Quinby's new bee-keeping. The mysteries of bee-keeping explained

Front matter

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CHAPTER I.— The Hone* -Bee

Simple Facts in Its Natural History— The Queen— Workers— Drones- Construction of Comb— Gathering and Storing Pollen— Gathering and Storing Honey— Propolis and Its Use— Brood Rearing When it Begins— Form of the Brood-nest— Process of Egg-laying— Preparations for Swarming— Facts and Theories Concerning Generation —Ferule Workers 23-39

CHAPTER II.— Italian Bees

Italian or Ligurian Bees— First Introduced into America— Characteristics —How to Procure Italians -Color not an Absolute Test of Purity- Other Varieties 39-43

CHAPTER III.— Sources of Honet

Sources of Pollen— Early Honey Plants— Singular Fatality Attendant on Silk-weed — Basswood — Later Honey Plants— Buckwheat— Honey Dew— Do Bees Injure Grain and Fruit ?— Injury to Ripe Fruit— How far will Bees go for Honey ?— Best Season for Honey 48-66

CHAPTER IV.— The Apiary

Preliminary Study— Location— Immediate Surroundings— Bee-Keeping in Cities and Villages— Arrangement of the Hives— Distance Between Hives— Hives should Set Level— Disadvantages of High Stands — Marking the Location— Moving Bees Short Distances— Shade— Bee Houses— House Apiary— When to Purchase Bees— Where to Buy — Transportation Beneficial— How to Select Swarms— Expense of Bees and Fixtures— Transporting Bees— Taking Bees on Shares— Financial Results— Overstocking 66-87

CHAPTER V.— Controlling Bees

Their Disposition— Smoke a Controlling Agent— Modes of Using Decayed Wood— Quinby Smoker— Means of Protection— Suitable Dress for Women— Interest Dispels Fear— Remedies for Stings 87-94

VI CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VI.— Hives and Boxes

Movable Comb Hive— Construction and Advantages— Intelligent Manipulation Necessary— Hanging Frame or Langstroth Hive— Frames- Division Board — Siue-boxing Hives — Observatory Hive — New Quinby Hive— Standing Frame— Panels or Side-boards— Small Bottom-board for Quinby Frames— Outer Case not Always Essential —Complete New Quinby Hive— Position of the Frames -Stands for Hives— Alighting Boards— Roofs— Painting Hives— Accuracy Essen tial — Honey Boxes- Section Frames Objectionable— Two-comb Boxes— Block for Setting up Boxes— Single-comb, or Section Boxes —Construction of Section Box— Guide Combs— Separators— The Clamp 95-125

CHAPTER VIII.— Queens

Importance of Selecting Good Stock— Fertilization in Confinement— Bearing Queens: When to Rear— How to Rear Queens— Another Method— Forming Nuclei— Queen Nursery— Queen Cages— Introducing Queens— Clipping Queens 1 Wings— Process— How to Handle a Queen— Age of Queens— Drone-Laying Queens— Loss of Queens — Indications of Loss— More than one Queen in a Hive 129-152

CHAPTER IX.- Natural and Artificial Increase

Natural Increase— When Swarming Commences— Indications of Swarming—Preparations—Which Bees Compose the Swarm— Immediate Indications of a Swarm— How to Hive them— Emergencies— Separating Swarms— Swarms Returning to the Old Hive— After-Swarms— Preventing After-sw3rms— Artificial Increase— Straight Combs— Controlling Swarming -Non-Swarming Hives— Methods — Depriving of a Queen— Suggestions— Hints for Exceptional Seasons 152-172

CHAPTER X.— Boxing and Surplus Honey. Putting on Boxes— Removing Boxes— Care of Box Honey— Presence of

Larvae— Suggestions for Securing Choice Specimens of Honey 172-179

CHAPTER XL— The Honet Extractor and its Use.

