1000 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Dec. 1 



in the West and South, and they say they 

 much prefer the Hoffman; and yet it is per- 

 fectly plain that another man might run 

 across another class of people who would 

 regard them as nothing but nuisances. 

 This thing must be borne in mind, that the 

 character of propolis varies in different lo- 

 calities; and I am free to admit that in Dr. 

 Miller's location I should prefer, as does 

 he, a metal-spaced frame. 



COUNTING THE COST. 

 A Colorado bee-supply factory has start- 

 ed up, with every assurance of success; and 

 there are some other little shops starting 

 elsewhere, and we hereby offer to them the 

 hand of fellowship. This is right and 

 proper. The field of the United htates is 

 very broad, and so far the manufacturers 

 are not complaining on account of a want 

 of trade. In all of our years of experience 

 we have had all we could do; and we have 

 wished most severely at times that we did 

 not have so much business. But the new 

 concern that launches cut into making sup- 

 plies should not figure on the mere shop 

 cost, but on a ten per-cent depreciation of 

 machinery, a fair allowance for capital in- 

 vested, and general expense. One who es- 

 says to make bee-supplies, or any thing 

 else, in fact, for the public, will find, if he 

 desires to make both ends meet, and make 

 a little profit, that he must add at least 50 

 per cent to shop cost. By "shop cost" I 

 mean material and labor. It is a rule to 

 add more than this — even 100 per cent in 

 most lines of manufacture — to cover bad ac- 

 counts, goods out of date that will not sell; 

 advertising, office help, accidents, and, as 

 I said, insurance, taxes, interest, and de- 

 preciation. There have been scores of little 

 factories started, but mjst of them have 

 gone out of business, for the simple reason 

 that they have not added to their item of 

 cost what is usually termed "overhead ex- 

 pense " — an item that can not be avoided. 

 Perhaps this advice may seem gratuitous 

 to some. Gratuitous or not, if they will 

 heed it, it will make all the difference be- 

 tween success and failure. 



THE CINCINNATI CONVENTION ; A FOUL- 

 BKOOD BILL FOR OHIO. 



It was my pleasure to attend a meeting- 

 of the Hamilton Co. Bee-keepers' Associa- 

 tion, that comprises a membership of fifty 

 or sixty, all told, in the vicinity of Cincin- 

 nati. The Hamilton Co. people are very 

 much in earnest regarding the desirability 

 of securing a foul-brood law that will pro- 

 tect us against negligent and incompetent 

 bee-men, who, unless there is a law to pre- 

 vent, will allow it to spread among those of 

 their neighbors who are more progressive. 

 The first draft of the bill was presented by 

 Mr. J. E. Painter, at the convention, in the 

 presence of representatives Wayne and Her- 

 rick, both of whom promised their support, 

 and offered valuable suggestions. Mr. Her- 

 rick was formerly a bee-keeper, and fully 



understands the urgency of the measure 

 from a bee keeper's standpoint. He will 

 probably father the bill. 



The meeting was not large, but very en- 

 thusiastic, and it is apparent that the solid 

 support of the Hamilton Co. delegation may 

 , be expected in the next general assembly. 

 The proposed draft of the bill is now in the 

 hands of the committee appointed by the 

 Hamilton Co. Association; and as soon as 

 it is thorout;hly digested I hope to present 

 it to our readers. It provides for county 

 inspection on about the same lines as pre- 

 scribed in the excellent law now in force in 

 Colorado. It is very explicit, and seems to 

 cover every possible contingency; and for 

 conditions that exist in Ohio it is probably 

 better than a law that provides for only one 

 inspector for the whole State. I have been 

 opposed to county foul-brood laws; but the 

 arguments that were presented in favor of 

 a measure like that in Colorado convinced 

 me that it would be a good one for Ohio. 



It was not deemed wi.se to efl'ect a State 

 organization, but, rather, that the several 

 counties where bee-keeping is most promi- 

 nent be organized, and that they submit to 

 the next legislature suitable resolutions or 

 memorials, signifying the urgent need of 

 fojl- brood legislation in Ohio. Gleanings 

 is anxious to get several counties organized 

 on the New York plan. With several good 

 worki'ng counties we could later on, if nec- 

 essary', effect an affiliation of the several 

 organizations, making what might be called 

 a State organization such as is in practical 

 operation in New York, 



AN AUTOMATIC CLOCKWORK SMOKER. 



Some time ago Dr. Miller referred to the 

 fact in one of his Straws that there was a 

 smoker made in Germany that was operat- 

 ed by clockwork in connection with a little 

 mechanical fan or blower. We immediate- 

 ly put ourselves in communication with the 

 inventor or manufacturer, and now have 

 before us one of these smokers. It is the 

 invention of Mr. Joseph K'nig, a German 

 jeweler, and was patented in the United 

 States, Dec. 31, 1901. The accompanying 

 illustrations are made direct from those in 

 the patent specifications, and show fairly 

 well the general details and design of the 

 smoker. The lower portion of it, referred 

 to in the illustration, Fig. 1, contains the 

 clockwork and blower. The clock is wound 

 up at the kejhole S. A lever, M, releases 

 a little clutch which allows the fan, or blow- 

 er, to spin like a top. As soon as enough 

 smoke is blown, the power is shut off by 

 pushing the lever back. When more wind 

 (or smoke) is wanted, the lever is shoved 

 upward, and again a blast of air is started 

 through the stove. The whole arrangement 

 is quite ingenious, and is thoroughly well 

 made. It takes about a minute to wind it, 

 and about tvventj' minutes for the clock to 

 run down if operated continuously. In or- 

 dinary practice in the yard, once winding- 

 would last half a day. 



