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Remit, for safety to all, by post office money order, registered letters, bank draft, made payable to Thomas G. Newman, so that if the remittance be lost, it can be recovered.

JOURNALS are forwarded until an explicit order is received by the publisher for their discontinuance, and until pay. ment of all arrearages is made as required by law.

Please write names and post-office address very plain. Very often men forget to give their post-office, and quite often a man dates his letter from the place where he lives, when the paper is to be sent to some other office.

Consumption Cured!

An old physician, retired from active practice, having had placed in his hands by an East Indian Missionry the formula of a simple Vegetable Remedy, for the speedy and permament Cure of Consump tion, Bronchitis, Catarrh, Asthma, and all Throat and Lung Affections, also a Positive and Radical Cure for Nervous Debility and all Nervous Complaints, after having thoroughly tested its wonderful curative powers in thousands of cases, feels it his duty to make it known to his suffering fellows. Actuated by this motive, and a conscientious desire to relieve human suffering, he will send (free of charge) to all who desire it, this recipe, with full directions for preparing and successfully using. Sent by return mail by addressing with stamp, naming this paper. DR. W. C. STEVENS, marly Munroe Block, Syracuse, N. Y.

Vol. XII.

Comb Foundation:

Take a piece of empty honey comb and cut off all the cells, until nothing is left. but the division wall of wax between the two opposite sets of cells, and you have a comb foundation. The latest production, however, consists not merely of the dividing wall, but also a slight depth of the cell-walls themselves, on each side, and these cell-walls, although slight in depth, may be of such thickness as to contain enough wax, so that the bees may work out or prolong the cells to their full depth without any additional material.

These comb foundations are given to the bees in their brood chamber, enough being put in a frame to fill it, in whole or in part, perhaps only a narrow strip being used for the bees to start upon. They are also used for surplus honey, enough being given to fill the boxes, or merely enough to give the bees a start. The object is to save the time of the bees in secreting the wax, as also, the honey used in its production. Another object is to secure all straight, worker comb, and still another to hasten the commencement of work in boxes when the bees are loth to enter them.

Thus much by way of answer to those who are asking, “What is comb foundation and what is it for ?"

Much interest attaches to this matter, and we invite the fullest information from all. If you know anything in favor of the use of artificial comb foundation, tell us all you know about it. If you know anything against it, tell it. If you don't know anything about it, but have some question to ask, ask it. There are a hundred questions of interest that will suggest themselves, and we hope those of our readers, who have had experience in the matter, will give us the full benefit of that experience.

No. 5.

The interesting article of Mr. Bingham in the present number, certainly does not speak very favorably of the use of comb foundation. Is his position correct? We wait for all the light we can get.

Mr. Perrine claims to have entire control of the manufacture, having bought the patent, and Mr. A. J. King announces that in spite of Mr. Perrine's claims, he will make and sell machines for the production of comb foundation, so that each one may make his own. The price at which these machines will be furnished is not given; and whether the right to manufacture the machines is open to the public, we cannot quite make out, but suppose not, as mention is made of hav. ing patented four years ago, “a machine (not the product of the machine) for making the base of the edges of worker combs."

To those who desire to increase the number of combs in the brood chamber, there can be no question but that comb foundations will be very advantageous, providing the cost is not too great. At what price it will be profitable to use them, depends somewhat upon circum. stances. As factors in the problem, will come in the number of pounds of honey needed for the production of a pound of wax, the price that can be obtained for honey, and the value of the time of the bees needed to secrete and work the wax. The number of pounds of honey needed to make a pound of wax has been variously estimated at from 15 to 25. Whatever the number of pounds, the higher the price of honey, the more valuable will the wax be, and the higher the price that can be afforded for a pound of foundation. The value of the bees' time in secreting the wax will vary. If a great rush of honey takes place, as there sometimes happens in bass-wood harvest, when for a short time, there is more honey

than all the bees can secure, the cost of combs made by the bees will be much greater than if made during a moderate and long continued harvest, when threefourths of the bees can secure all the honey that is yielded.

As to whether the foundations are valuable for surplus boxes, opinions differ widely. We shall be glad of information from any one who has tried it. Is there any difference in the taste of two pieces of comb-honey, made at the same time, from the same flowers, one stored in comb made entirely by the bees, and the other stored in comb, for which the artificial foundation was furnished? If not, then the foundations will be very desirable for . surplus honey; if the taste is injured by the foundations, then they will not be received with favor for that purpose. We hope the present season may throw much light upon this topic.

MANUAL OF BEE-KEEPING.-Prof. A. J. Cook, of Lansing, Mich., is publishing a "MANUAL for Bee-keepers." It is fully illustrated and treats of everything relat ing to the apiary. It is the product of many years' experience, observation, research and experiment by the author, and will obtain a very rapid sale. We have long felt the need of such a work, brought down to the present time, embodying all the useful hints and directions which cost many a bee-keeper a hundred times the price of this manual to find out by experience. The name of the author is a sufficient guarantee of the intrinsic worth of this Manual. For sale at this office; price 30 cents, postpaid.

