AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



169 



Xlie "Weather is no doubt respon- 

 sible for much of the trouble with nectar 

 secretion and the poor quality of the 

 fruit crop. Not only are honey-pro- 

 ducers complaining, but horticulturists 

 also are doing their share. The cause 

 for the failure of the fruit and honey 

 crop is thus stated in Vick's magazine 

 for July: 



The first six months of 1891 passes 

 into history, and the chronicles of these 

 months show in an unusual manner the 

 precarious character of horticulture, in 

 some of its branches at least, as pur- 

 sued in this country. 



The past year and, so far, the present 

 one, form an eventful and trying term 

 for this industry. Farm, garden and 

 orchard crops last year had a hard 

 struggle with weather conditions, insects 

 and fungous diseases, and with cour- 

 ageous hearts the work was taken up 

 this season with the hope of more pro- 

 pitious skies ; a hope which, it seems, is 

 not to be realized. 



If we look abroad we find that in some 

 parts of Europe the inclemency of the 

 weather is equally as great as with us, 

 and that farmers and gardeners there 

 are engaged in as great a struggle as are 

 ours; and, no doubt, if we were in wide 

 correspondence on this particular sub- 

 ject, we should find that, with minor 

 exceptions, the weather conditions of the 

 whole globe are at the present time 

 unfavorable to horticultural interests, 



The meteorological conditions of the 

 earth dependent upon, and governed by, 

 the central force of its system, the sun, 

 feels and responds to every cha^ige that 

 occurs in that great source of light, heat, 

 electricity and vitality. 



Accurate observers show that at the 

 present time the sun is undergoing great 

 and rapid changes, and that to these 

 changes are due the great fluctuations of 

 the weather on our planet. In a word, 

 then, this is the explanation of the 

 extremes of temperature and humidity 

 which we are now experiencing. 



Writing of this subject in New York 

 Truth, Blakely Hall records some inter- 

 esting facts : 



I had a view of the sun through the 

 telescope of an astronomical friend the 

 other day, and it really interested me 

 very much, he writes. The huge black 

 holes in the great white globe, which my 

 friend assured me were thousands of 

 miles across, and which looked as though 



they had been smashed through regard- 

 less of consequences, rather startled me. 

 And the glowing patches that outshone 

 the general surface -and covered millions 

 of square miles assumed a good deal of 

 interest when it was known that they 

 were, in the words of my friend, "like 

 tremendous waves of white fire driven 

 into crests hundreds of miles high." 



"Do such storms on the sun have any 

 effect upon the earth?" I asked the 

 astronomer. 



"They make the magnetic needles 

 jump," he replied, " and often set auroral 

 lights gleaming in the atmosphere — that 

 much is certain. Just how they do it 

 nobody knows. It is electricity ; some 

 kind of an electric impulse is communi- 

 cated from the sun to the earth when the 

 former is convulsed with explosive 

 forces." 



Ooldeti Carni-Italiaiis.— J. A. 



Roe, of Union City, Ind., has sent us a 

 sample of what he calls Golden Carni- 

 Italian bees. The bees are the progeny 

 of a Golden Italian queen mated to a 

 Carniolan drone ; and, strange as it may 

 seem, such a cross retains the bright 

 yellowof the Italians, to which is added 

 the silver markings of the Carniolans, 

 making very beautiful bees. As these 

 bees are quite large, we may fully expect 

 them to be good Workers. Mr. Roe will 

 be pleased to send a sample of these bees, 

 with his queen circular, giving further 

 particulars about them, to all who will 

 send him their address. 



Xlie Medals which are to be used 

 by affiliated Societies are now being made, 

 and they are beautiful as well as appro- 

 priate. They are to be used by the local 

 Societies as awards in the Bee and Honey 

 Department of Fairs or Exhibitions. We 

 hope to present an engraving of both 

 sides in our next issue. 



The North American Bee-Keepers' 

 Association is now incorporated, and is a 

 legal body known to the law. 



Clubs of 5 New Subscriptions for $4.00, 

 to any addresses. Ten for $7.50. 



