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Swarming Foretold!

The December Bee-keepers' Review is especially devoted to House-apiaries. It is printed on enameled paper, and has several beautiful engravings illustrating House-apiaries and their management. One novel feature is where one man tells how, with his house and arrangement, he is able to foretell swarming without

You can

Say Boys have 80

acres of good land or $5000 in Cash to start business with when you come of age.

Or if you want three years at some first-class college you can have that. Your father may not be financially able to give you this, but I have plans that will enable any bright energetic 14 year old boy to do for himself just as I say above. It will not keep you out of school or interfere with your regular work. It is a business you can work on the side. It will help make a business man of you. I will send full particulars free and help just one boy in each school district to learn the work; you want to be that boy. When the other boys learn what you are doing they will want to get in too. It will cost them $30.00 cash each for a start and they will have to learn how from you.

Write at once giving county, township and schooldistrict you live in. Write UNCLE JOE. Spencer, Ind.

removing a super or opening up the brood-nest.
Send ten cents for this issue, and the ten cents may
apply on any subscription sent in within the year.

W. Z. Hutchinson, Flint, Mich.

$5000 Worth of Live Stock

TO BE CIVEN AWAY.

$1000 worth offered each month for the months of January, February, March, April, and May. We want farmers and farmers' sons to get up clubs for the Agricultural Epitomist, the only agricultural paper edited and printed on a farm. We have 650 acres devoted to experimental and practical agriculture, breeding thoroughbred live stock, poultry, grain, etc., which we give as premiums for clubs for the Agricultural Epitomist. We have a plan by which you can secure the premium you want at once and get up the club as you have spare time.

If you need thoroughbred Stock, cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, dogs, poultry, eggs for hatching, incubators, brooders, feed-grinders, wagon-scales, farm and garden seeds, etc., etc.-this is a good opportunity to get them without cost and with but little effort on your part. Regular premiums are worth 80 per cent of the money the club raiser sends us; the Grand Sweepstakes prizes offered each month for the largest clubs take nearly all the remaining 20 per cent. We practically give you in value all you send us. The Epitomist is now 25 years old with a circulation of 200,000. We want to add 25,000 new names to our list by June 1st, and will give away $5000 worth of premiums to get them. You will miss the opportunity of your life if you do not get in on this quick. Full information free if you ask for it. Address

AGRICULTURAL EPITOMIST,

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All of the above only $2; first two, .50; first three, $1.25. New subscribers for the A. B. J. can substitute it for

Hunter-Trader-Trapper Gleanings, if they wish. Renewals to A. B. J. add 40c

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Illustrated 64 to 80 page month-
ly journal about game, steel
traps, deadfalls, trapping se-
crets, and raw fur. Published
by experienced hunter, trapper,
and trader. Subscription $1.00 a
year; sample copy 10 cents.

A. R. HARDING, Editor,
Gallipolis, Ohio.

PILONCILLO.

The pure cane sugar direct from Mexico; equal in quality and flavor to maple sugar. Comes in one-pound cones, each one wrapped in the sugar-cane leaves. Nine cones

more to any club. Western Bee Journal can be substituted for the bee-paper. No changes will be made in this offer. Write for OTHER CLUBBING OFFERS, and a PRICE LIST OF BEE SUPPLIES. Very cheap. E. T. ABBOTT, St. Joseph, Mo.

FARM PAPER ONE YEAR 10 CENTS

If you do not read it regularly you are not in the push.
Sample free. Mention this paper.
FARMERS' FAMILY JOURNAL, Topeka, Kan.

Wood-working

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will make one gallon of delicious syrup. One hundred Machinery.

pounds to a box. Six cents per pound cone.

W. B. GEHRELS, Route 4, SAN ANTONIO, TEX.

Oh, Say!

The Hillview Poultry-yards of Egan, S. D., have 13 White and 20 Buff Plymouth Rock cockrels for sale at $2 and $3 each. Write them at Egan, S. D., lock box 11.

For ripping, cross-cut-
ting, mitering, grooving,
boring, scroll-sawing, edge
moulding, mortising; for
working wood in any man-
ner. Send for catalog A.'"
The Seneca Falls M'f'g Co.,
44 Water St., Seneca Fs., N. Y.

