1895. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



47 



then the hives were chock-full of bees and 

 brood all the time. 



I fed my bees on Sept. 15 100 pounds of 

 sugar made into syrup, and at that time 

 my 7 colonies did not have over pounds 

 of honey altogether in their hives. If there 

 was. it was in the bees. 



T vo-thirds of the bees in this part of the 

 cii u^ry will be dead, as very few farmers 

 ha% f fed their bees, and so it is good-bye to 

 all that are not fed. 



The 3-banded Italians are the most in 

 favor in this part of the country, as they 

 resist the ravages of the bee-moth, and are 

 gentler to handle. 



Later on I may write of some of the large 

 apiaries, their yields in a good year, and 

 their management for comb and extracted 

 honey. W. S. Doner. 



Armour, Iowa, Dec. 24. 



A Colorado Boy Bee-Keeper. 



I saw Chas. Sauford's letter, and thought 

 I would write. I had two colonies of bees 

 until the past fall, when one of them died, 

 having become queenless. The other stored 

 §3.00 worth of surplus honey the past year. 

 We do not have to put our bees in a cellar. 

 We pack from four to six inches of chaff in 

 the upper story, and leave the hive on the 

 summer stands. My father is bee-inspector 

 for Boulder county. 



I wish Charles would say whether he has 

 any bees of his own. We have a large solar 

 extractor to extract the broken honey and 

 wax ; also a Novice extractor to extract 

 frames and unfinished sections which we 

 use for baits. Rot B. Adams. 



Longmont, Colo., Doc. 31. 



Too Dry for Nectar-Secretion. 



In this part of Iowa the honey crop of 

 1894 has been the nearest a complete failure 

 for many years — in fact, I think since the 

 country was first settled. The great drouth 

 was the cause of the failure. It was too 

 dry for flowers to make a display, and 

 when there was a few flowers, there was 

 but little honey in them. Therefore but 

 little or no increase, and the same can be 

 said for the honey yield. I got none from 

 my apiary. This I flnd a great disappoint- 

 ment at this time of year, both on the table 

 and financially. I have had a number of 

 calls for honey, but had to tell customers 

 I had not taken an ounce for 1894. 



I put 3(i colonies into the cellar, but I 

 know a part of them will require feeding 

 before spring, when all may need it, unless 

 we have a very early continuous bloom and 

 warm weather. This feeding, I think, is a 

 duty that all bee-keepers in the great 

 drouth sections will want to look after if 

 we want to save our bees, and have them 

 in good condition for the season of 1895. I 

 say to all, do not be discouraged. 



J. W. Sanders. 



LeGrand, Iowa, Dec. 27. 



Results of the Past Season. 



In the fall of 1893 I placed in the cellar 24 

 colonies, and took out 22 in the spring of 

 1894, which were in good condition. But 

 the season was connected with such 

 severe drouth that they advanced but little 

 in the way of storing any surplus honey, 

 except a mouth or so in the fall. I got 

 about 300 pounds of comb honey, and 200 

 pounds of extracted, which is now worth 

 on the market 10 cents for comb honey and 

 8 cents per pound for extracted. 



I placed, a month ago, in my bee-cellar, 

 22 colonies, which, so far as I can ascertain, 

 are doing well. They all had the 10-frame 

 Langstroth hive pretty much filled with 

 honey and pollen when I placed them in the 

 cellar, which is well ventilated by a flue 

 and a 6-inch tile entering the ground on the 

 farthest side of the orchard, and running 

 to the cellar. 



My bee-house over the cellar is 16x24 feet 

 in size, and 14 feet high ; is well built, and 

 filled out between the 2x4 studding with 

 sawdust, in order to keep the evenest pos- 



sible temperature in the cellar where the 

 bees are. 



My bee-house, with similar dimensions to 

 the above, was destroyed by fire about ten 

 years ago, with about 75 colonies of Italian 

 bees in the cellar, that were also consumed. 



The weather here has held a somewhat 

 unusual mild degree; as yet we have had 

 no snow, and a limited amount of rain, and 

 it seems almost a miracle to men who have 

 lived here for 50 or more years, and never 

 saw splendid fine weather at this season of 

 the year. 



My neighbor who keeps a few bees, and 

 is somewhat inexperienced in bee-culture, 

 told me the other day that his bees did not 

 store any surplus, and he wanted some 

 "rent " for grounds they occupied. So he 

 took out the frames from two hives and 

 .shook the bees on the ground, and thus got 

 honey for himself and family. That is one 

 way. C. H. Brader. 



Sperry, Iowa, Dec. 27. 



Prospects of a Prosperous Year. 



The weather still continues wet here, and 

 the prospects are excellent for another 

 prosperous year. We have not had any 

 real cold weather yet. There has not been 

 sufficient frost to kill tender garden -plants. 

 It is usual to have a cold snap here about 

 Dec. 29, that would "do up " all the tender 

 garden stuff. W. A. Pryal. 



North Temescal, Calif., Dec. 31. 



An Old Bee-Keeper's Report. 



