our

which patented articles are of such unquestionable value, that we should consider ourselves lacking in duty to readers, did we fail to keep them fully posted. As an instance, take the movable frame, the patent on which has bu lately expired. In the long list of patents that have been obtained upon hives, however, we believe there are very few that have obtained general favor among bee-keepers. We publish the preceding article, hoping some hints may be gleaned therefrom, of general interest.-ED.]

Shall Farmers Keep Bees?

A PAPER BY JULIUS TOMLINSON READ BEFORE THE FARMERS' INSTITUTE AT ALLEGAN, JAN. 11, 1876.

Were we told to-day that something of value was within our reach, to be had for the gathering; that plenty of laborers were ready to bring this to our door and put it into the most convenient form for our use; and that this labor would be freely performed, we would be deeply interested to know what that substance was and who were the laborers. The most beautiful of the processes of vegetable life is the opening of flowers; and in their recesses is distilled the precious nectar called honey, the substance of value. In the development of insect life so busily carried on about us, is produced the bee, whose natural instinct is to gather the honey from the flower-he is the laborer. Honey is beautiful to look upon and is equally pleasant to the taste. It is frequently spoken of in profane and sacred writing, and always with favor. Honey exists in plenty all about us, and although some believe to the contrary, still is is my firm belief that it exists in sufficient quantities to supply a few swarms on every farm. Bees are the only agents for the gathering of honey and they will, if room is provided, store enough for their own sustenance and a handsome amount for their owner. They also increase and form new colonies and are content with inexpensive homes. There is no question about the profit of bee-keeping where all conditions are favorable and all appliances are at hand. But there is a dark side to the picture. Some apiarists claim that bee-keeping can only be properly pursued as a special business-"that it does not agree with farming or anything else." This may be true from a certain stand-point, but among Allegan county farmers the facts are quite to the contrary Although a bee-keeper, wishing to make all he could out of his bees, he had no sympathy with any feeling which would discourage farmers from bee-keeping. There are, however, real difficulties even here.

(1.) Bees are easily irritated and their stings are, to some people, very dangerous. They must be handled very carefully for once offended they do not soon forget it. (2.) The bee moth is an insect which always infests the hives and can never be entirely destroyed. It lives in the comb, consuming the wax and sometimes destroying the swarm. It is like a besetting sin, always ready to take advantage of any weakness of the swarm or carelessness of the keeper. (3.) Foul brood is a disease that is incurable so far as is known at present; and although it has never prevailed in Michigan there is danger of its introduc tion and it must be considered as one of the risks of bee-keeping. (4.) All these ills are insignificant when compared with the terrible disease called dysentery, which, though of recent origin, has spread all over the northern states, killing, each winter and spring, at least half of the bees. So deadly is it that Mr. Bingham of Abronia, one of our most skillful keepers, has taken his bees to Tennessee to escape it. But whatever be the manner of wintering, the bees come out in the spring so weak that it requires great care and skill to bring them up to working condition. fifteen swarms he had left last spring, onehalf failed to thrive and make surplus honey. Probably seventy-five per cent. of those who had bees five years ago now have none, and unless some remedy is found for this disease we may as well despair of success. There are other drawbacks, such as loss of queens, ravages of parasites, king-birds, etc. These are the hindrances, and each must for himself answer the question, "Shall farmers keep bees?" Among the requisites for a beekeeper are steady nerves, undaunted courage, a fair share of mechanical skill, promptness, habits of close observation, and unflagging enthusiasm in his calling. All who have these qualities and a heart and purse to undertake the risks, may keep bees: but those who have them not, had better pay one dollar a pound for their honey.

Of

For the American Bee Journal.

My Experience With Small Frames.

Much has been said about the different hives and broad frames. Bee-keeping will pay, with proper care and treatment-but I cannot make it pay with the Langstroth hive in this section. The reasons are: we must not leave more than 1600 square inches in the brood chamber in this northern climate; the ends shouid be tight to prevent the cold air chilling the brood in the spring; a board should be in the place of the first frame, to take out and leave room to lift out the frames; this may also be used to contract the brood chamber for a small swarm; a loose bottom board is necessary, as every bee-keeper knows;

surplus honey should be procured in about 2 b. frames, for ready sale.

