Some of the wrapping paper we used last month had been spoiled in printing Centennial Advertising Cards. It contained the "faces" of all the candidates for presidential honors. A friend who happened to get one not agreeing with his political faith, wrote to ask us if we intended to bull-doze him? Certainly not! We only intended a gentle "bee-doze." Wrappers are only intended to protect the journals while passing through the mails, and should not be expected to bear intelligence other than the address of the subscriber.

We have received from friend Becktell a sample of the foundation he purchased of Novice, and he wishes us to state our opinion of its purity. We have not been able to detect anything in it other than pure beeswax, though it seems to be much softer than the pure article. Some tallow may have been mixed with it, as Novice intimates, by an oversight. Whatever may be said of foundation-when made of pure beeswax-all unite in pronouncing it a general nuisance when it contains paraffine or other ingredients.

Friend Muth of Cincinnati, O., is doing a good work in trying to introduce the use of honey where, heretofore, grape sugar has been used exclusively. Brewers, wine producers and liquor manufacturers use millions of pounds of grape sugar annually. To convince them that honey is better adapted to such uses, will be to find a new market for millions of pounds of honey annually. The time is coming, no doubt, when honey will be used by TONS where now pounds only are demanded. Brewers will be the principal consumers of the above classes, but all, and others too, will yet find it to be to their advantage to use honey in abundance.

It will be noticed with pleasure by all, that this issue is enlarged and improved. Its beautifully white paper vieing with the neatness of its cover in making an attractive appearance.

The Future of the N. B. K. Society.

We were greatly relieved to find from the December number of the A. B. J., that the N. B. K. Soc. is to live on in some form, and we hope it will be with growing strength and prosperity. A note from President Andrews forshadows a scheme to make the Society a beneficiary one, like that of the Locomotive Engineers. At our suggestion and request, he embodies his views in an article in this issue, which will no doubt elicit the opinions of the bee-keeping fraternity, and we hope result in the adoption of a course that will be satisfactory to all. What is needed is a bond of sympathy and union, a method of co-operation, opportunity for discussion, and combined action for the promotion of a common interest. We shall gladly go in for any scheme that meets general approval, and hope to be in a position shortly to do more for the advancement of apiculture, than we have been able to attempt for some time past. W. F. C.

Friend Murphy has sent the superbly-finished Extractor he had at the Centennial Exhibition, to this office, where it can be examined by all our callers who did not see it at Philadelphia. It is a real beauty. Mr. Murphy says: "I do not pretend to get up a very stylish extractor, but for ease in operating, durability, and for doing the least injury to the comb, I do not think it can be beaten; and as to the honey knives, 1 have not seen anything that will compare with mine for convenience in operating upon straight or uneven combs."

December was a cold month. From 10 to 26 deg. below zero in the Northern States, and at zero to 10 deg, below in the Southern States. Fortunately, the bees were in winter quarters before the "cold snap" came; else it may have done much damage.

It is expected that our friend, CLARKE, the former editor of this paper will take up his permanent residence in Chicago soon. As we have already made arrangements to have him "office" with us -THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL will receive some of his attention. As to how much, let the next issue tell. Suffice it to say that we expect to make the numbers for 1877 surpass all that have preceded them.

We send THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL and the Bee-Keepers' Magazine for 1877 for $2.75-a little over the price of one.

Our Exchanges.

BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.

Friend Abbott has removed to Southall, and there proposes to start a School of Apiculture, which he thus describes:

"It comprises nearly four acres of paddock, orchard, lawn, garden, and premises; and being almost surrounded by open pasture-land, orchards, and gardens, we hope it will serve as a means to illustrate every phase of bee-keeping. It is proposed to build a light, movable tent, with gauze front, in which nervous visitors may view any and every kind of manipulation in perfect safety, yet be so close to the operators that every word of explanation shall be audible to those whose hearing is not defective."

BEE-KEEPERS' MAGAZINE.

After remarking upon the very slim honey show at the Centennial, friend King says: Capt. Hetherington, an uncommonly busy man, visited the Exhibition in September and was so struck with the lack of enterprise exhibited in this department, that he went straight home and at considerable expense shipped and put up in fine style in the centre of the large Agricultural Hall, about 3000 pounds of his nicest white clover box honey, and for this act of pure patriotism, he deserves and will receive, not only the premium from the Centennial Commission, but the lasting gratitude of every American bee-keeper. We understand he is now preparing his 1600 colonies for winter."

GLEANINGS IN BEE-CULTURE.

HOW TO PREPARE WITH CHAFF.

