AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



149 



about it. In September, if my memory 

 serves me right, I received two frames 

 of brood from them. In March, 1891, 

 I ordered 6 pounds of bees, and 6 queens 

 from Colwiek & Colwick, of Norse, Tex., 

 and on April 9 they arrived, but only 2 

 of the queens were alive, tlie other four 

 having been destroyed by the careless- 

 ness of the express company. I com- 

 municated that fact to thos'e gentlemen, 

 and on May 5 I received queens from 

 them to replace those destroyed. 



J. SUNDERMANN. 



Huntington, Ind. 



Black, Shiny Bees. 



The idea advanced, on page 53, that 

 the black, shiny bees^ were from neigh- 

 boring colonies whicli had been robbed, 

 was a new one to me. I have never had 

 any bees that would take pity on starv- 

 ing bees, and allow them to stay in one 

 corner of the hive, giving them half 

 rations, although I had 3 colonies 

 afflicted with black, shiny bees last 

 Spring. It is black diarrhea. On close 

 examination, you will find them badly 

 swollen, and unable to fly, and their 

 wings quivering, before they turn black 

 and become reduced to mere skeletons. 

 My best colonies were effected, although 

 having plenty of honey. I cured them 

 by giving weak salt water in a feeder. 



Gale's Creek, Oreg. J. H. Berry. 



Tore Down the dueen-Cells. 



Where are the honey crops which some 

 have been prophesying that we would 

 secure ? We do not expect to gather 

 grapes from thorns, nor crops of honey 

 where due preparations for a crop were 

 not made. What are the motives which 

 a few writers have in view when they 

 write that specialties are the thing for 

 us ? The Farm Journal said, editorially, 

 a few years ago, that 25 colonies of bees 

 should pay a farmer's grocery bill for 

 the season. Sixteen years ago, I think, 

 the question was asked in the Drover's 

 Journal, if $300 a year could be made 

 by keeping bees, and the editor said 

 "no." That editor came nearer to 

 stating the truth than did the Farm 

 Journal. I have kept bees for five 

 years, and my first season was the only 

 good one I have had. My apiary usually 

 numbers about 40 colonies, and I have 

 had but one natural swarm. Perhaps I 

 keep too many colonies, or my locality is 

 a very poor one. My hives are 8-f rame 

 simplicity, and I work principally for 

 comb-honey. I live in Logan county, in 



the center of the •' corn belt." This year 

 my bees were in excellent condition 

 when clover bloomed, but little was done 

 in the supers, and that was spoiled by 

 the presence of what I think is honey- 

 dew. Ii is as black as tar, though of 

 excellent body and flavor. Where it 

 came from is a mystery to me, as I live 

 4 miles from the timber, and the only 

 trees in the village are maples and 

 willows. I made 16 nucleus colonies, and 

 when they were 48 hours queenless, I 

 gave them queen-cells, 15 of which were 

 torn down, and the bees built others to 

 suit themselves ; but why, I am at a loss 

 to understand. James Hamilton. 



Beason, Ills. 



Texas Report. 



Bees have done very well thus far this 

 season. I have 2 colonies from each of 

 which I have taken 84 well-filled 1- 

 pound sections, and from several others 

 72 — the majority 48 — and they are still 

 storing honey. I would not be without 

 the Bee Journal for anything. 



J. D. GiVENS. 



Lisbon, Tex., July 16, 1891. 



World's Fair Exhibit. 



Am delighted to see the bee and honey 

 exhibit for the World's Fair showing 

 such bright prospects. Let us hope that 

 it will not prove such a fizzle as at the 

 Centennial, and that foreign nations will 

 not carry off all of the prizes. 



John Aspinwall. 



Barrytown, N. Y. 



Patent Hives Ag-ain. 



\Ve have had the best year for honey, 

 so far, that I have ever known. There 

 is a party in our county selling rights 

 for a patent hive for $10, but it is 

 worthless, and I advise my friends to 

 take the Bee Journal instead of spend- 

 ing their money for such hives. 



T. P Williamson. 



Golconda, Ills., July 22, 1891. 



Total Failure. 



So far the honey crop is a total failure. 

 Bees are almost starving in the midst of 

 apparent plenty. The clover is a com- 

 plete failure— no nectar,-, and only a 

 light growth. We suppose it was killed 

 out during the drouth last Summer and 

 Fall. Smart-weed is a fine crop, but 

 yields no nectar. A small purple flower 



