ful for the JOURNAL and Starbuck's Union bee hive.

While I am a greenhorn in bee-culture I must ask a few questions: Do you know anything about Mr. Starbuck, or of his hives? I got the JOURNAL for six months now and not a word of Starbuck's.

Please let me know how Langstroth's hive is made, and how the separate boxes are made and placed?

When is the time and how soon can I shut the drones out? My hive is so constructed that I can shut them out at will.

Which do you suppose is the best hive in use? There is the Quinby, Langstroth, Standard, American, Gallup, closed-end Quinby; mine is the Union bee hive.

Do you believe at all in shutting off the drones? I can't get my bees to work in the separate boxes. What is the cause?

THOS. SHENEMAN.

[When an artificial colony is made and allowed to raise a queen, if it is so made as to be very strong, it will often cast a swarm within 12 to 14 days, precisely as a colony which has swarmed naturally will throw off a second swarm.

We know nothing about Mr. Starbuck's hive.

As soon as your queens are all laying, there is no further need of drones, although drone traps are not generally valued.

There are different opinions about hives. Probably the Langstroth is the most popular. The principle is simply a box containing movable frames, the surplus boxes of any desired size being placed upon the frames.

Your bees probably do not work in the boxes because the body of the hive is not yet filled. They ought not to be asked to work sooner in the boxes.-ED.

Macomb Co., Mich., July 24, 1876.-"I started last year with 3 colonies, increased to 9, bought 12 this spring, have increased to 46 up to date. Sold last year from the 3 and their increase $118 worth of honey; have sold $47 worth this season, and have some $25 on hand and a good store in hives which I shall take out as soon as they commence on buckwheat. The season has not been good here this year, too wet, no honey in blossoms now, am in hopes of a good supply of fall honey, think we will get it but may not. Will not give up in despair if I do not. I had an honest picture drawn up by H. Livingston, of the uncertainties of the business, when he first encouraged me to commence. I know he had no object to advise me wrong, therefore I invested a little money and time for which I have no reason to complain as James Heddon does. If a beginner should listen to him he would not hold out long. I am sorry to hear one of our Michigan men complain so bitterly of a thing he can so easily quit. I do not think that I complained much worse or more during 15 months imprisonment in the Confederacy, and I was confined in five different prisons, among which I name Libby and Andersonville prisons. I wish Mr. H. would try and brace up and give us one consoling word during the next 18 months."

WM. P. EVERETT.

Platte Co., Mo., July 19, 1876.-"A few words from North-West Missouri may not be out of place. This is my second year in the bee business. I wintered 13 colonies last season and bought one this spring. Bees did poorly here early in spring; the weather was wet and cold. They got no benefit from fruit blossoms. When black locust came out they did well, raising brood. Since June 29, I have taken something over 1,100 tbs. of extracted honey, all from linn-basswood. I should have had, I think, a much larger yield had the weather been favorable. It rained nearly half of the time while basswood was in bloom. The honey was white and very nice. Have no trouble to sell extracted honey here. Sold in the little town of Platte City, 600 lbs. Expect to sell all my surplus here in this (Platte) county. Sell at 15 and 16 cents per ib. Have not learned Geo. H. Mobley's way of getting box honey yet, but don't have to wait until late in the season and then take dark honey. We take honey all the season through. Have increased my bees to 24 strong colonies and expect a good yield this fall, if the weather is favorable. All the knowledge I have of bees I got from your valuable AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.

I am making up a club for it that I will

send in soon.'

