Gansevoort, N. Y., July 20.—I think the American Bee Journal worthy of every bee-keeper’s attention, whether he keeps one stand or a hundred.
I would like to learn from some more experienced bee-keepers than myself, the best way to set bees for summer; whether exposed to the sun, in the shade of trees, or under a shelter made of boards.
It has been very dry here all summer, and flowers have nearly all dried up. Bees have swarmed but little and have not stored much cap honey. Box hives are mostly used here, though there are some others of different kinds.—Thomas Pierce.
Rich Valley, Minn., July 20.—The season for bees has been fair thus far; but I do not think this location so well adapted to the business as most of the States south.—L. M. Lindley.
Ridgeway, Mich., July 21.—I have one hundred and thirty colonies in box hives, somewhat like T. B. Miner’s equilateral hive. I shall have about twenty hundred pounds of honey for sale this season.
I cannot learn that it would be wise for me to adopt the movable comb hive, as I have five hundred dollars invested in box hives, and have been successful with them. So far as I can learn I have the largest apiary in Michigan, and have perhaps, in the last thirteen years sold more surplus honey than any apiarian using box hives, or perhaps any other kind of hive. Honey sells for twenty to twenty-five cents per pound.—J. F. Temple.
Augusta, Me., July 22.—This is a very dry season with us. Bees will not give much surplus honey; and in some cases old stocks will not get honey enough to winter.—H. B. Coney.
Gebhartsburg, Pa., July 22.—This has been a remarkable honey season, and also for swarming. I practice artificial swarming, yet in spite of all precautions I got two natural swarms, and that too without the least preparation by the bees, for no queen cells had been started. This is contrary to the books and my previous experience.—W. Baker.
Hamilton, Ill., July 24.—No Bee Journal either on the old continent or the new, can vie with the American Bee Journal.—C. Dadant.
Niagara, Ontario, July 30.—We have had a good honey season, through June and part of July, from white clover; but I do not think bees are doing much now. I lost some honey for want of shade. The combs melted, though in double boxes.—F. G. Nash.