Foot and Hand Power

Do

You Know

OUR NEW 1905 CATALOG IS NOW OUT?

Pretty Enough for the Parlor Table.

IF YOU HAVE NEVER SENT US YOUR NAME,

Send for One at Once.

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NOTICE!

We have increased our output by installing new machinery.

Our storage capacity with new warehouses.

We have an enormous stock now on hand.

We will not keep you waiting. DEPEND ON IT.

G. B. LEWIS CO., Watertown, Wis., U. S. A.

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Auray Araws

By Dr.C.C.MILLER.

THE VALUE of that article on page 1155 depends upon the truth or falsity of the statement that white clover never winterkills. What do the authorities at the agricultural experiment stations say about it? Please look it up, Bro. A. I.

C. E. WOODWARD, p. 1157, thinks the merits of the break-joint honey-board have been overlooked. Some of us who used them for years appreciated them highly; but we were glad to throw them away for something better. In any case I wish Mr. Woodward would tell us how a honey-board would prevent the bees from fastening the frames together or fastening the bottom-bar to the floor.

THE EDITOR says, p. 1159, "Your form of agreement is all right, except that you leave out all reference as to who furnished the hives-for the increase that goes to the operator." Doesn't the first sentence, p. 1159, say the proprietor shall do it? Clause 5, Management, is rather loose-gives chance for a scrap as to how much increase "is consistent with good management." [Thanks for the correction. - ED.]

"MR. ABBOTT insisted that bees did not freeze to death if they had plenty of storesthat they starved to death." P. 1150. I understand him to say in the last issue of Modern Farmer that a single bee will quickly freeze, and I suppose he would admit that two bees on a solid comb of honey would freeze. What I'd like him to tell is what number of bees must be reached before they will stop freezing and begin to starve.

I MOVE an amendment to Bro. Doolittle's rule, p. 1147, where he says he prepares "sections to the amount of 125 pounds for each colony I have in the fall." That would leave

ILLUSTRATED

SEMI-MONTHLY

Published by THEA-Root Co.
MEDINA OHIO.

No. 1

him short if he should have 166 pounds per colony, as he reports for one year. My amendment is to have for each colony enough for the maximum crop, with about 10 sections thrown in for empty and unfinished sections-not less than 175 in his case.

G. M. DOOLITTLE, p. 1147, tells about lying awake one to three hours studying up what to do with the bees. Tut, tut, Bro. Doolittle, don't you know it's bad for the health to do that sort of thing? When you go to bed, go right to sleep; do your studying in daytime. And yet-and yet-the man who has never lain awake studying about his bees is hardly a genuine bee keeper. I've learned a whole lot about counting when trying to let go of some tough bee problem after the "one to three hours" were up.

"THE RABBET, as now made in the Dovetailed hive," says Dr. Kerr, p. 1164, "is its weakest point. I strengthen it very satisfactorily by nailing on each end a 14-inch cleat as long as the outside width of the hive, the cleat coming flush with the top of the hive. Such a cleat is worth while for that purpose alone, and is worth while for the sake of handling the hive, even if the rabbet didn't need reinforcing. [Each beekeeper can do that for himself, but the supply-dealer can not very well. -ED.]

NEVER RUN ACROSS extra-yellow bees that were not cross, Mr. Editor? p. 1162. I had them from G. M. Doolittle that were probably as golden as any on the face of the earth, and I do not remember any trouble with their tempers. [We have on file a list of several customers who bought some of the Root Company's bees that had a dash of yellow blood. All were pronounced cross. One man is even now so mad that he swears he will never again deal with the Root Co. He called the bees "vixens," the meanest and crossest bees he ever saw or heard of. bees got to flying, and the result was we You see, the drones of some of these yellow had some quite bad complaints of queens that had mated with them. The yellow drones referred to were not from Doolittle's queens. This stock came from one of our Southern breeders. While I do not deny

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that there may be gentle bees among yellow stock, their disposition, so far as I have been able to observe, is much crosser than the average yellow-colored Italians. -ED.]

