C2 



"NOVICE^" GLEANINGS IN BEE CtTLTUBE. 



- weather they are soon used for an 

 entrance and then cannot be closed again 

 without loss of bees. Covering with wire 

 cloth will not do for they will be soon 

 covered with propolis. If all vent:' 

 be given in front, as in the "dollar hive 

 it can be enlarged to any extent and tl 

 contracted without annoyance to the bees. 

 The door in full view contains no window 

 and perhaps one window may ans^' 

 there are times when two might be bettor. 

 We prefer windows in the doors, for 

 then they are closed dark when the inner 

 doors are in place in winter: besides if 

 bees collect on the windows they are off at 

 once when the door is opened. The hoe 

 and spade left standing by the door are 

 favorite implements with "Novice" espec- 

 ially this season, for many of our trellisscs 

 under the new arrangement were left 

 "vineless;" these we find can be rapidly 

 filled up by simply burving a long, grow- 

 ing shoot, an inch or more, under the 

 ground and then bringing it up where 

 wanted: these green canes take root in 

 a few days. One thrifty Concord vine 

 will make a dozen or more good, strong 

 vines in a season. We have several such 

 shoots that have covered a trellis with 

 heavy foliage already. The 'railroad 

 and car is but dimly visible through the 

 foliage, and the extractor we hope will 

 assist those who could not "make it out, 

 even if it be but a distant view. The 

 "camp chair in the vicinity of "Novice, 

 might suggest "taking things easy, bat 

 we believe he seldom uses it only on the 

 Sabbath. 



We would say. in conclusion, that no 

 great amount of time has been expended, 

 as some might suppose, for it has been 

 mostly done at odd times, before break- 

 fast, after supper, etc., and instead of 

 being a task most of the work has been 

 but a pleasant recreation. 



P. S. — Of course our bees don't sting 

 when they are well treated. Its a story." 

 "P. G. "i Mrs. "X. and the children 

 wouldn't be there if they did, for they 

 don't "take to stings." 



CAUSE OF DYSEMtRY. 



MY bees, twenty-four stocks, wintered 

 _ on their summer stands, all healthy, 

 bnt not strong in numbers as usual at the 

 opening of spring, but some recruited. 

 Their stores was almost exclusively hon- 

 ey dew. And now when I tell yon I have 



a bee keeper since 1863, in localities 

 where this source of supply is often very 

 abundant, and that I have kept on an av- 

 froni twenty to eighty stocks a se 

 and that I have never lost a colony of 



from dysentery, or any other dis 

 that I know of, you will nut think strange 

 that I cannot indorse all the complaints 

 bud to h< charge. I have little however 

 to say in its favor, except that it usually 

 appears about this season, when in this 

 locality, where we have neither white 



clover nor linden, but often as is the case 

 this season, would have a hard season 

 without it : it keeps the bees breeding and 

 helps out wonderfully until the summer 

 and fall flowers come, from which our sur- 

 plus is principally gathered. 



E. K. Gird, 



ton City, St. Ctaii Co., Mo. 



That honey dew was not the only cause 

 of dysentery, we have had ample proof, 

 and we are glad to learn further that bees 

 sometimes thrive on it. Every additional 

 fact furnished will help determine just 

 how food acts in this matter, for that food 

 is at the bottom of the whole trouble, few 

 now feel inclined to d 



PROBLEMS. 



^jW-O. If. — Queen's cells after being 

 -^. I sealed, it is said, will hatch a* well 

 anywhere else as in the hive, if the tem- 

 perature be right. What temperature is 

 right? 'Can't we send 'em by mail? 

 . _ its Novice; but "P. G. ' says not, 

 for they must not be '"bumped or rough- 

 ly handled. Again, are all the requisites 

 for extra queens dependent on the treat- 

 ment of the larvae before sealing the 

 cell, is there no development that re- 

 quires full liberty, air, exercise, etc., after 

 hatching ? We dwell on this unduly, 

 perhaps, but firmly believe that extra pro- 

 lific queens are the secret of lame yields 

 of honey. 



No. 15. In some localities our bees are 

 in the habit of invading Groceries and 

 Confectioneries etc. in the fall. Now is 

 there any way to keep them busy so they 

 will not annoy our neighbors i. e. can we 

 feed them in any way that will not incite 

 robbing? We know of one case where 

 this was done accidentally as follows: 



Quite a quantity of honey was hung up 

 in a wood house in frames, and of c 

 the bees began to carry it away, but for 

 some unaccountable reason no robbing 

 ensued. They worked at the honey until 

 fruit trees blossomed, then abandoned it ; 

 commenced again after they were gone, 

 and so on ; yet there was no robbing 

 at all. In this case it seems the abundance 

 of the plunder made them think it was 

 natural stores, but we have in vain tried 

 to produce a similar result. We should 

 like facts on the subject but would advise 

 cautious experiments or it might result in 

 a "big row and disgust a whole neighbor- 

 hood with bees and Beekeepers. 1 Le 

 case mentioned was in Mr. Shaw s Apiary, 

 alluded to elsewhere, and the bees were 

 Italians. We are afraid t' would' nt work 

 with black and hybrid 



No 16 Has anyone ever wintered a 

 colony absolutely without pollen and did 

 thev rear brood successfully ? 



