228 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Apr. 1 



the same distance from the ground, and the 

 sled put in its proper place. Fig. 2 shows 

 the shed in that position with the sled in its 

 place ready for loading. 



When unloading, the shed is first raised 

 from the sled in the same way as when be- 

 ing loaded; and after the sled is removed, 

 the shed is lowered on to its foundation- 

 blocks again. 



By the use of the tools here described I 

 was able to handle all sheds in such a steady, 

 quiet way that the bees hardly noticed the 

 operation. The conditions of the weather 

 were also very favorable for the job. We 

 had from 8 to 10 inches of fresh snow; and 

 as I selected thawy days for the moving, 

 when the old snow below was soft, the trips 

 were made without a jar, jolt, or jump to 

 disturb the bees. In only a very few in- 

 stances could small clusters be seen inside 

 of the screens, and most of them went back 

 before their sheds were unloaded. 



LaSalle, N. Y. 



RESULTS OF BEE-KEEPING LEARNED 

 FROM BOOKS. 



A History of a' Beginner's Mistakes and 

 Experiences. 



BY MARTHA K. PURSELL. 



Continued from last issue. 



CHAPTER TWO. 



All of my colonies wintered well except 

 No. 6, which perished from too much cod- 

 dling. Thus the spring count was three 

 hives. 



1. Golden bees No. 2. 



2. Leather- colored Italians, Ferris hive. 

 This later became Nos. 3 and 4, as I found it 

 too heavy to work as one. 



3. Hybrids with poor queen (No. 5) . 



No. 2 swarmed, so after the flow was on 

 there were five colonies at work. 



All were given section supers except No. 5, 

 which produced all its honey in Hoffman 

 frames. 



Nos. 2 and 3 were shaken upon shallow 

 combs at Ihe time they were supered. The 

 deep combs were left alongside until all bees 

 had emerged, when they were shaken into 

 their respective hives. Instead of going 

 into sections at once, each of these hives 

 filled the upper set of combs solid with white 

 honey. This was removed, and the sections 

 placed just above the brood, when the work 

 went forward as planned. A story of foun- 

 dation was put under all when the honey 

 was removed. The honey was so easily 

 produced, and was of such fine quality, that 

 in July five more stands of bees were bought, 

 as I hoped for a fall crop. In this I was dis- 

 appointed. The crop was a little over 200 

 lbs. There were 92 Danz. sections, and the 

 rest was extracted. There would have been 

 about 60 lbs. more of extracted, but the 

 heavy combs would not bear the strain of 

 the extractor, so Ihey were reserved for 

 spring feeding. 



All hives have sufficient stores to last till 

 fruit bloom, and have young queens. No. 3 

 has superseded its queen, but both queens 

 were in the hive at the last examination. If 

 both live until warm weather comes, the 

 plan is to use the mother as a breeding- 

 queen, in a nucleus hive, and thus Italianize 

 the five hybrid colonies last purchased. 



THINGS LEARNED DURING THE SECOND YEAR. 



1. Necessity of knowing one's own loca- 

 tion, and of having the initiative in one's own 

 business. Had I read before the season 

 what I have later, I am sure we could have 

 secured more honey. Being desirous of 

 having all we produced of superior quality, 

 we sacrificed quantity to an unnecessary de- 

 gree. The fancy extracted sold for 30 cts. 

 per lb., and the comb for 25 cts. per section, 

 and in my own town I could have sold sev- 

 eral times as much. 



2. To keep the overstrong colonies busy 

 before the flow, in drawing out brood and 

 extracting combs. 



3. To work every strong colony, not busy 

 drawing combs, in two stories, preferably 

 having the upper one of shallow combs. 

 Should there be an early surplus, this will 

 keep the honey above and removable when 

 the time comes for section supers. The low- 

 er story will thus be all used for brood, and 

 be extra strong at the right time. 



4. Never to buy bees without careful ex- 

 amination before purchase. 



PLANS FOR THE THIRD YEAR. 



There are ten colonies, three in sectional 

 hives, group one; four in ten frame, dove- 

 tailed, group two; three in Danz., group 

 three. 



When I find out which of these hives I 

 prefer, I intend to confine myself to one 

 kind of brood-chamber, using the others for 

 supers, but now anticipate much pleasure 

 with the three small groups. 



In order to get a maximum crop I shall 

 avoid lifting and prevent swarming. Group 

 No. 1 is to be worked somewhat as Mr. Scholl 

 does with a trial of some of Mr. Hand's 

 kinks. Group No. 2 I should have preferred 

 to work according to Mr. Doolittle's plan, 

 but could not get enough deep combs drawn 

 last vear to have two sets for each hive. I 

 think early honey can be prevented from 

 clogging the brood-chamber by putting on a 

 half story of combs or foundation, just as 

 soon as the strength will allow — if possible, 

 before fruit-bloom. Then if these half-stories 

 are filled with honey 1 can put two together, 

 using Doolittle's plans and transferring to 

 sectional hives at one operation. This will 

 also prevent swarming and give increase. 



One of the Danz. hives has two stories, 

 both of which are almost solid with honey. 

 In August, two colonies were united as per 

 " Facts about Bees," as I intended to extract 

 one story but found it impossible, as the 

 combs were not wired and were insullicient- 

 ly attached to sides and bottoms. These 

 Danz. brood-bodies were among the five 

 hives bought in July, and have so much 

 drone comb that many frames will have to 



