Proceedings of the Farmers' Club. 245 



seen beginners often who knew more the first season they keep 

 bees than Quimby or Langs both ever taught them ; but I usually 

 remark that they know less after a year or two and rely more 

 on the experience of others. Another question is, "Is there 

 any advantage in an improved hive over an old-fashioned box 

 hive ?" I have no wish to decide upon the merits of patent hives. 

 Their name is legion — every one " the best in all respects" if you 

 take the word of the patentee — while the practical bee-keeper finds 

 most of the so-called " improvements" worse than useless. Some form 

 of movable comb hive is absolutely necessary to successful bee-keep- 

 ing. The use of them makes the business a certainty instead of guess- 

 work. With them bees can always be kept understanding^, because 

 their wants may be known and supplied — weak, ones can be added or 

 united with others, queenless ones supplied with " mothers," and 

 honey taken with ease from all that have a surplus. Have their frames 

 in as simple form as possible, with no moth traps, slides or extra 

 "fixins." "Is there danger of overstocking the country with bees?" 

 I have no experience with eastern bee pasturage, but am convinced 

 that in the west and south the country will never be overstocked. 

 The honey resources are so abundant that whenever one colony can 

 do well any conceivable number will find more honey than they can 

 gather while it lasts. I cannot imagine bees enough to store the 

 honey secreted here in the countless blossoms of the sugar maple, 

 the wild fruit, the linden or the white clover. If your bees are not 

 prospering in a favorable season, seek for the cause in the condition 

 of the colonies rather than in a deficiency of bee pasturage. What 

 is a honey extractor ? It is an invention for taking the honey from 

 the combs without injuring them, after which they can be returned 

 to the hives and the bees refill them. The Germans call it a " honey 

 slinger," and this is the proper name, as by the centrifugal force it 

 "slings" the honey from the combs. Its introduction is a great 

 advance in bee-keeping, for by its use the yield of honey from each 

 hive is largely increased. At present this honey does not sell as well 

 as " honey in the honey-comb," but as it is more widely known it will 

 find favor. 



To Preserve Trees that have been Girdled. 



O. H. Iluester, Groveland, Mich. — When the leaves of the girdled 



tree begin to open, and the bark parts freely from the wood, is the 



time to begin. Cut a number of scions, according to the size of the 



girdled tree — from two to four, or as many as eight. At each point 



