GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 
JA1*. 
8 ' 
W E this month omit the usual heading of 
this department out of respect to the 
sex of delinquent. Our readers can each and 
ever } 7 one determine for themselves as to where 
she should be classed. 
A subscriber writes, enclosing circular: 
‘•As you have gone into the recipe business, I here- 
with send you a circular fram ‘away down in Maine.’ ” 
take up the food furnished ; at other times they have 
found that it has incited the bees to robbing, and 
many stocks have been destroyed by robbing, whei* 
the prime first cause was an attempt to feed some 
weak colony, as after bees have once been rendered* 
furious by plundering a weak stock, or by. being fed 
all together in the open air, they often venture to at- 
tack strong stocks, and thus many stocks are annually 
destroyed ; and bees as usually fed frequently become- 
diseased, suffering from dysentery, etc., through the 
winter, and often die before spring from this cause,, 
or if they live through the winter they are so weak in- 
the spring as to be of little profit that season. But'* 
with mv lood no such loss will be experienced. This 
food fills a want long felt by bee keepers. I warrant 
it the best food for bees that can be produced. 
Frick list. 
As we always prefer to hear both skies of all 
questions, we dropped the lady a line, which 
elicited the following: 
I will only sav that I hold myself responsible for all 
statements made in my circulars, and shall hold you 
responsible for any statements which you may pub- 
lish in relation to ine or my business. 
Respectfully, 
Lizzie E. Cotton, 
P. S.— Much is often gained by minding one’s ow n 
business, or, 
“To speak a little plainer that the point you may sec. 
Is it any of your business What my business may lx? ?” 
Now it seems to us the lady certainly cannot 
complain if we assist lier in advertising, by 
giving a few extracts from her circular, with- 
out note or comment, and without any charge 
whatever. We clip as follows : 
Cotton’s Controllable Hive. I have succeeded after 
many costly and unsuccessful experiments, and care- 
ful and determined investigations, in constructing a 
hive which used in connection with a new system of 
management, original with myself, is destined to 
work a complete revolution in the management of 
The capacity of mv hive for surplus honey is 31 glass 
boxes, containing when well filled about 4 lbs. each. 
These hives are so arranged that the bees have direct 
access to them from the main combs of the hive, with- 
out passing through any partition or obstruction 
whatever. Bees invariably enter these boxes without 
manifesting the slightest hesitation. They never re- 
main idly clustering on the outside of the hive, as is 
so often seen in others. 
Controlling or preventing swarming. I claim that I 
have solved, so as to render available to every bee 
keeper, this leading point to successful and profitable 
management of bees. Ever}/onc who is acquainted 
with management of bees will readily see the great 
advantage arris ing from successfully controlling or 
preventing' swarms. I am able with my hive to obtain 
either swarms or surplus honey at will. When swarms 
are desired I arrange at the commencement of the 
season to have them issue, and when surplus honey is 
preferred, I with a very simple process original with 
myself, turn the whole force of bees to storing honey, 
and at the same time keep up the same increase of 
bees as if swarms were allowed to Issue, and to those 
who have not tested the matter it is surprising what 
quantities of honey a colony of bees not allowed to 
swarm will collect over one casting swarms. There 
have been several plans advocated lor controlling or 
preventing swarms, but all have failed. 
Food for bees. Feeding bees is sometimes absolutely 
necessary to save the stock from starvation, at other 
times it is desirable to feed to induce early swarms, 
and at other times feeding is resorted to for the pur- 
pose of filling the brood section of the hive with 
honey of inferior quality for the use of the bees, in 
order to secure In boxes all that is collected from the 
fields by the bees. I will here state that I am an ad- 
vocate of feeding under each of the above circum- 
stances, and I have labored to prepare a food which 
will suit the tastes of bees, and not prove injurious 
to them. I have succeeded in preparing a foo<l for 
bees which meets all requirements, besides being 
very cheap, costing only abou£ Six Cents per pound. 
Rees readily store it away In coml>s, and will build 
combs for storing it, when fed on this alone; anti 
whether fed In large or small quantities, no bad effect 
is produced upon the health ol the bees. Bee keep- 
ers who have attempted to feed have generally found 
jt up hill business, the bees many times refusing to 
For a vigorous colonv of Native bees in Con- 
trollable hive, with full and minute direc- 
tions for management, safe arrival at end 
of express route guaranteed . 
For vigorous colony of Italian bees, other con- 
ditions same as above 
For an empty controllable hive with directions 
for management 
Italian Queens . 
Native Queens 
Glass honey boxes fitting Controllable hive, 
each 
Recipe for the manufacture of food for bees — 
Feeders, made to fit any hive, singly $2.00 ; per 
dozen 
Smokers 
Bee veils,— a perfect protection from stings 
.$25.00' 
. .30.00 
..15.00 
..10.00 
...5.00 
....15 
.. 10.00 
. .20.00 
... 1.00 
... 1.00 
Address, 
January, 1873, 
Lizzie. K. Cotton* 
AVest Gorham, Maine. 
DEAR NOVICE:— I like your little paper very 
much, and one reason why I like it, is because you are 
always ready to go for all swindlers and humbugs, 
especially Mr. Mitchel, who swindled me out of ten 
dollars for a pretended device to fertilize queens in 
confinement, lie fairly promised me that if the thing 
would not work as he said, he would refund the 
money ; but after he had the money he refused to 
answer eveiy letter that I wrote about it. So “go for 
him” and alf other swindlers. 
J. M. Mohlku, 
Covington, Ohio. 
DEPOSITORY OF 
Or Letters From those who have liiude Bee 
CJulturc a Failure. 
EAR NOVICE :— Although I am taking Bee 
MM Journals, I am destitute of bees now. During 
1871 and 1872 I lost all I hod, viz: 15 colonies of 
bees called Black. Not one left. “ Dysentery / dysen- 
tery ! They were all I hail ; and were purchased by 
getting a $1 here and a $1 there; and getting one colo- 
ny here and another there, etc., etc. All is gone. 
Also bought two counties of the Buckeye Bee-hive. 
It proved worthless, and I lost my house and lot here 
by it, thus throwing me flat. But I must have bees 
next year— 1874. What can you do to start me in Ital- 
ians^ Give advice, and aid me under these difficul- 
ties if you can. I can handle bees quite easily. 
Kindly, Youres 
J. Drummond 
Kygerville, Gallia Co., O., Nov. 20th, 1873. 
Now if it should come to pass that there is 
no remedy for the Bee-disease, there certainly 
is one for losing money in patent rights. 
Never invest in rights or receipts, but get one 
or two colonies some way honestly and build 
up again. Don’t expect, or even .accept of aid 
unless it comes as a just equivalent of fair, 
honest, days works; you can then feel that 
your possessions however small are all your 
own , and you are thus far as independent as 
the best among us. 
