GEORGE W. YORK, Editor.
DR. C. C. MILLER, Associate Editor.

CHICAGO, ILL., OCTOBER, 1909

Vol. XLIX---No. 10

Canned Comb Honey-Is It Coming?

There are signs that the Texas idea is gaining ground in other parts of the country. There are a number of reasons for this.

First, there is the very excellent reason that the number of colonies cared for by any one person is largely increased by this method.

The second reason is also important; practically no swarming with its attendant worries.

The third is equally important-less expense in management.

Fourth, less technical knowledge required.

Fifth, quick sales at good prices.

The last reason is the one that carries weight, and we know that since the Texans adopted the canned combhoney idea they have had no difficulty in disposing of their crop at fair prices. Now, if this plan works well in Texas, why will it not work in other parts of the country as well? They use the same appliances as we do, and the conditions are practically the same.

What we need at present is the advice and help of men who have tried this plan, and succeeded, and who know the details. Their experience would be valued by many of our readers.

Milk and Honey-A Good Mixture

D. M. Macdonald says in the Irish Bee Journal, "Milk and honey' is a scriptural phrase, showing that even in early times the mixture was highly appreciated." Now what authority has that

canny Scotchman for saying that those emigrants to the land of Canaan took their milk and honey "mixed?" After all, why not?

Foul-Brood Samples

There are indications that foul brood of both kinds American and European (the latter is also called "black brood") is distributed more generally than is supposed. To a greater or less degree there is a tendency to suppress the knowledge of the presence of foul brood. The wisdom of such a policy may well be doubted. It is no disgrace to have one's bees attacked by foul brood, and the knowledge that the disease has appeared in any given region is likely to put on his guard any beekeeper who may be in that region.

The approach of foul brood is often insidious. By some unknown means it may be carried to a spot many miles distant from any known case. The bee-keeper whose bees have never had foul brood, and on that account thinks he has no personal interest in it, is making a mistake. Every bee-keeper owes it to himself, and to his bee-keeping neighbors, to be somewhat familiar with the literature of foul brood.

It is a matter of hearty congratulation that we have at Washington such a man as Dr. Phillips, who with his able corps of assistants, is always ready to render prompt aid to bee-keepers. If any reader of this paper finds in his apiary anything that makes him suspicious that disease of any kind may be present, let him promptly send a diseased sample to Dr. E. F. Phillips, Agricultural Dept., Washington, D. C. If uncertain as to the best way to send, ask Dr. Phillips to send a container in which the diseased sample may be safely mailed.

Don't send samples to this office; don't send to Dr. Miller. At neither Chicago nor Marengo are there the facilities for examination and determi

Nailing Honey-Packages

H. C. Ahlers, in the Bee-Keepers' Review, urges the importance of thoroughly and carefully nailing the boxes that contain cans of extracted honey. He buys and sells, and says:

"Frequently shipments reach me in which cans and boxes have parted company; or the bottom has pulled off one end of the box and the nails run up through the can. Every box that I nail contains 16 8-penny' nails and the balance 6-penny box nails.'

**

Editor Hutchinson says, "Yes, and we learned that nailing alone was not sufficient for the two-can case of five gallon cans-they must be bound with iron at the ends."

Honey-Dew-What About It?

So much is said about honey-dew this year that an Ohio correspondent thinks a discussion of the subject editorially would be appropriate. On page 299, he will find honey-dew so ably discussed by that practical writer, C. P. Dadant, that little is left to be said.

The chemists tell us that the main difference between honey and honeydew is that the latter contains canesugar, and shows polarization to the right, while the bees have inverted the cane-sugar of the floral nectar, changing it to grape sugar, showing polarization to the left. According to the purefood laws, it cannot be sold as honey, only as honey-dew honey."

As to wholesomeness, it depends upon whether it is meant to be used as food for man or bee. For man it is not unwholesome, except for its bad taste, for no food can favor digestion that tastes as vile as does some honeydew. But there is honey-dew and honey-dew. Prof. Cook says in the American Bee Journal for January, 1899:

"It is not to be inferred that this honeydew is unwholesome. It is a secretion, and not an excretion. It has a similar origin to honey, and may be as delicious. Much aphid honey-dew is deliciously wholesome, and the honey from it is superior. Most if not all of

the coccid honey-dew [that from scale-lice], on the other hand, is dark and of ill-flavor, and its presence in honey, or as honey, is greatly injurious, and it can never be sold for the table. I have sold it by the barrel for manufacturing. This was used to make cookies, and was said to be all right by the manufacturer."

