1874 
GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 
11 
OUR, 
“Day before going to Press,” 
0 © w a_e i & 
Questions not too lengthy, may be answered through 
tills department even It not received until within two 
days, of the first of the month ; and In two days more, 
nothing preventing, you may have your paper contain- 
ing the reply. If our friends would use a separate 
piece of paper for this, and in fact for each of the de- 
partments, and write on one side onlv t’would be quite 
a favor, but If It’s too much trouble, don’t do It, for we 
want to hear iVom you any way 
DECEMBER 29TH, 1873, 
Mr Muth informs us Honey Jars will be 
somewhat less for next season, as per his ad- 
vertisement which see. 
Our bees are to-day, Dec. 27th, as quiet and 
healthy as we could desire, but the weather 
has seldom been colder than freezing for the 
last month. 
Annals of Bee Culture has not yet made its 
appearance, although it was advertised to lie 
out about tile first of Dec. 
If Mend Adair would succeed with his 
Quarterly he should be more prompt than he 
has been with the Annals heretofore. 
The American Bee Journal of late docs not 
reach us until near the middle of the month, 
and Mrs. Tapper's not until about the 25th al- 
though she proposes to be on hand by the 15th, 
The Magazine has we believe, been generally 
on hand a day or two before the first of the 
month. Cannot we all strive in a friendly way 
to see who will be most punctual ? 
Probably none of our readers have seen an ur- 
chin more pleased during the Hollidays, than is 
Novice at present, who is rejoicing intheposes- 
sion of a new Printing Office ordered expressly 
to print our little Journal. 
Of course the “Windmill” had to be “harness- 
ed” and brought into subjection, which lias been 
accomplished perfectly, only that ’twill go too 
fast at times for his untrained hands, but with 
the assistance of Miss Maud or Master Ernest, 
to remove the papers from the Press and pile 
them, he gets along very well. As lie must of 
course try his hand too, at type setting — in 
fact he is enjoying himself hugely at this very 
minute in setting up this very item — we 
trust everything hereafter, will appear in “ap- 
ple pie” order. [He has already made “ pi " 
among the types to his full satisfaction.] 
“P. Cl" says, “beware of making too great cal- 
culations on a faji’ specimen of typography, 
for the Journal even under Novice’s supervision 
may be a failure in that respect;" to which lie 
adds, we may assure our friends if ’tis not well 
done we at least (lid our very best to have it so. 
Since the above we have printed all but the 
cover and perhaps should make an apology for 
using type for heads of Departments, that we 
should not have used had We not been repeat- 
edly disappointed in getting the proper kind 
iu time. Also, should some of our friends by 
chance receive a No. with the print slightly 
askew, reccollect it was probably occasioned 
hy a sudden ' ration of the speed of the 
Wind-mill, too great for Novice’s inexperience 
in feeding the press. If notified we will fur- 
nish a good copy in place of all such. 
Novice will you be kind enough to tell us how (o 
clean quilits— ours are stuck up with propolls -somo 
of them are about as stllVas a board,— you will do us a 
favor by enlightening us on this point.” 
•J. Ontman & Co., I binder, Ills. 
We really don’t know of a cheaper way than 
to put on a new cover of cotton cloth. Ben- 
zine it is true will dissolve the gum, but we 
have found it rather unsatisfactory to wash 
them. Cannot some use lie made of propolis 
(like bees-wax) that it may be made a market- 
able commodity? The quilts are not apt to kill 
bees even if quite stiff, and we use them two 
or three seasons without much trouble. 
1st.— Will It do to store honey In wine or brandy 
casks, (we can buy such when It” would lie very diffi- 
cult to get them made on purpose )? 
‘2nd.— Do you think the young bees or queens would 
not lie apt to make mistakes In an Apiary on your 
plan, supposing the grape vines were omitted '! 
3rd.— I expect to nave all niv bees— 31 stocks— In 
“Simplicity hives” next spring. Would it do to pour 
a halt pound of feed on the cluster of bees tit oncci* 
Wouldn't it make a muss? 
4th. — We are told to make our bees till the apartment 
given them at all times. Suppose that on examining a 
hive In spring, the bees are found to occupy about 
three combs, all of which contain brood, but very lit- 
tle honey, that being in the other combs at each side. 
IIow are we to confine the bees to those three combs, 
and avoid the evil of cutting off their supply of honey 
aud pollen ? Respectfully, yours, 
G. C. Milt-eh, Mount Hanley, Nova Scotia. 
1st. — We have always used wine and brandy 
casks for shipping small quantities of honey, 
and found no trouble. They can be purchased 
cheaply, of almost any size at the drug stores, 
and seem to be just what is needed. 
2nd. — We think the omission of the grape 
vines would make no difference whatever; wo 
have a number of hives in front of the lions- , 
entirely without the vines. 
3rd. — A half pound, unless very thick, and 
the colony very strong, would be sure to run 
out and make a muss. Try less. 
4th. — You will find no such trouble in prac- 
tice we think. Allow them honey and pollen 
sufficient at all events. 
Our readers may have observed an adver- 
tisement; of a plan for securing straight combs, 
in some of our Bee Journals, during the past, 
season, by our friend whose name appears be- 
low. The plan seems to be somewhat a com- 
bination of Dadant’s Comb Guide Press, and 
directions given in the North American Bee 
Journal some time ago. We believe Mr. W. 
has sold a number of the Directions, but we 
think we have convinced him of the impracti- 
bility of his method, for one of our subscribers 
who had purchased it, oifeied to send it to us 
and in fact we know of no reason why infor- 
mation should not be freely communicated if 
valuable. 
Mr. W. now sends it to us for publication, 
and we hope all credit will be accorded him, 
where it is found to be valuable. 
We have seen a similar device used, but 
found out thin pine strips to answer so well, 
and so much less trouble to us , to make and 
put in. that we have used nothing else. If 
should be remembered that we have always 
had our c >mb built between two others, and 
