242 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Things went on fairly well, though 

 each lot took an occasional swarming fit. 

 By this time another Winter had passed, 

 and I still had my colonies, but both were 

 very weak. 



The Summer which is now drawing to 

 a close, proved a fairly good one, for I 

 have taken about seventy pounds of 

 honey, and have increased from 2 to 5 

 colonies, 2 of which are strong, and the 

 other fairly so. Then a stray swarm 

 came past, which I secured, and I after- 

 wards bought a beauty for 6s., so that I 

 have now 7 colonies, of which I am very 

 proud. My daughter has been a great 

 help to me in my bee work this year. — 

 Bee-Keepers' Record. 



Queensland, Australia. 



ABiciiltnral Notes from Nelraslca, 



J. M. YOUNG. 



The dry, hot weather of the last few 

 days is very unfavorable for the secre- 

 tion of honey ; but then it is good weather 

 for growing corn, which is very late and 

 backward in this locality. 



September is fair month, and will 

 soon be here. Every bee-keeper should 

 see that his apiary is represented at his 

 county or State fair. Fairs are consid- 

 ered one of the best advertising mediums 

 that can be found. 



The question has been asked of me 

 several times lately, why there is no 

 surplus honey obtained in this vicinity 

 this year. The only reason I can assign 

 is that the nights are too cold. Last 

 month is said to be the coldest July for 

 years. 



Those Hoffman frames, after they are 

 filled and all stuck together, are not so 

 easily handled after all, but notwith- 

 standing this trouble they suit me better 

 than any others, audi have concluded to 

 use nothing else hereafter. 



The American ApicuUurist for August 

 is at hand. The subject of the Punic 

 bee is thoroughly discussed by friend 

 Alley, and others, from every point. A 

 great deal is claimed for these bees, and 

 from what is said they are far iu advance 

 of any race in existence. I think I shall 

 let friend Alley, and others, try them a 

 while before I invest in any of them. 



I do not care to have glass in the honey 

 cases that are used on hives for surplus 

 honey, as it is easier for me to examine 

 from the top of the case than at the side. 

 After the top is removed and the enam- 

 eled cloth is drawn back at one corner, 

 a better view of the sections is obtained 



than from any other point of the case, or 

 hives. I use nothing but open-top sec- 

 tions. 



Gloves and bee-veils, to protect the 

 hands and face, are never used in my 

 apiary. I do not want any gloves to 

 bother me in handling frames or bees, or 

 veils to obstruct my vision in working 

 with hives. I will admit that I get stung 

 sometimes, but if plenty of smoke is 

 used many stings can be avoided. 



I seldom open a hive without using 

 smoke, or having it near at hand, to be 

 used if necessary. Even in taking down 

 swarms from tall trees, I have a hook 

 attached to my smoker, and carry it 

 right up with me and hook it over a limb 

 to have it ready at a moments' warning. 

 Sometimes this is not necessary, but 

 when a person wants smoke, he wants it 

 bad. 



Plattsmouth, Nebr. 



Cause of Soiintl Made liy Flying Bees, • 



PROF. LEADER. 



It is an opinion generally entertained 

 that the noise produced by insects, such 

 as honey-bees, during their flight, arises 

 from the vibration or rapid motion of 

 their wings. 



Such a supposition is extremely plausi- 

 ble at first sight. We see the animal 

 moving through the air; we know that 

 the wings are in a state of rapid motion; 

 and we also know that it is natural for a 

 body vibrating in the atmosphere to 

 cause a sound. We put all these facts 

 together, and we conclude that the phe- 

 nomenon is explained when we attribute 

 the sound to the rapid waving of the 

 wings. But, like many other hypotheses 

 which owe their origin to the evidence of 

 the senses alone, this appears to be 

 erroneous. 



The subject has been investigated 

 with much ingenuity, and the conclusion 

 arrived at is very diffierent from the 

 common belief. We shall present a 

 brief outline of the researches. They 

 are not only interesting in themselves, 

 but afford a good example of the manner 

 in which scientific investigations are 

 pursued. 



It has been found that the wings have 

 no part in the formation of the sound, 

 for the hum of the insect continues even 

 when its wings are entirely cut away. 

 There is, however, a different pitch of 

 the sound, and it has been ascertained 

 that the more of the vying there is taken 

 away, the higher this becomes. 



