.NOVICE S 



(J LEAN IN (iH IN BEE t'ULl'UilE. 



, . i, , ^ ... . 



39 



make it good ami use it at once. We have 

 never failed in getting our icor.il comlis 

 made good if given a eolony of Italians 

 or Hybrids. When absolutely necessary 

 take your bees to a warm room to over- 

 haul, but otherwise never disturb them in 

 weather that will prevent their returning 

 to the hive, for we can't afford to lose bees 

 in the spring "no how." Follow instruc- 

 tions given in ''Starting an Apiary" and 

 you can't well go wrong. Haven't you 

 wailed some of the $200 for patents? 

 Hither you have the value of the money 

 hi materials, etc., or it has not been ju- 

 diciously expended. As we have said be- 

 fore, we insist again, that the greatest dif- 

 fi renee is in the bee keeper, and notseas- 

 ons or localities. Experience will show 

 you where you have i'ailed, and if good re- 

 sults have been made, with bees in your 

 vicinity, they probably can be again. 

 Don't emigrate, but see if you can't give 

 us a better report ere long. 



No. G2. — I don't know but that our bee 

 doctors will make "confusion worse con- 

 founded'' by their teachings, (compare 

 together the last two numbers of the 

 American. Bee Journal, at Washington, 

 for instance), but we learners still "want 

 to know. " Yon may perhaps remember 

 that Gallup and I had a short passage at 

 arms some time ago about wire gauze. 

 Notwithstanding, 1 still use the gauze 

 and think it a very convenient thing to 

 keep the bees from gnawing through the 

 quilt or sticking it fast to the frames with 

 propolis. And then it is so nice in the 

 spring to turn back your quilt and 

 sprinkle stimulating food through the 

 gauze on the cluster of bees beneath ; 

 and no danger of even cross hybrids 

 standing on their heads, netting in a pas- 

 ion, or going for you like a shower of 

 shot— [Dec. 21st., '72.'] 



Wkll "Novice," I don't know but that 

 f too will have to swing "my old bat. 

 Bees so nice, bright and active. No rob- 

 bing this spring; no use to try, too many 

 wideawake guardato lace. Bees carrying 

 in Hour, pollen, and water, and drones on 

 the wing to-day. Guess they. .don't know 

 v. hat an arctic winter has lately visited 

 these parts, and consigned most of their 

 summer-stand sisters to the shades. Per- 

 haps theydon't lookwith an artistic eycon 

 tin' bright and symmetrical appearance of 

 "our city," caused by an application of 

 v. lute paint, combined with a "honey-comb" 

 arrangement of the apiary, "a la," '-'Nov- 

 ice," though they till the air with their mu- 

 sic. D. P. Lank. 

 Ki»siiKOM>x<;.Kock Co., Wis. Apr. 19, "i'.'>. 



We don't know how the doctors get 

 along wintering, but do know we succeed 

 will) very little trouble. Thanks for the 

 idea of stimulative feeding. 



No. Go. — And now, if you judge the 

 length of a man's face by the number of 

 bees lost (as friend Lucas does), just put 

 me down as the longest-faced bee man in 

 Summit county. I suppose you can judge 



somewhat how a poor fellow feels under 

 such circumstances. Not much discour- 

 aged, but a little tired. I am almost 

 ashamed to own it, but truth must out. 1 

 have lost oo swarms last winter and this 

 spring, the greatest loss I have ever sus- 

 tained, and I am not alone in our town, 

 for from one-half to two-thirds of all the 

 bees are dead. Old fogies have fared the, 

 best this winter, and they have nothing to 

 brag of. I had a great many die out, leav- 

 ing plenty of honey in their combs. 1 

 have a nice lot of combs in frames for 

 oxer 50 single hives. My intension is now 

 to build up swarms this summer and not 

 make honey only in a few hives scattered 

 abroad amongst my neighbors. I was to 

 blame in my great loss; it being late 

 when I returned from Nebraska (I not 

 having reduced my two story hives before 

 going West) and the weather being so un- 

 favorable I neglected to do any thing with 

 them at the time, hoping tho weather 

 would change for the better; a delusive 

 hope. This being the second time in 15 

 years that 1 have left my bees out of the 

 house, with about the same result; a too 

 dear experience, I hope, for me to try 

 again. Thomas Piekson, Ghent, O. 



SOMi; KURSKLS FOR 

 IN«S." 



til-EAS- 



To those who are anxiously and pa- t 

 tiently working for simplicity and ease in 

 handling hives and bees, I would ask a 

 question and offer a suggestion for their 

 digestion, if you please. I use no gloves, ■ 

 and seldom a veil, and when I get stung 

 I squeeze the poison and sting out of the 

 skin with my thumb nail against the fore 

 finger. Keep the thumb nail long. 



I would like to hear of an extractor at 

 a reasonable price. From §10 to $18 and 

 express charges is simply prohibition to 

 the great majority of bee-keepers. The 

 inside, or running parts, might be made 

 portable, packed in small bulk and septal 

 less expense, with instructions for putting 

 together and use. The can, or outside 

 part, could be made by any tinsmith, or a 

 half barrel might be used in an emergen- 

 cy. There might be a patent here for 

 some of our landsharks. 



Those that are troubled with their bees 

 'laying out" can cure that by a wire cloth 

 bottom board. An opening at least 1 foot 

 square, covered with wire cloth 8x8 strands 

 to the inch, and a slide to close tight, stop- 

 ping all draft when necessary, I consider 

 indispensable, in very hot weather, even 

 when they have plenty of room inside. 

 Wm. 11. Kirk, Chesire, Conn. 



We can furnish the inside work for an 

 extractor for $2.U(t: gearing included, 

 $3.50. This includes everything except 

 the barrel or can; two size castings are 

 made, viz: to tit 17 and 20 inch cans. 



With movable bottom board we should 

 think an opening covered with wire cloth 

 unnecessary^ 