ItB Value— Description— Desirable Features— The Use of the Honey Extractor- -When to Extract— Arranging Hives for Extracting— How to Extract— Curing Extracted Honey— Honey Knife— Securing Extra Combs of Honey— Securing Guide Combs— Relative Amount of Box and Extracted Honey 180-190

CHAPTER XII.— Wax and Comb

Wax— Honey-Comb— Size of Cells— Hexagonal Shape not Essential- Cost of Comb— Artificial Comb— Supplying Material for Comb— Comb-Fonndation— Sheeting Wax— Wire in Foundation — Advantages of Wire— Heavy Foundation Preferable— Uses and Value of

J' Foundation— Foundation in Surplus Boxes— To fasten-Foundation in ■■": Frames— Expense of Foundation Machines— Rendering Wax. ....... 190-203

CONTENTS. VII

CHAPTER XIII— Feeding

Its Necessity— What to Feed— Preparing Food— Feeders-Honey in Combs for Spring Feeding— Feeding to Secure Surplus in Better Form— Honey Should be Warm when Fed 204-211

CHAPTER XIV. -Robbing. General Remarks— Indications— Remedies 212-216

CHAPTER XV.— Diseases and Enemies op Bees. Dysentery Foul Brood— Indications of Foul Brood— Remedy— Due to a Fungoid Growth— Remedy— Parasites— Bee Moth —Where their Eggs are Deposited— Development of the Larvae— Destroyed by Severe Cold — Remedies— Moth-Proof Hives— Rats and Mice— Birds— Ants, Toads and Spiders 216-231

CHAPTER XVI.— Marketing Honey

Subject of Importance— Neatness— Objection to Large Cases— Two-story Cases— Small Cases Popular— Preparing Boxes for Market— Grading Honey— Packing Honey— Marking Cases— Reliable Dealers— Material for Cases— Manufacturing Cases— Transportation— Preparing Extracted for Market— Process of Liquefaction— Kind of Package 232-240

CHAPTER XVII.— Wintering

Preparing Bees for Winter— Perfect Quiet Essential— Out-of -Door Wintering— In -Door Wintering— Artificial Heat— Dryness— Best Arrangement of a Cellar— A Special Building for Wintering— Clamps- When to Place Bees in Winter Quarters— Flight during Winter— Setting out Bees too Early in Spring— Healthy Excrement always Dry 241-255

CHAPTER XVIII.— Honet. Uses as Food and Medicine— Adulteration of Syrups— Different Qualities