Last fall my honey put up thus took the first premium at our fair. To market, I put these little frames in boxes holding from 25 to 50 lbs. with glass in one side to show to advantage.

I have tried these small frames and must say they are perfectly satisfactory. I have 38 swarms-part in open frames and part in tight frames; the latter are every way satisfactory. I wintered in the cellar. They did well last season and wintered well. E. V. PHILLIPS.

Whiteside Co., Ill.

For the American Bee Journal.
Western

Good Report from South
Missouri.

For honey I think we can equal any other place east of the Rocky mountains. Bee keeping is in its infancy yet; only a very few are making it a business, and giving it the share of attention that it is entitled to among other matters. To show you and others, I will give you an account of some of my colonies last fall. One swarm came off August 11, from which I obtained 50 lbs. of box honey, and they have wintered well and are now in a fine condition. One swarmd September 7, from which I obtained 15 lbs. of box honey. One hive swarmed five times after August 25, and I saved them all over, and they are doing splendidly now. Í have now 36 colonies, all in good condition, and I am going to beat some extractor men, raising honey this year. I will do it too, without comb foundations. Our bees do best here in the fall season, unless we get a honey dew in May or June. Our Springs are generally wet and cold through fruit blossoming time, and then there is a cessation of flowers through June and July, until about the time sumach blooms and corn tassels, then we get hon. ey in abundance until frost, unless we have a very dry fall. My bees are mixed with the Italian stock. Probably some are pure. I like them better than the black ones. I go for box honey altogether. Do not like the extracting business. I can find a better way to give the queen room, than to use the extractor. When you extract the honey out of a comb, you do not leave it in a condition for the queen to deposit eggs in, but it has got to be repaired and cleaned. The loose honey has got to be licked up, and will be deposited Immediately in the same cells, so the queen is deprived of using it at all.

[Your bees act differently from ours. -ED.]

My plan is to take the outside frame or frames, and cut out the honey, comb and all, and open out the brood, and place the empty frame or frames in the center, and

if the honey season is good, the bees will almost fill the frames with comb in one night, which is new and dry, in which the queen can deposit eggs, before the workers get it full of honey. This idea of consuming so much honey to make a little comb is all bosh. Bees will eat just as much when they are not building comb, as when they are. The material of which the comb is built is always plenty, when the bees are well fed, and as they build the most of the comb in the night time, there can be but little time lost, and less honey. These are my ideas, and if I should learn better, I will own up, like a little man. I am in favor of progression in every branch of industry, and do not want to hold to any old fogy ideas, if I know it. GEO. H. MOBLEY.

Nevada, Mo., Vernon Co., May 15, '76. [We think our most advanced bee keepers would consider it going back to old fogy ideas, to believe that building comb is not done at quite an expense of honey Some of them would give considerable for the secret of raising with a given number of bees, as many pounds of box honey as extracted. We shall be glad of any light to help in this direction.-ED.]

For the American Bee Journal. Sectional Boxes.

In the March No. D. D. Palmer asked how to put on sectional boxes, or small racks to hold glass. I will give my plan:

or

I make my racks 6 inches square, the side pieces 54 long, 14 wide, 4 inch thick; top pieces 6 inches long, 1 wide, 4 thick; bottom pieces1⁄2 inch square, 51⁄2 inches long, scant; now a rack honey board to hold them. Cut 4 pieces 3 inches wide, 1⁄2 inch thick, 14% long, and 2 pieces 201⁄2 inches long, 5 inches wide, inch thick, the two side pieces nailed through the sides into the end pieces, with No. 6 finishing nails, the 14% pieces, one at each end, and the others 1% of the space from each end. This frame will hold about 40 lbs. of honey. For a bottom use stuff 14 inches wide, 4 thick, 201⁄2 inches long; these are the same width as the rack; it will take 6 of them for one frame. There must be three slots cut in each side of them, 4 inches long, % inch deep, 11⁄2 inch from each end, one in the middle of the piece; and 2 pieces 20% long, 24 inches wide and 4 thick. They need slots on one side, the same length and depth of the others. To nail them on, put one of the wide ones on first, slots on the inside; nail with "3 penny fines" to that slotted on both sides, and the last one with slots on one side, slots inside. The slots are to let the bees come up between each rack, and there is a piece under each rack to prevent them from building comb

