282 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



swarming some, and I am hiving 

 them on full combs, where my bees 

 died in the winter. When I put a 

 swarm in a hive full of empty combs, 

 they go back and rob the old hive, so 

 I have to move the old one. I expect 

 they rob the old one because the honey 

 flow is small. I have 60 colonies; 

 some pure Italian, some hybrid, and I 

 am satisHed my mixed bees, with the 

 pure blacks and Italians are the best 

 bees I have, for honey ; though not so 

 easy handled. I am always glad when 

 the Bee Journal comes ; I could not 

 do without it. 



H. M. Williams, M. D. 

 Bowden, Ga., May 24, 1883. 



These letters are anything but en- 

 couraging ; truly, in the language of 

 Thomas Paine, " These are the times 

 that try men's souls." We do not 

 wonder why some may become dis- 

 couraged, as they view the unten- 

 anted hives and soiled combs which 

 are left, as the sequel to tlieir cher- 

 ished hopes for the future. However, 

 none should be too hasty in passing 

 judgment. With the hives and combs 

 already provided, more than one-half 

 the original investment is saved, and 

 with a propitious season for the pres- 

 ent, our losses will be made good with 

 a credit in our favor on the balance 

 sheet. We cannot expect bee-keep- 

 ing to be unvaringly prosperous, any 

 more than any other special branch 

 of industry which is dependent upon 

 natural causes, but we can, with fore- 

 thought, industry and systematic 

 perseverance, make it as reliable as 

 any other. 



Were it only the lesser bee-keepers, 

 or the novices, who had suffered 

 losses, it might, perhaps, be attributed 

 to ignorance or negligence ; but when 

 we take into account the losses by 

 specialists and scientific bee-keepers, 

 we cannot but look upon such a 

 charge as an insult to intelligence. 



The fruit-grower expects frequent 

 failures in his crops, and is thankful 

 that his trees survive without injury ; 

 the farmer's wheat winter-kills, when 

 he plows up the ground in the spring 

 and plants anew in corn or something 

 else, and replants if frost kills that ; 

 the stock-raiser who loses part of his 

 flock, gives the remainder better at- 

 tention, and patiently toils two or 

 three years to repair his losses ; the 

 merchant has his seasons of loss, but 

 with renewed push and activity makes 

 up for the dull times when the " good 

 time coming " has arrived ; and the 

 energetic bee-keeper, although many 

 bright dreams may have vanished, 

 will not despond, but without taking 

 time to count the untenanted hives, 

 begins immediately to estimate the 



number he can refill, working with a 

 will to retrieve his losses ; and while 

 keeping time with the musical hum of 

 his bees, in the " Sweet by-and-by " 

 will reap a more than commensurate 

 recompense for his vexations and dis- 

 appointments. 



As we write this the air has again 

 become warm, the sun shines out as 

 cheerfully as it ever shone on a sum- 

 mer's day. The robin's cheerful pip- 

 ing, and the bluebird's merry song 

 can be heard in the early morning, as 

 the golden sunshine tips the hill-tops, 

 and the hills and valleys are arrayed 

 in gorgeous robes of emerald green. 



The trees, plants and shrubs have 

 commenced to bloom here in the 

 North, and soon the heavy basswood 

 will enrich the hives, making them 

 to overflow with the rich nectar. Let 

 all, therefore, take courage and pre- 

 pare for a vigorous season's work— 

 the sunshine already succeeds the 

 storm, and chases the gloom away. 

 Be cheerful and hopeful— there is no 

 time to lose. Nature now awakens 

 to life ; the far-stretching fields 

 clothed in emerald green, the lawns 

 and lanes with their grassy carpets, 

 the air laden with the sweet perfume 

 of the blossoms in garden and orchard, 

 the trees in forest and grove animated 

 with the feathered songsters whose 

 little lives seem an incarnation of 

 happy melody — all these combine to 

 help us forget the dreary hours of the 

 past, and with keener zest enjoy the 

 future. 



" Into all lives rain must fall. 



