AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



257 



the patch. There is no danger of being 

 stung, however, unless you get hold of a 

 berry having a bee on the under side. 



To offset this the bees are of great 

 importance for the part they play in the 

 fertilization of the blossoms. The larg- 

 est and best varieties of strawberries 

 have pistillate blossoms ; therefore, they 

 require the aid of the bees for proper 

 fertilization. 



To sum up, bee-keeping and small- 

 fruit raising are well adapted to each 

 other in some respects, and in other re- 

 spects they are not, and it will depend 

 very much upon how a person likes the 

 combination, and how thorough a knowl- 

 edge he has of each branch, whether he 

 makes a success of it or not. — Bead at 

 the Northern Illinois Convention. 



[*Amber is a very indefinite term, to 

 represent color. Webster says: "In 

 color, it is white, ash-gray, yellow or 

 black, and often variegated like mar- 

 ble." The word "straw" gives a defi- 

 nite idea as to color, and is far prefer- 

 able to the word " amber." — Ed.] 



Canaflian Honey at tlie ColmnMan Fair. 



K. F. HOLTEEMANN. 



Political discussion should always be 

 avoided in any but political papers, 

 political meetings, and the houses from 

 which emanate our laws ; and, very often, 

 if the discussions were less heated in 

 even those places, the country would be 

 better off. For the above reasons I am 

 not embracing the cause of any party, 

 rather forging ahead of what they are 

 divided upon at the present day. 



All appear to agree that we desire 

 reciprocity in natural products — that is, 

 Canada and the United States. Some 

 will go farther, but few appear to fall 

 short of this. Under these circumstances, 

 we should have the two countries 

 thrown into one market for honey, and 

 it appears to me the same should hold 

 good for beeswax. 



If such be the result of negotiations 

 between the two countries, I think the 

 best bee-keepers in Canada will be 

 pleased, for we flatter ourselves that 

 Canadian honey, on an average, is 

 superior to that produced in the United 

 States, as, in the latter country, you have 

 very large tracts, which, owing to the 

 peculiar conditions of climate and soil, 

 produces honey, excellent rather for 

 baking and cooking than for the table. 

 On the other hand, in Canada, second 



quality, or perhaps, more correctly, dark 

 honey, is so scarce, and the supply so 

 uncertain, that biscuit manufacturers, 

 etc., who have used it for a time, have 

 given it up, and when the season favors 

 a full flow, we hardly know what to do 

 with it. 



A sure source of supply would benefit 

 us in consumption of the article by 

 manufacturers. The United States bee- 

 keeper will then gain in securing a mar- 

 ket for dark honey, and I believe the 

 Canada bee-keeper is willing to run his 

 chances in securing a portion of the 

 market for his light honey in the United 

 States. 



Doubtless there will be enthusiasts in 

 both countries, who will deny this, but I 

 am not seeking to say something which 

 may tickle everybody. I only state my 

 views. 



If the above is correct, and meets with 

 the views of our Legislators and bee- 

 keepers, the World's Columbian Fair 

 may look to Canada to make an exhibit 

 of honey at Chicago. Should such not 

 be the case, I fail to see that it would 

 be to the interest of Canadians to make 

 an exhibit and compete for any other 

 prizes than those for quality, a sufficient 

 quantity of which might be sent and 

 kept over for months, running the risk 

 of fire, transport, etc., without materially 

 affecting the pockets of the apiarists. 



We must look at the question from a 

 business stand-point — it is a matter of 

 business entirely. 



Romney, Out., Feb. 10, 1891. 



ADicnltnral Notes from Netirasta. 



J. M. YOUNG. 



All our extracted-honey is candied, but, 

 fortunately, it is in large^mouthed cans. 



The temperature has reached zero on 

 two nights this month, but the weather 

 is warm again, and the bees were out 

 yesterday and the day before. 



A few days since, I received, from 

 Denver, Colo., the first alfalfa comb- 

 honey I ever saw. It is hard to beat in 

 color and flavor. 



I have a book in which I register the 

 names of Nebraska bee-keepers as fast 

 as received. The list now contains 

 nearly 450 names, and I hope to con- 

 tinue making additions until I have the 

 name of every bee-keeper in the State. 



That trade-mark idea is, perhaps, a 

 good one ; but a reputation for fine goods 

 and honest weight, is of more importance 

 to the average apiculturist. 



