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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. 



June 



Yes, those of us who would like to test the 

 Hott'man frame can easily do so by making 

 a very slight change, in the manner you sug- 

 gest, in the frames we already have in use. 

 I hope that quite a number of our readers 

 will try a few frames, and report. If they 

 are not a success, the sooner we know it the 

 better. 



A PROJECTING TOP-BAR. 



You ask for sug-gestions for spacer for frames. 

 Make them like the top or bottom of sections. Cut 

 out at the ends— at dotted lines if you want to. No 

 staples, no nothing-; a little more wood, that is all. 



Perhaps you have thought of this a thousand times, 

 as it is so simple. Perhaps it is like many ether 

 things— no good at all, and just a waste of postage 

 to send it to you.— There is much good in Glean- 

 ings, even for those who do not keep bees. 

 Krumroy, O. C. H. Welch. 



Yes, this sort of top-bar has been before 

 suggested. The trouble with it evidently 

 was, that the projections would not readily 

 slide by each other. The modified Hoffman 

 frame (see page 3.30) would be better, I 

 think. E. K. 



SPRAYING FRUIT-TREES IN FULL BLOOM ; IS 



THERE ANY LAW AGAINST, TO PROTECT 



BEE-KEEPERS ? 



I write to you to make the inquiry if there is any 

 law in Ohio to protect the bee-keeper against the 

 danger of spraying fruit-trees with poison when in 

 full bloom. There is a neighbor here who has 

 bought a " Perfection " pump to spray fruit-trees, 

 and he says that it was recommended to him to 

 spray in full bloom. If this is the case I think the 

 manufacturers should be informed better. I had 

 him read your article in April Ist Gleanings, and 

 also the inclosed, from Chagrin Falls Exponent. 

 Please reply in Gleanings. 



Ford, O., May 19. Henry Bosworth. 



The following is the clipping referred to : 



Prof . Reefey, editor of the Elyria Democrat, who 

 is good authority on such matters, has the follow- 

 ing in his paper relative to spraying fruit-trees. 



The codling moth and other insects have become 

 so numerous in this locality that it is impossible to 

 raise apples or other fruit that is not more or less 

 injured by these pests. No good farmer thinks of 

 raising a good crop of potatoes without using Paris 

 green or London purple on the vines, to destroy 

 the beetles. 



Mix one-fourth of a pound of London purple with 

 forty gallons of water, and spray the trees soon 

 after the bloom drops off, when the apples are 

 about the size of peas. Should a washing rain fol- 

 low soon after, the spraying should be repeated. 



Paris green may be used in the same proportion, 

 but it is more liable to injure the trees. In either 

 case, the poison should be well mixed by stirring. 



Let a number of farmers in a neighborhood buy 

 a force pump and hose, with spraying nozzle, and 

 mount it on a frame on a wagon so that a barrel 

 with the solution can be placed under it. There 

 are force pumps in the market especially adapted 

 to this purpose. 



For spraying on a small scale, a hand pump and a 

 bucket are sufficient. A small hand pump will cost 

 about a dollar. 



Remember that the solution is a poison, and 

 must be carefully handled, and don't let your stock 

 feed on the grass under the trees shortly after 

 spraying. 



Finally, experience has proved that it pays to 

 spray apple, pear, plum, and cherry trees, and that 

 it is perfectly safe to do so. 



Friend B., there is no special law that 

 will touch the matter you mention ; yet 

 there are very plain laws forbidding one 

 neighbor to poison the stock belonging to 

 another ; and I am pretty certain that one 

 has no right to poison even trespassing 

 stock. In this case it can be proven, I 

 think, that there is no need at all of spray- 

 ing the blossoms while the bees are at work. 

 Will some of our bee-keeping lawyers en- 

 lighten us a little ? If the matter "is going 

 to be complicated, perhaps we had better 

 leave it with the Bee-keepers' Union. 



wiring frames with rOULTRY NETTING. 



In Gleanings, May 1, there is quite a discussion 

 about the proper mode of wiring frames; and I 

 see Mr. Gemmell is in difficulty about his wiring. 

 Allow me to suggest a remedy, although I do not 

 use or believe I need wired frames. Why not put 

 in your finest wire poultry netting? You gee, by 

 this plan you get both horizontal and perpendicular 

 wires, or you can have all diagonal. It would be 

 strong enough either way. If you do not care 

 about trying it yourself, you might ask Mr. Gem- 

 mell to try it, and let me know the result the next 

 time I see him. 



Bees have generally wintered well here, owing to 

 the mild winter. I winter mine in the cellar. I 

 omitted removing entrance-blocks from a strong 

 swarm in an 8-frame L. hive, but they squeezed one 

 end of one block out so that one bee could crawl 

 out at a time over the end of the block. The top 

 was tightly sealed, but they came out all right. 



Kintore, Ont., May 10, 1890. J. W. Whealy. 



Poultry netting is not made of small 

 enough wire to be used in wiring frames ; 

 and even if it were, there would be no fea- 

 sible method of fastening it inside of the 

 frames, to say nothing of the difficulty of 

 imbedding the meshes in the foundation. 



not in favor of thick top-bars. 



I would not have a top-tar in my hives that is 

 over ?8 thick. Tuck and staple spacing would not 

 suit me, as that would be a hindrance to handling 

 frames. I have .30 stands of bees. I run my bees 

 mostly for comb honey. I have never used a zinc 

 honey-board in the ten years I have kept bees, and 

 would not have one. I space my frames 1?8 inches 

 from center to center, putting in the number of 

 frames desired. If that does not fill the body of 

 the hive, I fill the space left with a division board, 

 then between the lower and upper story I am very 

 exact in leaving just /„ of an inch, and am not both- 

 ered with brace-combs nor queens going above. 



I went into winter with 30 colonies on their sum- 

 mer stands, mostly in chaff hives, in fair condition. 

 I have 30 at this writing, in good condition for sur- 

 plus. I use a topless frame holding four sections, 

 such as I buy of you, and 1 like them very much. 



Akron, O., May 13. Amos E. Griffeth. 



The majority of those who have reported 

 in regard to thick and thin top bars would 

 not agree with you. ^Ve can not prevent 

 brace-combs with |-in. top-bar above, and 

 we live only 20 miles from your locality. We 



