EDITORIAL
GEORGE W YORK.EDITOR
Beeswax, so it is said, is formed by one equivalent of starch changed into fat by losing one equivalent of carbonic acid and seven equivalents of oxygen.
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The Ohio Conventionwill be omitted this winter. So we are informed by Miss Dema Bennett, the Secretary of the association. She says that the Executive Committee has so decided, but will hold one next winter. Due notice of time and place will be given in theBee Journal.
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Bro. Geo. W. Brodbeck, of Los Angeles, Calif., has been appointed chairman of a committee to secure and put in place the bee and honey exhibit at the Midwinter Fair now being held in San Francisco.
It is proposed that a "honey pyramid," consisting of comb and extracted honey, be built, six feet square at the base, and 15 feet high. It is thought that 1,500 pounds will be required, and that this will exceed the famous Egyptian pyramids—in sweetness.
California bee-keepers are invited to help make the display, which, no doubt, they will do in a handsome manner.
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Bro. G. M. Doolittleis writing a series of semi-political articles for theFree Pressof Skaneateles, N. Y. The first is on "The Tariff Wrong in Principle." Another will be on "The Tariff for Protection Wrong;" the next on "The Tariff for Revenue Wrong;" then will come two articles on "The Liquor Traffic," which will probably be followed by one on the financial situation of our country. If the reader desires to see all these articles, send 25 cents to theFree Pressfor three months subscription, asking the publisher to begin with Bro. Doolittle's first article, then you will have them all. For ourselves, we can say that we are always interested in what Bro. Doolittle may have to say, whether it be on bee-keeping, or anything else.
☞Bees never puncture fruit, and unless the skin has been broken by other insects or birds, they never molest it.—Newman.
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Basis of Honey-Predictions.—Finally, we think we have learned upon what basis certain honey-prophets base their prophecies about honey crops. It appears to be something like this:
The more rain and snow in November and December, the more honey there will be the following season; and if there is no rain or snow in the two months mentioned, there will be no honey.
The predictions are made upon the reports of the State Weather Bureaus, or the Weather Bureau reports in Washington, D. C. All who wish to test the reliability of such a basis for a honey-prediction, should get the weather reports, and begin to foretell for themselves, and thus not berequired to await the movements of some so-called "honey-prophet."
We believe the above rule for prophesying is for linden, sourwood, and white clover honey.
Who knows but this may be the secret to which the Tennessee honey-prophet, Sam Wilson, has been so tenaciously hanging on? We shouldn't be a bit surprised if it should prove to be that very secret. If so, every bee-keeper can now be his own "honey-prophet"—whether he gets any honey or not.
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Mr. N. W. McLain—once in charge of a United States experiment apiary, and an apicultural writer—has been visiting recently at Mrs. Atchley's home. Mr. McLain's address is Hinsdale, Ills.
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The Iowa Honey Exhibitat the World's Fair, we have pleasure in illustrating and describing this week. No separate appropriation was made for the exhibit, but the Iowa Columbian Commission, recognizing bee-culture as one of the many agricultural pursuits of the State, desired that a creditable exhibit of honey and wax should be made in connection with their agricultural exhibits, and for that purpose appointed Bro. E. Kretchmer, of Red Oak, Iowa, on Jan. 14, 1893. This being too late to secure suitable honey for an exhibit from the crop of 1892, only enough was placed in the case at the beginning of the Fair to retain the space.
There being no money to buy the honey for a suitable exhibit, Mr. Kretchmer, by issuing several circulars, and making several personal visits to prominent apiarists, enlisted the aid of the Iowa bee-keepers, and nobly did they respond by loaning the honey that was exhibited in the Iowa case. Believing that much credit is due those who thus generously loan honey for exhibition purposes, we give the names of those who aided thus, and also what they contributed:
E. J. Cronkleton, of Dunlap—100 pounds of nice comb honey.F. A. Beals, of Salix—480 pounds of extracted basswood honey, and 544 pounds of comb honey.R. B. Arnold, of Foster—20 pounds of white clover comb honey.T. C. DeClercq, of DeSoto—60 pounds of extracted clover honey, 60 pounds of extracted basswood honey, and 105 pounds of comb honey.L. G. Clute, of Manchester—20 pounds of very nice comb honey, and this was honored with an award.A. J. Duncan, of Hartford—50 pounds of extracted basswood honey.F. Furst, of Adair—40 pounds of comb honey.Oliver Foster, of Mt. Vernon—30 pounds of comb honey, and 60 pounds of extracted honey; which also received an award.Thos. O. Hines, of Anamosa—91 pounds of comb honey.Thos. Johnson, of Coon Rapids—22 pounds of comb, and 25 pounds of extracted honey.
