1895. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



637 



others, and the local attendance, would insure a fine meeting 

 every time. 



Now, I throw out the foregoiuft, first, for the considera- 

 tion of the committee, who have in hand the forming of a 

 basis of union for the two existing societies. Then, if they 

 think well of my suggestions, they could be discussed along 

 with the other matters that will be incorporated into the new 

 constitution, which the aforesaid committee will likely soon 

 submit to the members of both existing societies. 



The second suggestion I have not given in detail, but suf- 

 ficient, I think, so that those interested will easily see whether 

 or not the idea is practical 



The Most Promising: Fall is this, says Mr. B. 

 Taylor, of Minnesota, in the Farm, Stock and Home, for 

 Sept. 15. Here is his paragraph referring to it: 



This is the most promising fall for the apiarist for five 

 years. Honey still continues to come freely, and hives are full 

 of young bees. We will give our colonies the best care this 

 winter, and next spring, in full confidence that they will win- 

 ter well and be ready to gather a big crop of white honey 

 next year. 



■«-.-♦ 



S'weet Clover seems to be causing Somnambulist, of 

 the Progressive, quite a good deal of worry ; or at least the 

 laws ordering its extermination in some States are greatly 

 disturbing the otherwise peaceful slumbers of our beloved 

 Sommy. Never you mind ; when those benighted States 

 come to fully appreciate the true value of sweet clover, they 

 will hasten to repeal such odious laws, and probably offer a 

 generous bounty to those who succeed best in growing sweet 

 clover, which is already such a fine honey-yielder, and seems 

 destined to be a splendid forage-plant for many kinds of farm 

 stock. 



Our Canadian Friends are very fortunate in two 

 or three things. One of them is in two such noble men (yes, 

 noblemen) as Hon. John Dryden and Pres. Jas. Mills. I must 

 confess that, so far as I know, we over here have no such 

 prominent men in high authority who are so deeply interested 

 in the success of bee-keeping in the United States. Here is 

 what the last Gleanings had to say about Messrs. Dryden and 

 Mills.: 



Ontario bee-keepers are to be congratulated for the strong 

 and able allies they have in Hon. John Dryden, Minister of 

 Agriculture, and Jas. Mills, President Agricultural College. 

 Their able addresses at Toronto showed their deep interest in 

 our chosen pursuit, and pledged co-operation as they have 

 given it in the past. With such friends in high stations it be- 

 comes an easier matter to obtain government grants to help 

 make an organization of bee-keepers valuable. 



I think on at least this score, we have good cause to be 

 jealous of our Canadian bee-brethren. But let's all congratu- 

 late them first. They deserve it. 



Prof. C. V. Riley, for so many years at the head of 



the entomological department at Washington, died Sept. 14, 

 from the effects of an accidental fall from his bicycle, striking 

 his head upon the street curbstone. Those who attended the 

 World's Fair bee-convention, will remember him, as he there 

 delivered a short address. He also read an essay at the North 

 American convention held in Washington, in 1S92. An ex- 

 change has the following paragraph concerning Mr. Riley's 

 life and work : 



Prof. Riley was born in London, Sept. tS, 1843, and was 

 educated in Germany. He came to America in 1860, and 

 settled on a farm in Illinois. He served thronghout the war 

 in various regiments. In 186S he became State Entomologist 

 of Missouri, holding it until 1877, when he was appointed 

 Chief of the United States Entomological Commission, under 

 the Department of the Interior, for the purpose of investigat- 

 ing the Rocky mountain locust. He was made Entomologist 



in the Department of Agriculture in 1878, but soon returned 

 to his work with the Commission, for which he edited and 

 wrote the more important original and practical portions of 

 its four large reports from 1877 to 1886. In 1881 he or- 

 ganized the Entomological Division of the Department of 

 Agriculture, and continued in that position until his retire- 

 ment, about a year ago. He held the office of Curator of In- 

 sects of the United States National Museum, to which he 

 afterwards presented his private collection of more than 

 115,000 entomological species, including about 15,000 spe- 

 cies. He was the author of various scientific books. Like 

 the great naturalist Agassiz, whom he resembled in many of 

 his personal characteristics, he was a skilled draughtsman, 

 and illustrated his own researches ivith his pencil. 



Growing' a Business.— A regular income means 

 steady study and systematic work. This publication can send 

 you upon receipt of a self-addressed and stamped envelope 

 (fold the envelope if necessary) information upon how to earn 

 a start and how to earn a stock that will bring you money 

 every week in the year. Address, American Bee Journal, 

 56 Fifth Ave., Chicago, 111. 



CONDUCTED BY 



rtR. C C. MILLER, AIAREHiGO. ILL, 



[Questions may be mailed to the Bee Journal, or to Dr. Miller direct.! 



A Question on Italianizing'. 



My bees are hybrids, and I want to Italianize them. If I 

 should buy an Italian queen, rear queens from her this fall 

 and mate them to my hybrid drones ; rear queens next spring 

 from my old queen, and mate them to drones from this year's 

 queens, would their progeny be pure Italian ? W. D. C. 



Answer. — Some think such drones as you speak of are 

 not pure, while excellent authorities insist there is no taint of 

 impurity about them. I'm not going to get a hornet's nest 

 about my ears by saying which is right, but I'll just whisper 

 in your ear that if you follow out the program you have out- 

 lined you will have bees that no one can find anything wrong 

 about. Remember, however, that if there are other bees 

 within two or three miles, drones from them may meet your 



queens. 



m I ■ 



Sowing Alfalfa— Wintering Bees, Etc. 



1. When is the best time to sow alfalfa ? 



2. How would you advise wintering bees in this latitude — 

 on the summer stands or in a cellar ? 



3. Where can I get alfalfa and sweet clover seed? 

 Mayking, Ky. J. J. W. 



Answers. — 1. Alfalfa is one of the clovers, and although 

 I cannot say positively, I should think it would be well to sow 

 at the same time as red clover. I wouldn't try on too large a 

 scale if you know of no one who has tried it in your locality. 



2. I would rather have the advice of those who have win- 

 tered successfully in your immediate locality, but if I couldn't 

 have that I should try wintering on the summer stands. I've 

 some doubt whether any one winters his bees in the cellar in 

 Kentucky, but I will be glad to be corrected if wrong. 



3. Prom any of the leading seed firms, or from the A. I. 



Root Co. 



m I — ■ 



aueen-Excluding Honey-Board — Spacing Frames. 



Do you think it advisable to use a queen-excluding honey- 

 board between the brood-nest and the extracting super or 

 hive? Do you think bees will store as much honey in the 

 upper story as though the queen has free access? I have 

 never used them till this year, on part of my hives, but it 

 rather seems to me that they don't do quite as well as where 

 they are not used, although I have been bothered consider- 

 ably with brood where they are not used, for I never extract 

 any unsealed brood. 



One thing I noticed a few years ago. I had some bees 