of Honey— Extracted Honey— Adulteration of Honey 255-260

CHAPTER XX. Conclusion 263-264

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Queen.. 24

Groups of Bees 25

Worker 25

Sting of Worker 26

Drone 27

Eggs and Larvae 32

Ovaries of the Queen 36

White Clover 50

Alsike Clover 51

Motherwort 52

Silkweed 53

Basswood or Linden 55

Fuller's Teasel 57

Wild Teasel 57

Smooth Sumach 58

Golden Rod 61

Hives upon Roofs at Ilion, N. Y 69

View of Author's Apiary 71

House Apiary of J. H. Nellis, Cana-

joharie, N. Y... 78

The Quinby Smoker 91

The Qui n by Smoker, Improved 91

The Bee Veil 92

Iron for Holding Frames 98

Hanging-Frame Hive and Cap 99

Hanging-Frame 100

Division Board 101

Observatory Hive 102

New Quinby Hive, with Frames and

Boxes 103

Standing Frame 105

Hook on the End of Standing

Frame 106

Form for Building Frames 106

Panel for Side of Frames 107

Panel, Improved 107

Small Bottom-board for Quinby

Hive 108

Quinby Frames and Boxes in

Clamps 109

Large Bottom-board, with Frame.. 110

The Quinby Hive Clasp Ill

The Quinby Hive with Roof 112

Roof for Hives ....113

Tin for Corner Posts of Boxes 117

Two-Comb Box, b Honey-Board.... 118

Block for Setting up Boxes. 119

Standard for Tops of Boxes 119

Tin Point for Holding Glass .121

Section Boxes 121

Form for Making Section Boxes. . .121

Separator 122

Improved Separator 123

An Empty Clamp 123

Clamp Filled With Boxes 124

Frame Containing Six Boxes 124

Frame Containing Three Boxos 124

Transferring Board ... 126

Transferring Sticks 126

Transferred Combs . . , 128

NuclcusBox 133

Comb with Brood for Queen Raising.... 134

Comb with Brood Inserted in Comb.134

Queen Cells Built upon Comb 135

Queen Nursery 136

Queen-Cell Box 141

Queen Cages 143

Queen with Clipped Wing.... 147

Brood of Drone-laying Queen in Worker Cells 150

§ueen Cells over Drone Brood 150 luster of Queen Cells and a Queen

Cell cut from Comb . 156

Everett 's Honey Extractor 180

The Excelsior Honey Extractor. ... 181

A Two-story Hive 184

VanDeusen's Clasp ..184

Straight Honey Knife 188

Curve-pointed Honey Knife 188

Bingham & Hetherington's Honey

Knife 188

Abdomen of Bee with Scales of

Wax 190

Machine for Making Metallic Comb.193 Manner of Setting up Metallic

Combs 194

Distorted Cells in Foundation 197

Comb Foundation with Wires 197

Machine for Making Worker-Comb

Foundation 198

Swiss Wax Extractor 202

The Author's Wax Extractor 203

Feeder for Quinby Hive on Panel. .206

Van Deusen's Feeder 208

Method of Filling Combs for Feeding 209

The Honey Bug 222

Trichodes Apiarius 222

Seed-glass for Examining Parasites.222 "American Agriculturist" Simple

Microscope 223

The Bee-moth in Different Positions ...224

Gallery of the Bee-moth Worm in

Comb 225

The Worm Gallery Removed 226

Larva of Bee-moth 226

Cocoons of Bee-moth 227

The Bee-killer 229

Three Sizes of Honey Boxes 234

Eight Five-pound Cases Recased. . . 234 Twelve Cans of Extracted Honey in

Case 240

Muth's Honey Bottles 241

Frames of Quinby Hive Prepared

for Winier 244

Thermometer 255

Double Clump for Wintering Bees.. 259

PUBLISHERS' PREFACE.

After the death of Mr. Quinby, the preparation of a new and revised edition of his work, which he had in contemplation, fell into the hands of Mr. L. C. Root, his relative and long-time business associate. This secured the incorporation of Mr. Quinby's latest views and methods, and the introduction of important improvements that had then just been tested, especially that of comb-foundation, and the treatise thus embodied the experience of two skilled apiarians. The work was so largely rewritten by Mr. Root, that he might in justice have claimed to be its author, but with rare modest}", and in a spirit of reverence to the memory of one who had devoted his life to the advancement and popularizing of bee-culture, he preferred to retain the title of " Quinby's New Bee-keeping." In the present edition the work has been revised throughout, numerous pages and parts of pages have been cancelled and replaced by new ones ; new engravings have been prepared, and the matter everywhere brought up to the present date. This has been done so thoroughly, as to make the present edition, what each previous one has been, the standard guide to bee-culture, presenting all tested improvements, and the latest views, both of the author and other workers in the same field of industry. The work is offered to the experienced bee-keeper as a reliable volume of reference, and to the novice as a guide in commencing the occupation of keeping bees. Annually vast quantities of honey literally " waste their sweetness on the desert air," for the lack of bees to secure and preserve it in a form in which it may be consumed or converted into money. It is hoped that this work, in its improved form, may aid many dwellers in rural districts to increase their luxuries and their incomes.

PKEFACE TO EEVISED EDITION.

In presenting this revised edition of " New Bee-keeping, " I have but one object in view, namely, the desire to place Bee-keeping as a substantial branch of agriculture on a higher and broader basis.

There seems to be a wide-spread conviction that there ls nothing new to be learned in Bee-keeping, and the number of bees yet kept in box-hives throughout the country is ample proof that there is yet a great work to be accomplished. I am of the opinion that even the majority of progressive bee-keepers fail to comprehend the ultimate possibilities of our pursuit. I have endeavored to bring this work fully up to the time, and to this end have described and illustrated all of the latest appliances and methods, which from actual experience have proved of value.

