FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 311 



One thing, however, that gives pain instead of pleasure, 

 is to find a stamp enclosed upon opening a letter, for then I 

 know that the writer expects an answer by mail, and, in just- 

 ice to others, answering bee-questions by mail is a thing I 

 cannot do. If I should answer one by mail I must answer 

 others, and the only fair way is to treat all alike. The re- 

 quest for me to answer a question in print will always be 

 cheerfully complied with without any stamp accompanying 

 the request. 



IF BEGINNING AGAIN. 



I am sometimes asked whether, if beginning afresh, I 

 would take the same course I have already been over. That 

 is not a very easy question to answer. There are some things 

 that can be settled only by experiment, and about such things 

 one cannot reply offhand. Likely, if I were beginning all 

 over again not many things would be different from what they 

 are. But it may be worth while to answer as well as I can 

 about a few things. 



CHOICE OF LOCATION. 



If I were to start in afresh, I would take some pains to 

 select a location as favorable for beekeeping as possible. I 

 didn't choose a location. I just began beekeeping where I 

 was, with no thought of doing any thing in a commercial way, 

 and grew into the business. I certainly would not start in 

 afresh in a location with only one principal honey plant, and 

 that sometimes a failure. That was the condition here, clover 

 the only dependence for a crop, and that with too many off 

 years. Of late years, however, the fall crop is worth con- 

 sidering. 



HIVE-STANDS. 



I surely would not start in with such hive-stands as I now 

 have. The bottom-board resting upon so large a flat surface 

 makes a good place for moisture to lodge, and favors rotting 

 both bottom-board and stand. It also makes a fine place for 

 the large black ants to lodge and honeycomb the boards. Some- 

 thing would be better that allows a smaller area of contact. 

 Tile or cement might fill the biU. 



ITALIAN BEES. 



Through years of selection I secured hybrids that were 



