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THE AMERICAN BEE JOLHINAC. 



July 14, 1904. 



dren from the school library, if there were such books in it. 

 I could tell of so many such people, and they would be more 

 apt to read such articles in our county papers than in any- 

 thing else. 



My father (Hiram Havenhill) was a very successful bee- 

 keeper, and took the American Bee Journal a number of 

 years. Mrs. H. W. Bartrum. 



Kendall Co., 111. 



So Few Bees. 



Alsike and white clover are blooming profusely, but the 

 bees are so few to gather the honey. They are working 

 nicely, though. Mrs. Nki,ub G. Paxson. 



Erie Co., N. Y., June 28. 



Value of Honey in Cooking-. 



I wish every one knew the worth of honey for cooking- 

 The Cost per pound may be more than sugar, but it is never- 

 theless cheaper to use in making cake, because cheaper fats 

 and less eggs may be used than when sugar is ; and, what 

 is more, the cake or pudding may be eaten without harm by 

 those with the weakest stomachs, and they seem to be com- 

 plete food. 



Where there are children, nothing could be better. 

 They like and need sweets, and if you add good milk to the 

 bill of fare, you will have one no child will find fault with. 



If less sawdust and straw, under the name of "break- 

 fast foods," were used, and more honey-cakes made and 

 consumed in their place, there would be less sickness and 

 weak stomachs than at present.— Mrs. S. A. Smith, in the 

 American Bee-Keeper. 





Dr. Miller's Answers 





Send Questions either to the office of the American Bee Journal, 

 or to Dr. C. C. Miller, Marengo, 111. 



Likely a Harmless Worm. 



I have one colony of bees which is not doing well. 

 The other day I found at the entrance of the hive a large 

 worm, of reddish color, that had 6 legs, and then a space, 

 and then 6 legs more and a little bunch of hair. Is there 

 such a worm that bothers bees ? If so, what is the remedy 

 for getting rid of it 7 Indiana. 



Answer. — I know of no worm of that description that 

 troubles bees. It probably got there by chance, and was 

 doing no harm to the bees. 



ttueenless Colony— Diseased Brood. 



1. I have 4 colonies of bees, one of which has been 

 queenless since early in the spring, and I can not get them 

 to rear a queen by giving them brood or queen-cells with 

 eggs in them. They have started queen cells several times, 

 but they tear down the ones I give them. 



I sent for a queen this spring, and before I had time to 

 introduce her she died, and so of course the colony is still 

 queenless. What would you advise doing with it 7 It is a 

 moderately strong colony, kept strong by the brood that I 

 have put in, perhaps. Shall I unite it with another colony, 

 or not 7 If so, how shall I proceed 7 



2. The other 3 colonies have diseased brood, like a sam- 

 ple I mail you. What do you think is the matter? Is it 

 pickled brood, or what 7 In the spring there was only a lit- 

 tle that way, but now there is lots of it dead. If it is pickled 

 brood what can I do for it 7 Is it contagious 7 



I am a new hand with bees, having kept them only two 

 years, and this is my first trial asking questions ; but per- 

 haps you can tell what I am wanting to know. Utah. 



Answers— 1. Better unite with other colonies. At a 

 time when bees are busy gathering, set a comb covered with 

 bees in any colony that needs it, or shake the bees down in 

 front of any hive you want them to enter. Before giving 



the bees to another colony, pound and smoke them to get 

 them to fill up with honey. 



2. The sample sent arrived, was in a pulp, and didn't 

 look like comb — appeared as if it had been cooked. Being 

 in a tin box, and quite a bit smaller, I suppose, than the 

 box, it had pounded about in the box, and being pretty 

 warm had become pounded into a mass. From what little 

 I could judge about it, I should think it quite possible that 

 it is pickled brood, but I am not an expert in brood-diseases, 

 and advise sending a sample to one who is, as Dr. Howard, 

 or one of the foul-brood inspectors. 



Swarminis and Drones— Carrying Out Brood— Transfer- 

 ring. 



1. Do bees ever swarm before they have drones 7 



2. What makes bees carry out brood, a few at a time, 

 for weeks 7 They are in an old, mothy hive, and I want 

 them to swarm, then in 21 days transfer the rest. They are 

 quite strong now. 



3. Which is best to transfer on to, brood-foundaton or 

 old combs ? Maine. 



Answers. — 1. I don't know. Certainly it is a very rare 

 thing, but I suppose it might happen. 



2. Very likely they are carrying out brood nearly 

 mature, just because they are in " an old, mothy hive," the 

 young bees being injured in the cell by the wax-worms. 



3. Fully completed comb is generally preferred to foun- 

 dation. 



Dividing Colonies-Untested Queen. 



As I am an old, worn-out soldier I thought I would try 

 the bee-business. I notice untested queens are spoken of 

 in the American Bee Journal, and I have enough bees in 

 one hive to make 2 good colonies. Would they do all right 

 to divide them and put such a queen with them 7 If so, 

 how and when would that queen become fertile 7 



Indiana. 



Answer. — It would do all right. An untested queen is 

 not, as you seem to suppose, a virgin queen, but a queen 

 that has been fertilized and is laying. She is called un- 

 tested because she is sent off before her worker progeny 

 have emerged to show by their markings whether she has 

 been purely mated. 



Please don't send a stamp when you send questions. I 

 don't send answers by mail, and your subscription to the 

 American Bee Journal entitles you to answers without 

 stamps. 



Swarming— Putting On Supers, Etc. 



1. As I have had no experience with swarming, I am a 

 little puzzled at hive No. 1. It is quite heavy with honey 

 and full of bees, with a clipped queen. The bees are, or 

 have been, boiling out in front of the hive and under the 

 alighting-board by the pint, day and night. How would 

 you manage in this case? The queen does not seem to 

 want to come out. 



2. What are the best noticeable signs just before 

 swarming ? 



3. Is it all right to put one super on top of another and 

 leave until fall 7 



4. What time of day is swarming most apt to take 

 place ? 



5. Is it absolutely necessary to put on queen-cell pro- 

 tectors 7 



6. Will not the virgin queen fertilize with her kindred 

 drone all right 7 If not, how are we to manage to keep our 

 good stock from running out 7 Missouri. 



Answers. — 1. A clipped queen will issue with a swarm 

 just as readily as one with whole wings. If the bees cluster 

 outside by the pint day and night, it may be merely because 

 they are warm and crowded, with no thought of swarming, 

 but if honey is coming in rapidly at the time, it is worth 

 something as a sign. A colony may swarm, however, with- 

 out any previous hanging out. Perhaps the only manage- 

 ment needed is to give the bees betti • ventilation, or to 

 shade the hive, so the bees will be a little more comfortable. 

 If anxious to have them swarm, let them alone. 



2. The most reliable sign that bees neditate swarming, 

 is the finding of a number of queen-ce,! in the hive. You 

 may, however, judge a little from outs'le appearances, if 