The price to be paid for progress in this, as in all other callings, is continuous labor and application, and whatever value this work may possess, lies in the fact that it gives the reader the benefit of the most extended practical experience of any work ever published upon the subject.

L. 0. Root.

Preface To Third Edition

It is well known to those familiar with the previous editions of this work, that Mr. Quinby wrote and offered it to the public, with a hope of awakening a clearer conception of the immense quantities of honey annually produced by the bloom of field and forest, and of utilizing these hitherto undeveloped resources, by encouraging a more general adoption of bee-keeping as a pursuit.

The figures which he gave at that time, seemed incredible to the uninformed, yet he lived to see his own expectations more than realized, in the rapid progress that has since been made.

During the latter years of his life, he was particularly anxious to embody his ripest experience, and most important discoveries, in a new and thorough revision of his book ; and had his life been prolonged a few years, this work would have been done by his own hands.

Encouraged by the publishers, and inspired by the wish to fulfill his desire to keep step with the progress of his beloved pursuit, I have endeavored to prepare this revision, and compile the results of his experience ; and thus, so far as lies within my power, carry out his idea of still farther elevating bee-keeping to the honorable position it deserves, as a scientific calling.

1 have thought it desirable to retain, as far as possible, Mr. Quinby's original language upon points which he developed with much clearness, and in which but little, if any, advance has since been made. This is but just to him, when we remember how indefatigable and painstaking he was, in his efforts to arrive at the exact truth, when he was not only unaided by any of our modern facilities for investigation, but rather, was impeded by all the obstacles which popular ignorance and current prejudice could present.

I have been unable to reproduce literally much of his later writings on topics of recent development, as they

XI

XII PREFACE.

mostly appeared in periodicals, and needed condensation ; yet, much of the matter presented is really but the result of his observations, expressed in my own language.

Very many views have been advanced as worthy of consideration and adoption, which might have been corroborated and strengthened, by quoting the sanction and pra6- tice of many reliable bee-keepers ; but in many instances, I have omitted to do this for lack of space, trusting that all will believe that nothing has been recommended, that has not been put to a practical test.

I must express my indebtedness to many of our leading writers and practical apiarians, for many ideas and suggestions that have been of much value to me, and which, true benevolence dictates, should be disseminated for the good of all. And I am also under no small obligation to the enterprising " bee-men " of foreign countries, both of the past and present ; and although belonging to far distant countries and nationalities, every true bee-keeper must feel that their love for the study of the Honey-Bee, is a bond of sympathy which makes us all brethren.

While I have thus been greatly aided in many ways, my confidence in an ability to accomplish Mr. Quinby's intentions, has been chiefly derived from the circumstances of my intimate association with him during the latter part of his life, when a half century of assiduous toil and study had well fitted him to become a teacher in his special vocation.

Combined with this, I have had an active personal experience of ten years in bee-keeping (making it my exclusive business) ; and thus, I hope to sustain the original reputation of this work, for " simplicity and reliability " and at the same time, to make it, what the author designed it to be, a comprehensive and practice 1 treatise on Advanced Bee Culture.

L. C. Root,

MEMORIAL OF M. QTTINBY.

By Capt. J. E. Hetherington, Cherry Valley, N. Y.

I approach the task before me with mingled feelings of love, admiration, and duty ; love for the man, cemented by intimate friendly relations with him for more than twenty years. I went to him when a mere lad for instruction in bee-culture, and he so beautifully unveiled the wonderful mysteries of the natural history and practical management of the honey-bee, that I left him that day, impressed as I had never been before. As I afterwards learned to know him, I found that his kind, considerate manner, and evident pleasure in imparting instruction, were but the manifestation of qualities of heart and purpose, strongly marked in his character. My admiration for his sterling, manly attributes, and eminently useful life, inspire me to attempt, in a small measure, to discharge a duty resting on me, in common with every bee-keeper in the land ; that of putting in some enduring form, a tribute to his unselfish life-work in promoting the science of bee-culture.

