1883 



GLEAKlKGS IK B^E CULTUEE. 



687 



swarms now. I think I shall unite some — probably 

 put them down to 70 or 75. The glass buckets are 

 fine, and sell readily when filled and labeled, and 

 when not any comb honey can be had. I am selling 

 them filled at 20 cts. Wm. St. Martz. 



Martinsville, 111., Oct. 4, 1883. 



$119.75 FROM 3 SWARMS IN ONE SEASON. 



Bees in this locality are doing well. I commenced 

 the spring with 3 swarms, and from them have got 

 12 good swarms, and have taken 9J lbs. box honey, 

 and will have probably 150 lbs. more. 1 sell my hon- 

 ey at 25c per lb. That would make 243 lbs.; and at 

 26c would be $59.85. The bees could be sold at $5.00 

 per swarm, which would make for the twelve new 

 swarms, $60.00, and would sum up for the twelve new 

 swarms, and honey taken from them, $119.75. Isn't 

 that pretty good for a beginner? 



Loyal, Wis. L. Allen. 



TAKING AWAY THE HONEY, AND GIVING THEM SUGAR 

 SYRUP. 



Wishing to try the experiment of wintering a few 

 colonies on sugar, and finding a way of filling empty 

 combs with syrup, I wish to ask you if it will answer 

 to remove the frames containing honey after all the 

 brood is hatched, say the last of October, and substi- 

 tute combs filled with sugar syrup. 



L. L. Crittenden. 



Benton Harbor, Mich., Sept. 29, 1883. 



i have known some to succeed, friend C, 

 in doing just what you propose ; but for all 

 that, I should be a little backward in advis- 

 ing such a course. Why not let them have 

 their sealed honey, and throw out only the 

 unsealed ? then if they require feed, give 

 them thick sugar syrup. 



A GOOD REPORT FROM THE PELHAM FDN. MILL. 



I got a mill from Mr. Peiham the other day, and we 

 had quite a time making fdn., 1 tell you. It is the 

 first mill I ever saw, and I did not know anything 

 about working it; but for all that, I made some 

 comb, and gave some to the bees, and you ought to 

 see it now. They went to work at it right off, and 

 now it is as fine comb as a natural one. 1 like the 

 mill, and think it is just as good as the mill that costs 

 25 or 30 dollars. 



HONEY, HONEY. 



I took a crate of honey off to-day. I thought it 

 was all capped over, and it was next to the glass; 

 but inside, all through, some cells were not capped 

 over at all, and others were capped nicely. It is 

 funny, any way. Who can tell me the cause? 



1 had 8 black swarms, and I bought two Italian 

 nuclei, 4 frames. Well, 1 have 25 blacks and 6 Ital- 

 ians; how is that for high? Six swarms from two 4- 

 frame nuclei. It is so dry this summer, I think hon- 

 ey will be scarce. 



SWARMS GOING OFF WITHOUT CLUSTERING. 



I am sure this time. One swarm was out; and be- 

 fore I got them in, another started, and I said, 

 "Look out, or they will cluster together;" but, 

 away they went. We threw dirt and water, and 

 drummed, and they would not stop. So I said, "Let 

 them go." Francis C. Smith. 



Kilmanagh, Mich., Aug. 31, 1883. 



No doubt the bees will work the fdn. as 

 well as any, friend S., but will it not take 

 more wax to make a certain number of 

 sheets? If I am correct, the Peiham mill 

 can not be made to make very thin fdn. 



0aihd %mi' 



fRlEND ROOT:— It is with great discourage- 

 ment that I undertake to write to you, for I 

 — ' am a poor man, and have spent all and more 

 than I ought to have done for my bees, in hopes of a 

 little return. I started in the spring with 7 swarms; 

 bought 11 more; one smothered when bringing 

 home; 2 were robbed, and I increased to 25, and dou- 

 bled up to 19, and I think I shall double more. I have 

 fed out one barrel of sugar. They have cost $153.90, 

 and I have not had a drop of honey, and there is no 

 prospect of their getting any this fall. Robbing is 

 the order of the day. I have 2 Italians, 6 hybrids, 

 and 9 blacks. The two former defend themselves, 

 but the blacks give up and let them carry off what 

 little stores they have. I wish they were all Italians. 

 If they live through, I shall try them another year; 

 and if they do no better, you must put me in the 

 Growlery. D. H. Macomber. 



Sweet Home, Lavaca Co., Tex., Oct. 14, 1883. 



MARRIED. 



Miller — Stokes.— In Medina, at the repidence of 

 the bride's father, Oct. 3, 1883, Addie S. Stokes and 

 Frank Miller. 



One by one our giils are going, 



Eacii obeying Cupid's call; 

 Thougli tor them our tears are flowing, 



Hymen soon will grasp tliem all. 

 Toka's gone to be a Miller, — 



Toka, with the golden hair; 

 Health and happiness we will her, 

 With the Miller, Frank and fair. 



I presume many of the friends will remem- 

 ber postal cards and letters signed " Toka," 

 and some of the inquisitive ones have want- 

 ed to know about Toka, whether it was a 

 lady's name or no. Our friends Addie and 

 Frank both belong to our Young People's 

 Christian Association of Medina, and we 

 have long learned to be pretty sure we shall 

 And them on hand at every' young people's 

 prayer-meeting ; and, what is better, one or 

 both of- them are pretty sure to take a part 

 in the exercises. Well, a year or two ago I 

 noticed that our friend Addie had dropped 

 her usual signature, and adopted the queer 

 one of " Toka." In speaking of it I remark- 

 ed that they would not know whether it was 

 a man or woman who was writing to them. 

 Her reply was, "Mr. Root, that is exactly 

 what I do not want them to know. If I do 

 my work well, what does it matter to themV" 

 And then I remembered that some of our 

 customers had sometimes written to our 

 girls in a way that was at least questionable, 

 if not impertinent ; and Addie, recognizing 

 that one who professes to be a follower of 

 the Savior ought to be careful in word as 

 well as in deed, decided to drop the pretty 

 girlish name of Addie in our correspondence, 

 and thus cut off all chance remarks that 

 might not be just the thing for one to speak 

 to a Christian, or for a Chiistian to smile at. 

 Now, then, friends, you can see why the 

 sight of that simple name "Toka" brings 

 me a happy feeling, and causes to well up in 

 my heart a " God bless you, Toka " I And 

 may God's blessing continue to rest with 

 you, and with him who is to be your partner 

 in life, for 1 have learned in years past to 

 love you both. 



