P. S. I truly wish you success, in all that is good and honorable, and shall try to furnish an occasional article for the Am. Apiculturist. Please find this my second contribution to same. If acceptable you are at liberty to publish. Trusting the “Apiculturist” may live long and prosper, I am as ever, J. M. HICKS. _Brantford, June 4, 1885._ FRIEND LOCKE: I see by the last number of the “Apiculturist” much new and valuable information from England and Germany. Last fall I learned through a German journal that the poison of the honey bee was utilized in curing honey. A thought suggested itself to me which I hoped ere now I should have been in a position to practically test, but circumstances have been unfavorable and perhaps you know of some one who would take an interest in the matter. I intended taking a strong colony and feeding them, say 3 lbs. of syrup per day and allow the bees to seal this and extract with great care. Then feed the same colony 25 lbs. in a day of twenty-four hours (and it can be done) and after it has been sealed extract as before, during hot weather, and again later in the season, giving four distinct experiments, and then test the various syrups for difference, if any, of quantity of poison contained in stores. If a marked difference occurred after repeated experimenting the matter might be worthy of consideration and thus one reason why stores put in late are not as good as those given earlier. I must say a man must be too much of an enthusiast if he considers, as many appear to, that any one condition, if fulfilled, will insure perfect success in wintering. Doubtless much is to be learned in wintering, and theories advanced will often be another step towards success. If we only acted thoroughly up to our present knowledge and were more careful, the percentage of loss would doubtless be wonderfully reduced. Your brother beekeeper, R. F. HOLTERMAN. We are pleased with Mr Holterman’s suggestions, and, if possible, will make some tests, as this matter is of more vital importance to beekeepers than they are aware. We shall refer to this again in the near future. Mr. Holterman has touched the right key; we must have more careful experimenting with a view to solving some of the mysteries that now surround apiculture, and we trust that others of our readers and beekeeping friends will offer like suggestions and also assist us in making the tests. It will pay you well to do so, and we can by this means help each other very much.--ED.] FOOTNOTES: [1] Read at the Beekeepers’ Congress, at New Orleans. [2] If our friend will visit us we will show him colonies of Italians that can be examined without fear of stings, and this with neither smoke nor protection.--ED. [3] When working for comb honey, I return all of my swarms so that I get no increase that season.--D. F. L. [4] Doubtless our readers would be pleased to hear from friend Lashier again, and we trust that he will favor us with the article.--ED.