Excelsior, Minn., July 30.—Bees have done very well here, until the middle of this month, the season having been an unusually fine one, up to that time. Since then, we have had a change of weather and bees are doing nothing. The season has been a very dry and hot one, thus indicating—not for the first time—that dry warm seasons are the best for honey in this latitude.—J. W. Murray.
East Fairfield, Ohio.—Bees are doing very nicely here this year. I should like to see your valuable Journal have a wide circulation, and if it were carefully read, I think bee-keepers would generally do well.—J. Heustis.
Springfield, Ill., August 4.—Our pets have done nothing since 20th of June, but eat up what they saved before. The “heated term” has been unusually severe and long. We look for better things, now that the weather has changed and vegetation begins to revive. This morning one of my early June swarms (Italian) threw off a very large swarm. On examining the hive, I was not a little interested and surprised to find five beautiful young queens, evidently stretching their legs (my queens have legs) for the first time. Three went “where the woodbine twineth.” I had use for the other two. Is not the simultaneous hatching of so great a number unusual?—W. L. Gross.
North Tunbridge, Vt., August 7.—We have had a very great season here for honey, but not as much swarming as usual. My bees have given me a profit of twenty-four dollars per swarm, in box honey.—D. C. Hunt.
Cleveland, Ohio, August 8.—I think we have a very poor locality for bees—the land being too flat, wet, and cold. No honey in the white clover blossoms this year.—R. Honey.
Virden, Ills., August 8.—We never had so good a season of white clover, in my recollection, as the past has been; but it has been so dry since that the bees have done nothing since the 1st of July. Our fall pasturage too will be short, on account of the drouth. Last year I got all my surplus honey after this time, mostly from Spanish needles and red clover. There will be very little of either this fall, consequently I do not expect much more surplus honey. I have increased my bees from twenty-five colonies to sixty-five.—J. L. Peabody.
Paw Paw, Mich., August 8.—The ever welcome American Bee Journal was received as usual. It contains a variety of reading matter from all sources, and it sounds like glad tidings unto all people. I have only one fault to find—it should come on the first and fifteenth of each month. How can that desirable end be accomplished? Will not our brother bee-keepers co-operate to bring it about? Bees have done finely here, this season.—A. F. Moon.
Ripon, Wis., August 8.—The Journal comes to hand promptly every mouth, accept my thanks for the effort you make to furnish us with a first class paper.—R. Dart.
Towanda, Ills., August 9.—The season for honey in this section of the country has not been the best or the poorest. Bees on the prairies did not swarm much, and there was great complaint of their leaving for the timber. One man here found fourteen (14) bee trees in one grove. But in the timbered portion of the country, the bees swarmed wide and gathered the usual amount of honey, namely fifteen to twenty-five pounds per stand.
Increased attention is being given to the culture of bees here, and I hope I shall be able to send you a much larger list of subscribers for your excellent Journal.