Novice remarks that "in using chaff for out-door wintering, it is well to have a vacant space above the chaff under the roof; and the roof or cover must not be too closefitting, or you will have frost and dampness collecting on its under side, that may run down and wet the chaff packing. If you will take a look at the under side of the cover after a freeze, you will get the idea. To carry off this dampness, the air must be allowed to circulate to some extent above the chaff; raising the cover a little, or having holes covered with wire-cloth just under the eaves, will answer. Be sure you keep the chaff dry, and that none of your covers are leaky."

it all thus for comb honey; but for the brood chamber, we believe the dark wax to be equally good."

Our Letter Box.

Columbiana Co., O., Dec. 24, 1876,-" This has been the best honey season for years, and the honey was of extra quality. Bees gathered it almost the whole summer, and till frost came." Jos. HUESTIS.

Ingham Co., Mich., Nov. 24, 1876. "Last season was a poor one, though I wintered 51 colonies without loss, and received 75 new swarms, and 3000 lbs. comb honey, and about 500 of extracted." JOHN L. DAVIS.

Montgomery Co., Ind., Dec. 23, 1876."The honey season was good till July. Since then bees gathered no surplus. The bee business is on the increase here. I am building up a home market for my extracted honey at 20c. I was troubled considerably with fertile workers.' ISAAC SHARP.

Crawford Co., Pa., Nov. 22, 1876.-"I am trying to make bee-keeping pay, but I never could do anything great with a large number of colonies; but with a small number, I have realized $35 per hive. That is doing very well, but why cannot that be done with bees, extractor, frame hive, and foundationfrom 100 to 200 colonies? I have the Italian comb, and can manipulate bees in any way I please, practice artificial swarming in part. I also have a number of works on bee-culture, and read all the journals."

J. M. STEPHENSON.

Chickasaw Co., Iowa, Nov. 20, 1876.-" In the fall of 1872, I had 59 stocks of bees; lost all but 9 during the following winter; increased, during 1873, to 31 stocks, and lost all but during the winter. In 1874, increased to 11, and lost all but 5 wintering. In 1875, increased to 11 again, and succeeded in saving them all, in perfect condition, through last winter. I have now 31 stocks in fine condition for winter, and have taken during the past season about 100 lbs. of honswarming, having two first swarms come ey, mostly extracted. Was troubled by late off on September 2, nearly a month later than usual. It will be seen by the above brief account of my bee keeping experience that I have made an almost total failure of wintering for several winters, until last winter, and of course I am very much interested in learning how others manage, who have been successful; and I judge that a large number of the subscribers of the JOURNAL are interested as much as I am. I would suggest that your subscribers be asked to send you brief reports from time to time to enable you to tabulate and publish such tables as the one sent you by the North Eastern B. K. Society last spring, and published on page 74 of your March number. Such persons who may report extra good success can be requested to give their management more in detail."

0. O. POPPLETON.

[We should be glad to have such "reports;" believing that it would be a very interesting table.-ED.]

Henry Co., Ind., Dec. 6, 1876.-" I am a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church in active service as a Presiding Elder, and keep bees as a recreation, and for the help they afford in making up the deficiencies in my salary. I have been, I think, quite successful and have found the employment profitable. My bees have paid me not less than $200 over all expenses this year, not counting the value of 14 hives increase. I obtained 1,500 tbs. of choice honey. I have now 51 colonies of Italian bees, nearly all pure, and in good condition for winter. I always had a liking for the handling and managing of bees, and to my enthusiasm in the matter I attribute my success."

M. MAHIN.

Waterbury, Conn., Dec. 11, 1876.-"I feel exceedingly indebted to the bee_journals for almost all of the knowledge I possess on bees, although I think there is much ehaff amongst the grain, and I do not know where the most of it can be found unless it be on the subject of Wintering; because so far as my experience goes both wintering and springing are very simple-long-winded orations to the contrary notwithstanding. My practice has been to shelter from the north and west, give upward ventilation, have 14 inch hole above the packing on top of the hive and in both ends of top. This will winter a pint of bees if the hive is contracted and the entrance made in the vacant end of the hive and under the division board. I thank our old friend Gallup for the hint on entrances. But if I should not be as successful this winter as I have for the last 16, I may have to follow suit and fill my garden full of well curbs, as some seem desirous of doing. Seven of my hives have glass on all sides, 2 panes 9x14, and two, 9x9, and when these are packed between the glass and shutter with an old newspaper, I believe will winter quite as well as the rest. I do not think so much of large colonies as most bee-keepers seem to, as my small colonies seem to do quite as well in spring as the large ones. To be sure they need earlier attention, earlier feeding, but then a small stock does not eat much, and you have the fun of feeding and fussing over them after the long respite of winter and when there is little else you can do. I think it the very quintessence of enjoyment tinkering up a little swarm, and with a good queen it is astonishing how fast they will breed up to strong stocks. I use ! the Gallup frame, 12 and 14 frames in a hive. Being out of health all last summer, I could do but little for my bees and they in consequence did but little for me. I am now in readiness for next year's work."

