THE MMEKicMr* mmM j©igiRi*ffii^. 



773 



"Moist are and its relation to winter- 

 ing bees," is ttie special subject matter of 

 the last issue of tlie Dcc-Kecpcrs' Review. 

 The editor sums it up thus : 



The burden of the testimony is that mois- 

 ture plays but an uuiuiportaut part in the 

 wintering of bees, except as it relates to 

 temperature. But little moisture is required 

 to saturatecold air ; that is, it will absorb 

 but little moisture, the point wlien it will 

 receive no more being soon reached. As 

 the temperature rises, the absorbing capac- 

 ity of the air increases. When air of a 

 high temperature, at that of our bodies, or 

 nearly that, is saturated, or nearly so, with 

 moisture, the exhalations from the lungs 

 and skin are taken up but slowly ; we are 

 oppressed, and say the weather is " muggy." 

 This explains why we feel better on bright, 

 clear days. Heating air increases its power 

 of absorption, hence we enjoy a lire upon a 

 damp day. If the air of a cellar is dry, it 

 will be readily seen that the temperature 

 may be allowed to go much lower. In 

 other words, a cold, dry atmosphere, or a 

 warm, damp one, may be about equal, so 

 far as effects are concerneJ. We fear this 

 point has not been sufficiently considered. 

 We have had many reports of the success- 

 ful wintering of bees at such and such a 

 degree of temperature, but nothing is said 

 as to the degree of saturation. 



We wish bee-beepers would use a wet- 

 bulb thermometer in their cellars ; it would 

 not be the work of half an hour to arrange 

 one ; then le£ the degree of saturation he 

 given with that of the temperature, and we 

 will have something approaching aociltacy. 

 We say " approaching accuracy," because 

 the strength of the colonies and the manner 

 in which they are protected, have a bearing. 

 A iiopulous, well-protected colony can 

 warm up the inside o( the hive, expelling 

 the moisture and increasing the absorbing 

 capacity of the enclosed air. Building a 

 tire in a room on a damp day is the same in 

 principle. 



,Whileit is true that moisture may be 

 brought into the cellar with air from the 

 outside, we do not think this is the case in 

 the freezing cold of winter. Frozen air, if 

 the expression is allowable, has a very low 

 point of saturation. That is, it will hold 

 but very little moisture ; and when it is 

 brought into the hiuher temperature of the 

 Cbllar its capacity for absorption is greatly 

 increased — it is ready to receive water in- 

 stead of giving it out. When the outside air 

 comes into a cellar and deposits moisture 

 upon the objects therein, it is evident that 

 the incoming air is warm and mnislure 

 laden— warmer than the cellar and its con- 

 tents. Mold in bee-repositories is usually 

 looked upon as something undesirable, and 

 we will admit that its appearance is far 

 from pleasant, but we must not forget that, 

 in a certain sense, it Is a plant— the child of 

 warmtli and moisture— and that the condi- 

 tions necessary tor its development may not 

 be injurious to the bees— mey be more 

 beneficial than a condition uuder which 

 mold does not develop, one of moisture and 

 cold. 



A very dam)) cellar ought to be warm 

 enough for the development of mold. But 

 the cellar need not be damp. It can be 

 made both warm and dry. These matters 

 of temperature and moisture are under our 

 control. Either by fires, or by going into 

 the earth, preferably the latter, we can 

 secure the proper temperature; and by the 

 use of lime to absorb'the moisture, a dry 

 atmosphere can be secured. Certainly, it is 

 not much trouble to keep unslacked lime in 

 the cellar. While it is evident that mois- 

 ture in ordinary cellars is not injurious, pro- 

 vided the temperature is high enough, it is 

 a greafconitort to know that there is noth- 

 ing to fear from a dry atmosphere ; that we 

 can indulge our fancy, if you choose to call 

 it that, for dry, sweet-smelling, moldless 

 cellars, and know that the results will at 

 least be harmless. 



First Preniiiiiii.— In the report of 

 premiums awarded at the Centennial Ex 

 position at Columbus, 0., a typographical 

 error occurred, concerniDg which Dr.Mason 

 writes as follows : 



On page 759 is a big blunder, either of 

 mine or the printer, and we are always 

 ready to blame the printer. It it had been 

 in regard to myself, I should have said noth- 

 ing, but when an old man, that every one 

 who knows him regards with esteem, and 

 took so much pains to help make our State 

 Centennial honey exhibit such a success, is 

 the sufferer, then I waut to do all I can to 

 correct the mistake. 



In the sixth paragraph, in mentioning the 

 premiums awarded Mr. Aaron Goodrich, it 

 says he " was awarded third premium on a 

 display of comb honey and a display of bees- 

 wax." It should read first premium 

 on both. He had a fine display of comb 

 honey, and I never saw a nicer display of 

 beeswax at a fair or exposition. 



It was an oversight of the printer, and we 

 gladly make the correction to do justice to 

 our aged friend Goodrich, for it was a mag- 

 nificent display, indeed. 



A Portrait of Mr. George E. Hilton 

 will look down over the Paris Exposition 

 next year. The Fremont, Mich., Indicator 

 for Nov. 15, 1888, contains the following 

 item about it : 



Among the manv attractions at the Paris 

 Exposition of 1883, will he an enlarged 

 picture of Geo. E. Hilton's Red, White and 

 Blue Apiary. The work is done by anew 

 proces-i, in the Department of Agriculture 

 at Washington, and at Government expense. 