P. H. BOHART.

Wooster, Wayne Co., Ohio, July 24, 1876. -"MR. EDITOR: As you are aware of my illness for some time past, I take pleasure in informing you that I am improving. At present am able to oversee my bees somewhat. I think this is one of the best seasons I ever witnessed, I am very sorry that I was not able to attend my bees and see what profit there could be made from bees here. I had 22 hives last spring. Sold 3, leaving 19; having 25 at present. I have had them kept back, to make as little trouble as possible. Had a good many swarms but still had the most of them put back, having no hives to put them in. My bees are very strong. If I was well I could easily double them all yet. I suppose I will get about 400 fbs. of box honey this fall, while if I had been able to attend to them, as I wished, I could have had 50 colonies of bees and 1,000 lbs. of honey by this time. The like of white clover I never saw here before, and the honey is excellent. People think they never ate such honey before. I agree with our Illinois friend in regard to the king bird. I have killed a number of them and making a close examination there was nothing found in them belonging to a bee but the sting and sometimes the hind legs. It has long been my opinion that they do not eat bees, but suck out the honey; but, eat or not, they kill the bees, so my advice is kill every king bird that comes in your way. I presume that our readers think it strange that I have never made any reply or mentioned anything in regard to the statement concerning me in the May number of THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. The statement referred to is all correct, but I have not heard from one bee-keeper yet, but am still in hopes. I have not been ablé to work more than four years out of the last ten. These fresh attacks were brought on by hard work, so I concluded to be a bee-keeper the rest of my days, and if I can keep my bees until I get well again I think I can live without hard work. My friends here will take good care of me while I am

ill, but my bees will go to loss for the want of care if I don't get some help, for I cannot do it, and have not the money to hire it done." D. H. OGDen.

Dakota Co., Minn., July 17, 1876.-"Last fall (I think about the middle of Nov.) I carried 30 swarms of bees into the cellar under my house; or perhaps some would not call it a cellar as it is only a place dug out, with earth for walls. On a part of the hives I had a quilt or a piece of carpet, without cover, and a part with honey board, with some of the holes open, always with bottom holes open, and of course upward ventilation through quilts or honey boards. The cellar ranged in temperature from 36 to 54 or 55 degrees all winter. All came out strong. I let them out the 10th or 15th of April, and found no mouldy combs. The winter before, I wintered 17 swarms the same way and in the same place. All came out strong. I have never yet been able to winter bees in my cellar with the hive perfectly tight above, without mouldy combs or loss of bees, They did well here in the spring. The first thing they work on is the wild willow and then comes the white or gray willow, which furnishes a large amount of honey, but is of short durationonly about one week. During white willow I weighed three hives one day, the gain in weight was 1%, 2%, and 4 lbs. Fruit blossoms closely follow the white willow. Bees began to swarm the 1st of June, but it has been so exceedingly dry that they have gathered but little more honey from white clover (our main supply here) than they have used. They have gained some the last week from sumac, and are now busy at work on basswood. I sold one swarm of bees in the spring, and have increased from 29 to 49, and lost two swarms.' L. E. DAY.

Obin Co., Tenn., July 27, 1876.-"I send a branch of a plant found in this county, that the bees are very fond of. It grows to the height of about 6 feet, and branches abundantly; flowering for about six weeks. I suppose it to be valuable, but do not know a name for it. I intend to save all the seed I can." G. H. BYNUM.

This plant is the well known Melilot or Sweet Clover (Melilotus Alba). It is considered by bee-keepers as one of the best honey plants, yielding a very superior quality of honey. C. E. BESSEY.

Agr'l College, Ames, Iowa.

Nashville, Tenn., July 22, 1876.-"I had a colony of bees to swarm and when the time came to examine for the young queen I found only a few scattering eggs in the combs, and a few sealed brood. This brood was the progeny of their young queen. I also found a sealed queen cell. I then looked for the queen but could not find her. 1 then closed the hive and waited until I thought the queen cell was hatched. I then examined and found the queen hatched and the first hatched queen on the same comb, and eggs and unsealed and sealed brood as before. The first hatched queen looked sickly and moved slowly on the comb. I removed her, taking her in my hand, about 40 yards from the hive when she got away from me, flying up in the air. I did not

think she would go back to the hive again but would be lost. I waited 9 days before I again examined, and found the same two queens in the hive and brood in the same stages as before. The last hatched queen had not become fertile. I removed the sickly queen-killed her. I then waited 10 days longer and examined and found plenty of brood and eggs regularly placed in the cells. It was not the old queen that was left in the hive for I secured her with the swarm. It was about 22 days after the colony swarmed before I examined for the young queen. I am sure that the second young queen was the progeny of the first hatched queen. Please give me your idea about this colony of bees." H. W. ROOP.