on the under side of the racks. This makes a good honey board when on the hive. Now rack on; spread a cloth in the places for the rack; to put the rack on, put a glass 6x6 in. first; in 8 racks put the oth. er glass. Put small wedges in against the 'glass to hold the racks tight together. The rack must not fill the space, so crowd them in. This is very convenient for outdoor wintering, by putting a piece of cotton cloth over the holes and filling the frame with sawdust. This is to fit a tenframe Langstroth hive. I send my honey to market in the same kind of frame, with glass in, only the bottom is tight; it shows off well in them. JOHN M. BENNETT.

Bremer Co., Iowa.

Improvement of the Italian Bee.

.A PAPER READ BEFORE THE NINTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE MICHIGAN BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.

Gentlemen:-I wish to call your attention to a subject, though nothing new in itself, but I think of importance: viz., the improvement of the Italian bee; and I think it will be admitted by all that they are as susceptible of improvement as any other class of animals, fruits or flowers, though there may be some difference of opinion as to the best means to be put into operation for the accomplishment of this desirable object. Many seem to be satisfied when they obtain an imported queen, or queens from an imported mother; this is all very well so far as it goes, but I have yet to learn that the bee-masters in Italy have paid much if any attention to the improvement of the Italian bee. Now with this understanding coupled with the fact that there are a great many dark, and even black bees in Italy, there must of necessity be a very great diversity both in color and disposition; and there is no beekeeper in this country, who has for years cultivated the Italian bee, but must have noticed the great tendency, as florists would say, to sport: therefore making all tests of purity very unreliable.

In Germany, from whence we have derived the most of our knowledge of the physiology and habits of the bee, considerable attention has been paid to the improvement of the race, and the prominent apiarists there say that the Italians are not uniform in color-not a fixed variety. The Italian bee, in America, has also been much improved; England has come here and taken back an improved stock of her own breeds, far surpassing the original, beautiful Italian bee.

But we must not rest with results already obtained, for we live not only in a progressive country, but in a progressive age; we must still endeavor to reach a higher standard of beauty and purity. The question naturally arises here,

how is this to be brought about? In my humble opinion one of the chief means is the improvement of our drones. Most bee breeders have paid more atten. tion to the queen than the drone. Let me draw your attention to the fact that cattle and fowl breeders give as much if not more heed to the male, and they are very successful in their operations. Now if we depend entirely on the queen for all the points desired, disappointment will follow.

The drone question has not, however, escaped the attention of the master minds in bee-keeping. Dzierzon says, "It is my practice always, to select and reserve only the perfectly marked queens and drones." Berlepsch says, "I shall constantly endeavor to preserve and breed from the finest, that is, the most brightly colored drones." Vogel says, "Accordingly in our endeavors to provide an improved breed, our attention must be pre-eminently directed to the drones." Langstroth says, "As the drones of some Italians are much more beautiful than those of others, we can sélect a stock containing such to impreg nate our queens." Now I think you will see from what has already been said, that this subject has not received the attention that it demands.

There are three points which ought and can be much improved viz.: color, size, and disposition; and it will be an advan tage, of course, if we can work for all the points at the same time. I have not named prolificness as one of the points, for I think, as a rule, queens are prolific enough if the conditions of the hive are all right.

Some bee-keepers seem to be under the impression that our queens are lowered in vitality as they are raised in color, but as far as my observation extends, the brightest colored are as prolific, and long. lived as the dark ones. Others again say if we breed too close, our stocks will be. come impaired; true, the same natural laws that govern life in all its phases govern bees, but the careful breeder can easily avoid this by exchange or new importation, and not allow his stock to run down on account of too close breeding; but we must breed in and in, to some extent, in order to bring out some points desired. The bright colored queens and bees are certainly more pleasing to look upon than the dark ones, and it is cerlainly a pleasing sight to see a company of young bees, for the first time, sporting in the noonday sun.

