8 
THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS JOURNAL. 
impressed with the treatment that I have 
received in regard to my inventions — the dis- 
position of a certain class to steal and claim 
them — that he declares that he will not suffer 
in this way — he will neither patent nor make 
public his discovery. I tell you, friends, the 
man who steals bread, goaded to the act by the 
sight of palid lips of starving wife or child, has 
au excuse ; but he who steals the honor that 
belongs to another steals something that he 
cannot successfully use, something that fits him 
only as the armor of a plumed knight fits a 
pollywog, and is a thief by nature 
Here Mr. Heddon threw upon the table the 
handful of voting-blanks with which he had 
been gesticulating, and strode back to his seat. 
Later in the day a member said to us : “ Mr. 
Heddon was a little 1 riled ’ once to-day, wasn’t 
he?” After a moment’s thought he added, 
“ But I don’t know as I blame him any.” 
OVERSTOCKING A LOCALITY. 
All agreed that a locality could be overstocked; 
then followed the question, “ How many colo- 
nies is it profitable to keep in one locality ? 
President Miller said that he was more deeply 
interested in this question than in any other 
connected with bee-keeping, unless it might be 
the prevention of swarming, but it was a ques- 
tion well-nigh impossible to answer definitely, 
because seasons and localities differed. 
Mr. Heddon — I agree with Dr. Miller as 
regards locality, but not season. If there are 
blossoms enough to keep the bees busy visiting 
them, it makes no difference whether the sea- 
son is good or bad. We must try to get the 
most money out of our field. Others must be 
kept out. If we increase the number of colo- 
nies until the field per colony is small, the less 
opportunity is there for some upstart with a 
dozen colonies. He can make no profit with 
his low yield per colony, but I can stand it, 
because of my large number of colonies. I 
think thet 200 colonies, spring count, will give 
the best results, and, with the proper hives, tools, 
and system, one man can manage such an 
apiary. 
Mr. Root gave several instances where large 
apiaries, notably in California and Wisconsin, 
had furnished great yields; but he admitted 
that there was no profit for any one in keeping 
bees near his large apiary in Medina. Every 
one who tried it, was obliged to give it up. 
Chas. H. Green wished to know if bees right 
close to basswood did any better than those a 
little distance away. He had taken bees right 
into the basswood forest, and they did no better 
than those a mile and a half away. 
Mr. Heddon once had a new swarm that 
stored 29 pounds and 13 ounces of honey in 24 
hours, and the bees flew 2J miles ; some of them 
4 miles. 
In regard to how many colonies it is profitable 
to keep in one locality, opinions varied all the 
way from 75 to 200. 
ALSIKE CLOVER AS A HONEY-PLANT. 
All agreed that Aslike clover is an excellent 
honey-plant, and for making excellent hay. It 
is a profitable one for the farmer to grow. It 
is particularly adopted to low, moist land. 
Mr Root had furnished free all the seed that 
would be sown within 1£ miles of his apiary ; 
and at half price, that sown beyond 1J miles, 
and within 2 miles. 
Mr Wheeler.— The trouble is that the farmers 
cut it too early for it to be of much benefit to 
bee-keepers. 
Mr Heddon warned bee-keepers against this 
seed business. To give it away is wrong in 
principle. The moment that a farmer gets the 
idea into his head that your bees will get honey 
from his clover, then he does not wish to sow 
it. This is human nature. Let me tell you 
how I managed it. You know that I publish a 
local paper out at Dowagiac. Well, I sent to 
Mr. Newman for a cut of Alsike clover. Then I 
wrote an article on Alsike as a desirable crop 
for farmers to raise. I spread it on pretty thick, 
but I guess I did not stretch the truth any. 
But not a word did I say about its honey-pro- 
ducing qualities. Then I went to our seedsman 
and showed him what I had done, and induced 
him to put in a stock of seed. I then gave 
notice where the seed could be obtained. The 
result is that the farmers have sowed largely of 
the Aslike. Where a man has no paper to work 
with, and cannot work with some other fellow’s 
paper, the next best plan is to get some old 
farmer interested, and let him do the talking. — 
American Bee Journal. 
MODERN BEE KEEPING. 
*- 
A HANDBOOK FOR COTTAGERS. 
(Continued from Page 185.) 
XV.— Feeding. 
Neglect of feeding is the occasion of the death 
of a greater number of colonies than all other 
eauses put together ; and intelligent attention 
in this matter does more than anything else to 
increase the harvest of honey. 
Autumn Feeding . — If skeps at the middle of 
September weigh 201bs. they may generally be 
considered heavy enough to stand the winter ; 
but allowance must be made if the combs be old 
and heavy, when the weight ought to be more 
than that stated ; but with frame-hives each 
stock, particularly if carefully wintered accord- 
ing to directions given further on, will be amply 
provided if it have about two su perficial square 
feet of sealed honey. If the bee-keeper does not 
intend to extract his honey, poor hives may 
often be most conveniently assisted by ex- 
changing one or two combs with their richer 
neighbours. In feeding to bring stocks up to 
the required weight, the syrup should contain 
Bibs. of sugar to each quart of water. Let this 
syrup be taken quickly, or much of it will be 
employed for raising brood. 
Feeding at the close of the honey-harvest has 
often for its object the raising of young bees. 
This is called ‘ stimulative feeding.' In this 
