of any win- 

 ter consumption ; for we know that 

 nature sometimes so arranges it. 



I have for some time been of the 

 opinion that the more honey the 

 combs contain, and what is better, 

 the more heavily they are filled with 

 sugar syrup, the least apt the bees 

 will be to consume any bee-bread. 



Now, allow me to digress long 

 enough to say that, in this locality 

 bees gather at least >^ more pollen 

 than they ever consume. Tliey place 

 large quantities of it in brood-comb 

 during the autumn. When new pol- 

 len comes in the following spring, the 

 bees cut and carry out great quanti- 

 ties of that old bee-bread, much pre- 

 ferring the new, and needing the 

 room it occupies, tor brood, etc. 



The Doctor's and Mr. Clarke's 

 catch-quibble regarding the comb- 

 full of bee-bread, savors of being hard 

 pressed for argument. Did vou ever 

 see a comb full of brood 'i and would 

 it all have to be capped, or ready to 

 cap to warrant that name V Did you 



ever see a comb full of eggs 't I have 

 heard men say they had. I did not 

 suppose they meant that the cells 

 were even full, only the comb was 

 fully occupied. The comb of pollen 

 in question contained very many cells 

 of bee-bread not full, but occupied 

 with it. In tlie spring it also con- 

 tained many cells occupied with it— 

 nearly as many as in the fall ; but the 

 pollen eaten down in many of them. 

 Does it not seem strange that out of 

 45 sugar-fed colonies this one, and 

 this one only, should show any signs 

 of diarrhceaV I do not think siich 

 would usually be the case, but the 

 late brood threw the cluster upon this 

 comb. 



Mr. Clarke makes the point that a 

 majority of my bees having natural 

 stores, came through also. I told you 

 in my report two facts which answer 

 that : First, owing to certain manip- 

 ulation, we reduced the bee-bread 

 more than one-half, we think ; sec- 

 ondly, we further told you that the 

 workers of every undiseased colony, 

 which we examined, except the 4.") in 

 question, had distended bodies ; while 

 those of the 44 gave no appearance of 

 such distention. Mr. Clarke's ques- 

 tion was answered before he asked it, 

 it seems to me. 



The Doctor tells us that away up 

 Xorth, bee-keepers winter their bees 

 with almost no loss at all ; that win- 

 tering is no trick for them ; that bee- 

 bread in their hives in winter gives 

 them no concern ; and that they sel- 

 dom have a case of bee-dlarrhcea. 

 How does this statement of the Doc- 

 tor's accord with his cold, confine- 

 ment, restlessness, consistent theory ? 

 The cold and confinement is far 

 greater there than here, and in South- 

 ern Indiana and Kentucky. Fall weeds 

 for pollen are not one-tenth part as 

 profuse as here and farther South. 

 The Doctor saj-s that if I can give 

 any practical method of reducing or 

 excluding bee-bread from the hives 

 in winter, it will offer us no advan- 

 tages not already possessed. I fail to 

 see where he gives us any evidence of 

 the truthfulness of that statement. 

 I expect to prove it false in the future. 



Dr. Mason, of Wagon Works, O., 

 says that he has proved it false for 

 several winters. Many others say 

 the same thing. I have re-read Mr. 

 Wilber's communication on page 171 

 of the Bee Jofrnal for ISSl, and 

 studied it carefully, and see nothing 

 inconsistent with my theory and prac- 

 tice. The Doctor does not offer us 

 any reason why sugar syrup is any 

 better than honey as a winter food. 

 I have done so. i have told you that 

 consistent witli my pollen theory, 

 sugar excels honey, because of its 

 freedom from floating pollen nitro- 

 genous substance, and its superior 

 heat-producing qualities. Then the 

 Doctor wonders who will say tliat 

 had we had such a winter as in 1881. I 

 would not have lost half of the 4.5 

 sugar-fed colonies. Well, I will say 

 so, and I think that % or more of the 

 readers will say so. 



We know that bee-diarrhcea is our 

 only fear. We laugh at all winters, 

 not going hand in hand with bee- 

 diarfliiea. that we have never lost a 



colony that did not have the disease, 

 or died of starvation. Restlessness 

 is no primary cause here. In the 

 Doctor's thirteenth paragraph let us 

 chronicle that he believes that some 

 pollen is essential to the welfare of 

 bees in winter. 



Mr. A. I. Root says that his experi- 

 ence and aggregated rejjorts teach 

 him that bees are safer without pol- 

 len in the hive during confinement. 

 I agree that bc-bread is very valua- 

 ble for certain purposes when needed; 

 even worth more than SI per pound ; 

 but it is like fire, a splendid servant, 

 but an infernal master. 



The Doctors remarks about bees 

 suffering in the spring for want of 

 jjollen, only shows that he is attack- 

 ing what he does not understand. 

 There is no danger from that, as we 

 will explain in the future, as we have 

 already gone too far now. 



Regarding Mr. Clarke's new theory 

 of wintering. I liave to say that none 

 of his essential claims have ever been 

 presented to my practice as trutli. I 

 think he will soon have such a buzz- 

 ing about his hibernation theory, that 

 he will have no time to apply any of 

 his literary vigor to the pollen ques- 

 tion. 



Dowagiac, Mich., .July 24, 18»4. 



For tbe American Bee JoammL 



How to Make Honey-Vinegar. 



DR. L. C. WHITING. 



All substances which contain 

 sweets, or any substance capable of 

 being converted into alcohol, can be 

 made into vinegar. The old and slow 

 method of producing acid-fermenta- 

 tion has been abandoned by the pro- 

 fessional vinegar- maker, for a quicker 

 process. On visiting a vinegar factory 

 you will see a number of very tall, 

 slim tubs ; the bottom of which is 

 made tight with a good head. A foot 

 or so above this is a false bottom 

 bored full of small holes, and the 

 sides of the tub above this is bored 

 full of holes which slant downward 

 and inward, so that any drip will run 

 in instead of out. The inside of the 

 cask is filled with coarse shavings of 

 beechwood, and the top is open. 

 These chips are saturated with the 

 best cider vinegar that can be had, 

 and left to stand a few days to be- 

 come well soaked and soured. 



Old, hard cider, or s.weeteiied water 

 that has fermented, will become good 

 vinegar by dripping slowly through 

 these chips once or twice. Even 

 sweetened water without fermenta- 

 tion will become vinegar ; but if much 

 is used at one time, the chips lose 

 their acidity, and you have to sour 

 them as at first, before you can do 

 good work. 



Whisky and water makes the best 

 vinegar we have, and you can make 

 from six to ten barrels per day, by 

 passing it through this tub of chips. 

 The room must be kept warm. 



This process is not necessary in 

 making honey-vinegar, except on a 

 large scale, which would not be profit- 

 able on account of the price of honey ; 

 and it shows the importance of sour- 



