1896 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



175 



swarmed before and returned to the hive because 

 the queen failed to accompany it. Spraying- water 

 on the leaders, or advance portion of the swarm, 

 from a force pump, tiring- a gun among- them, or 

 tlirowiug- the reHectioii from a mirror on them will 

 disconcert the absconding- swarm and nearly always 

 cause the bees to settle, but the remedy must be at 

 hand and applied instantly. 



When a swarm has tairl.\- settled it is best to hive 

 it as soon as possible, lest otbers coming- out may 

 join it, occasioning- a loss of queens, and .sometimes 

 of bees, or much trouble in separating them. The 

 operation of hiving- may appear very formidable 

 to the novice, and attended witii great rislis; but a 

 little exvierience will dispel such apprehensions. The 

 bees, before swarming, usually fill their sacs with 

 honey, and are quite peaceable, so that, bj' the use 

 of a little smoke in hiving, there is seldom any diffi- 

 culty. But to be doubly sure, the novice should 

 sprinkle sweetened water over the cluster, and at 

 the same time wear a veil to protect his face. Of 

 course, the hive has been ready for some time, and 

 has been standing in the shade so it will not be heat- 

 ed. If the cluster should be on a small limb which 

 can be readily cut off, it can be laid down in front 

 of the new hive, which sliould have a full-width en- 

 trance or be raised up in front. The bees will go 

 trooping in; but, if not fast enough, gentle urging- 

 of the rear guard with a feather will hasten mat- 

 ters. If the bees have clustered on a branch which 



some other swarm would issue, which they would 

 be likely t(. join. A few bees flying about or crawl- 

 ing excitedly over the spot from which the main 

 part of the swarm has been removed need not be 

 heeded. They will find their way back to the stand 

 from which they came. As soon as the swarm is 

 faii'ly within the new hive the latter should be car- 

 ried lo its permanent stand, and well shaded and 

 ventilated. 



[There are other fine engravings scattered all 

 through the book, and I am in hopes that every 

 one of our readers will have the pleasure of 

 owning a copy providing the powers at Wash- 

 ington will permit a larger edition.— Ed.] 



■ANSWERS TO 



BY G.M.DOOLITTLE.BOROOINO.N.Y. 



Fig. 65.— Caging a queen for niaiiiuy. lOrigin.al— from photograph 



it is desirable to preserve, yet where the hive can 

 conveniently be placed directly under the cluster 

 and close to it, the swarm may be shaken into the 

 hive at once (Fig. 67); or the hive may be located on 

 the stand it is to occupy, and the bees shaken into a 

 large basket or into a regular swarm-catcher, and 

 poured in front of the hive. If the cluster is on the 

 body of the tree it will be necessary to place the 

 hive near, and smoke or brush the bees into it. 

 Tliey will go up more readily than down, and may 

 often be dipped with a stnall tin dipper or a wooden 

 spoon, and poured in front of the hive. Wliatever 

 plan be pursued, expedition is advisable; and it is 

 best, before leaving them, to see that nearly all of 

 the bees are inside of the hive; at least, no clusters. 

 however small, should be left on the tree, as the 

 queen might be among those left behinfl, in 

 which case the swarm would desert the new hive 

 and return to the tree, or go wherever the queen 

 had settled, or, failing to find h(>r, would return to 

 the hive whence they had issued, unless meanwhile 



AGE OF BROOD COMBS. 



Question.— How many years can combs be 

 used for brooding- purposes In a hive before 

 they should be renewed? I 

 have some which have been 

 In use four or five years, yet 

 the cells seem very small 



Answer.— I have combs in 

 my hives which have been In 

 constant use in the brood- 

 chamber for ao years; and, 

 while the cells do appear 

 small In looking at them, yet, 

 so far as I can see, it makes 

 no difference in the size of 

 the bees hatching from these 

 ceils. A neighbor tells of 

 combs being in use for 40 

 years, and yet no perceptible 

 difference in the looks of the 

 bees coming from these 

 combs. All bees, when first 

 emerged from the cells, look 

 small; but wait till they are 

 36 to 48 hours old, and it will 

 be seen that they look alto- 

 gether different, especially 

 during a honey-flow. Some 

 seem to think that bees do 

 not grow any after they cut 

 out of the cells, but I think 

 a little observation will satisfy any one that the 

 young bee '■ plumps out" considerably after it 

 emerges from the cell. Several times during 

 past years I have compelled the bees to rear 

 workers in drone-cells, and, so far as I could 

 discover, using the closest scrutiny, said bees 

 were not a whit larger three days after hatch- 

 ing than were those of the same age hatched 

 from combs from 10 to 20 year's old. It is true, 

 that each emerging bee leaves a slight cocoon 

 or lining in the cell; but as this cocoon is 

 much thicker at the base of the cell than at 

 the sides, and so thin at any spot that it is 

 hardly perceptible, no bad results seem to arise 