As winter food for bees, if in quantity, honey-dew is dangerous, producing diarrhea, and perhaps death. Root's "A B C and X Y Z of Bee-Culture," says:

"We occasionally have it scattered in little patches in our combs; but in late years we have let our bees have all such combs, and no bad results have followed; but if there is very much honey-dew in the combs we extract it and put in its place granulated sugar syrup."

Mr. Dadant says, page 300:

"I have never seen any production of honey-dew at other times than June."

If this be true in general, there ought to be little difficulty in getting it out of the hives in good season, replacing with sugar syrup if a later flow does not make this unnecessary.

Bad as honey-dew is, it is possible that its presence should not generally be deplored. When it comes so as to flavor and color otherwise white honey, its presence is deplorable. But bees are dainty in their tastes, and it may be doubted whether they store honey-dew when anything better is to be had. The great prevalence of honey-dew this year may not be so much that honeydew is plenty, but that floral nectar is scarce, the bees being in a sense forced to gather what in other years they neglect. Instead of having the bees entirely idle, it may be better to have them gathering honey-dew. It will at least keep up breeding, and it is all right to sell it for what it really is.

Propolis in Supers

Wesley Foster, in Gleanings, says that if sections are to be kept spotlessly white, propolis must be scraped clean from hives and frames, and the scrapings must be kept out of the reach of the bees. "Leaving the scrapings beside or in front of the hive is almost as bad as leaving them in the hive, for the bees will be found working on those little bits, carrying them back into the hives."

Producing Honey-A Critic Criticised

In Leslie's Weekly appears an article written by H. G. Hertel, the general trend of which will be understood by reading the opening paragraph, as follows:

EDITOR OF LESLIE'S WEEKLY:- On the editorial page of a recent issue of your paper appears the question. "Do bees make bad honey?" Whereas there are so many silly notions current, and so many erroneous ideas entertained by the public concerning bees and honey, I feel it incumbent upon me, for the sake of disseminating the truth, to answer this question, and have therefore resolved to write you.

As the dissemination of truth is the thing Mr. Hertel is after, he will not take it unkindly if some things in his article are pointed out which will be likely to lead the readers into error.

He starts out by saying, "let us remember that bees do not make honey, but collect it." But in the very next

Mr. Hertel says that bees must gather the nectar the flower offers." They cannot gather honey from the flower, for there is no honey thereonly nectar. As that nectar, after being put through a certain process by the bees becomes honey, it appears to the common mind quite plain that bees do make honey.

When Mr. Hertel says, "he simply gathers it," he misleads the general reader into believing that the male bee does the work. The male bee, or drone, does no work; the worker-bee does all. The worker is a female; not fully developed, to be sure, but certainly not a male.

Mr. Hertel says, "It is a well authenticated fact that plant-lice produce a sweet excretion known as honey-dew." That is a libel on honey-dew, some of which is good to eat, and all of it unobjectionable on the score of cleanliness. Honey-dew is not an excretion but a secretion, there being a wide difference between the two. We cheerfully accept the secretion of the cow in the form of milk, but would seriously object to a diet of her excretion in the form of cowdung.

"The fixing of a standard of honey by Dr. Wiley," says Mr. Hertel, "appeals to one familiar with bee-culture and the production of honey as being decidedly ridiculous.' That standard was fixed by Dr. Wiley in consultation with practical bee-keepers, men "familiar with bee-culture and the production of honey." and heretofore there has probably been no voice raised in the entire ranks of bee-keepers to pronounce it ridiculous. At any rate, it is now embodied in the pure food law, and Mr. Hertel may find himself in trouble if he attempts to sell as honey anything that does not come up to that standard.

Mr. Hertel says, "Bees can gather 15 pounds of honey while they produce one of wax." This is something new. Bee-keepers will be under lasting obligations if Mr. Hertel will tell just how long it takes to gather a pound of honey or to produce a pound of wax, and just how he determined the length of time. Possibly he has confused this statement with another, that bees consume 15 pounds of honey (some think much less) in producing a pound of

wax.

Misunderstanding upon any or all of these points is not likely to lead to serious results. The same cannot be said of Mr. Hertel's last point. He says:

Most people think that honey in the comb escapes adulteration. It does; but the adulteration of comb honey is still an easy matter-the adulteration takes place prior to the product's being placed in the comb and sealed by the bee. There is nothing physical which will prevent a bee-keeper from feeding his bees with cheap syrup and letting them deposit it in the comb and cap it nicely. To the unsuspecting, such a comb, capped by the bee himself, is a guarantee of purity; yet the customer might be buying ingeniously sealed glucose.

