Chickasaw Co., Iowa, Sep. 4, 1876.-"I want to sow an acre of mignonnette in the spring. How much seed should be sown per acre? Where can it be found, and at what price? I sowed some Alsike clover 2 years ago and pronounce it a No. 1 honey plant. Basswood, white clover and buckwheat are our best sources for honey in this section. Basswood only lasted about five days this year. The hot weather blighted it very bady. I had 14 stands to start with; have increased to 28 strong stands, and taken 900 tbs. of honey from them-200 fbs. box and 700 fbs. extracted."

E. J. SCHOFIED. [Mignonnette seed can be obtained at this office at $1.50 per b. We do not know the number of pounds per acre, but as the seed is very small, possibly 5 pounds would do. Can any one give the number of pounds per acre?-ED.]

Erie Co., N. Y., Sept. 6. 1876.-" Can two small swarms be united for wintering? If so, how can it be done? Both are Italians, old swarms from last year. Both have queens, but they did nothing this year." CHARLES HACK.

[Leave them till the time of putting into winter quarters, then put into one hive the frames from each containing the brood and bees. Being in a nearly dormant condition, if the transfer is quietly made they will not quarrel and by spring will have acquired the same scent. Of course one of the queens will be killed.-ED.]

Grand Meadow, Minn., Aug. 18, 1876.MR. NEWMAN: The comb foundation was received some time ago. Am using it successfully. I believe it is a benefit even at $1.50 per b., but hope it may soon be within the reach of all. I send you two flowers that grow on our prairies by millions. Are just coming in bloom now, and my bees are working busily on them. These flowers bloom until frost. Will you please answer telling me their worth. I think they are good, or why should the bees work in almost endless numbers upon them. I call them a spieces of golden rod, by the description of flowers in Quinby. No. 1 grows from 1 foot to 18 inches high. No. 2 from 18 inches to 2 feet high, and they bloom to

gether. No. 1 lasts a little longer than No.

Aug. 16, I had a pure Italian swarm of Mr. Ingmundson and set them among my black swarms, at noon the same day, after moving them by stage and rail 26 miles. At 3 P. M. they were working admirably, carrying pollen and honey, and yesterday at 3 P. M. (17th inst.) I found my Italian workers 21⁄2 miles from home, working on a tall gumweed (I call it) with a flower like a small sunflower, similar to button ball flowers, only it grows about 4 feet high. I was surprised to find my bees so far from home on the second day, but I know they were mine as there are no Italians but mine within 25 miles, or tree large enough for bees inside of 4 miles. I shall endeavor, to Italianize the rest of my bees, believing they are far superior to blacks. Have been troubled with worms in my black hives. Mr. Ingunmdson has 76 swarms and is do

ing finely. He has extracted over two barrels of honey already. To those who say the Italians are so much better natured than the black bees, tell them they have not become acquainted with the genuine article yet. C. F. GREENING.

No. 1 is Solidago Rigida, No. 2 Solidago Nemoralis. These are two of our many species of Golden Rods which are very valuable as honey plants. Our bees have been gathering from golden-rod since August 10, and very plentifully too. The honey is darker than first quality, but much lighter than buckwheat, and is pronounced by all here as excellent in quality. Our president pronounces it first-class in flavor.

I planted a large bed of migonnette the first week in May. From the last week of June till about the second week of August the bees were constantly gathering from it. From the middle of July-after basswoodtill Aug. 10th our bees were comparatively idle. Several acres of migonnette would have kept them busy. Our black mustard was sown the second week of May. Commenced to bloom the middle of July and is not quite gone now. Has been covered with bees. This fills the time of usual dearth. Borage commenced to bloom July 1st, and is still in bloom, constantly covered with bees.

Tell your subscribers to send good flowers, good leaves, and to state height of plant and locality. Just a short flower is not always sufficient for analysis.

Sept. 13.-The second lot of plants sent by Mr. Greening are species of aster. As there are about a score of species in the U. S. the specific determination would be quite difficult, especially as the flowers would need to be soaked, and then subjected to a most careful and painstaking scrutiny. Still this would not deter me, if it were of any practical importance to know the exact species. All of the asters are very valuale as honey plants, and so Mr. Greening may rest assured that with favorable weather he will secure great quantities of that for which the apiarist thirsteth. I speak of weather for true it is that though very wet weather will give much bloom, yet it as effectually cuts off the honey.