I have fed the bees $40 worth of sugar the 

 past fall, to get them to winter, and they 

 are light now. I got 30 pounds of poor 

 honey. Dr. Miller's case and mine are 

 somewhat alike, only he had the most bees, 

 consequently he bad to feed the most sugar 

 for winter. I have 60 colonies in the cellar 

 under my house, put in on Thanksgiving 

 day. Ate Thanksgiving dinner and went 

 to meeting in the evening; did it all myself 

 without the help of anyone. How is that 

 for a 77-year-old ? Well, I did it with the 

 helps that I have studied up. I have made 

 it a study to rig up things for my ease and 

 comfort. I like to handle bees, but must 

 give it up soon. A. F. Crosby. 



Sheffield, Iowa, Dec. 27. 



From One of the "Old Timers." 



Editor York: — I have seen the names of 

 several old bee-keepers in the American 

 Bee Journal lately, but so far I am the old- 

 est one. In the year 1834 I bought my first 

 "hive" of bees — that was when the old 

 " king bee " was supposed to rule in the 

 hive, and the drones laid all the eggs, and 

 the "neuters" brought the honey to the 

 hive on their hind legs ! At that time some 

 would not sell bees for fear of selling their 

 luck, and if one of the family died the bees 

 must be told of it after sunset, else they 

 would dwindle away and die. 



After passing through a number of pat- 

 ent bee-hive swindles, and losing my bees 

 every time, bee books and papers came 

 around, and I tried to inform myself, and 

 have been generally successful, but last 

 summer's crop was small, but better than 

 Dr. Miller's. 



I have 01 colonies in the cellar, resting 

 quietly. Of course I cannot handle heavy 

 hives, but my interest in them is unim- 

 paired. No job suits me better than hiving 

 a swarm of bees. Having handled them 

 more or less for 60 years, I must soon leave 

 them in the hands of children and grand- 

 children. On Jan. 26 I expect to celebrate 

 the 86th anniversary of my birth. Now, if 

 there are any older bee-keepers anywhere 

 in the United States (except Dr. Marshall, 

 of Texas,) I would like to hear from them. 

 L. Eastwood. 



Waterville, O., Dec. 38. 



A Binder for holding a year's num- 

 bers of the Bee Journal we mail for 

 only 75 cents; or clubbed with the 

 JOUENAL for $1.60. 



A ' ' Kink " on Mo-^ing Bees. 



I have recently moved 43 colonies of 

 bees about 50 miles. The weather was 

 favorable, so all came in good condition. 

 Some of them were in movable-frame 

 hives, with no self-spacing arrangement, 

 and were not propolized sufficiently to 

 risk their not shaking about. Instead 

 of using notched blocks as some do, I 

 found it was easier and just as effective 

 to lay a small, tightly-rolled roll of bur- 

 lap across each end of the frames before 

 nailing fast the covers. It acts as a 

 cushion by pressing down between the 

 frames somewhat and holds them snug. 

 I would have moved them by rail instead 

 of by wagon, but the railroad company 

 would not accept them In less than car- 

 load lots, and a car would have cost 

 $52. This is a trifle less than the rate 

 from Ft. Wayne, Ind., to Baltimore, 

 Md. Transacting business with a rail- 

 road company, in this region, is quite a 

 luxury. G. K. Hubbard. 



Riverside, Calif., Dec. 18. 



THE OLD RfLIABLE 



PEERLESS 



FEED 

 GRINDERS 



_ _-^,,^^_^ _ Grinds more grain to any 



degree of fineness than any other mill. Grinds ear- 

 corn, oats, etc., fine enough for any purpose. War- 

 rantednottochoke. We warrant the Peerless to be 



THE BEST AND CHEAPEST MILL ON EARTH. 



^~ Write us at once for prices and agency. 

 There is money in this mill. Made only by the 



JOLIET STROWBRIDGE CO.,JOLIET,ILL. 



Jobbers and Manufacturers of Farm Machinery, 

 Carriages, Wagons, Windmills, Bicycles, Harness, 

 etc. Prices lowest. Quality best 



SA26t Mention the American Bee Jof^itiaL 



TAKE NOTICE! 



BEFORE placing your orders for SUP- 

 PLIES, write for prices on 1-Piece Bass 

 wood Sections, Bee-Hives, Shipping -Crates 

 Frames, Foundation, Smokers, etc. 



PAGE & LYON MFG. CO. 



NEW LONDON, WIS. 

 Mention the American Bee Joumai, 



Promptness Is What Counts ! 



Honey - Jars, Shipping-- Cases, and ev- 

 erything that bee-keepers use. Root's 

 OoodH at Root's PrIceM, and the 



befit shippinisr point in the country. 

 Dealer in Honey and Beeswax. Cata- 



iTJal Ave Walters. Ponder 



INDIANAPOLIS, IND. 

 Mention the American bee journal- 



"YE SOUTHERN BEE-MAN" ^ 



■• Know Ye " that low freight rates and con- 

 venience are two very good reasons why you 

 should get your Bee- Fixings In this city ? Our 

 Prices are ivay down— send for Circular. 



I. J. ISTRINGHAm, 



105 Park Place. NEW YOtlK. N. T. 



Mention the American Bee JounwL 



WANTED. 



Agents to sell our new boob. Dictionary of 

 United States History, by Prof. J. Frank- 

 Li>j JAMESO.N. Needed by every teacher, pupil 

 and family ; indorsed by press and public. 

 Agents selling 50 books per week. Successful 

 agents will he made general agents. Big Pay 



PURITAN PUBLISHING CO., Boston, Mass. 

 2 6E3t MtntUm the American Bee JourTUU. 