E. J. Cronkleton, of Dunlap—100 pounds of nice comb honey.
F. A. Beals, of Salix—480 pounds of extracted basswood honey, and 544 pounds of comb honey.
R. B. Arnold, of Foster—20 pounds of white clover comb honey.
T. C. DeClercq, of DeSoto—60 pounds of extracted clover honey, 60 pounds of extracted basswood honey, and 105 pounds of comb honey.
L. G. Clute, of Manchester—20 pounds of very nice comb honey, and this was honored with an award.
A. J. Duncan, of Hartford—50 pounds of extracted basswood honey.
F. Furst, of Adair—40 pounds of comb honey.
Oliver Foster, of Mt. Vernon—30 pounds of comb honey, and 60 pounds of extracted honey; which also received an award.
Thos. O. Hines, of Anamosa—91 pounds of comb honey.
Thos. Johnson, of Coon Rapids—22 pounds of comb, and 25 pounds of extracted honey.
Iowa Exhibit at the World's Fair.
Iowa Exhibit at the World's Fair.
Noah Miller, of North English—48 pounds of white clover comb honey.J. H. Stanford, of Cherokee—20 pounds of aster honey, gathered in October, 1892.J. L. Strong of Clarinda—100 pounds of comb honey.J. H. Stephens, of Riverton—60 pounds of extracted basswood honey, and 43 pounds of comb honey.Mont. Wyrick, of Cascade—100 pounds of extracted honey.E. Kretchmer, of Red Oak—100 pounds of alfalfa comb honey, which received an award; also 200 pounds of extracted clover honey, which also received an award, and 175 pounds of clover comb honey.Wm. Kimble, of DeWitt—77 pounds of comb, and 66 pounds of extracted honey, which received an award.
Noah Miller, of North English—48 pounds of white clover comb honey.
J. H. Stanford, of Cherokee—20 pounds of aster honey, gathered in October, 1892.
J. L. Strong of Clarinda—100 pounds of comb honey.
J. H. Stephens, of Riverton—60 pounds of extracted basswood honey, and 43 pounds of comb honey.
Mont. Wyrick, of Cascade—100 pounds of extracted honey.
E. Kretchmer, of Red Oak—100 pounds of alfalfa comb honey, which received an award; also 200 pounds of extracted clover honey, which also received an award, and 175 pounds of clover comb honey.
Wm. Kimble, of DeWitt—77 pounds of comb, and 66 pounds of extracted honey, which received an award.
All of the extracted honey was displayedin 18 different vessels, holding from 4 ounces to 12 pounds each.
The principal display of extracted honey was near the east end of the case, arranged on cone-shaped shelving. This cone of honey reached a height of about 6 feet, and was 5 feet in diameter, while near the west end of the case a pyramid was erected, with extracted honey in different sized glass jars, with sheets of glass between the several tiers, and large vase-shaped jars filled with honey were dispersed within the case.
The arrangement of displaying the comb honey consisted principally in a bank near the center of the case, about 11 feet long, tapering from a base nearly 5 feet wide to a crest 6 feet high, surmounted with extracted honey in ornamental jars.
The front, or west end, display consisted of two columns of comb honey which supported the words "IOWA HONEY," built of comb honey; over which was shown a hollow tri-angle of fine comb honey, reaching to the top of the case.
In the east end of the case was displayed a tri-angle of comb honey in open sections, the three walls being 3×5 feet each, surmounted with extracted honey in vessels of various sizes and shapes. Near the edge of the ceiling of the case were suspended neat glass pails filled with extracted honey; while nice specimens of bright wax, in ornamental forms and shapes, were placed in every available nook and corner of the case.
To the untiring efforts of Bro. Kretchmer belongs the credit of securing and placing the very tasty exhibit of Iowa honey and wax. Few men would have undertaken the task, and carried it to as successful a completion, as he did. On another page of this issue of theBee Journalmay be found a picture and also biographical sketch of Bro. Kretchmer—the man to whom Iowa bee-keepers now owe a debt of gratitude.
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Fine Weatherin Texas was reported by Mrs. Atchley on Jan. 12th. They had had no frost, and everything was green. Cabbage heads weighing 15 pounds were then standing in the gardens. It seems from this that things down there "stand on their heads," and grow just as well as if "right side (or end) up." Good for Texas!