I would, therefore, urge each one, not to rest satisfied till he obtains his drones as beautiful and distinctly marked as his workers. This, in my judgment, is one of the means through which we may expect to improve the Italian bee.

KANE CO., Ill.

GEO. THOMPSON.

For the American Bee Journal. Reply to C. P. Dadant.

Since Mr. Dadant has said that he en tertains no hard feelings towards me, and as I am sure I hold none toward him, I hope our controversy may not be simply one of quarrel, but that we may bring forth a little light upon these important questions. In order to prove that extracted honey "does pay' "Mr. Dadant cites us to the time when I got 28c to 30c for jarred honey, when I was at an expense of 10c to 15c per pound for bottling and selling it. I have not the time to spare to run back over the old journals and quote from the enthusiastic writings and reports of former days when we got good prices for our honey, and lived in high hopes of "money in the apiary." But I can remember enough to know that Mr. D. only tells a part of the story. I never said that I never sold my honey less than 28c to 30c, though I may have got that price for some of it, in those days of good demand and fair supply. One year I bought the crop of several honey producers, and handled in all about the amount Mr. D. quotes, but ere another season the bottom felt out of the demand for honey. Truly, friend D., my present opinion in regard to comb vs. extracted honey is entirely changed. Progression demands a certain amount of changing. I did not say that bee-keepers could raise extracted honey cheaper than the dealer could adulterate it. Why not be fair, and quote what I said? Perhaps I did "run

out

"with my customers, for two reasons: First, because my honey being pure would granulate, and granulated honey is NOT a merchantable article. Second, I found many of my customers cut off by other apiarists who had sprung up like mushrooms, and the dealers rightfully bought of the nearest producer. The way I came to get $800 worth of honey from the small number of colonies, was by the wonderful increase that plenty of empty combs, and the best season ever known here gave me. Again, I put all my time to these few bees, (and worked fourteen hours per day, too,) spent lots of money in advertising and selling, besides being very fortunate in striking a tip-top market. Why, bless your soul, I once knew a half acre of red raspberries to pay $1,600! I say "I knew it;" I knew the man that knew it. I was greatly at fault that I did not tell the whole truth, but young bee-keepers are proud and high-spirited you know, friend D.

honey that has been all capped over for two weeks (in the hive) is superior to that which has only just been all capped over. I furthermore say that I believe that 99-100 of all extracted honey is more or less sour. That is, has changed more or less since extracting. Finally, Mr. Ed. itor, if bee culture pays now, what a fortune we must have laid up when we got not only large yields, but high prices. Why, "my stars," when Hiram Roop wrote me that he had contracted (only last season) twenty barrels of honey to Mr. Muth for 10c per pound I thought, "Oh! thou lunatic!" But now here is another one; who wants to buy?

Probably a discussion of which kind of surplus to produce, will not benefit us at all. Every bee-keeper can decide that for himself and no one else can.

This is a very busy time of year with us all, and I subscribe, yours in a hurry, JAMES HEDDON.

Dowagiac, Mich., June 2, 1876.

For the American Bee Journal. Comb Foundation.

Having had some little experience in the use of comb foundation, I have a word to say, as per request, for the readers of the JOURNAL. For about ten years past, it has been in use by several parties in this State, and in Wisconsin, under my observation, with good success-as a starting comb-in small boxes for comb honey. Have bought and sold honey frequently, with this artificial comb foundation used in the boxes, and have never heard a word of complaint from any dealer in, or consumer of said honey, as to their being any. thing offensive to the "palate" of an "epicure," even.

So far as my notice extends, there is comparatively but a small piece of comb foundation used in each honey box, or, rather, for each card in a box-about two or three square inches.

If you have natural comb, which is clean and white, I would advise using it so far as it goes for starting comb-but the artificial comb foundation is far preferable to natural comb which has become soiled or dark colored.

It seems rather dear to pay $1.59 per lb. for the comb foundation to put in honey boxes, but it will be cheaper to pay twice that amount for it than to put the boxes on your hives without any starting comb, from the fact that without it bees will not begin work in the boxes near as soon, thus your product is diminished, and put up with less order. P. MILLER..'