His writings have made their impress on bee-liternture, and his name is familiar in every home where honey bees are kept for pleasure or profit. Thousands are to-day enjoying a delicious and wholesome article of food that would have remained ungathered, except for his earnest advocacy of the business as a source of revenue to the nation, and profit to the bee-keeper. He was ever unselfishly urging people to adopt this calling, that the millions of pounds of honey annually going to waste, might be garnered for the use of mankind ; and he devoted XIII

XIV MEMORIAL OF M. QUItfBY.

the best of his life to imparting instruction that would lead to this end. Thus, through his writings, and through his life-work for the benefit of mankind, he built to himself a monument more enduring than brass ; and to complete the memorial, it is the wish of all who knew him to have inscribed on its tablet, that which will testify to his broad, christian character, as well as to such qualities of heart as are best revealed in home life to kindred and friends.

I was asked to write of Mr. Quinby because I knew him ; none could know him but to love him. We, who were accustomed to gather at his fireside, can never forget his warm hospitality. He was of a happy, even temperament, always ready with a hearty welcome for his friends, and a kind word for every one ; ever willing to spread the broad mantle of charity over the shortcomings of his fellows, yet equally prompt with quick censure for a wrong that could be righted.

True to his Quaker education, he was an intense hater of shams, especially of the human kind. He was honest, a characteristic that is getting to be as rare as it is valuable. There is no principle in business better established than that "Honesty is the best policy." Mr. Quinby, unlike many men, was honest from principle. His life-work was to elevate bee-keeping to the dignity of a pursuit among men, and he accomplished his mission.

Bee-keeping as a specialty will date from his time, and if Huber has earned the title of " Prince of Apiarists," certainly Mr. Quinby is entitled to that of " Father of Practical Bee-Culture. "

In apiarian history there are four names that will stand out prominently beyond all others ; Huber, the blind apiarian, who, by his untiring perseverance, discovered moie of the interior workings of the bee-hive than any other man that ever lived ; Dzierzon, the Quinby of Germany, who confirmed the hitherto unbelieved state-

MEMORIAL OF M. QUIKBY. XV

ments of Huber, and added that equally surprising one of partheno-genesis ; Langstroth, our own countryman, inventor of the movable comb-hive (the most important invention ever made in bee-culture), and author of a work, that for scientific accuracy and beauty of expression is unsurpassed; and last, but not least, our own Quinby, who, adding largely to the knowledge of his predecessors, combined the whole into a system of practical management, unequalled in simplicity and feasibility ; and, finally, as a crowning act of a lifetime spent in the service of others, gave to the world his celebrated discovery that the liquid part of honey is, under favorable conditions, entirely evaporated within the body of the bee ; a discovery second to none ever made in the history of the insect.

He was not only author of our most practical work on bee-keeping, but inventor of an almost perfect movableframe hive, and the originator of numerous other useful devices. I predict that his invention of a smoker, combining the principle of an upright tube and bellows, will, in the near future, be in the hands of every bee-keeper in the land.

It has often been asked, "Why did not Mr. Quinby accumulate a fortune in keeping bees ? "

To this question, I think this answer may be given : It is true that Mr. Quinby never became wealthy in a pecuniary point of view, but this was not because he was unable to make bee-keeping a lucrative pursuit. He did reap handsome profits in his business, but was continually distributing his gains in the search for more knowledge, and means for imparting it to others. His views of a true fortune did not permit him to enjoy the mere possession of money. With him, knowledge was better fortune than gold ; and in another light, he considered the ability to do something for the benefit of mankind, a perpetual reward — treasures laid

XVI MEMORIAL OF M. QUINBY.

up in heaven. Whenever he obtained any new idea that would benefit others as well as himself, it was forthwith given to all who would receive.