[The queen was a poor one; the bees knew it, and immediately set to work to provide a successor.

We had at one time a queen raised by a very weak nucleus which was a long time about commencing to lay. We watched very closely and at last found two or three eggs, from one of which the bees started a queen and superseded the old one. We should prefer a queen raised from a sound, healthy mother.-ED.]

FOR INTRODUCING QUEENS.-One drop of sulphuric acid to a cubic inch of water. Wet the queen with it, and then introduce. I have tried it six or eight times with sucT. W. LIVINGSTON.

cess.

Ainsworth, Iowa.

[We have introduced many queens with no precaution whatever when honey was yielding plentifully, and at such times almost anything would seem to be successful. Without further trial, we should hesitate to trust the acid in introducing a valuable queen to a colony just deprived of one at a time when forage was scarce. We shall be glad to hear of further trial at such a season.-ED.]

Hamilton Co., Ind., Aug. 10, 1876.-"I have been at Mr. Salisbury's on a visit. He has 300 colonies of as fine Italian bees as I ever saw. He demonstrates one thing which my own experience corroberatesthat bees will pay. He has 6,000 lbs. of comb honey in a nice convenient shape for market, besides having sold a large lot of bees and queens. The proceeds of his apiary this year will be nearly $1,500. I commenced this spring with 27 colonies. Have made $550. This includes the increase, 17 colonies at $10 per colony. Have cleared over $300. I commenced bee-keeping in this country 15 years ago. I stuck closely to it even when every one else had quit and denounced it, and I made it a success." JOHN ROOKER.

Marshall Co., Kansas, Aug. 14, 1876.-"I have received the queen you sent me and am well pleased with her. I had good success in introducing. She is working finely. Kansas is good for bees. My hives are 28 inches in length, by 12 inches wide, and 13 inches high. The bees have them all full." E. DE LAIR.

Chicago, Aug. 18, 1876.-"Ed. A. B. J.-In answer to numerous letters of enquiry, and for the general information of bee-keepers, I will say that of all methods tried by me to fasten comb foundation in frames, I prefer to do so with wax. I take a board 3 inch thick, the size of inside of frame, and fasten it in flush with one side of frame, and then put the foundation in the frame laying on this board, fitting the underside of top bar and about inch from either end piece, and say or 4 inch from the bottom bar. Pure bees wax will stretch but a trifle; that mixed with paraffine stretched so as to be worthless in every experiment I have tried. I would not advise heavy swarms to be put into hives filled only with foundation, as this weight might pull down even pure bees wax, but know that if alternate combs and foundation be put in, even for the strongest swarms, they will stand, as the bulk of the bees will go on the combs first and a few bees will first fasten the foundation more securely, and then more bees go to work in extending out the cells. I would advise taking out outside frames which are generally filled with honey and making room for 2 or 3 frames with foundation in the middle alternately, as before mentioned, in the midst of the fullest brood frames. I have had about 125 thus built this season. Most queens prefer new comb to lay in but I had one that seemed to prefer old comb. I have 19 stocks in ten 7x18 inch frame hives, near the city limits; increased from 10; but little surplus. I hope we will have a full and candid expression from all who have used foundation.

C. O. PERRINE.

Palo, Mich., Aug. 14, 1876.-"I have discovered that when cold, freezing weather comes on in October that the queens not only stop laying, but that the majority of the brood and eggs in the cells are destroyed by the workers. This to me looked like a considerable loss of bees, especially when I was anxious to increase my colonies as fast as possible. I concluded that a colony without a queen would not be likely to destroy their brood and that it would be much better to have them hatch and use them to make new colonies than to have them lost. In doing this it is necessary to rear queens for them early enough that they may become impregnated while the weather is warm and drones are plenty. For this purpose I rear a lot of queens in August and keep them in a hive containing a small nucleus colony until they are needed. When cold weather and hard frosts come on in October I place an empty hive by each of my nucleus colonies until I have hives enough to make new colonies of the brood that would otherwise be lost. I then proceed to overhaul my colonies and select all the good combs of brood and place them together with adhering bees in the empty hives and put in their place other combs

