AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



129 



Experience is Encouraging. 



I do not know whether it Is your mis- 

 take or mine, but my letter of Dec. 15, 

 should read two liuiidred dollars worth 

 of honey instead of two hundred pounds. 

 I got plenty of honey from the lower part 

 of the old hives, and would rather have 

 the surplus in sections above, but I do 

 not know how to get it there. My ex- 

 perience has been very encouraging 

 instead of otherwise. I should be very 

 much obliged if the mistake could be 

 corrected. E. Cooke. 



Cataraqui, Ont., Jan. T, 1891. 



Took the County Prize. 



The honey crop last season was not 

 very good in this locality. The honey 

 flow from white clover lasted only about 

 12 days. I had some Fall honey. I had 

 7 colonies Spring count, increased to 9 

 and took 415 pounds comb-honey in 

 1-pound sections. I was awarded the 

 premium on honey at our County Fair. 

 My bees are in good condition at this 

 time, and I presume will come out all 

 right in the Spring. The prospect for 

 white clover is good. A. F. Sanger. 



Pilot Grove Mo,, Jan 15, 1891. 



A Few Buzzings from Iowa. 



In the Spring of 1890 J commenced 

 with 115 colonies of bees and very high 

 hopes. Everything looked very encour- 

 aging for a good season, but, as Spring 

 passed and Summer merged into Autumn, 

 it became apparent that my hopes were 

 again to be blasted. I wonder how 

 many have laid plans, based on the 

 future honey-crop, only to have them 

 vanish like an air bubble. 



At the close of the season I had 124 

 colonies, with just about honey enough 

 to carry them till Spring, not a pound of 

 surplus. I have 34 colonies in the cellar 

 and the balance in chaff-hives, and thus 

 far they are wintering very nicely. 



At the present writing we have had no 

 Avinter, only an occasioiials/ictrp morning, 

 so that the bees could not die unless they 

 died from spite. 



Some of the great lights tell us that 

 bee-keepers, as a rule, are a happy-jolly- 

 contented class of people. I think all 

 that are left must be, for 3 failures out 

 of 4 seasons, has been enough to drive 

 all the "rolling stones" from our ranks. 



Now that there is a good prospect that 

 bees will Winter well, I would say to all 

 beginners ; do not get wild about it ; do 

 not go in debt on the strength of a large 

 honey-crop, but hold yourselves level. 



If we (we means cvenj bee-keeper) get 

 a good crop of honey this season we 

 ought to get a good price for it. The 

 markets are nearly bare of honey, so let 

 us be careful about slaughtering prices, 

 for this is one of the worst evils con- 

 nected with our pursuit. In the Bee 

 Journal Jan. 8, James Heddon says : 

 "Our success demands plenty of bees, 

 good crops and low prices," I would 

 ask what do you call "low prices?" 

 Let us beware of encouraging these low 

 prices. Prices go clown easier than they 

 go up, and are higher when honey is 

 scarce. 



In the Fall of 1889, comb-honey 

 retailed at 15 cents per pound, and last 

 Fall at 25 cents per pound. 



If we were sure of a good crop eiicry 

 year, we could stand the "low prices," 

 but as we are not, let us try and make it 

 average up. H. L. Kouse. 



New Hampton, Iowa. 



More Convenient. 



The American Bee Journal is to be 

 congratulated on its new dress and im- 

 proved appearance. It is much more 

 convenient for binding and reference. 

 Every bee-keeper should read it. 



Frank Co verb ale. 



Welton, Iowa. 



Holding Closed-End Frames Together. 



With reference to holding closed-end 

 frames together, mentioned by Rev. W. 

 P. Taylor, on page 57, I would say : 

 For holding the frames together I have 

 nothing better than a strong cord ; I 

 make a loop In one end, put it around 

 the brood-nest, pass the end through the 

 loop, di-aw up taught, and take a half- 

 hitch. This can be unfastened instantly. 

 It is the invention of the late M. Quinby, 

 and is used by all who use the standing 

 frame, on the Quinby plan. Those who 

 are interested in standing frames, should 

 read Quinby's new Bee-Keeping, it 

 explains the whole system. 



Irwin Grover. 



Cooperstown, N. Y. 



Winter Losses Estimated. 



The ground has been covered with 

 snow since the cold weather began. We 

 have had no extreme cold weather yet, 

 but just cold enough to hold the snow — 

 very favorable for wintering bees so far, 

 also for clover. Bees went into Winter 

 quarters in this vicinity very light in 

 stores and young bees. But few bees 