Over all lands the storm must beat. 

 But when the pain and the storm are o'er 



The after-sunshine is twice as sweet. 

 Through every straight we have found a road. 



In every grief we have found a song. 

 We have to bear, and have had to wait. 



But think how well we have got along." 



1^ We have received from Mr. 

 Wm. Sims, Secretary of the Kansas 

 State Board of Agriculture, at To- 

 peka, a pamphlet entitled " Kansas, 

 its Resources and Capabilities," which 

 is being printed in the English, Ger- 

 man, Swedish, and Danish languages, 

 for gratuitous distribution, and will 

 be sent to any one upon application, 

 or will be mailed to any address fur- 

 nished, either in this country or Eu- 

 rope, the person sending address to 

 indicate the language desired. It 

 contains a map of the State, and sev- 

 eral views of farms, cattle, ranches, 

 etc., and is full of useful information 

 concerning that State. 



<^ Mr. Alley's new book on Queen 

 Rearing will hereafter cost $1.25 



Honey and Bee Show in Canada. 



Mr. A. Robertson, of Carlisle, in the 

 Canadian Farmer gives the following 

 list of prizes offered in the Honey and 

 Bee Department of the Hamilton 

 Central Fair : 



As the directors of Hamilton's Cent- 

 ral Fair had a meeting on April 24, I 

 am now able to present our prize list. 

 I feel like giving three cheers to the 

 directors, tor the way they used us ; 

 they gave us nearly everything we 

 asked for. Last year we were mixed 

 up with the fruit, such as turnips and 

 cabbages, and the prizes altogether 

 amounted to about $20. This year we 

 are to have a class by ourselves, and 

 they are offering prizes to the amount 

 of $70. They also allow us to appoint 

 our judges, and we will endeavor to 

 get practical bee men, who each use a 

 different size frame and hive. 



Frizes offered by the Central Fair 

 Association : 



1st. 2d. 

 For best Comb Honey, not less than 10 



pounds 15.00 |3.no 



For Best Extracted, not less than 10 lbs. 5.00 o.oo 



ForBest display of Comb Honey 8.00 4.00 



For Best display of Extracted 8.00 4.00 



For Bt-st and largest display of both 



kinds Medal and Diploma 



For Bnst Exhibition and management 



otBees 10.00 5.00 



For Best Hive for Comb Honey 4.(X) 2.00 



For Best Hive for Extracted Honey — 4.0i> 2.(X> 

 For Best Hive for all pu rposes. . Medal and Diploma 



The following are by our Bee As- 

 sociation and Specials : 



Best display of Apiarian Supplies 910.00 95.00 



Specials given by D. A. Jones, 

 Beeton, Ont. : 



Best display of Extracted Honey, put up in 

 the most pleasing and marketable shape, 

 best imported Holy Land Queen.valued 

 at »I5.00 



Best display of Comb Honey, in the best 

 marketable shape, beet imported Cyp- 

 rian Queen, valued at $10.00 



In both of the above classes, exhibi- 

 tor must be producer. 



Special by Green & Robertson, 

 Carlisle, Ont. : 



Best Bee Hive for all purposes. Chaff Hive 



complete, for Comb Honey, valued $5.00 



Roofs Simplicity Hive complete, for Ex- 

 tracted Honey 2.00 



Special by J. M. Knowles, Presi- 

 dent of the Association : 



Best Observatory Hive 15.00 



Special by Canadian Farmer: 



Best display of Wax. CatwdiaTi Farmer for 



one year LOO 



Best Honey Crate, Canadian Farmer for 



1^ Ants are sometimes troublesome 

 in an apiary. They can be destroyed 

 by sprinkling salt around the hives 

 and in the ant-hills. 



i^"Renewals may be made at any 

 time; but all papers are stopped at 

 the expiration of the time paid for, 

 unless requested to be continued. 



^"Postage stamps, of one, two or 

 three cent denomination, accepted for 

 fractional parts of a dollar; but money 

 is preferred, for larger amounts. 