containing honey. Care must be taken not to take the queens along and not to allow them to rear queens, as they would not be likely to become impregnated and would make trouble to hunt them out before introducing a fertile queen. The combs from various hives may be mixed up together in one hive and there will be no trouble about the workers fighting as they are all in a strange place and strange to each other; each one seems to be happy that she is admitted in peace. I now let them remain quietly about three weeks when the queens in the nuclei may be introduced to them, and the nucleus colonies united with them and if, as some assert, your workers are the best to winter, they are in the best possible condition to go into winter quarters. The advantage in building them up close by the side of the nucleus colonies is that they can be united with them, and the hive they are united to placed midway between where the two sat, and they are right at home and none need be lost." S. K. MARSH.

We would advise none but those of much experience to attempt this late work, lest mischief be done to the depleted colonies. Our own observation hardly coincides with that of Mr. Marsh, as the eggs thus taken from the parent hive at any season are almost invariably destroyed soon after being taken away.-ED.

Brown Co., Wis., Aug. 15, 1876.-"I have lately commenced raising bees. Had some practice several years ago with the old fashioned box hives, but had poor luck. Am now using the Langstroth with Hart's patent, with good satisfaction. The latter

think to be a great improvement and by far the most preferable. I intend to make this my principal business now and desire to acquire all the knowledge I can in the business. The climate being severe here in winter I desire to know the best plan for a store house for bees in winter. I have a plan of my own, but may be defective therefore I want the studied plans of others of more experience in the business. This being near the right time to begin preparations for building their store houses for winter, will you please furnish through the columns of the JOURNAL the desired information? CHAS. R. CLOUGH.

[A full answer to this inquiry would occupy several pages and then might not be perfectly satisfactory. A review of back numbers of the JOURNAL will show that there is a great diversity of opinion about the matter of wintering bees. Some advocate letting them remain on their summer stands, with or without protection; others keep them in cellars or in buildings above the ground, etc. Among the main points to be observed in providing any winter depository are these: to keep out the light, to preserve an even temperature always above freezing, avoiding sudden changes, and to keep the air pure. If you have been a careful observer and reader, your plan will probably suit your own special wants as well as any other.-ED.]

We will sell single copies for 20 cents each.

Specimen copies and canvassing documents, sent free, upon application.

Additions to clubs once formed may be made at any time, at club rates, without regard to the number sent.

No special authority is needed for a person to form clubs. All that is necessary is to secure the names and remit the money.

Subscribers wishing to change their post-office address, should mention their old address, as well as the one to which they wish it changed.

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.

Secure a Choice Queen.

We will hereafter send a choice tested Italian queen as a premium, to any one who will send us five subscribers to the AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, with $10.00. This premium, which gives a $5.00 queen for five subscribers, will pay any one for taking some trouble to extend the circulation of the AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. Premium queens will in every case be warranted.

TO POULTRY MEN.-For two subscribers and $4, in advance, we will send postpaid, a copy of A. J. Hill's work on "Chicken Cholera," as a premium. See his advertisement in this number. Those wishing this premium must mention it when sending their subscriptions.

Those having anything of interest to bee-keepers are invited to send a sample for exhibition in our office. Send description and directions for using, and also give us prices.

HIVES.-We have made arrangements so that we can supply Hives of any kind, and in any quantity, on the shortest notice-either complete or ready to nail together.

COMB FOUNDATION for sale at this office, as well as hives, extractors, and other apiarian supplies, at the regular market prices.

WHEN your time runs out, if you do not wish to have the AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL Continue its visits, just drop us a Postal Card, and say so-and we will stop it instanter. If you do not do this, you may rest assured that it will be sent on regularly. Let all "take due notice and govern themselves accordingly."

SEND POSTAGE STAMPS:-As silver takes the place of fractional currency, and something convenient to enclose in letters for small amounts is needed, we suggest postage stamps of 1 cent and 3 cent denominations. If folded carefully to about the size of the envelope, they will come even more securely than currency, and our business demanding large amounts of stamps, will render them as acceptable to us as fractional currency.

Three Numbers Free!

