AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



235- 



Honey Crop Predictions.— 



The following was sent for publication 

 six months ago. We declined to publish 

 it then, because we do not propose to 

 become an instrument of discouragement 

 to bee-keepers, on a very great uncer- 

 tainty, when they had already experi- 

 enced two or three years of failure. It 

 was bad enough, if it must come, without 

 the torture of anticipating it. We then 

 wrote Mr. Wilson thus: "Your predic- 

 tion is recorded here. If it becomes true 

 then you can refer to it ; if not, there 

 \Yill have been no^arm done. If it were 

 published and failed, Lhere would be 

 cause for disgust." 



We now publish it, as promised on 

 page 205 of last week's Bee Journal. 

 Mr. Wilson, wrote thus : 



I agree with A. N. Draper (page 124) 

 as to the great advantage it would be (or 

 is) to a bee-keeper to know five or six 

 months in advance, what the honey har- 

 vest would be. But I doubt if you would 

 believe me were I to say that I could tell 

 you now whether we are to have a good 

 flow next Summer or not. To convince 

 you that I can tell, however, what the 

 honey-flow will be, I will state to the 

 bee-keepers of Illinois and Iowa, that 

 without doubt basswood and white clover 

 will prove entire failures in the States 

 named. It does not matter how much 

 bloom there is, it will yield no nectar. 



In North Central Iowa, in the south- 

 eastern part of Frankliji County, in 

 northeastern Hardin County, in western 

 Grundy County, and in the southwestern 

 part of Butler County, they will have the 

 best honey-flow from basswood and white 

 clover of any part of the State, but not 

 much there, and in the adjoining coun- 

 ties it will be better than in the remain- 

 der of the State. 



In Illinois there will be a failure of 

 white clover and basswood, except in the 

 extreme southern part of the State, 

 where there will be a good honey-flow, if 

 it ever produces well in that part of the 

 State. 



It will be very easy for bee-keepers to 

 foretell a failure of basswood and white 

 clover, from five to seven months, when 

 they know the true cause of its failure 

 to furnish nectar. I liave known for 

 several years the cause of its failure, and 

 time will prove the truth of my state- 

 ment. 



When the true cause of failure of the 

 honey crop is known (which will be soon), 



we will know the amount of supers 

 needed, and will also see the need of the 

 divisible brood-chamber hive, for with 

 that hive we can rear bees in abundance 

 for a good season, or less for a poor 

 season. 



Then migratory bee-keeping will be- 

 come more practical than ever, because 

 bee-keepers will know where to take 

 the bees. 



All intelligent bee-keepers will learn 

 before long that it is not electricity, 

 thunder, cool nights, nor wind in a cer- 

 tain direction that causes the failure of 

 basswood and white clover. 



It is reported that Mr. Coe, of Wind- 

 ham, N. Y., is going to Colorado with 

 his bees. He is probably disgusted at 

 the recent failure of the honey crop ; but 

 he had better stay where he Is, for there 

 will be an exceedingly good honey-flow 

 around Windham. Samuel Wilson. 



Cosby, Tenn, Feb. 3, 1891. 



If I will write out the cause of the 

 failure of white clover and basswood to 

 produce nectar, will you publish it ? I 

 desire to show that I am first to discover 

 the cause of such failure. S. W. 



Cosby, Tenn., July 28, 1891. 



That is exactly what we desire Mr. 

 Wilson to do — give us the facts upon 

 which he based the foregoing prediction. 

 If he will furnish us the information, as 

 indicated in his proposition of July 28, 

 we will cheerfully publish it," for the 

 instruction and benefit of bee-keepers 

 who are dependent on the white clover 

 and basswood for their crop of white 

 honey. 



A Sample of yellow clover came 

 from Mr. S. D. Booher, Danbury, Iowa, 

 who wanted to know its name and value 

 as a honey plant. Prof. Weed says that 

 it is Trifolium cjranarium, and that it is 

 probably a good honey producer. 



A Honey Festival is the attrac- 

 tion up in Minnesota. In the Waterville 

 Advance for August 5, we notice the 

 following item : 



The free honey festival for the chil- 

 dren of Waterville, under 13 years of 

 age, will occur on the 12th inst. for girls, 

 and on the 13th for the boys, at 4 p.m., 

 at my old residence. Others supplied at 

 a nickel apiece. Honey Haskin. 