We had a very wet June here, and not enough white clover honey for a sample. We have had a dry fall, though sufficient early rains to give us plenty of flowers, and I never saw such a rich yield of honey. Why if there is anything in development by use, especially if Lamark's view of evolution be correct, that development is promoted by desire. Our bees must have honey stomachs that are fairly stupendous, and by the way the honey comes in I verily

believe they have stretched. Why one colony has already made seventy pounds of comb honey besides about twenty pounds of extracted-just removed to give the queen a chance. All, too, from these same asters, together with golden-rods, sunflowers, etc. A. J. COOK.

Corpus Christi, Texas, Aug. 21, 1876."Bees have not done so well in this section as last year, owing to drouth, but they have paid a good profit. I have sent you several subscribers this year and will send more." J. W. DUNN.

Pointe Coupee, La., Sept. 9, 1876.—“I shipped my honey to New York this week. Increased 60 per cent.; had an average of 15 combs built to the swarm, and obtained an average of 70 lbs. of extracted honey to the hive. All common bees in Langstroth hives." W. B. RUSH.

Shelby Co., Ky., Sept. 12, 1876.-"I had 22 stands of bees last spring. Sold 2 in April, leaving 20. Obtained 1,700 lbs. of comb and extracted honey and increased to 56 stands. I sell my honey at 25 cents per tb. Who says bee-keeping is not profitable? Of these 56 stands I sold 6 at $15 each. I have a fine stand of bees that has two queens; one of them has no wings; they both lay eggs and live happily together. Can you explain that?" FR. KRUEGER.

[Many cases, especially of late, are reported of two queens in one hive. Usually, if not always, the old queen is about to be superseded.-ED.]

Tioga Co., Pa., Sept. 8, 1876.-"Bees have not done as well here as I thought they would at the commencement of the season. We had so much rain during white clover blossom that the honey was very thin, and the bees did not cap it over till after buckwheat commenced to bloom; and then they filled up the cells with buckwheat honey and capped them over, making half the entire crop of honey in this section mixed and the other half, buckwheat. On account of the drought of the past two months buckwheat did not yield half the usual amount of honey, although there was double the usual amount sown in this section, and the grain is even a poorer crop than the honey."

JOHN ATKINSON.

Chillicothe, Mo., Aug. 17, 1876.-"On Monday afternoon I took 50 lbs. of white clover honey from my prize colony of Italian bees, No. 47. This makes 175 fbs. it has given this year up to the middle of August. Besides this good yield of honey it has been allowed to cast one swarm; the old queen, "Betsy Ann," I sold to Dr. Dice, of Dawn, for $5. If the weather should be reasonably fair from this on, I shall get at least 125 bs. more, making the enormous yield of 300 Ibs. of honey, a good swarm, and a $5 queen from our colony in one year. I have a number of other colonies that will turn out about as well and maybe better than "47.” I had over 100 fbs. from each of some new colonies made about June 1; I expect to get as much as 200 lbs. of nice box honey from a good many hives; but the largest yields are produced from two-story hives with the extractor." J. W. GREENE, M. D.

Piatt Co., Ill., Aug. 22, 1876.-"I started last spring with 28 stocks; increased, mostly by natural swarming, to 62, and sold three swarms. Young swarms are generally full, one-half of them gathering surplus. I have had about 600 lbs. of comb honey, and expect to take enough more to make 1,500 lbs. this season. White clover is our main dependence here. We have some basswood and fruit bloom in the spring. In the fall we have smartweed, spanish needle, goldenrod, buckwheat, and a white blossom that they are now at work on. I don't know its name. It grows about 3 feet high, a single stem with top like flax. It grows exclusively in the timber and affords a good supply of honey." J. KEENAN.

Posey Co., Ind., Aug. 16, 1876.-"In April last I took charge of 11 colonies of native bees, 3 in the Wilkinson hive and 8 in the old fashioned gums, and transferred the 8 into the W. hive in April, while fruit trees were in bloom. At the last of May I increased the 11 by artificial swarming (except one that volunteered a natural swarm on Sunday) to 22. From those three that were already in the W. hive I have, up to this time, about 50 lbs. each of nice comb honey. From two of the others, about 30 Ibs. each, and from the balance none, for they were very weak in the spring, while those in the patent hives with no better care last year came through the winter strong in bees and full of honey. Our honey season ends with June generally, but our fall honey harvest is about commencing now. I opened some of my hives to-day, and find that they have commenced building in the supers, and if it continues seasonable till "Jack Frost" comes, I hope to have a better report to greet you with, for I have not "managed my bees to death," but have got every one of my 22 hives crowded with the little laborers to gather the harvest in, when it comes. I have not tried the Italian bee nor the extractor yet, but think if I am successful this fall and winter I'll try both next year." JACOB COPELAND.