Dealers in apiarian supplies are invited to send us their new price lists. We have devoted a place to them in this office where they can be consulted by our many visitors.

As it is a very pleasant thing for "bee-men" to see how each other appears, we have arranged to put up on the wall of this office a large Photo holder. All are invited to send their "photos" (or tin types if they have no photographs) to be put into it. When you can, write your name and address at the bottom or on the back thereof.

A "beginner" asks:

"Will an Italian queen fertilized by a Black drone produce Italian drones; so that an Italian queen fertilized by them will produce pure Italian workers ?'

Although a very few may think that impure fertilization gives a slight taint of impure blood to the drone progeny, the great majority of bee-keepers subscribe to the doctrine of Dzierzon, that the drone progeny of an Italian queen will be pure Italian, no matter how the queen was fertilized; and a black queen fertil. ized by an Italian drone will produce pure black drones. In other words the drones will always be of the same blood as the mother and not at all affected by her fertilization.

Mr. N. Perkins, of Minn., says: "In the January, 1872, issue of the BeeKeepers' Magazine, in an article on honey plants, on pages 2 and 3, the statement is made that Lophanthus anisatus flowers incessantly from May until frost, and that one acre would be ample pasturage for 100 swarms of bees! Can you tell me any. thing about it?"

Some that have tried this plant claim that it is a fraud! Let us hear from all who have tried it, so that bee-keepers may know the truth about the matter.

The value of a paper devoted to the interests of a class, is derived from the fact that it is the medium for the interchange of views and experiences affecting that specialty. The AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL is that medium for bee-keepers and it invites correspondence, items of experiments and experiences from all parts of the world. We, therefore, say to all-write to us, giving any item of interest coming within your observation, and write often.

In last month's JOURNAL We made a short criticism on Mr. Binghams' statement that "honey.comb is one thing, and beeswax another and very different thing." In this issue Mr. B. has an arti cle starting out with something like a rejoinder, but in the course of the article he admits that "chemically, honey comb is the same as beeswax." This is all we claim, and take no exception to Mr. Bingham's views of "those features which give comb-honey its peculiar virtue."

Death of Adam Grimm.

He died at his home, Jefferson, Wisconsin, on the 10th inst., of congestion of the brain. His age was 52 years and 16 days. He leaves a wife, four daughters, and son. Mr. Grimm was one of the trio of extensive and successful bee-keepers of this country, viz.: Capt. Hetherington, of New York; J. 8. Harbison, of California, and Adam Grimm, of Wisconsin. He was also one of our pioneers in bee-culture, and rendered very effecient service to the pursuit by giving the result of his experi ments and experiences in THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, to which he has been a regular contributor many years, until his failing health compelled him to desist.

Adam Grimm was born in Germany. When a boy, attending school, he spent his leisure hours with his bees, watching their instincts and habits. He came to this country in 1849, and then devoted his time to bee-keeping, engaging in it extensively, and energetically pursued it as a business till his death. For the past year, he has been engaged in the Banking business, and was, at the time of his demise, cashier of the bank at Jefferson.

He was confined to his bed but five days. On account of failing health during the past year, he concluded to sell a part of his bees. He wintered 1,400 colonies in his cellar, with very small loss-all being now in good condition. Gone! With all his faults and virtues -with all his hopes and fears, to the land which, figuratively speaking, is "flowing with milk and honey"-that “ "land of promise" beyond the river, where, “in the sweet by and by," we hope all our readers will meet him, with the good, the pure and the true, of all ages and climes!

J. S. COE, with his House Apiary, is on the Centennial grounds. The house contains 32 hives-all the places being filled. Of course, all the apiarists visiting the exhibition will give him a call. We expect to do so about the time of the National meeting, which it is now arranged to have convene on October 25th, as we are informed by President G. W. Zimmer

man.

PROF. TICE, of the U. S. Weather Bureau, predicts cold and wet weather for May.

IN our last issue, while commenting upon the general remark of a correspondent, that the bee journals called for no report last fall, and in order to specifically locate the CENSURE, we said: "there is but one BEE JOURNAL on this continent, and that the AMERICAN." Moon's Bee World says it wants its share of the censure; to this we cannot object, as the World comes in as a bee-paper or journal, under the general expression,-as do the Bee-keepers' Magazine, and Gleanings in Bee Culturethough none of them claim BEE JOURNAL as a name! All are magazines, and all are gleanings in bee culture, but these names are each appropriate, as such, only to one. It was not a conceited mis-statement, Bro. Moon, as you suggest-only your misconception of our meaning.

THE Washington (Iowa) Press, of March 30th, says: "That talk about Mrs. Tupper's insanity is generally held to be too thin. Some time ago she sold her Brighton farm, of about 135 acres, to Rev. H. H. Kellogg, of Guthrie county, for $8.000, a whale of a price. There had been two mortgages on it, one for $1,000 and one for $1,100. The former had been released, and on the 13 instant she was sane enough to write to parties here, and released the $1,100 encumbrance. She seems to have pecunia."

