" NOVICE'S " GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



race. In regard to keeping a stock 

 queenless two days, we do not see as it 

 matters much in July, August or Septem- 

 ber, but we must confess that we have 

 had so many cells torn down of late that 

 we are not satisfied that inserting cells at 

 once as soon as the old queen is removed 

 is not almost as well. (See queen rearing 

 on another page.) In regard to the 

 blackboards, we were "deep' in a similar 

 device when your article was received, 

 and it seems from the Bee Keepers Jour- 

 nal that Mr. Winder, of Cincinnati, has 

 been working in the same direction. 



Now our device came about mainiy as a 

 matter of necessity, for Novice has been 

 having a touch of partial paralysis in his 

 right side again, and any kind of writing 

 was almost out of the question for a few 

 weeks. He could raise queens — or at 

 least thought he could— but when it came 

 to even keeping a record of queens or 

 anything else — well, he submits the follow- 

 ing, which is supposed to be printed on 

 stout weather-proof card hoard, such as is 

 used for shipping cards : 



No. 



I,:nl!,ltJ. 



If, on our next visit, we find her again, 

 and she should be laying, we set the in- 

 dices to read "laying — Aug. 25th," and 

 thus it remains until we can judge wheth- 

 er she is prolific, and workers three- 

 banded; then we move only the index to 

 "approved,' and thus it remains until she 

 is sold or fails from old age, when we set 

 it "not approved." If we remove her it 

 may be expedient to give the colon}' eith- 

 er eggs, brood, or cell for replacing her, 

 and we indicate which and date. If we 

 give them a virgin queen, call it "hatched." 

 if killed, call it "missing," and "blunder 

 away,' for you know as well just "where 

 you are" at all times as did the man who 

 tried to yoke a pig. When "piggy" made 

 his escape by jumping through the win- 

 dow of Ids shop, he consoled himself with 

 the ejaculation: "Drat it, I've got his 

 dimensions any how. Seven by nine, ex- 

 <retli/. n 



There's nothing like system and pre- 

 cision, an'd as we always sell everything 

 we consider of value, we have ordered a 

 large number of these cards or dials 

 March. 



Apr. 



Hatched. 



App 



kept. 



MllL 



Any. 



J mis. 



Cells. 



Not Approved. 



Broo I. 



Eggs. 



At the centers are affixed a thumb' 

 screw, with a point, projecting at one side 

 for an index. These are made cheaply 

 by soldering a piece of galvanized sheet 

 iron, i shaped as in the accompanjdng fig- 

 ure,) in the head of a small wood screw ; 

 these screws should also have their heads 

 tinned, to prevent rusting. With four tacks 

 of galvanized iron, fasten the card on any 

 conspicuous part of the hive. Make a hole 

 in each of the three centers such that the 

 screws will turn in and hold firm, but, yet 

 turn easily. An explanation is hardly 

 needed, but we will give one illustration : 



Suppose we are examining a hive, to 

 see if a young queen has commenced lay- 

 ing, and she can't lie found, before leav- 

 ing we turn the index on "missing, " and 

 the other two are made to indicate the 

 date, whatever it may be, as "Aug. 22d." 



made. 



we can se 



11 flu 



for 



about one cent each. If we can afford 

 them cheaper, will say how much next 

 month. The screws and tacks we will 

 furnish until further notice for each card 

 lor lc, making the whole cost of our 

 Queen Index for each hive five cents. 

 They can probably be sent by mail at a 

 cost" of about two cents for four com 

 plete set. The cards can he mailed at 

 printed matter rates, and we will pay the 

 postage when one dozen or more are or- 

 dered. 



We acknowledge with thanks the re- 

 ceipt, oi many valuable articles, items and 

 queries, and' much regret that want, of 

 space forbids considering them at once. 

 The printers inform us that the matter we 

 have sent in would fill at least another 

 number. Editorial also crowded out. 