YOU ARISE, MR. EDITOR, p. 1143, to ask how I know that bees carrying pollen were only five days old. I'll tell you. I got an imported queen and wanted to make a sure thing of introducing. I fastened the queen in a hive with not a living bee, but with brood just ready to emerge. Five days later the entrance was opened, and in a short time the liberated bees returned with loads of pollen. Isn't that proof? [Could not be better. You remind me of the witness who, when asked by the prosecution how far he was away from the man who was shot, replied instantly, "Nine feet, four and a half inches." 'How do you know it was exactly that?" "Because," said the witness, "I thought some fool of a lawyer would ask me, and so I measured it immediately." Yes, your proof is indisputable. I felt sure you knew whereof you were talking; but sometimes we like to know the real foundation of a direct and positive statement. - ED.]

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YOUR RECOLLECTION as to the consensus of opinion as to mid-winter flights, I think, is wrong, Mr. Editor, p. 1145. I think that the general opinion was that taking bees out for a flight and then returning them to cellar was a damage-certainly that was my opinion, an opinion that remained undisturbed until you made trouble by raising the question as to its correctness. As I said, p. 1145, I've been taking some out for a winter or two, but I couldn't be positive whether they were better or worse for it. I think you overestimate the unbrokenness of the cold in this location, for usually there comes a day before time for taking out that is warm enough for a flight. When that day comes this winter, I expect to take out some bees. [I sincerely hope you will have a suitable flight-day so you can test a part of your bees. I do not like to be alone in this controversy of mid-winter flights. I do not guess, but I know it is a good thing here at Medina, and I should like to know how far the principle would apply to other localities. - ED.]

MR. EDITOR, I don't understand what you say, page 1149. If you have some private information about the views of the Board of Directors, out with it. I have no recollection that they have passed any resolution which commits them to the view that defending members in their rights stands as the most important work to be done; neither do I remember that any member has privately expressed such a view. On the contrary, within a few weeks I have offered a motion whose passage I somewhat confidently expect, providing that in no case shall the National bear more than half of the expense of any lawsuit. The National has done a grand work in establishing precedents in such cases, and it is to be hoped that the time is not far distant when it may not be necessary for it to spend money to pay even half the cost of

a lawsuit. If you have any stronger appreciation than I of the importance of fighting adulteration, it must have a strong rating with you; and I don't know that my views differ from those of other members. I may not agree with you as to how the fighting should be done; but as to the vigor of the campaign I'm with you. I hope the battle may be waged so fiercely that adulteration in its turn may become a secondary matter, and another thing that I have now in mind may come to the front; "but that's another story." [I had no private information from the Board of Directors nor from any member of it. If you will turn to the first page of the annual report of the General Manager for 1904, and read the published letter from the Chairman of the Board of Directors, you will see where I obtained my information. I was not criticising Mr. Marks or the Board, but I only regretted that the polThe icy there stated should be as follows: suppression of adulteration

is a sec

ondary object with the Association The Association must not be expected to neglect or jeopardize the prime object of the Association, to protect and defend its members in their lawful rights.' I do not understand by this that the policy is to ignore the question of adulteration, but only to put it partially in the background in order that the defense feature may be given the fullest prominence. Considering the number of petty quarrels between bee-keepers and their neighbors-quarrels which have come up of late and which could have been avoided-it begins to seem as if the insurance feature is being overdone. Indeed, I know that the General Manager is being overworked in settling up and adjusting matters at issue between the bee-keeper and his neighbors. So arduous have his duties become that it is a question whether he or any man can stand it much longer without breaking down in health. To settle a neighborhood dispute helps one member only. To strike a blow at adulteration helps every member of the Association. The greatest good to the greatest number should now be our motto. Understand, I am not quarreling with the Board of Directors; and if I had been on the Board at the time the action was taken I undoubtedly would have voted with the majority. But conditions have changed. I now believe that the adulteration question should be the most prominent, and is the one that should receive the best brains and thought of the General Manager, and of the Board of Directors back of him. I do not mean to convey the impression that the Association should drain its treasury in this or any one line of work; but I do believe that we should either lessen the duties of the General Manager or pay him a larger salary. If we cut off the labor involved in neighborhood quarrels he can give more attention to other matters pertaining to the Association. Now, let it be understood that General Manager France has not complained to me or any one else; but I do know that he is an overworked ser

vant of the Association. I hope your motion will prevail. I believe it will.-ED.]