Old Fort, N. C., Sept. 16, 1876.-"You ask for information about honey plants. Well, I have sown buckwheat for 3 years, and although it always yields honey and pollen, yet I am very sure that any quantity less than ten acres will not make an appreciable difference." RUFUS MORGAN.

Trumbull Co., Ohio, Sept. 18, 1876.-"This has been a good season for this section. Last fall I put 10 stands in the cellar, and left 9 on their summer stands, well packed; one starved in the cellar and one out-doors, and 6 dwindled in the spring, leaving 11. I increased them to 19 (mostly natural swarms), managed on Butler's plan, and I have sold $110 worth of extracted and comb honey, and they are now in better condition than last year. I made a pair of scales last winter and set a hive on them last spring. It gained most on fine days after fruit blossoms till middle of June. when they swarmed but went back. They had on two tiers of boxes (6 each) 6 in. square by 5 in. deep. I took all the brood and honey from the main hive and filled up with empty comb. They gained 10 fbs. the first day, 8 lbs. the next, and 5 and 6 lbs. for several days after; they finished all the boxes and gained weight during August." J. WINFIELD.

San Jose, Ill., Aug, 15, 1876.-" During white clover yield, which was a remarkable one in this section, my bees did very well. They are now working on heart's-ease and early sown buckwheat, and they make the yard lively with their busy hum. I expect to return to the East this fall, and I wish to find a good location for an apiary. Do you know anything about Maryland? Whether an apiary could be profitably conducted there and in what particular part? I have thought of the region about Frederick or Hagarstown, but having never been in that State, of course I know nothing about it and wish you could enlighten me. I would like to get near the l'otomac, or on some stream emptying into the Chesapeake and not too far from it. The hard, blustering winters with late springs are hard on bees in this western country. I have never yet lost a swarm from this cause when wintered on their summer stands, though last winter, a year ago, I found a few of them considerably reduced. Last winter 1 lost 7, wintered in cellar. Cause- dysentery thin, unsealed honey. I had them away from home and they did not not get attention when they should have had it."

"My method of wintering bees is so simple that it is worth at least a trial. In the first place my hives range in length from 18 to 26 inches, with frames set in crosswise and entrance in the side. In putting them into winter quarters I lift out two or more of the end frames and set in two division boards having six inch holes bored in them, these I set close up to the frames, leaving a space in each end of the hive. I then remove 3 or 4 of the strips from between the frames, and spread a piece of old muslin over them letting it hang down over the holes in the division boards. I then fill it all in compactly with any absorbing material-I generally use straw-and close all up in the cap except occasionally a fly hole. I close the entrance up tight except about an inch, and fasten a small piece of wire cloth over that. Should there come a day at any time during the winter warm enough to make the bees restless, but not sufficiently warm to allow them to fly, I simply shade the entrance and they soon become quiet. If it is warm enough I give them a fly and as soon as all have returned, replace the wire cloth. I give them no other protection and have never yet lost a stock when wintered out of doors and treated in this way, but they come out strong and bright as a new silver dollar, in the spring. My hives are particularly adapted to this method of wintering, and it is certainly much less trouble than to carry them all into the cellar or house and out again in the spring, besides two or three airings probably during winter." O. W. SPEAR.

