No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICUL.TXTRE. 269 



this is not used the bees will not build the comb straight. This 

 foundation is very important and should be used by all practical 

 bee-keepers. 



We have mentioned the possibility of losing bees at the swarm- 

 ing time. This can be entirely prevented by clipping the wings of 

 the queen at any time after she commences to lay, and there will 

 then be no need for the bee-keeper to chase swarms and climb trees 

 to take them down. We have not had a swarm of bees in two years, 

 by dividing the colonies. If the wings of the queen be cut she can 

 not fly, and even if they start to swarm they will miss the queen 

 and return to the hive. If the owner is near he can pick up the 

 queen and put her near the hive entrance, or if the hive be close 

 to the ground she will crawl back into it when she finds she is unable 

 to fly away. 



Races of Bees. — There are a great many different races of bees, 

 with varying qualities or characteristics. While it is my firm 

 opinion that the best bee for the American bee-keeper, according 

 to our present knowledge, is the Italian, yet the Caucasian is so 

 gentle as to have earned the title of the "stingless" bee. Students 

 and visitors at the College have handled my bees on the frames 

 without any smoke having been used in opening the hives or any 

 other way, and without veils or gloves, as shown in the illustration. 

 However, with proper handling, the Carniolians and the Italians 

 can also be manipulated without smoke. The Cyprians are the 

 Grossest we have, but they are at the same time great workers. We 

 believe that there is great promise in the improved honey bee which 

 has the Caucasian race for the paternal ancestors and the Cyprian 

 race for the maternal. This cross would give from the male the 

 gentleness which is characteristic of the Caucasian race, and from 

 the female the hustling ability to gather honey, which is a feature 

 of the Cyprians. 



Wintering Bees. — We do not think it necessary to have special 

 caves or cellars for bees, although there is great loss in this State 

 each year from the failure to winter properly. We have found that 

 the first requirement for wintering is to have the hives well filled 

 with honey. Each hive should have at least 30 pounds of sealed 

 honey or be fed with sugar dissolved in water till they have that 

 much. In warm weather this can be used at the rate of one part 

 sugar and two parts water, but in cold weather they should be fed 

 in equal parts. Each hive should have a queen and be without dis- 

 ease or moths. When the larvie of the bee moth is found in the 

 hives they should be well cleaned, and they will be in good condi- 

 tion again. Last year we packed out hives in large boxes with a 

 thickness of four or five inches of hay or straw packing around 

 them at all sides, including the bottom. Arrangements were made 

 for the bees to pass out through a little box for the cleansing fly 

 w^hen desired. We lost but one colony, and that was due to chang- 

 ing them so late that they were unable to put in enough stores to 

 feed them properly. 



Bee-keeping for Women. — The success of bee-keeping by women 

 has been proven by many ladies who have handled them with great 

 success, showing they are qualified for this. 



Honey producers will find that the pound sections, put on the 

 market in the most attractive way possible, will give them good 



