670 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Sept. 1. 



Put me in "Blasted Hopes," so far as honey 

 is concerned. There was a light flow of black 

 honey-dew all through June, and then for two 

 weeks in July basswood did extra well; but 

 there are not many trees here, so the bees will 

 have only about enough to carry theTii to the 

 fall flow, which we consider a '"dead-sure 

 thing " here. White clover was an entire failure. 



Swedona, 111. S. F. Trego. 



[When friend Ellison and one or two others 

 suggested that dark bees rear dark queen*:, we 

 doubted it very much. We never saw any thing 

 in our queen-rearing operations that led us to 

 believe that such could be the case. Many and 

 many a time have we reared beautiful yellow 

 queens from dark hybrids or black bees. The 

 queen referred to was light-colored, and we 

 have introduced her. 



We are glad you are having success with the 

 Doolittle cell -cups; and it shows that one is 

 progressive, lo be just changeable enough to 

 throw aside old pet hobbies when there is some- 

 thing better. You know we have recently been 

 accused of "flopping" from one thing to an- 

 other; but we believe that, whenever it is to 

 the interest of the fraternity at large to do so, 

 we should do it.] 



QUEENS FIGHTING. 



SIMMINS' METHOD NOT A SUCCESS, ETC. 



Mr. Root: — I read an inquiry in Stray Straws, 

 " Who has ever seen laying queens show fight? 

 and, having seen them fight, will they relate 

 how it came about ? " 



Seven or eight years ago, in replacing some 

 black queens with Italians, the idea sprang up 

 that two queens might be mailed in one cage 

 without a partition, if they would not fight. To 

 test the matter, two were placed on a table, 

 with a goblet inverted over them. They ran 

 about trying to get out, not appearing to notice 

 one another's presence for three or four min- 

 utes: but finally, about the time I commenced 

 to think they would not fight, they clinched, 

 hugged, and grappled with one another; part- 

 ed, and came together again. They scratched 

 so it could be easily heard, showing their sting, 

 but neither one used it. The queens were then 

 liberated, I believing they would wear one an- 

 othc'i' out, even if they were dehorned or de- 

 stinged; also, having more assurance that what 

 our bee-books tell us is tried before putting 

 them before the public. 



Having introduced queens successfully by the 

 Sinimins fasting method, I wish to say that it 

 was not satisfactory, though a success. Queens 

 were removed from three colonies, and queens 

 given them about one day later. They were 

 Introduced at dusk, after having had no food 

 for about 40 minutes. They ran down at the 

 top of the frames (young, vigorous laying 

 queens), not disturbed for three days, when, on 

 examination, queen-cells were plentiful in all. 

 "Just what I expected." thought I ; "so much 

 for expecting they would be received." So oth- 

 er queens were placed upon the comb, caged in 

 a Feet cage, and kept there for about two days, 

 when they were examined, with the intention 

 of releasing the caged queens; but in doing so 

 the former queen was seen near the cage. She 

 looked like a virgin queen, and no eggs nor lar- 

 vae were found, hut plenty of capped queen- 

 cells. The two other colonies were found also, 

 with their queens first given, and they looked 

 as though bees did not regard them as queens 

 at all — no eggs, etc. — just like those first de- 

 scribed. The caged queens were then removed 

 from all colonies, and queen-cells destroyed. 

 Afler a few days the queens began laying. If 



my memory is correct it was about ten days 

 after they Were introduced before they began 

 laying, hence I never tried that method again. 



Wishing to ascertain, if possible, why virgin 

 queens over four or five days old are generally 

 lost, one was placed in a wire cage with one end 

 open. She was taken to a queenless nucleus, 

 and the open end was placed over two worker- 

 bees that were sucking honey from the comb. 

 The sprightly virgin queen, without a moment's 

 warning, pounced upon one of the workei'S and 

 stung it quicker than it can be told. The work- 

 er acted as though stung by a worker, and soon 

 died. So in introducing virgins the best time is 

 when they are less than 24 hours old, as they 

 are then looking out for themselves: and I be- 

 lieve the queen is often the cause of bees ball- 

 ing and killing her, especially when she is lay- 

 ing only a few eggs, as none is more easily in- 

 troduced than one laying vigorously, which can 

 be given to nearly any colony, without fear of 



loss. J. N. COLWICK. 



Norse. Texas, July 3, 1893. 



VERMONT BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION. 

 ITS TriiRD ANNUAL SPRING REUNION. 



In the early days of the Vermont Bee-keepers' 

 Association two meetings were held — one in the 

 late fall or early winter, the other in the spring. 

 As the association expanded from a local 

 county organization to the dignified State 

 organization of to-day, the semi-annual gather- 

 ings were merged into an annual. 



Three years ago, V. V. Blackmer, of Orwell, 

 then president of the association, conceived the 

 idea of partially renewing the semi-annual 

 feature in a modified form, and this was done 

 by an informal gathering at his home late in 

 May. Those who attended this reunion were 

 anxious for the next spring to come, and were 

 again royally entertained by President Black- 

 mer. 



One of the pledges required of our president, 

 W. G. Larrabee, at the time of his election last 

 winter, was " to have a reunion In the spring." 

 Nothing daunted by the undertaking, he plan- 

 ned for and successfully carried out his part. 

 Those who were so fortunate as to be present 

 at this reunion will, I am sure, all unite in a 

 hearty vote of thanks to President Larrabee 

 and his parents for the day's entertainment had 

 on the 19th of May, 1S93; and now it is with 

 great pleasure that! am permitted to inti'oduce 

 to the readers of Gt-eanings some of the mem- 

 bers of the Vermont Bee-keepers' Association, 

 as they sat and stood in front of the home 

 apiary of W. G. Larrabee, at Larrabee's Puint. 



The first gentleman at the left of the picture 

 is R. H. Holmes, of Shoreham. one of the oldest 

 menibcrs of the association, as a member, and 

 chieflv noted at home and in market for the 

 excelU'uce of hi* liouey. The gentleman next 

 in order is H. H. Burge. of Shoreham. a new 

 member, but one who has made bee-keeping 

 profitable. Then comes Miss Marcia A. Doug- 

 las, who believes that a lady is not entirely 

 "sweet," regardless of the quantity of bees and 

 honey, except she wears a becoming bonnet or 

 hat. The tall lady back of Miss D. is Mrs. 

 V. N. Forbes: at her left we recognize the 

 pleasant features of Mrs. Larrabee, mother of 

 John H. and W. G.. while in front is Mrs. 

 Blackmer, and at her left sits Miss Larrabee, 

 apparently watching the kitten in Mrs. Stead- 

 man's lap. Between the two young ladies we 

 find Mrs. Steadman, back of whom sits the 

 writer, apparently gazing into the far distant. 

 At his back stands Mrs. H. H. Bascom, of Or- 