By an arrangement with the manufacturers of the Аввотт РосKET MICROSCOPE we are able to make the following remarkable offer to new subscribers:

To give those who are unacquainted with the merits of our paper an opportunity to try it before becoming regular subscribers, we propose to send three numbers of THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL "on trial" and THE ABBOTT POCKET MICROSCOPE, description of which will be found in our advertising columns, for $1.50, the PRICE OF THE MICROSCOPE ALONE, and thus get the JOURNAL for three months practically free. The Microscope alluded to is the most complete thing of the kind we ever saw, and can be made valuable in many ways, besides being a constant source of amusement and instruction. Send in your orders.

Mrs. Adam Grimm reports having sold over 700 swarms of bees this summer, realizing for them nearly $6,000. This shows two things: first that there is money in raising bees, and secondly it pays to advertise them for sale. The advertisement appeared in THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL but four times. We know of many others who have more bees than they want. If they have the good business tact to advertise them for sale where those interested in bees can see it, they will no doubt soon be many dollars better off.

A small outlay in judicious advertising often does wonders. Those having anything in the "Bee" line to sell should try the use of our columns and we think they will be abundantly satisfied with resultsprovided they have something of value and do not ask more than it is worth.

Over a thousand have not paid this year's subscription yet. We are in pressing need of the money now, and hope to hear from all such immediately. The amount is so small that each one thinks it an item that will not make much difference, but when multiplied by a thousand all will see that is too much to ask us to "carry" any longer. To those who asked us to wait till fall, we must now call-"time."

Hive makers cannot do better than to purchase one of Barnes' Foot-Power Saws. It will prove such a valuable assistant that no one who has used it would consent to do without it for ten times its cost. It has no crank or dead centres, and is so extremely simple that any one can readily use it. See advertisement in this issue.

The Abbott Pocket Microscope, advertised on another page, is an instrument of great usefulness for examining flowers, seeds, plants, insects, etc. It is in a convenient form for carrying in the pocket and thus be ready for use on any occasion when wanted. We will send this microscope to any address by mail, post-paid, upon receipt of the manufacturer's price, $1.50.

The new edition of King's Bee-Keeper's Text Book is received, marked "Twentythird Edition, Fiftieth Thousand.”

We can furnish Emerson's Binders of any size, and lettered for any journal or magazine.

PRICES REDUCED. — C. F. Muth has reduced the prices of his Honey Jars.-See advertisement.

ALLEN, MICH. - From this post office some one has written us, and forgot to sign any name. Please give us your name and we will attend to the business at once.

J. Winfield wrote us giving no post office address. If he will give us that essential item we will answer him.

AGENTS.-We want a good agent in every section of the United States and Canada. Such are invited to correspond with us.

Off for Colorado.

Any of our readers wishing information about Colorado, can get the Denver TIMES a whole year for only $1.25. This is a 28-column paper in its fourth year, and all but two columns are devoted to Colorado news matters. Address R. W. WOODBURY, june3mp Denver, Colorado.

Honey Markets.

CHICAGO.-Choice white comb honey, 18@ 25c. Extracted, choice white, 8@18c. CINCINNATI.-Quotations by C. F. Muth. Comb honey, in small boxes, 15@30c. Extracted, llb. jars, in shipping order, per doz., $3.25; per gross, $36.00. 2b. jars, per doz., $6.25; per gross, $70.00.

ST. LOUIS. Quotations by W. G. Smith. Comb, 20@25c. Extracted, 10@12c. Strained, 7@9c.

SAN FRANCISCO.-Quotations by Stearns & Smith. White, in boxes and frames, 10@15c. Light, 7@9c. Dark, 5@7c. Beeswax, 271⁄2 cts. Aug. 5, 1876.-No change to note in prices. Crop coming in freely with but light sales for export. STEARNS & SMITH. INDIANAPOLIS.-Quotations by Barnum Bros. & Co. Choice comb honey in small section boxes, 25c.; finest extracted in 100 fbs. cans, 14@15c. Other grades at proportionate rates.

sepom

PRINTINGPRESSES FROM $1.350.

SEND 10 CTS.TO WY.EDWARDS,36 CHURCH SENEW YORK.