Plainly, that will leave on the minds of many of the thousands of readers of Leslie's the impression that when one buys on the open market a section of comb honey there is no small chance that it may be glucose. What ground has he for his assertion that "the customer might be buying ingeniously sealed glucose?" Has he ever seen anything of the kind? Has he ever heard of it? True, there is the canard that went the rounds of the press of artificial comb filled with glucose and sealed with a hot iron without ever having been near a bee-hive, but if Mr. Hertel is informed he must know that for years there has been a standing offer of $1000 for a single pound of comb honey made without the aid of bees-an offer that has never been taken. But has he any reliable information of a single pound of glucose that has ever been sold under the guise of comb honey? Some who have tried it report that bees cannot be induced to store and seal the stuff. Has Mr. Hertel been any more successful?

If Mr. Hertel is at all " familiar with bee-culture and the production of honey," he ought to "feel it incumbent upon him, for the sake of disseminating the truth," to hasten to say that the customer who buys a section of honey is just as sure to find honey and not glucose within the cell as he is to find apple-pulp and not sawdust within the skin of an apple.

Foul Brood Treatment

A. W. Smyth, M. D., says in the Irish Bee Journal, that in America foulbroody bees are thrown on starters, and again on new foundation after 48 hours. Not 48, Doctor, but 96 hours, or 4 days.

Weather to Put Bees Out of Cellars

It is generally agreed that it is best that the weather should be such that bees can fly immediately after being taken out. It is well, however, to know that one may do otherwise without disaster. Morley Pettit reports, in the Bee-Keepers' Review, that he uncellared 38 colonies March 24, moved them at once 34 of a mile, when it turned cold and rained with no flight for a week. They did well. But he says, "The bees were in good condition; there was no extreme cold, and the day of flight was calm, bright, and warm.'

Position of Bait-Sections

The Bee-Keepers' Review, endorsing E. D. Townsend, says:

Bees are inclined to begin work first in the center of the super, hence the sections in the center are finished first. Now, if you will place the "baits" in the corners it will induce the bees to begin there first, and they will very soon spread out to the center much more readily than from the center outwards, hence the sections are finished up very evenly all over the case. Put the baits" in the corner, every time.

It is understood, of course, that no baits are given in any super except the first, the object being to get the bees to start work in the super sooner than they would without any bait. As Editor Huthinson says, bees are inclined

to begin work first in the center of the super,' so they will begin work sooner in a bait in the center of the super than in one that is in the corner. Still more will they be inclined to begin on a single central bait than to begin simultaneously on 4 outside baits located at 4 different points. The difference of time of starting, short though it be, may make all the difference between promptly starting in the super and swarming.

As the sole object of the bait is to start the bees at work promptly, there will no doubt be many who will consider promptness of starting of more consequence than evenness of finish, and who will say, "Put the bait in the center, every time."

Does Shaking Bees Increase the Crop?

Not so much has been said lately about the matter. Adrian Getaz, after having tried it the past season, reports this in the Bee-Keepers' Review:

The results, so far as I am concerned, are a complete failure. I cannot see that any of the shaken colonies have done any better than the others in any case. Furthermore, I do not find the process as easy and as well adapted to green hands as Mr. Williams does. A part of my bees are Italians, mostly 4-banded, descended from Doolittle stock, though the queens were originally bought from a Southern breeder. These do not shake worth a cent. They cling tenaciously to their combs.

Others are hybrids of all degrees, some nearly black, and most of them rather vicious. They fall off the combs easily, but often resent it, and undertake to "shake" the apiarist very pointedly.

But leading bee-keepers report success with shaking, and others express belief in it from the nature of things. In each case where success is reported, however, the shaking has always been done in connection with some change of conditions. Without taking one side or the other, it may be pertinent to ask whether in any case shaking alone has produced increased activity. It ought not to be a difficult thing to give the matter a test. Let all the colonies of an apiary be treated alike in every respect except that one-half shall have the bees shaken off the combs once in so often, and the other half left unshaken; then note results. Mr. Getaz seems to have tried something of the kind, and reports failure. Has any one else made it a success?