Mr. ELLSWORTH, of Illinois, states "the unfortunate lady, whose mental and moral machinery has no balance wheel," has fleeced him to the tune of $80.

Our readers will remember D. H. OGDEN, of Worcester, Mass., whose items have often appeared in this JOURNAL. We learn with regret that he has a severe attack of the rheumatism, a disease that has followed him relentlessly ever since he was eight years of age, stiffening his joints and making him helpless. His bees are not cared for, as he has not the wherewith to hire any one to attend to them. He expected to have made something from them this season to support himself, but this fresh attack has not only cut off that hope, but permits want to stare in his face. The charitable, among us may here find a chance to "lay up treasures in heaven," by helping a brother in distress.

NEW CUTS.-The Chromo-Lithographic plates, advertised in the November number are excellent. We have just had a new Italian Queen cut, engraved from them, which is correct in every particular. Here it is:

We shall also engrave others from these plates, for THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

Advertisers who may wish to illustrate their advertisements with them, can do so free of charge, except for the space they Occupy.

To those wishing them to illustrate catalogues, price lists, or stationery, we will send an electrotype of the queen cut, postpaid, for $1.00. Or we will print such for them, illustrated with any cuts we have, at rates as low as any others will print them without the cuts.

Comb Foundation.

On another page a request is made for the particulars of the "Claim" for Comb Foundation. Mr. Perrine has furnished us the following:

The patent is No. 32,258, and was issued to Samuel Wagner, of York, Pa., and dated May 7th, 1861. It runs for 17 years, and cannot be renewed, as the law now stands. The patent runs out on May 7th, 1878-2 years hence. Its title is "Improved Artificial Honey Comb," and it is described as follows: The substitute is designed be be artificially and suitably formed upon both sides or faces; any suitable material which is susceptible of receiving the desired and necessary configuration." The claim reads thus: "As a new article of manufacture, an artificial substitute for the central division of comb built by bees, which presents to them, on both sides thereof, guides for the construction or continuation for the sides of the comb cells, whether the same is constructed with or without the whole, or any portion of the sides of the cells."

I want to be fully understood in the matter of prices. I have put them where I thought I could make a profit. I may put them lower or higher. I have yet to know of any one making a profit at any price. John Long (alias Hoge) put the price of yellow and white at $1.00 per b. White beeswax is worth 55c. to 60c. per tb., and he paid Mr. Weiss, 35c. per b. for running it, (and he, the inventor, with his rollers, only made 40 to 50 lbs. per week, working 16 to 18 hours per day) which gave Hoge a profit, if he used beeswax, of 5 to 10 cents per b. for packing box and labor of putting it up, etc., etc. But he made a profit by keeping the money sent to him, and not filling the orders. A number have complained to me of this. One man sent $100, and received only 28 tbs., and can get no answer to his letters to Hoge. So far as M. A. i. 1.00: is concern: d. ae has always been

too generous for his own interest, as his friends all know. When he had his machine completed, he announced that he would furnish the Foundation at 75 cents per b. He has always tried to give something for nothing, instead of to get something for nothing, as Hoge did. Mr. Root must certainly have seen, before he sent me the machine, that he could not make a profit on yellow wax at 75 cents per b. He stated to me that he had made only about 30 lbs. in the whole month he had the machine, and I have had the machine nearly that length of time, and up to the present writing, have not made one pound as I wanted to have it, but have melted up all attempts so far. I did not buy the patent, nor machine, to make money selling Foundation. I have use for it in my business; but if any one wants it, at a price for which I can afford to make it, all right; I will do the best I can for them, and will advise them when I make prices lower or higher. I had use for the patent on the Comb Foundation, and the machine for making it, and paid for them instead of pirating them; and if any one wants a part of it now, he must not pirate it, but do as I did. C. O. PERRINE.

DELHI, MICH., April 7, 1876.-"My 50 stands of bees have wintered in fine condition. I purposely wintered one without a queen; all right so far. I have made a hive which I call the Centennial. Bees winter in it better than any other I have. Fed once in every five days during the winter." JOHN L. DAVIS.

PLUMAS CO., CAL., April 13, 1876.— "I commenced bee-keeping two years ago with two hives. Am wintering twenty, and could have had twice that number if I had taken proper care of them. Bees do well here; no trouble in wintering, and we are free from moths. Some of my hives yielded 150 lbs. comb honey to the hive last season. I intend to make bee-keeping a business, as soon as I can get properly fixed for it, and of course, shall need the assistance of your valuable JOURNAL. E. CULVER.

ROCHESTER, ILL., April 1.-" April No, AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, is at hand with a cheery face, and much improved in ap pearance. Flooded cellar compelled removal of bees to "stands" much earlier than I intended. In good condition. Had consumed a very small amount of stores. Have 12 colonies in two story hives, (the upper portable;) size of brood chamber 19x18; frame 18x74. I am but a beginner in apiculture, and had it not been that I had counsel from experience, I should most likely have thrown up the sponge in confusion and dismay ere this, as many apiarists rush into print to gratify their selfishness and malice, instead of on business."

W. W. CURNETT.