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EniTOR. 



voiniv. 



Not. ], 1888. 



No, 45. 



A little paper and a little ink 



Make thousands, perhaps millions, think. 



Xliere are over 200 bee-societies in the 

 little State of Germany, with a membership 

 of over 12,000. They evidently believe in 

 "societies" there. Here in America the 

 largest society of beekeepers we ever had, 

 lacked a good many of 200 members. This 

 is not for a vpant of bee-keepers either, for 

 we have 300,000 of them in America. But 

 so many of thera think that they " know it 

 all," and that there is no need of societies 

 for them. And as to imparting their knowl- 

 edge to their less-conSdent or less-informed 

 brethren— they scoff that idea ! 



Xlie l>niry ('ommissioner of 



New Jersey, Mr. Wm. K. Newton, 

 whose analysts of samples of honey has 

 been doubtingly noticed in our columns sev- 

 eral times, wrote thus to the Bee-Keepers' 

 Magazine last June : 



Tour editorial comment on the article in 

 the British Bee Journal is correct, as no 

 comb honey was found adulterated. The 

 heading to my article is "Strained Honey," 

 and all the specimens were of that kind. 

 The samples labeled on the cans and jars, 

 " Choice Comb Honey," were merely small 

 pieces of comb floating in a sea of glucose. 



We are glad to learn that the Dairy Com- 

 missioner of New Jersey has announced 

 that 710 comb honey was found adulterated 

 —that the labels which read " Choice Comb 

 Honey" were a deception, and merely re- 

 ferred to the small pieces of comb honey 

 "floating in a sea of glucose !" 



It would have been far better if Mr. New- 

 ton had learned something more about 

 honey before attempting to enlighten the 

 world oh that subject. His statement in 

 the above extract is : 



The heading of my article is "Strained 

 Honey," and all the specimens were of that 

 kind. 



But the probabilities are that none of the 

 specimens were of that kind, l. e., strained 

 honey— th&t system of breaking up the 

 comb and straining the whole through a 

 cloth having passed out of use long ago ! 

 The only thing strained about the matter 

 is the implied accusation that nearly all the 

 liquid honey on the market is adulterated ! 

 That idea is strained ! I It is untrue in 

 fact, and full of harm to the industry. 



This work has been prepared for the use 

 of students in Agricultural Colleges ; and 

 for private students ; in fact for any one 

 who desires to find out something about our 

 common insects. Especial pains has been 

 taken to describe the species that are of 

 interest to farmers, and to indicate methods 

 of combatting those that are injurious. 



A prominent feature of the book is the 

 use of analytical keys to enable the reader 

 to find out the name of the family to which 

 any insect belongs. These have been pre- 

 pared with great care. Another special 

 feature of the work is the indication of the 

 pronunciation of the scientific names. 



No pains or expense have been spared in 

 the preparation of illustrations, or in print- 

 ing the book. There are many original en- 

 gravings made especially for the work. The 

 printing was done by the De Vinne Press 

 (the firm that prints the Century and the 

 Saint Nicholas Magazines), and is excellent 

 throughout. 



9Ia.|4>r Sliallard, of New South 

 Wales, is now offering in the Sydney papers, 

 a reward of £30 to any one who produces a 

 sample of adulterated honey, put up by him 

 and bearing his name. This no doubt is an 

 olTset for some one who is falsely charging 

 him with adulteration. Sometime since the 

 Major exposed some samples of adulterated 

 honey in Sydney, and the counter charge is 

 no doubt a retaliation. We glean these facts 

 from the Australasian Bee Jourv/d for 

 October, which is just received. 



Taking I>essons. — A correspondent 

 in New York asks the following question : 



Is it necessary for a person who intends 

 to make bee-keeping an exclusive business 

 to serve an apprenticeship with a practical 

 apiarist ? If so, what is the best way to do it ? 



It would be desirable to take lessons in 

 bee-keeping before embarking in the busi- 

 ness. The cheapest way is to hire out to 

 some good apiarist for one season, and keep 

 wide awake to take in all you can hold, and 

 be imbued with the theory and practice. 

 Then by the aid of books and a good bee- 

 paper, you ought to succeed. Almost any 

 one having a large apiary would be glad to 

 have your help for a season by correspond- 

 ing with them in advance with some one 

 near you, would be the cheapest and per- 

 haps the best arrangement to make. 



Sand, instead of bottom-boards, it is 

 said in a recent work on Polish bee-keep- 

 ing, is recommended and used in that coun- 

 try for bee-hives. It says : 



The stands are prepared by raising the 

 earth at each hive 2 or 3 inches above the 

 surrounding level ; an inch of clean, dry 

 sand is then placed on top of each elevation 

 and beaten dovni smooth and firm. Round 

 the outside edges of the mounds some dry 

 chips or moss is placed, and this again 

 covered with erfrth well stamped to prevent 

 insects burrowing under the hive. 



An Introduction to Entomology 



by John Henry Comstock, professor of en- 

 tomology and general invertebrate zoology 

 in Cornell University, Ithaca, N. T. This 

 is the title of a new book. Price $2.00. 

 Part I of which is on our desk. Prof. Cora- 

 stock was formerly United States Entomolo- 

 gist. He has spent several years in the 

 production of this excellent work. The 

 part published now includes the grammar 

 of the science, and about half of the sys- 

 tematic part. 



Tlie Ciolden-Rod bids fair now to 

 become the National flower of America. It 

 is our choice, and we believe it to be the 

 choice of the bee-keepers of America. The 

 New York Obsei^ver thus champions its 

 cause : 



It is surely high time that the selection of 

 a National flower were made. England has 

 her rose, Sotland her thistle, Ireland her 

 shamrock, France her lily, and why not 

 America have her floral representative also? 

 There is surely no lack ot flowers native to 

 the soil from which a choice may be made. 



This question has already been discussed 

 to some extent in the horticultural journals, 

 and several nominations have been an- 

 nounced. One journal has come out in 

 favor of the pansy ; another has put the ' 

 trailing arbutus at the head of its ticket, 

 others have declared for the golden-rod and 

 the aster. It is probable that a choice will 

 eventually fall upon some one of these four 

 candidates. 



We have decided, after long and careful 

 deliberation, to champion the cause of the 

 rolden-rod. It is sturdy ; it is independent; 

 it is free. It is not a sectional flower. It 

 knows no east, no west, no north, no south. 

 It is at home everywhere ; as happy and 

 radiant when it lifts itself above the sod of 

 a southern plain as when it nods in the 

 breezes of a northern valley. 



Neither is it particular in such matters as 

 soil and surroundings. It can accommodate 

 itself to almost any circumstances, and be 

 just as sweet and beautiful in one place as 

 another. In the pasture, in the meadow, 

 on the hill side, by the stream, it is eyery- 

 vs-here the same noble and glorious flower ; 

 unpretentious and simple in Its attire ; yet 

 rich and strong in its beauty ; modest and 

 unobtrusive in its habits, yet not too shy and 

 retiring. These are not all the reasons for 

 our believing the golden-rod is entitled to 

 the honor of being chosen as the National 

 flower of America; time and space would 

 fail us to recount all the virtues and pecu- 

 liar qualifications of our candidate. Such 

 as we have given we leave to the considera- 

 tion of our candid, and, we hope, unpreju- 

 diced readers. 



We Regret to notice that the mis- 

 leading table of the Dairy Commissioner of 

 New Jersey is approvingly copied into three 

 bee-papers— one of them in Australia. Such 

 is exceedingly reprehensible. 



