AMERICAN BEE JQUHiNIAL. 



279 



had published glowing accounts of the 

 same, yet the matter had not been over- 

 drawn, but ratlier underestimated. 



That the government force in Texas 

 are not destined to carry off all the 

 honors as rain-makers, is evinced by a 

 dispatch from Cheyenne, Wyo., published 

 in the Chicago TrWime of last Monday, 

 which will bo found below. — Ed.] 



Cheyenne people have engaged Mel- 

 bourne, the rain-maker, for a series of 

 experiments in rain-production in the 

 arid portion of Wyoming. Arrange- 

 ments have been completed, and Mel- 

 bourne will be here from Ohio next 

 Wednesday. 



COIVVEI^TIOX DIRECTORY. 



Time and place of meeting. 



1891. 

 Sept. 3.— Susquehanna County, at So. Montrose, Pa. 

 H. M. Seeley, Sec, Harford, Pa. 



Sept. 9.— State Association, at the Fair Grounds, 

 Springfield, Ills. 



Jas. A. Stone, Sec, Bradfordton, Ills. 



Sept. 15.— Ionia, at Ionia, Mich. 



Harmon Smith, Sec, Ionia, Mich. 



Oct. 14, 15.— S. W. Wisconsin, at Fennimore, Wis. 

 Benj. B. Ilice, Sec, Boscobel, Wis. 



(2^*" In order to have this table complete, 

 Secretaries are requested to forward full 

 particulars of the time and the place of 

 each future meeting.— The Editor. 



North American Bee-Keepers' Association 



President— P. H. Elwood Starkviile, N. Y. 



Secretary— C. P. Dadant Hamilton, Ills. 



National Bee-Keepers' Union. 



President— James Heddon ..Dowag-iac, Mich. 

 Sec'y and Manager— T. G. Newman, Chicago. 



Bee aiid ^m^ Gossip. 



Preventing- Dampness in Cellars. 



This is inquired about by a " Constant 

 Reader," on page 244-. One of the sim- 

 plest ways of drying out a damp room, is 

 to build a fire in it. If there is any 

 means of conducting the smoke away by 

 a pipe leading to the chimney, or in any 

 other way, a small cylinder stove will be 

 a good thing. Keep up a steady, low 

 fire, and for this purpose hard coal is 

 excellent. If this is not practicable, it 

 might be well to carry heated stones into 

 the cellar. I think the dampness would 

 be ii^eiisibly lessened by quicklime, lihe 



lime, in slacking, absorbs a large amount 

 of moisture, and the more it absorbs the 

 drier will the cellar be. 

 Marengo, Ills. C. C. Millek. 



Extremely Good Crop. 



My bees are doing very well — some 

 colonies extraordinarily well, as I have 

 taken from a few hives about 200 

 pounds each, of pomb-honey, in one- 

 pound sections. I use the Bristol hive. 

 John H. Dakin. 



Schenectady, N. Y. 



Most Discouraging Ever Known. 



The honey crop in this section, is 

 almost a complete failure. While a few 

 bee-keepers in the southern section of 

 the county report a part of a crop, the 

 northern portion of the county is entirely 

 destitute of surplus. Buckwheat seems 

 to be yielding considerable nectar, but as 

 far as I have learned, the bees are stor- 

 ing it principally in the brood-chamber, 

 the dearth of honey during July having 

 left most colonies short of stores. I am 

 satisfied that this will prove to be the 

 most discouraging season for bee-keepers 

 ever known in the county. 



H. J. Rogers. 



Stanard's Corners, N. Y., Aug. 12. 



Why Not Read Up ? 



It seems strange that so many persons 

 do not read up on the points upon which 

 they desire information; but perhaps 

 they are like a neighbor of mine, who 

 has kept bees all his life, but at last came 

 to see me and began asking questions. I 

 offered to loan him my bee-library, and 

 he took one book, but brought it back in 

 a few days, saying that it seemed more 

 real, and he could understand better, to 

 ask me, and let me explain. Now, I like 

 to answer questions, but prefer to answer 

 those that show that the querist has 

 some general knowledge of the subject. 

 J. E. Pond. 



North Attleborough, Mass. 



A Good Example. 



There has not been more than one-half 

 inch of rain in this locality since about 

 June 15 ; in consequence, the corn crop 

 will be light, and but little honey has 

 been stored by the bees. I have a strong 

 colony of common bees, in good condition 

 for work, and if the Fall flowers yield 

 nectar well, we may get some honey yet. 

 I have read Mr. A N. Draper's article. 