His life was, in every sense, a life of usefulness, and not wholly devoted to the interests of bee-culture, for he took a living interest in anything that he thought would benefit society ; as an advocate and helper in the temperance work he did no mean service.

He possessed true kindness of heart, and believed it to be a religious duty to make all with whom he came in contact better and happier, and he regarded that life a failure that did not leave the world the better for having been lived. The following little incident tells its own story : On the day of his funeral, some bare-footed boys had followed down the street to the front of the house, where one of them turned up a sorrowful-looking face, and remarked to the officiating clergyman : "I am sorry Mr. Quinby is dead ;" on being asked why, he replied, "He gave us apples, and pears, and sometimes grapes.". They then asked if they might see him.

Generally, sickness, as a warning for preparation, precedes dissolution, but in the case of our friend, at the small hours of night, when reposing in quiet slumber, the message came. His wife noticed an unusual breathing — she immediately called the family, but before they reached the bed, he had answered the summons. A noble spirit had fled back to its Maker, a loving family circle was broken, and the earthly life of the Pioneer Bee-keeper closed.

Thus, at the age Of sixty-five, ended the life-work of our counsellor, friend, and public benefactor. How fitting that a life so pure should have so peaceful an ending. He passed from earth—

11 Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."

.xxi'EODUCTIOi,.

JEE-KEEP1NG : THE OLD AND THE NEW.

Fifty years ago, Mr. Quinby, then a lad of nineteen, procured his first hive of bees, and began bee-keeping. He was wholly unacquainted with their management, save with the simplest directions for hiving swarms, and the use of brimstone for securing the honey, when desired.

A practical, instructive treatise on bee-culture was not to be found, and a periodical devoted to the subject was as yet unthought of. The prevailing ignorance of the simplest facts in their natural history, with the consequent inability to rationally explain the causes of prosperity or failure, was the foundation of a wide-spread belief that " luck" was the presiding genius of the bee-hive.

Signs and superstitions of all kinds were current in the lack of more intelligent teachings, and the good old man who warned Mr. Quinby against his habits of study and examination into everything in and about a bee-hive, but reflected popular opinion, when he said : " Your bees will never do anything if you potter with them so much."

In those days, the only hives were sections of hollow logs, boxes of various dimensions, and curious cones built of straw, which certainly attested to the ingenuity, if not to the progress of the age. If honey was wanted, recourse was had to the brimstone pit, and the unhappy bees were doomed to yieid up not only their diligently gathered treasures, but their lives also; a sacrifice to ignorance, not witnoufc parellel in the history of the human race.

By and by, gleams of better methods began to dawn, and the most enterprising saw glimmers of a more rational system of treatment, which should secure the products without the destruction ol the producers. 17

18 BEE-KEEPING : THE OLD AND THE NEW.

Rough, uncouth, wooden boxes were constructed and placed upon the hive, and the bees had access to them through holes bored in the top. These were succeeded by others more neatly made, with a hole in each end, covered with glass that the progress within might be inspected.

Thus, the first steps in the right direction being taken 5 it was easy to devise boxes with glass eides ; and twenty five years ago, we find Mr. Quinby recommending boxes six inches square, with glass on all four sides, with the remark that, " the expense of making is a little more for the same amount of honey, yet, when it is marketed, a few customers will prefer this size." Up to that date, the chief advance in practice, seems to have been in the better adaptation of the box-hive to the production of surplus.

Mr. Quinby's desire to understand the minutest details of everything which came under his observation, led him to become thoroughly familiar with the habits of his little favorites ; and, unaided by the discoveries of foreign writers with which he was then wholly unacquainted, he demonstrated for himself many of the facts and principles which the progress of to-day easily enables us to verify.

At the end of a quarter of a century, he had so satisfactorily established a system of bee-keeping that would insure reasonable return for a stated investment, that he felt warranted in publishing the first edition of this work entitled " Mysteries of Bee-keeping Explained." He hoped thereby to benefit others by disse n mating the knowledge he had acquired, and to encourage an industry, evidently designed by the Creator, when he caused uncounted flowers to annually secrete tons of liquid honey, and created a tiny insect with instinct to gather and preserve this " treasure- trove."