WM. H. KIRK.

Noble Co., Ind., Dec. 16, 1876.-" September was wet and cold, and as my bees could not gather honey, they destroyed their brood. As I was sick in bed I could not feed them; so now I have none but old bees, and they are dropping off fast. I have some packed in sawdust, some in buckwheat chaff, some in large bins (one holding 26 hives, entrance free to all, so that they can fly out at pleasure), some in store boxes, and some in a "dug out," leaving the front open. I had 27 stands in the spring; increased to 75, but obtained only 300 lbs. of extracted and box honey. I have kept bees ever since 1845." F. R. DAVIS.

Clifton, Tenn., Dec. 4, 1876.-"As there was no surplus honey the past season here, bees are in a very poor condition for wintering." C. WEEKS.

Putnam Co., Ill., Dec. 1, 1876.-"My bees made honey very fast until July 20; having then made 400 four-pound boxes of honey. There was then nearly 1,000 boxes partly filled, which they have since emptied." OTTO HALBLEIB.

Stephenson Co., Ill., Dec. 14, 1876.-"I had 11 stands of bees in the spring. I increased to 29. Got 1,1711⁄2 lbs. of box honey. My best swarm gave 126 lbs. surplus." ROBERT JONES.

Fredonia, N. Y., Nov. 8, 1876.-"In May last I had 49 stocks of bees, which increased to 106, giving 1800 tbs. of box honey. The fore part of the season, from June 1st to the middle of July was very fine, but about that time the drouth came on, shortening the honey season about two weeks. The most of our honey is produced from white clover, and baswood. Will Mr. --, the great Minnesota apiarian give his method of wintering, &c., through THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL?" P. MILLER.

Allegan Co., Mich., Dec. 18, 1876.-" Two years ago I bought a black swarm in a box hive, and in the spring, after they had swarmed, transferred them to what we call the Johnson hive, which is a modification of the Langstroth. Both swarms wintered well, and this last summer I made 10 swarms of them, and all have their hives (9 frames) well filled. I have 132 lbs. of box honey. This I think is good enough for a beginner." HENRY BIRD, Jr.

Bureau Co., Ill., Oct. 23, 1876.-"This summer, while crossing the pasture to the harvest field, I was about to pull up a bunch of weeds, but my attention was called to the number of bees at work on them, so I let it stand. Afterwards I thought them honeyproducing plants, and would gather the seed and sow it. I found them to be catnip. So I followed the hedge fence where I thought most likely to find it; cut it off with my knife (got pretty well scratched), dried and rubbed it out. It is a small seed, an ounce will sow quite a patch.".

E. PICKUP.

Fulton, Ill., Dec. 18, 1876.-"I commenced the season with 50 swarms, 15 of them very light; have increased by natural swarming and division to 80; have sold $415 worth of honey and beeswax (only made wax from the uncappings from extracting), and have on hand and given away and used in family about $50 worth. The honey was all gathered from white clover, in about 3 weeks, except about 400 lbs. of late honey. The fall of 76 was the nearest a failure of any since 1862 here. The extracted honey I sold at 12c. per lb., and comb from 16 to 20c. per lb.; all in my home market. I use the Langstroth hive and Italian bees, and for convenience in handling, for extracted or comb honey I have not seen a hive its equal in my estimation; and as to bees I would not have black bees while I can get Italians, as the Italians are more gentle, more prolific and better workers; or at least they are for me. I have 3 imported queens in my apiary

now, and I think that a crossing of the bees by raising queens from one importation and drones from another, will produce better workers than raising queens and drones from the same stock of bees."

R. R. MURPHY.

Orange Co., N. Y.-"Last spring I had 20 hives, have now 32, and have obtained about 578 pounds of honey in four-pound boxes and have about 100 pounds in frames. The hives are now all in good order with more than enough honey for wintering. The honey here is of superior quality, being made from locust blossoms and white clover; there is no buckwheat raised about this section, consequently have no dark-colored or strong honey stored in boxes. Being made from such flowers, it is the finest flavored honey produced anywhere. My apiary at New Windsor Nursery is composed of Italian, hybrids and black bees, but I find the Italian far ahead, especially in times of scarcity of honey. I had one swarm of Italians that stored in boxes 66 pounds the last three weeks of June, and have since made 22 pounds, also in boxes. Others have made 50 to 40, and so down to 10 pounds each. I use a movable-comb frame hive of my own getting up, and it has thus far proved a complete success. While some with common box hives and the old fashioned way of keeping bees have very little honey or hives, I now, after three years practice, have more honey and bees than I know what to do with. MARCUS D. DUBOIS.