Wellsville, Mo., Sept. 13, 1876.-"I have read the BEE JOURNAL carefully for many years, and some things I have read which It is difficult to believe. One thing I will mention, some people in the Southern States, and some here in Missouri, claim that there are two varieties of common bees -one small and quite black, the other variety lighter colored (gray) and much larger. They claim also that the gray is quite, if not altogether, as good a variety for all purposes as the Italian. Now I claim there is but one variety of what we call the common bee;-namely, the black bee of Germany. If there are two varieties of common bees, we want the proof. If there are two varieties, how is it that they have not mixed in a state of nature? I have made a specialty of bee-keeping this season and my only trouble has been prevention of swarming. I did not want much of an increase because I had not a sufficient number of hives on hand, but they would swarm and ofttimes leave boxes of honey on the top partially filled, much to my disgust. I think I have read of all methods adopted by bee-men generally, and the one generally relied on is to open the hives every 5 or 6 days and cut out all queen cells. This is attended with a great deal of trouble, and if there is a better way I would like to know it. I know swarming is hard to control in the far South; it is much harder here in Missouri than in Northern Illinois, but a gentleman who signs himself "Six," Point Coupee, La., (see August No., p. 213) says he controlled the swarming fever on over 50 hives. I wish he would communicate through the colums of THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL how he did it. He would confer a great benefit on me, and I think on others."

"Your biography of Adam Grimm is good so far as it goes. But we would like to know something more of his mode or method of managing his bees, wherein he differed from others, and how he made so much money. It only came through two men to me that he cleared in 5 years from his bees $22,000. We would like to follow his example. Would like to know more of Adam Grimm. His was a great success." JOHN BARFOOT.

Ingham Co., Mich., Sept. 21, 1876.-"I have a queen that insists upon laying several eggs in each cell, even when there is plenty of room. I have counted as many as nine, and in some cells I have found more than one larvæ. She is very prolific and her stock is a large one, having at present 6 frames filled with brood."

GILBERT THRASHER.

[She evidently needs more room still.EĎ.]

Henderson Co., N. C., August 21, 1876."Bees have done but little good this summer, either in increase or honey. Sourwood was a complete failure this year; the first time I ever knew it to fail. This has been a bad year for Italianizing, owing I suppose to the scarcity of honey and pollen. The bees gathered poison honey in May, I think, from the hemlock; called by some "dog hobble." The swamps in this neighborhood are full of it." R. T. JONES.

Sangamon Co., Ill., Sept. 15, 1876.-"We have an excellent fali bloom, but much of the time it is too cool to gather rapidly. Spanish needle is in great abundance in all available localities. Smartweed very fine. Just as my bees were commencing to gather, a cider mill, 40 rods distant, was put into operation, and I am "out" on my fall expectations; for it was warm when the cider mill commenced operations. I believe my strong stocks will now winter poorly for loss of bees-but "sich is life." This year has been very favorable for stores and increase, so far as my observation has reached." W. W. CURNUTT.

Stanslaus Co., Cal., Sept. 14, 1876.-"Bees are doing splendidly now, making honey. From 28 stocks (with an increase of 30, making 58) have now taken about 3,000 lbs. of comb honey; if they continue as late as they did two years ago, I expect a ton more. I use the New Idea hive with a cap. I use two sizes of frames, 10x12 and 6x12. I like the low hive the best, so far; have but a few of them yet. I have tried plain wax sheets of various sizes and thicknesses, but with no success. If any of your readers wish to try them, tell them instead of glass or soaped cloth as some recommend, to take a thin, soft board or shingle; dress it down smooth; soak in water; then dip in the melted wax, then in water (cool but not too cold, else it may crack), and they can get nice sheets of wax." J. F. FLORY.

Dubuque, Iowa, Sept. 18, 1876.-"I have 2 acres of a hill which is too steep to mow. I want to seed it to some kind of a grass for a cow and bees. What grass will be best for that purpose?" E. CHAMBERLIN.

[Perhaps you can hear from some one in your neighborhood whether alsike would do well; if so, nothing would be better. White clover would be excellent and would almost certainly do well.-ED.]

Caldwell Co., Ky., Sept. 18, 1876.-"Bees are gathering honey rapidly now, but are storing very slowly in boxes. They have filled the lower part of the hive so full that the queen has no room left to lay in."

MRS. V. M. LARKINS.

mer.

Plainfield, Ont., Sept. 18, 1876.-"I am a beginner in the bee business, having had only 3 years' practice. I use the Thomas hive. Two years ago I put in the cellar 28 stocks, but only 11 survived the next sumI got but one box of honey, but increased to 19, all artificial swarms; 5 of these belonged to others, leaving me but 14. Last spring I had 13, one died and one was queenless. I did not double them with other colonies but gave them some brood comb and bees as soon as the weather would admit, and they raised a queen for themselves. We have had just two months since May for bees-June and July. July was very favorable for bees; they multiplíed by the thousand. I have taken between 800 and 900 lbs. of extracted honey, and increased them to 30-all in good condition for winter-and one went to parts unknown. My bees are all Italians and hybrids. I like the Italians best, if for nothing less than handling. The hybrids are cross and hard to handle, but the blacks are worse; for when you raise a card of them, they are not satisfied merely to run but they take the keen jump and form themselves in a string on the lower end of the card. I am in favor of the Italians, both for beauty and because they are so quiet. August has been very dry, with no flowers, and our bees are faring poorly now." A. PARKS.