BEE KEEPING AMONG THE ROCKIES

BY J. A. GREEN

Bee-keepers should not have to shake bees off the combs when the weather is too cool for them to fly freely. If you are ever obliged to do such a thing, shake them into an empty story placed on top of the broodchamber. They are thus more likely to get into the cluster without becoming chilled.

An item in the Kingsburg (Cal.) Recorder says that at a recent meeting of the stockholders of the Central California Honey-producers' Association, it was decided to disincorporate the organization. It is said that last year's business was not very successful. It is a pity that an enterprise so promising, one of the pioneers in a field where organization and co-operation are so badly needed, should thus collapse so early in its

career.

Miss Wilson's article on cleaning propolis from separators, etc., by the use of lye is valuable; but if she will tell us whether the kettle into which she puts three cans of lye holds ten, twenty, or a hundred gallons, it will be a little clearer to the inexperienced. I once boiled a lot of hives and frames, using a box of lye to about forty gallons of water, which is probably much less lye than Miss Wilson used. It took off the propolis fairly well, though more lye would doubtless have removed it more quickly and thoroughly.

Some of my correspondents have sent me copies of their local papers in which they have had inserted in the form of a news item the offer of the National Bee-keepers' Association to forfeit $1000 for samples of manufactured comb honey. More of this might be done, with very good effect. Most papers would be entirely willing to publish this if it were properly brought to their notice. It gives a local interest to the matter, and adds impressiveness to say that "The National Bee-keepers' Association authorizes G. W. Knowles, its local representative (or any other member), to forfeit $1000 to any one who will produce two sections of manufactured comb honey. Some have asked me why two sections should be required. Although I have seen no reasons given for this, I presume it is because this gives a good opportunity to point out the fact that no two sections of honey are exactly alike.

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An English bee-keeper, writing in the American Bee-keeper, extols the gentleness of his Punic bees, but declines to believe that any one would be so rash as to attempt to handle bees without a veil, since "It is beyond belief that any race of bees armed with stings will permit themselves to be robbed without attempting to retaliate, for one's breath is sure to invite attack, even from half-stupefied bees." Sounds queer, doesn't it? I wonder what proportion of what might be called professional apiarists habitually use a veil. A number I know do not. As for myself, even when handling all sorts of bees under all sorts of conditions, as bee inspector, it is but very seldom that I would be bothered with a veil.

I do not believe that dry weather affects the color of honey, except that in non-irrigated countries it is apt to lessen the yield, so that bees, in their search for honey, work on plants that ordinarily they would leave alone. The honey thus secured is apt to be darker and poorer in quality than what they get from ordinary sources. In the irrigated districts of Colorado and Utah, where alfalfa is grown, the air is extremely dry, though the ground may be well watered. When alfalfa honey is secured free from any admixture, it is water-white in color, and I have never seen any thing to indicate that the weather had any thing to do with the color. In this valley, though, it is but seldom that alfalfa honey is secured alone. An average of my honey, even excluding the fall honey, which is distinctly darker in color, is of a light golden tinge.

I have been unable to learn any thing further about the way in which comb honey is used in confectionery, owing to the absence from home of the friend who sold the honey for this purpose; but I imagine that, like most soft candies, it is made with but a moderate amount of cooking and a great deal of stirring, especially just after it is removed from the fire. In this manner the wax is thoroughly mixed through the candy, and helps a very soft candy to keep its shape instead of melting down and becoming sticky with the changes of temperature and moisture. Paraffine is sometimes used for this purpose; but the comb honey, containing wax in about the right proportion, already finely divided and well mixed through the mass, is probably less trouble, besides being superior in other respects.

I have no quarrel with those who, like H. H. Hyde, prefer the Hoffman frame and are willing to take as much pains to keep it in

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