San Buenaventura, Cal., Dec. 4, 1876."The large quantities of honey produced in South-western California and deposited mainly in San Francisco is being rapidly sent off to all parts of the world, and sales are becoming more easy at higher figures; yet the risks of sending comb-honey long distances is making the demand for extracted honey greater; thus bringing the price of the two nearer together. This county, Ventura, young in the bee business, is one of the best in the state, and is rapidly increasing in its number of colonies, and our bee-keepers' conventions assist much in perfecting their management. We have had one shower of rain since last March, and expect some more sometime this winter, although it is now as warm and sunshiny as in July."

R. WILKIN.

Nazareth, Pa., Dec. 4, 1876.-"I was at the Centennial at the time of the honey exhibition, though too late to be present at the Convention. I was pleased to meet the greatest apiarian in the world, Mr. Harbison, who has 3,000 stand of bees, and who brought in from California 100 tons of honey comb. He kindly drew a sketch of his hive, and explained his mode of proceedure and the arrangement of his surplus boxes, and cheerfully answered the many questions asked him, for which he deserves the sincere thanks of those of us who were present. I was also pleased to see Mr. Latchaw, of Barkeyville, Venango Co., Pa., exhibit his Union Section Extention bee hive; he took the sections apart, showing the combs with the adhering bees and queen. It was a real pleasure to see so many of our apiarian friends at the Centennial. Accept my best wishes for you and the continued success of THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.” WM. CHRIST.

Correspondence.

For the American Bee Journal.

When and How to Change Queens.

I find it profitable about once a year to overhaul and change queens. When a queen is 3 years old, even if a very good one in the spring of the 4th summer she will probably begin to fail, 4 out of 5 will do so.

We change our queens about from July 1st to 10th. Just when the white clover begins to fail to secrete honey, at that time the swarming fever is nearly over. We remove an old queen or separate a full colony from a good stock of workers and start as many queens cells as possible, and on the ninth day after, remove a good cell and put one in each hive, in the honey boxes on top. Don't disturb the old queen; as soon as the young queen hatches, she will crawl down into the hive, and at once the bees will accept the young queen. The old queen will soon be disposed of. Do not throw her out, for if the queen larvæ is 2 or 3 days hatching, they will start other cells, and throw out the young queen. Put them in a top honey box, and the bees will hardly ever cut them out, and in this way an apiary can be supplied with new queens very readily. ALFRED CHAPMAN.

Hancock Co., W. Va.

For the American Bee Journal.

Northern Minnesota Apiaries.

The season of 1876 was rather a poor one for bee men in Northern Minnesota; the spring was cold and windy. From the 20th of May to the middle of June honey was and honey was more plenty; then dry, hot weather set in, scarce till July 25, when basswood came into bloom; then honey was abundant for 2 weeks. The weather was fine and the bees stored honey rapidly. From Aug. 10 to Oct. 1 we had very unfavorable weather for honey gathering; it was cloudy or raining full one-third of the time. Honey and pollen was plenty all through the fall, although we had a heavy frost on Aug. 26 and Sept. 1; after that the nights were cold, and bees could work but a few hours each day. Nov. 9 and 10, my bees stored 2 or 3 tbs. of honey to the hive; but what they found to gather honey from is a mystery to me; everything looked dead and as dry as a chip.

I commenced last spring with 3 stocks; when I took them out of the cellar, I transferred them from box hives into the "North Star" movable frame hive, with only good comb enough to fill 5 or 6 frames to the hive. I run them for increase of stocks. Now I have 12 strong stocks in winter quarters, in good condition. I got enough surplus box honey to more than pay me for all my trouble.

In the

Honey-plants are plenty here. spring we have first the willow, poplar, gooseberry, wild currents, plum, cherry, june-berry, prickly ash, black and red haw, raspberry, with many wild flowers; then basswood and buckwheat, golden-rods, astors, starworts, and many other frost Á. J. HANEY. Todd Co., Minn., Nov. 29, 1876.

flowers.

For the American Bee Journal.

Honey in Frames.