Simultaneously with this publication, appeared the first edition of "Langstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee." These two works were the first of any great value that had been written in America.

BEE-KEEPING :. THE OLD A^d THE HEW. 19

Their coincident appearance was always a great gratification to Mr. Quinby, as it afforded no opportunity for either to accuse the other o± profiting by his investigations ; and gave to both the honor of much original discovery. *

These books were subsequently revised, Mr. Langstroth's in 1859, and Mr. Quinby's in 1865. About this time, the "Bee-keeper's Directory" by J. S. Harbison, appeared. Mr. Harbison was the pioneer bee-keeper of California, and has done much to develop bee-culture in that 'State.

Mr. Langstroth's book marked an era in bee-culture ; the invention of movable combs, therein elucidated, opening a field which all enterprising apiarians feel to be almost unlimited. A more accurate knowledge of the functions, and habits of the bee, improved methods of obtaining surplus, control of the interior economy of the hive, and many other advantages were derived from this invention.

From this period, progress began to be more rapid, and with each progressive step the facilities for improvement were proportionally increased. The next great discovery, that liquid honey might be removed from the combs without injuring them, gave to bee-keeping a still greater impetus.

The last ten years have given us Mr. Quinby's discovery concerning the dry fasces of the bee, and his invention of the Bellows Smoker.

The latest feature that has marked our progress, is the production of comb-foundation in a practical form.

Let us notice for a moment what these changes have done for us in point of production alone.

♦As an expression of Mr. Langstroth's appreciation of Mr. Quinby's work, I give the following, from his writings; "I shall here quote from one of the most common-sense works on practical bee-keeping, which has ever been written in our language. * * * I refer to the 'Mysteries,' etc., by Mr. Quinby. This treatise bears marks, on almost every page, of being the work of an accurate experienced, and thoroughly honest observer,"

20 BEE-KEEPING : THE OLD AND THE NEW.

I find in an article written by Mr. Quinby, in 1848, for the " Dollar Newspaper," published in Philadelphia, that he takes decided exception to a statement made by another writer, to the effect that he had known 25 lbs. of honey to be gathered by one colony in two weeks.

Mr. Quinby lived to see 57 1 /, lbs. of extracted honey taken from one colony in two days, and 586 lbs. from a stock during the season. He also records a gain of 225 lbs. of box-honey from one colony.

That these results are exceptional, is, of course, admitted, but that they have been reached, indicates the possibilities to which we may yet attain.

A short time before his death, Mr. Quinby remarked that the past five years had shown more progress than the forty years preceding, and he predicted that the five years to come would record even greater advancement. Who shall say that in this he was not correct ?

Contemporaneously with these practical achievements, Americans have established a bee-literature which has been a potent agent in disseminating information, and in greatly increasing the number of those engaged in the pursuit.

It would be interesting to be able to furnish correct statistics of bee-culture in the United States. The lists of names in the possession of those who deal largely in bee-keeping supplies, prove that the bee-keepers in this country must be counted by thousands, and the large sales of popular works on the subject are evidence of a constantly growing interest.

The oldest " Bee Journal " in this country was founded in 1861, by Samuel Wagner.

Aside from his ability as a scholarly and practical editor, Mr. Wagner has done apiarians great service through his acquaintance with the best German beemasters, and his frequent translations from their writings, thus forming a link between the scientists of that country

BEE-KEEPING : THE OLD AND THE NEW. 21

and the progressive minds of onr own. Mr. Quinby much admired Mr. Wagner, and was wont to speak of his services in this direction with marked appreciation. This "American Bee Journal" is now published by Thos. G. Newman, Chicago, Ills., and is the only weekly devoted to this pursuit in this country. It is sustained by an able corps of contributors.

" Gleanings in Bee-Culture," published by A. I. Eoot, Medina, Ohio, is a semi-monthly periodical, well worthy of the patronage of every enterprising bee-keeper.