 Also a crate of honey gathered from the 

 famous willow herb {Ephilobium angus- 

 tifolum). The picture will be exquisitely 

 Iramed, and the honey exhibited in a black 

 walnut case, after the pattern of George's 

 shipping cases, and made by himself. At 

 the close of the Exposition they will be 

 pluced in the Museum at Washington. 



Mr. Hilton spent some money for engrav- 

 ing, but it has paid him well. His portrait, 

 and his apiary, too, have been published in 

 nearly all the bee-periodicals of the world. 

 He is well advertised. 



A «'orrespoiicleiit from British Co- 

 lumbia makes the following inquires about 

 sweet clover : 



1. Will sweet clover blossom when it is 

 grazed with stock the same as white ? 3. 

 What quantity of seed is required per acre? 

 3. When is the best time to sow it ? 



We reply as follows: 1. As it does not 

 bloom until the second season, \l will do no 

 harm if it is grazed by cattle during the 

 first season. 



3. Six pounds to the acre is about the right 

 quantity to sow. 



3. It CAfl be sown at any time, even on the 

 snow in winter. It is excellent for waste 

 places, commons, etc. 



At Rest.— Dr. C. C. Miller's mother died 

 at his residence a few days ago, after an 

 illness of nine months. It is a relief to 

 know that her long illness is now over, and 

 that she is released from her sufferings.even 

 though it does sever the dearest of human 

 ties— the most sacred of all earthly affec- 

 tions. Peace to her dust. 



It is Retresliing: to get a report stat- 

 ing that the past season was the best in 

 twelve years. That is the interesting news 

 given in the following from Mr. H. A. 

 Schultz, of Clontarf, Ont. He says : 



This has been a very good season for 

 honey with me, in fact the best in my 13 

 years of bee-keeping. I am greatly pleased 

 with my crop this year. A few more good 

 seasons like the past one, and I think that I 

 shall be able to say that my bees have paid 

 me back the money I have expended for 

 them, and on their account. To-day we are 

 having a fall of snow, and I am moving my 

 45 colonies into the bee-house. The past 

 three days were nice and warm, and the 

 bees had a grand final flight before being 

 put into winter quarters. This is the first 

 time that I cau put my bees away on full 

 natural stores ; in previous years I had to 

 feed considerable sugar syrup. 



A Key to the Families of Insects, by 

 Noble M. Eberhart, B.S., Ph.D. This is the 

 name of an 8-page pamphlet issued by the 

 Popular Publishing Co., at Chicago Lawn, 

 Ills. This Key is the only one of the kind 

 published, and consequently of more value 

 to entomologists than it it was only one of 

 several. Although the matter does not 

 occupy much space, from its nature it is 

 readily seen that years have been spent in 

 its preparation. 



Please to get your I^eiKlibor, 



who keeps bees, to also take the American 

 Bee Jouknal. It is now so cheap that 

 no one can afford to do without it. 



B5^ The *23rd annuat meelinK of the MichiKan 

 Stale Bee-Keepers' AASocialion wilt be held in the 

 Council Room at Jackson. Mich., on Dec. 12 and 13. 

 ISHM. Greatlv reduced rates have been secured at 

 the Hurd Hcmse. also at the < ommereial House 

 {near the Michifan Central depot) at *1.5U and fl.OD 

 per day. A protrriimine i-t beint: prepared and excel- 

 lent essays are alreddy promised. Any bee-keeper 

 having anylliintr new and useful, and hndinn it im- 

 possible to be present, can send it by E.xpress to 

 JaoltBon. in care of the Secretary, who will place it 

 on exhibition and return it as per orders. Please to 

 come and brinx your bee-Seepinf friends with you. 



H. D. CDTTING, Sec 



CHJBBII^CJ LIST. 



■%Ve Club the Americmi Bee Jorwmal 

 for a year, with any of the following papers 

 or books, at the prices quoted m the IjASX 

 column. The regular price of both is given 

 in the first column. One year's subscription 

 for the American Bee Journal must be sent 

 with each order for another paper or book: 



Price 0/ both. Club 

 The American Bee Journal 1 00. . . 



and Gleaning^s in Bee-Culture 2 00.... 1 75 



Bee-Keepers'Magazine 1 50 1 40 



Bee-Keepers' Guide 1.50 140 



Bee-Keepers' Review 150 — 140 



The Apiculturist 1 75 1 65 



Canadian Bee Journal 2 00... 180 



Canadian Honey Producer. ..1 40 — 130 



The 8 above-named papers 5 65 6 00 



and Cook's Manual 2 25.... 2 00 



Bees and Honey (Newman) ... 2 00 1 75 



Binder for Am. Bee Journal.. 1 60 1 50 



Dzierzon'8 Bee-Book (cloth)... 3 00.. .. 2 00 

 Roofs A EC of Bee-Culture.. 2 25.... 2 10 



Farmer's Account Book 4 00 2 20 



Western World Guide 150 130 



Heddon's book. "Success, ".. 150.. 140 



A Year Among the Bees 1 75 1 50 



Convention Hand-Book 1 50 1 30 



Weekly Inter-Ocean 2 00 175 



How to Propagate Fruit I 50 1 25 



History of National Society..! 50 125 