National Convention at Sioux City

The 40th annual convention of the National Bee-Keepers' Association was held, as per announcement, in Sioux City, Iowa, September 22 and 23-last month. The attendance was not so large as anticipated, as there were only about 100 bee-keepers present. As was to be expected, there were a number of new faces, and all the sessions were very interesting and harmonious. There was a good feeling throughout the entire two days.

Perhaps the principal discussion was on the subject of foul brood, which was introduced by several papers, one by W. D. Wright, of New York State, and one by R. L. Taylor, of Michigan, which were followed by another which was quite exhaustive, written and read by Dr. E. F. Phillips, of Washington, D. C. A general discussion followed the reading of these papers in which practically every phase of the subject was treated. It certainly was a live topic. This brood disease among bees has been spreading so very rapidly throughout the country that some very drastic measures must be taken soon, or else the whole bee-keeping industry will be "wiped off the map."

A shorthand report was taken of all discussions, which will be published in pamphlet form in due time, so that each member of the Association will be able to know all that was said and done at this 40th annual meeting of the beekeepers of America. There are something like 3500 members in the National Association. There really ought to be 25,000, at least.

now

For some time the officers of the Association have seen the weakness of the method of nominating the candidates for the annual election. The constitution provides that they shall be nominated by mail ballot in September, and there are so few of the whole membership that really know who would make the best officers, that it is very difficult for them to select. Thus it has come to pass that the nomination ballots have been so very scattering. Out of the total membership there are perhaps not more than 10 percent who respond when invited to assist in nominating candidates. This provision of the constitution was supplemented at the Sioux City convention by the appointment of a committee made up of one from each State represented, which committee was authorized to nominate two candidates for each office, to be placed before the membership for balloting in addition to the nominees made through the prescribed mail ballot. In this way there will be three names to select from for each office at the election in November

next month. That is, there will be 3 candidates for President, 3 for VicePresident, 3 for Secretary, 3 for each of three directors, or 9 candidates in all for directors, as 3 of the 12 directors are elected each year for a term of 4 years. There was an exception made in the case of the General Manager, as practically all the members were in 'favor of retaining Mr. France so long as he will consent to accept the position and do the work so satisfactorily as he has done for many years.

Personally, we believe that this new departure is a wise move, and would favor an amendment to the constitution so as to provide for such nomination at each annual meeting, rather than what is now required by the constitution. At least, we would recommend this for the nominations for the three directors whose terms expire each year, and also for the General Manager and Treasurer, in case Mr. France should decide to drop out at some future time.

However, we believe that the offices of President, Vice-President, and Secretary should be filled at each annual meeting, as those three officers have to do only with the annual meetings. The Board of Directors with the General Manager and Treasurer conduct the business of the Association between the annual meetings. This was the plan followed regarding the three officers named, before the last change in the constitution, which put the election of all officers and directors in the hands of the whole membership, by mail. It has proven to be quite unsatisfactory, or at least the method of nomination has been more than unsatisfactory.

Next month we hope to have room to refer more at length to this last meeting of the National Bee-Keepers' Association, including a picture of most of the members present at Sioux City, and other matters of personal observation.

New Bee-Locations in the West

It is our intention, when we get our new office into smooth working order, to devote more time to the interests of bee-keepers. We shall be able to furnish reliable information about new bee-localities in the great Southwest, in Western Oklahoma, West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, in the territory served by the vast Santa Fe railway system. Great developments are also taking place in the Northwest, along the Burlington, Chicago Northwestern, and Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul roads. These lines have, within the last few months, made great extensions of their rails, so that much new

land has been opened for settlement. Nearly all this development work is taking place in the alfalfa country where bees do well. Most of the great land companies have their headquarters in Chicago, hence it is we can readily find the information desired by personal investigation. We shall aim to get reliable information that can be depended on. We also expect to have a competent bee-keeper visit some of these new territories and report, and we shall also endeavor personally to cover some of this new ground from time to time. Of course, there will be no charge for such services on our part. All we expect is, that our readers will help us increase the circulation of the American Bee Journal in any way most agreeable to them. Much of the information will appear in the Journal, but there are some things that can only be dealt with by private correspondence which shall be confidential, of course. If you are contemplating a move to a better bee-territory, feel free to avail yourself of our services. Henceforth our whole time is the property of our readers.