I have been keeping bees for 7 years, and in that time have taken all my surplus in frames, and like it the best. The frames of my hive are 12 inches from front to rear, which I think a very good size. The frames for surplus honey are 12x615 inches outside measure, and contain from 2% to 4 lbs., according to the thickness of the comb. If I want to extract the honey, which I generally do, these small frames are very convenient, and can be removed and returned without disturbing the brood nest. If I wish to sell the honey in the comb, I find the small frames much more convenient than boxes. The bees are easily shaken and brushed off, while a good deal of skill and patience is required to get them out of boxes. Honey in such frames as I have described is easily handled, and sells very readily at good prices. If to be shipped, cases can be made which will hold the frames in such a position, and with such firmness that with careful handling there is no danger of injury to the combs.

I use no honey-board between the brood department and the frames for surplus honey. If I desire comb honey exclusively I would use a honey-board, as the queen would be less likely to deposit eggs in the upper story; but as I use the extracter largely, if a comb is blackened by having brood raised in it, no great harm is done. frequently cut drone comb out of the frame in the brood chamber and put it into the small frames. It is better for the extractor than worker comb, as the honey is more easily thrown out of large cells than small

ones.

When starting bees to work in the frames for surplus, it is important to give them two or more frames filled, or partially filled with comb. They are more likely in that case to build straight combs. While comb building it is necessary that they should be looked after occasionally as they will sometimes build from the bottom upward, and do very crooked work. I think Italian bees are more apt to begin at the bottom than black bees are. I do not wish to be understood as disparaging Italian bees. I think them much better, in more respects than one, than black bees; and I keep my Italians as pure as possible. M. MAHIN.

Newcastle, Ind., Dec. 14, 1876.

The farming community own most of the honey fields of our country; and the business of honey gathering and the management of the gatherers should be as simple and as clearly understood by them as possible. It is also desirable that it should be free from needless manipulation.

1. The shape of the hive is a question worthy of some consideration. A low, flat hive will not be as safe for wintering as a taller hive with narrower front, back and side boards. There is very little danger in the wintering of bees in hives, thus shaped, on their stands if only covered from wet.

2. A very important consideration with me is an arrangement of boxes for surplus

honey, of about 5 bs. capacity each: 40 boxes in the aggregate, a little inmore or less at pleasure, placed in close connection with the body of the hive; each directly accessable to the bees.

3. With these boxes, placed early in the season, before the queen has made any arrangement for swarming, by preparing queen cells, they will give almost certain if not perfect security against the issuing of a swarm, and will in a good season give the 40 5-b. surplus boxes full of surplus honey, more or less; depending upon the field and the season.

4. To be secure against swarming it will be requisite to have the colony of bees well shaded from the sun. Great heat, or the presence of enemies may drive them out, whatever room they may have for their operations or in whatever shape it may be.

5. This will not be a very heavy expense. Glass boxes will be paid for in the sale of the honey; 200 lbs. of honey would sell for from $40 to $50. If no market, it would be very convenient to have 200 lbs. of first-rate honey for use in the family.

6. The expense of this annual income would be for one colony of bees say $8, and one hive say $5, amounting to $13. This whole expense is more than doubly paid the first year, and all the after products in coming years clear gain. To secure the fullest success let them send for THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL and read it carefully. Woodstock, Vt.

JASPER HAZEN.

For the American Bee Journal.

Chips from Sweet Home.

I lately had the pleasure of visiting the apiaries of Putman, at Galesburg, and Cramer and Kellogg, of Oneida, Ill. The former apiary consists of 80 or 90 hives, located in an orchard in the city of Galesburg. I saw a lot of his honey, which was choice white clover. His hives were very heavy and too full of honey for their future wellfare. He has no slinger and in this he saw the need of one. He has also a lot of sections partly filled which should be emptied, the comb saved for spring. His hives and yard were neat. I found him a talkative gentleman willing to impart and receive knowledge. He thought "the disease" was caused by a draft of air through the hive in cold weather; but this is a mistake, for we had the disease in the cellar as well as outdoors, and hives all grades of ventilations. He winters out-doors, cuts off all upward ventilation, or rather wants to; in taking off his honey boxes, which were set next the frames, and then putting on the honeyboard, he must necessarily leave open space around the top.

Friend Kellogg was not at home, but I found Cramer, found him a full match for me in talk, he is a live bee-keeper. His apiary, as also Kellogg's, showed care and attention. K's honey slinger is liked very much, but would prefer the Sweet Home; but his is a home-made one, and I think it a better one than any advertised. Kellog and Cramer sling all their honey and find sale at good prices. In company with Cramer we visited several small bee-keepers, and next morning before daylight he kindly saw me on the train. D. D. PALMER. Mercer Co., Ill, Dec. 11, 1876.