Chautauqua Co., N. Y., May 29, 1876.

CINCINNATI, O.-June 23, 1876.-" The honey season is good here, and the quality of the honey never was better." C. F. MUTH.

For the American Bee Journal.

Queen Killed by the Sun.

I aim to have a portion of one wing clipped of all my queens, after they become fertilized. I then can govern swarm. ing; and besides this, they never go to the woods, and it is easier to hive them if we wish volunteer (natural) swarms, by setting the new hive in place of the mother stand, and catch the swarm as it comes back, in place of climbing trees, etc.

After No. 17 swarmed, when the swarm had settled, I gathered the queen from the ground, as usual, and put her under a glass, on a plate. I knew that glass would act as a reflector, and draw heat in the sun, but the weather being rather cool, thought she would be too cold in the shade. I set her in the sun and went into the mother hive to destroy the queen cells while the swarm was sailing in the air. When I was through, and went for my queen, behold, she was dead! I have learned this: the sun may reflect more heat than we might expect.

I swarm artificially. I cannot afford to suffer the loss that is caused by volunteer swarming.

Bees wintered well, but are not making any increase for apiarists in this part of the country, so far this season.

E. LISTON.

Cedar Co., Mo., May 29, 1876.

For the American Bee Journal. Wax Introducing Cages.

Let all who wish to try the wax introducing cages advertised in the May and June numbers of the AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. Make them according to the following directions and not send any more orders to me for them

For a mold take a smooth, round, tapering stick % of an inch in diameter at small end; wet it and dip it into melted wax and then into cold water; you have then a wax cage very much like a long thimble. Draw it off the mold and make a row of holes with a hot wire around the the small end, to guide the bees in cutting off the lid and to allow them to feed the queen while imprisoned. The cage or cell should be about two inches long. Put the queen into the cell head foremost and confine her by folding over the open end and pressing it; the cell may be put into the queenless hive through a hole in the honey board. The bees will go to work to cut the end out of the cell and release the queen which they will accomplish in four or five hours if the cell is of proper thickness. Meanwhile, the queen sticks her tongue out of the small holes in the cell, and the bees cultivate her acquaintance and supply her wants.

In trying to find some sure and easy way to introduce unfertile queens, I dis

covered that they could be safely introduced by putting them into an empty queen cell, sealing them up, and telling them, so to speak, to hatch out again. See AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, August, 1875, page 189. Empty queen cells failing me at one time, I molded some of the wax as above and found them to answer just as well, and more easily prepared. If the wax is very hot the mold will have to be dipped two or three times to make the cell of proper thickness.

I have often tried, but never succeeded in introducing unfertile queens in wire or wooden cages; but with the wax cells have introduced them safely every time in numerous instances both this season and last. WM. C. PELHAM.

Maysville, Ky., June, 1876.

A VALUABLE INSTRUMENT.-The Microscope among the masses, seems to be looked upon as an instrument for use in scientific investigations rather than as one possessing any practical value. Nothing could be farther from the truth. To the farmer, the Microscope offers the means of studying the habits of destructive insects, with the view of ascertaining some method for their extermination. Teachers and students of botany are afforded an opportunity to examine the construction of delicate flowers and plants, thereby reducing to practice, the knowledge obtained from text-books. Merchants can investigate the quality of all kinds of fabrics. The mi. ner is able to detect traces of the precious metals where the unaided human eye would discover nothing. The physician can determine the nature of many diseases that otherwise might baffle his skill. Indeed, so varied are the uses to which a good microscope can be put, that a volume might be written on the subject.

In the belief that many of our readers would be glad to possess an instrument of genuine value, we have made arrange ments to furnish the ABBOTT POCKET MI. CROSCOPE to all who may desire it. The price is low-only $1.50-and it will perform more real service than many instru ments costing a great deal more. We be lieve every family could make one of these Microscopes practically useful. Certainly every farmer, teacher, or student should have one. They will be sent post paid to any address, by the publisher of this JOURNAL, on receipt of price.

We have a new lot of fresh mellilot clover seed, that we can supply at 25 cents per lb. Postage 16 cents per b extra, if sent by mail.