484 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 15. 



to divide them and save the trouble of watch- - 

 ing them so closely. I found the hive literally 

 packed with bees. 



With these two exceptions, all my bees were 

 in chaff hives, and yet these two came through 

 winter quite as strong, if not stronger, and as 

 early, or earlier, to work at brood-rearing than 

 any of the rest. None of my bees had any 

 thing over frames exceptasingle cover of grain- 

 sacks. A part of them had sections on and a 

 part none. J. M. Brown. 



Mt. Sterling, Ky., May 6. 



[Did you ever I Just as we are about con- 

 cluding that the old chaff hives are the things 

 to winter bees in, here comes one who is about 

 losing faith in them. How we do differ in 

 experiences!] 



PUTTING ON SUPERS; WHEN NOT TO DO IT; 

 INSTRUCTIONS TO BEGINNERS. 



Many, in seeking to hasten the storage of 

 honey, retard it, and very much diminish the 

 amount of surplus by too great haste. In this 

 latitude (Central Illinois) the first of June is 

 generally soon enough, and very often the lOlh 

 to the l.'jth is plenty early to place supers on 

 the hives where the bees are in normal condi- 

 tion. 



Some bee-keepers in this locality are in the 

 habit of giving supers to some of their strong- 

 est colonies during apple-bloom, in the hope of 

 obtaining a few pounds of the famous apple- 

 blossom honey. About once in seven years 

 they are rewarded (?) with a few pounds to the 

 colony. But I venture the assertion that, for 

 every pound of this much-prized nectar receiv- 

 ed, they have sacrificed some forty pounds of 

 nice white-clover honey by the practice. 



In the spring of 1889 the white clover began 

 blooming here about the 36th of April, some 

 ten days earlier than usual; and by the 10th of 

 May the pastures and commons were white 

 with it. As the weather was warm, my bees 

 in fairly good condition, and some honey was 

 coming in, I thought it was about time to begin 

 putting on supers. Accordingly, on the 14th I 

 "went at it" and placed supers on all the 

 strong colonies, which numbered about two- 

 thirds of the yard. In ai day or two the weath- 

 er turned cool, and kept so cool and cloudy for 

 a week that the secretion of nectar was almost 

 entirely suspended. As a consequence, many 

 of those not strong enough to take supers when 

 the first were given were among the strongest 

 by the first week in June; and some that were 

 not given supers till the 10th of June gave me 

 more surplus than some that I considered 

 among the strongest on the 14th of May. Since 

 then I have been slow about putting on supers, 

 preferring, if any colonies became crowded for 

 room, to take away a portion of their brood and 

 give it to others not so fortunate rather than 

 give supers before the time of rapid storing had 

 arrived. W. J. Cullinan. 



Quincy, 111. 



NEW HOFFMAN FRAME; SPACE AT THE END 

 OF THE FRAMES. 



I like the new Hoffman frame without the 

 V edge on the end-bars. The bees will fill that 

 little place solid with propolis, with plain edge. 

 There is no place for bee-glue when the frames 

 are properly wedged. 



When examining bees in the spring I change 

 ends with each alternate frame. This spreads 

 the brood, and puts part of their honey too near 

 the entrance, so they will remove it, giving the 

 queen still more room. When used this way 

 the L. frame is as good a reversible frame as I 

 want. With a frame as shallow as the L.. the 

 honey is always placed in the end furthest 



away from the entrance, and not at the top. 

 So reversible frames will not accomplish the 

 desired result; but simply changing ends will. 



I like Dr. Miller's idea of making the bottom 

 of the frame shorter than the top. I would 

 suggest, that the bottom -bar be made full 

 length, with the ends trimmed to a point, and 

 let the point, or end of the bottom-bar, project 

 one-fourth inch. This will make it impossible 

 to kill bees in removing frames, for the end of 

 the frame can not touch the hive exec pt where 

 the point of the projecting end-bar touches. 

 The hive could be made shorter, so as to make 

 the smallest possible bee-space at the top end 

 of the frame. 



On page ii20, Dec. 15, 1893, the Rambler de- 

 scribes the frame used by Mr. Hunt, having a 

 bee-space around the end of the top-bar. In 

 your footnote you say the objection to these 

 would be, in hauling they would be liable to 

 hop out of place. Instead of making them as 

 Mr. Hunt does I would cut the rabbet % wide, 

 and drive double-pointed tacks in the lower 

 end of end-bar, letting the tacks project one- 

 fourth inch. This will keep the frame true 

 and square, and no possible chance for the 

 frame to hop out, or to be placed in the hive 

 wrong. The only change to be made is in the 

 width of the rabbet of the hive. Having tried 

 frames with a space at the end of the top-bar, 

 I can say that it is a great advantage to have 

 them so. W. C. Gathright. 



Cameron, Texas, April 36. 



[Of course, we will make changes in standard 

 goods when so requested. If any one should 

 prefer frames as above described, we can make 

 them so; possibly, for the far South, such 

 frames would be preferable.] 



L. L. LANGSTROTH, 



How pleasing to sight is tliat half-tone engraving. 



With subject so sweet, and in perfect design, 

 Presented to all of the happy possessors 

 Of May tlie first Gleanings, page three tliirty- 

 nine! 

 The wide-spreading building, with bee-hives close 

 by it. 

 Whore frame hives by carloads tliey're making to 

 sell; 

 And e'en fatlier Langstrotb, whose genius enabled 

 This once Inimble fact'ry's proportions to swell. 

 Inventive friend Langstnitli, — 

 The bee-loving Langstrotli,— 

 Dear old fatlier Langstroth 

 We all love so well. 



Thnt hive in the foreground I hail as a treasure; 



For oft. when I'm pensive, I in it may find 

 Such sweet recreation, such exquisite pleasure, 



Tliat comforting thoughts will return to my mind. 

 Those movMble frames one can handle so nicely,— 



Should we yot possess them? nobody can tell, 

 Were't not for the jidvent of this benefactor,— 

 Immortalized Langstroth we all love so well.— 

 Inventive friend Langstroth,— 

 The bee-loving Langstroth,— 

 Dear old father Langstroth 

 We all love so well. 



How sweet seems that face, as in deep meditation 



O'er all his achievement that meets there his gaze! 

 Or day and night study far ua<-k to young marrhood, 



And that dear companion he so loved to pr use. 

 And while we are gazing, the thought we'll ne'er 

 meet him 

 Ere he shall behold lier makes bitter tears swell; 

 But we've consolation — in heav'n we shall meet 

 him— 

 The dear father Langstroth we all love so well. 

 Inventive friend Langstroth,- 

 The bee-loving Langstroth,— 

 The dear father Langstrotli 

 We all love so well. 

 Carbondale, Kan., May 1.5, J. H, Mabkley. 



