1890 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



707 



Coloiiit's tiikcii (lilt the lirstof March will iiiH-d 

 from 5 to 10 lbs. of lunicy imt colony to spring 

 tliom, more than colonics left in the cellar until 

 the middle of April: but tiiey will be stronger 

 colonies the first of .lime if they are provided 

 with that much more honey, and pi'Oi)erly pro- 

 tected from high winds: and being stronger 

 colonies they will gather more than the 5 or 10 

 lbs. of honey" per colony, more than the ones set 

 •out later. 



It seems to me it might be easily tested 

 whether colonies of bees gather more honey or 

 less, by having their tiueen taken from them oi- 

 cagedduring the honey harvest or swarming 

 time, by placing seveial colonies ut)OU separate 

 scales, one half by having the (pieen removed 

 or caged, and tlie other half retaining their 

 queen. 



UKKS I>VIN(i IN .JINK. 



Just after the tirst few days of honey-gath- 

 ering from white clover, the first of June we 

 had three days of high winds. On the third 

 (lay. and for several days thereafter, our bee- 

 yards were literally strewn with dying bees. 

 A few fair colonies wei'e reduced to one or two 

 ccmibs of bees. Two small colonies lost all but 

 the (|ueen and a few young be(>s — not eiio\igh to 

 cover a comb. Strong colonies did not seem 

 to be affected in the least. We could not think 

 what could have caused it. If it had been the 

 wind alone, all would have been alike aft'ected. 

 We ccmcluded it was the large honey-tlow. 

 The few old bees in the hive, tinding they had 

 a great amount of brood and young bees to 

 labor for. actually worked themselves to death, 

 and could not withstand the high winds. 



Roseville. 111.. Aug. ;.':i Mks. L. (". Axtkm.. 



Why. my good friend, you have given us a 

 wonderful array of practical thoughts and sug- 

 gestions; but it throws a shade of sorrow over 

 it all when we learn that you ai-e afflicted with 

 ■cancer. May tJod grant that the hospital you 

 mention may have skill and w isdom to fight 

 successfully against the dread disease. 



You say the colonies, from wliich you took 

 brood had to be fed about the first of July. 

 Now, are you sure that those Nvhich received 

 the brood were benefited enough more to pay? 



We have practiced the very plan yon mention 

 In regard to getting bees out of the sup<'rs, by 

 setting them over a weak colony: but we never 

 noticed that they could be made to take out the 

 unsealed honey. I think that, pei'haps. unless 

 the honey were removed at just the right time, 

 they would be quite aiJt to take some of the 

 sealed honey also. 



The testimony in favor of bait combs seems 

 to be pretty conclusive: but is it not tni<^ that 

 some sections that have perhaps been tried one 

 or two seasons became obnoxi(ms to the bees? 

 I know that we had some that we i)ut on year 

 after year In time to get them full. The bees 

 would fill new (mes containing foundation: but 

 these old ones were finally thrown away. They 

 were of different jiattein. so we i-ecogni/.<'d 

 them at sight. 



.\i'e you not a little severe on tlx; hybrids be- 

 cause they do not keep enough honey in the 

 brood-nest for wintering, as the Italians do? 

 Many of our large honey-in'oducers would be 

 glad to have evei'y droji of clover honey put in 



the sections. Of course, they would have to 

 kee]) watch of colonies that do this, to prevent 

 them from starving: but 1 think it would pay 

 well for the time required. 



Although you do not say so. 1 iiresume the 

 brown bees mentioned are found somewhere in 

 your State of Illinois. Now. if there is really a 

 diffei'ence. why wei-e they not crossed and re- 

 crossed years ago? I can hardly think it is any 

 thing nu)re than accidental. I have seen some 

 cohjtiies of blacks that were very gentle; and I 

 have seen them, too, that were brownish color- 

 ed instead of black. Where great numbers of 

 young bees hatch out at once, wlien th<'y Ix^- 

 come of the right age th<'y haveamucli bright- 

 er look than older bees. 



We have never known bees to sting chickens, 

 but it has b(Mm reported once or twice. 



Your remarks about looking after the honey 

 at the groceries are excellent. In no other way 

 can a honey-trade be built up. 



Your suggestion, that tiZc drainuig is bad for 

 hee-lieepers. is a big point in favor of good farm- 

 ing, even if it is bad for the honey-croj). Our 

 farmei's who raise weeds will take the hint. 



Your suggestion, that old combs nk/;/ color tlu; 

 honey, is a good one. 



We agree with you in regard to windbi'caks. 



In regard to bees dying in June, so many such 

 rejjorts have been received we think there 

 must be .something in it besides a lack of stores. 

 I have s(mietimes thought, as you state it, that 

 the labor demanded by the growing brood is so 

 great as to wear out or kill the nurse-bees by 

 overwork. Is it not strange that bees, with 

 their wonderful instincts, should so many times 

 behave themselves much as human beings do? 



EAMBLE NO. 29. 



STKl'HEX f<>. 



Haskinville is a town in Steuben I'ounty. not- 

 e I for its wooded hills and fossil rocks. One is 

 more impressed with the grandeur of the 

 scenery as we enter the county than we are 

 after we get in. The borders are cut u]) with 

 deep winding ravines and pictiu'csque glens- 

 just the county for camps of brigands. Hut 

 our traveling c<impanion was a very honest- 

 looking young man. and we trusted to 

 ills guidance. Our team waded patiently 

 through the mud. and at last reached the en- 

 teriirising village of Haskinville. The enter- 

 prise all seemed to be centered in one store con- 

 ducted bv (Jeorge and Ziba Silsby. and a little 

 Wesleyan church, conducted by Rev. Mr. Clow. 

 W<> found the Silsby Bros, working heart and 

 hand with the minister, and evidently having a 

 good influence in the community. They seeme<l 

 to be verv conscieiitious in their dealings, and 

 k(>|it nothing tiint savoi'cd of alcohol, and had 

 even stopiKHl the tap at the little hotel near by. 

 After consideiing the inllueiice that tobacco 

 has upon the cleanliness and morals of people, 

 they had also Ihiown up a good 1rad<» in the 

 we(Ml. and seemed to be making a good living 

 without its revenue, it was no lillli' wonder to 

 us to tiiid tliein. holding the postoTtici-. and ilis- 

 pensing the mail under a Republican a<lmiiiis- 