Indiana Fair Apiarian Exhibit

At our State Fair the bee and honey industry was well represented, there being four exhibits and each of them very creditable. The exhibitors were Geo. M. Rumler, of Mohawk, Ind.; E. L. Barnes, of Bedford, Ky.; C. M. Scott Co. and myself of Indianapolis. Awards were made as follows:

Bee-Supplies-Ist, Walter S. Pouder; 2d, C. M. Scott Co.; 3d, E. L. Barnes.

General Display-Ist, Walter S. Pouder; 2d, C. M. Scott Co.; 3d, E. L. Barnes. Beeswax-Ist, Walter S. Pouder; 2d, C. M. Scott Co.; 3d, E. L. Barnes.

Italian Bees-Ist, Walter S. Pouder; 2d, C. M. Scott Co.; 3d, E. L. Barnes.

Foreign Bees-Ist, E. L. Barnes; 2d, Walter S. Pouder.

Comb Honey-Ist, E. L. Barnes; 2d, Walter S. Pouder; 3d, C. M. Scott Co.

Extracted Honey-Ist, G. M. Rumler; 2d, Walter S. Pouder; 3d, C. M. Scott Co.

Honey-Vinegar-Ist, C. M. Scott Co.; 2d, E. L. Barnes; 3d, Walter S. Pouder.

Mr. Jay Smith, of Vincennes, Ind., acted as judge, and so far as I know each exhibitor was satisfied.

Mr. Geo. S. Demuth, of Peru, Ind., gave lectures, exhibited modern beeappliances, and showed specimens of foul brood and other diseased brood in glass cases as an educational affair in connection with our new State Foul Brood Law, Mr. Demuth being chief inspector of apiaries.

WALTER S. POUDER.

The G. B. Lewis Company

perhaps the largest plant in the world for the manufacture of bee-keepers' supplies. It is to have the best possible modern equipment throughout, and will be ready for business about Nov. 15th.

The manufacturing building will have a total of nearly 17,000 square feet, and the warehouse 16,000 square feet; other buildings will bring the total floor area up to about 40,000 square feet; or nearly

It was our privilege to drop in to see the G. B. Lewis Co., of Watertown, Wis., one day last month. Mr. Geo. C. Lewis, the head of the firm which his father established over 35 years ago, was in his office, and was as affable and courteous as ever.

As most of our readers will recall, the large manufacturing building of the firm was totally destroyed by fire June 20, 1909. It is said that three moves are equal to a fire. In this case fire equaled one big move, or was the cause of the G. B. Lewis Co. seeking a larger space, where they will erect

GEO. C. LEWIS, Pres. G. B. Lewis Co.

one acre. In addition to the buildings will be lumber sheds 500 feet long, all of which will be connected with private railroad tracks equalling a half-mile in length. The total ground area to be occupied will be about 5 acres. The space and complete equipment will enable the G. B. Lewis Co. to take care of all the bee-supply patronage that can possibly come to them in the busiest honey season imaginable for years All the machinery, which will be new and of the latest improved patterns, will be run by a private electric plant, the whole requiring about 40 motors, or a total of 300 horse-power.

to come.

will be added as soon as the plant is well under way. Many people were thrown out of employment by the destruction of the old plant, but work was given as many as possible in removing the debris and other work necessary, so that the cessation of work in the factory was not a total loss to its employes, and the near resumption of activities at the new plant will be hailed with pleasure by the community generally and the employes of the firm.

"

Mr. G. E. Bacon, who is the chief office assistant of Mr. Lewis, was absent on a very enjoyable vacation, he having just secured a "queen" for his "hive.' Our heartiest congratulations are extended to Mr. Bacon. He has attended several conventions of the National Bee-Keepers' Association, and is a most valuable acquisition to the G. B. Lewis Co., with whom he has been connected for 4 or 5 years.

We also congratulate the G. B. Lewis Co. on their new and beautiful plant, which is so richly deserved, in view of their over a third of a century of square dealing with bee-keepers.

Honey on a Tree-Limb

John Egenes, of Iowa, sends us a clipping from a local newspaper telling about a swarm of bees that settled on a limb of an apple-tree, remaining there through all the heavy rainstorms of the season, and at last accounts had stored about 60 pounds of honey, causing the limb to bend nearly to the ground with its load of sweetness. He doesn't say whether they are the giant bees of India (Apis dorsata) or some other variety. Evidently they are openair bees, and certainly ought never to die from tuberculosis!

O. O. Poppleton Visits the North Mr. O. O. Poppleton, of Florida, called on us last month. He is one of the most extensive bee-keepers in Florida. He has been there for 23