1882 



GLEAJ^INGS IN BEE CULTtJKE. 



87 



comb honey. I am of the opinion, that I could not 

 use the extractor with any protit, the honey being 

 so thick that it will scarcely run. 



Elisu.\ Bennet. 

 Carlile Springs, Col., Dec. 20, 1881. 



I have often Uiought of and longed for a 

 place for bees where I could have a fence, 

 wall, or buildings, high enough to keep off 

 all \?old winds, and it seems you, friend B., 

 have found it. It is my oiiinion, that we 

 have none of us fully estimated the value of 

 a spot free from the bad eifects of strong 

 winds, even if they are not cold ; and in 

 choosing a site for an apiary, I would make 

 this one of the prime points. — I think your 

 honey can be extracted without trouble, if 

 done during a warm day. We have never 

 failed, with our extractors. 



A 300-COLONY .4P1ARY IN MISSISSIPPI. 



I use the Langstroth hive with portico. The Sim- 

 plicity hives I purchased from you several years ago 

 still work admirably. I winter on the summer 

 stands without chaff, and cover the frames only with 

 the ordinary sheet, which I find quite sjilTicient to 

 protect our bees from the cold of this climate. I 

 have almost abandoned comb honey for the market, 

 and use the Langstroth frames in both the lower 

 and upper stories of four-fifths of my hives. After 

 thoroughly overhauling my apiary for the spring I 

 expect to start with 000 full colonies, although I 

 closed with 336; but some are rather weak, and oth- 

 ers will probably bo queealess, which, by being 

 united, will bring all my colonies to a proper 

 strength. I use only smolvc in uniting; afterward 

 simply shaking the bees from frames of alternate 

 colonies, to be united in front of au empty hive, and 

 selecting the best combs of brood to supply the col- 

 ony. Sprinkling with sweet-scented water, or chloro- 

 forming, I consider of no practical value. 



O. M. Blanton. 



Greenville, Wash. Co., Miss., Jan. '■), 188;J. 



one ever kept bees in any locality ten yea s, 

 and not had a good honey season in all that 

 time y I mean, of course, given them good 

 care all this time r* 



UPWARD VENTILATIOX ALONE NOT AI.WATS A SUC- 

 CESS. 



I have just been reading a letter of yours that 

 I received in Februars*, ISSO. You said no pro- 

 tection for bees some winters would do well 

 enough, but in a severe winter it would not. Last 

 winter my bees had no protection but the bare hives. 

 Some had the frames on top all winter, just as they 

 were through the summer. They did not make any 

 honey in 1880, and so I left them on, as I was very 

 busy. They did not winter well, but 1 saved 15 out 

 of 115, and I see that was better than you did, but I 

 don't claim it is the right way. I only thought I 

 would tell you about it. I can't brag. I never get 

 any of those large yields oi honey that I read about. 

 I haven't faith to think I ever shall. Some of those 

 large yields sound to a little bee-man lilic me a good 

 deal like "fish" or "snake." Eh? 



Huntsville, Pa., Jan., 1S83. A. J. Hoover. 



Many thanks for your very frank and hon- 

 est report, friend II. If I understand it, you 

 just tried letting your bees go without care, 

 and very likely a large per cent of the hun- 

 dred you lost died of starvation. Is it not 

 so V Well, now you just hold on and keep 

 what bees you do keei), strong and in nice 

 order, and I know you w^ill, sooner or later, 

 have a rousing big yield to report. Has any 



WHAT THE WOMEN DID WITH 6 COLONIES. 



I send you a report of my wife and daughter's suc- 

 cess in bee-keeping. Commenced last spring with 

 colonies of bees in chaff hives; increased to 27, and 

 all in good shape for winter, with plenty of stores, 

 and have taken STS lbs. of surplus comb honey from 

 the same, averaging 14(3 lbs. to each hive, besides 

 the increase. I think that is very good for ABC 

 scholars. T think I shall have to help them next 

 summer, if they winter all of them. Friend Heddon's 

 hive resembles those I make. I make two-story 

 hives, cushion them on three sides, and cushion on 

 the top. H. I. WiLLSEY. 



East CoLleskill, Schoharie Co., N. Y., Dec. 30, 1881. 



Why, they did splendidly, friend W. ; and 

 as they were too modest to send us the re- 

 port themselves, I am very much obliged to 

 you indeed for doing it for them. I am very 

 glad, too, to know they succeeded so well 

 with a chaff hive during the severe weather 

 of last winter. You see, we are getting the 

 men to report for them, as I told you last 

 month we would, if they did not report for 

 themselves. 



Cn.VFF HIVES, AND PLENTY OF AIR; LARGE EN- 

 TR.A.NCES. 



I am wintering 250 swarms — 215 in the cellar, and 

 the remainder outside, mostly In chaff hives. So 

 far they are all doing well. Last winter I wintered 

 Tin chaff hives, and my neighbors 15, all of which 

 came through in fine condition, and were as strong 

 in April as any colonies I ever saw at that season of 

 the year. Neither was the brood-chamber nor the 

 entrance of any of these contracted, but left full size 

 all winter. Our trouble in wintering is too little 

 fresh air. The entrance of your chaff hives is too 

 small for summer, but just right for winter. I wish 

 jaiu could make it at least three times as large. It 

 could easily be contracted for winter use. The past 

 season was a fair one with us. Wedoubledour colo- 

 I nies, and obtained, on the average, about 50 lbs. of 

 I surplus from each old colony —the most of it comb 

 honey. Our highest yield from one colony was over 

 200 lbs. of extracted honey. I have my own idea as 

 to the best method of wintering, and, whether cor- 

 rect or not, I have been uniformly successful for 10 

 years. S. F. Newman. 



Norwalk, O., Jan. 10, 1882. 



# 



cj 



U^^Si 



-Y bees did very well the last summer; had on- 

 ly 41 winter through, and they were very 

 weak in the spring. I now have over 80; got 

 about 4000 lbs. of honey. Seem to be wintering all 

 right so far, mostly in cellar. J. L. Gray. 



Lee Center, Lee Co., 111., Jan. 16, 1883. 



Bees did well with us last season; began the sea- 

 son with 65 hives; increased to 117, and took 7.500 



lbs. honej', mostly extracted. 



Edmond Anderson. 



Hopctown, Ont , Can., Jan. 13, 1.882. 