Wenham, Mass., Sept. 16, 1876." The season here has been rather poor for surplus honey. The severe drought commencing in May and continuing nearly all summer dried up the white clover, and very little honey was stored during the month of June. About the 1st of August we had the heaviest rains during the summer, in fact it was about all we have had since the middle of May. After that our bees commenced to work in boxes a little. The honey was gathered from a flower found in the swamps called pepperwood. They worked freely on this for two weeks, and the honey was very nice. For the last 3 or 4 weeks the bees have worked on golden-rod and a flower we call the fall or wild dandelion. The honey gathered from such flowers is of a very poor quality and hardly fit for the bees to eat. Our hives are very heavy in stores and well stocked with bees. weather has been favorable for honey dews -this was gathered from the elm, oak, and some few other trees. The bees worked on them only an hour or so in the morning, before the sun dried the dew from the trees. Honey dealers in Boston are very cautious about purchasing this season. They are expecting honey by the car-load from California, and intend to pay not over 20 cents per lb., and won't pay over 15 cents if it can be avoided. There are some honest men in Boston but the most of them will compel the producers to give away their products if they can. If they get a man "cornered" he has got to sell low. We used to get 35c. and 40c. per lb. for our honey; now the best offer is 20c. Those fellows in Calfornia have raised the deuce with us." H. ALLEY.

The

Oneida, Ill., Sept. 21, 1876.-"Please tell me in next JOURNAL if the enclosed flower is golden-rod?-[Yes--ED.] Our fall harvest is almost a total failure. We have had so much rain that bees did not get as much honey as they ate. Have a few pleasant days now and bees are at work on buckwheat (1 acre), heart's-ease, and Spanish needle; but I do not think they will get any surplus for us.' WM. M. KELLOGG.

Barren Co., Ky., Sept. 16, 1876.-"My bees have been gathering honey from buckwheat and smartweed for two weeks. They are doing well, and are a great pleasure to me." N. M. GREER.

Paoli, Ind., Sept. 18, 1876.-"Enclosed find a specimen of a honey plant that grows here in the woods, and the bees are working on it now. What is it? We never had as good a spring for bees since I have been in the business, and that has been 4 years. Since June the bees have not done much. Can you tell me the best time to sow buckwheat for honey. I sowed on July 1, and I don't think my bees got enough honey to pay for the seed. When the spring opened I had 6 colonies, 5 in good condition and one very weak in May and June. I took from them, with the extractor, nearly 400 lbs. of white honey. I now have 15 coloniesthough some of them are small. If they do not stock up soon I will unite some of them. In wintering, of course I will have to take away one queen. Can you tell me how I can keep her through the winter? It is a shame to kill a nice queen."

B. M. LINGle.

[As nearly as we can make out from the specimen received, the plant is golden-rod. Perhaps you might sow buckwheat a little earlier than July; but some seasons it yields very little, no matter when sown.

We have doubts about your keeping over a queen in any way except in a full colony. A great many have tried it, and we shall be glad to hear if any one has hit upon a plan that has been uniformly successful.-ED.]

WONDER UPON WONDERS. Given away - A strange, mysterious and most extraordinary book. entitled THE BOOK OF WONDERS. Containing with numerous curious pictorial illustrations, the mysteries of the Heavens and Earth, Natural and Super-Natural, Oddities, Whimsical, strange Curiosities, Witches and Witchcraft, Dreams, Superstition, Absurdities, Fabulous, Enchantment, &c., &c. In order that all the world may see this curious book, the publishers have resolved to give it away, also to send with it gratis, a beautiful Chromo, varnished and mounted, and all ready to hang up. Address F. GLEASON & Co., 738 Washington St., Boston, Mass.. enclosing 25c, for prepayment of postage on Book and Chromo.

We will sell single copies for 20 cents each.

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

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

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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.