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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



12!) 



FROM DIFFERENT FIELDS. 



The BOOKS teach us that ai.i. bees cut thk.mski.ves 

 ■ mt of their cells. 



- p\ KAli XOVICE Et al:-~ In the fall three years 

 Sj «! back, ray first year with bees, the following 

 ^^r came um'ler my observation : The Kith Se))t. '71, 

 I had one Italian stock, on opening; this hive I found 

 several Queen cells. There were two on one comb, 

 one near each side bar. This comb with the two 

 Queen cells on it. I put into another hive, added to it 

 two or three combs of capped brood and honey and 

 put in over a quart of bees from parent hive (parent 

 hive very full of bees). Both the Queen cells were 

 Capped when transferred to the empty hive. Seven 

 days after, on opening the hive, without smoke, found 

 several bees cutting away on one of the Queen cells. 

 On dispersing the bees 1 found a hole cut into the cell 

 about V of an inch above the small end. I distinctly 

 saw the white immature Queen in the cell, and with a 

 sharp knife I carefully enlarged the opening, so as 

 not to wound the inmate. I immediately replaced the 

 comb and closed the hive. Two hours after I reopen- 

 ed the hive, found the Queen on bottom-board, the 

 bees were trying to put her out, indeed did put her 

 out of the "hive. I now examined the remaining 

 Queen cell, this yvas intact, there had been no inter- 

 meddling with it by the bees. This was Saturday, 

 next day being the Sabbath I did not open the hive. 

 Monday about 6 o'clock A. M. on opening the hive, the 

 Queen "was out on the comb, a very pretty well ma- 

 tured Queen. Xow the last cell was cut on the side, 

 (as Isatr the bees cutting the first cell) and there was 

 surely nothing like the smallest hole in the lower end. 

 I examined with all possible care ami had others to 

 examine. I am satisfied that both Queens were cut 

 -mt bv the workers. Why did thevdoit? what was 

 A heir object 'i J. H. Wilson Sbn'k. 



Lexington, Texas. Sept. 26th, 1874. 



The occurrence mentioned is not infrequent. 

 Although we cannot positively say why they 

 do thus, we would suggest that it is the work 

 of mischievious young bees who finding no 

 unsealed brood to care for, have "nothing else 

 to do." Had they been furnished with eggs 

 occasionally, they would doubtless have been 

 busy otherwise, and so felt no inclination to 

 meddle with the Queen cells. At a certain 

 age, they seem to be as full of mischief as 

 "'young puppies," and if they can't build comb, 

 nurse larvae, or build Queen cells, they will 

 amuse themselves by "tearing down some- 

 thing"; if the Queen thus rudely exposed is 

 old enough to live, all is well, otherwise they 

 pick the white soft chrysalis out of the cell, 

 piecemeal, with a most provoking unconcern 

 and disregard of consequences. Young bees, 

 like children must have something to do; if it 

 cannot be useful it should at least be harmless 

 or they will assuredly be in mischief of some 

 kind. 



I am making bee-keeping a specialty, commenced 

 Jive years ago with two box hives and Black bees. 

 Xow I have 80 colonies of as fine Italians as can be 

 found anywhere, have had many difficulties and 

 i roubles and have tried several different kinds of 

 hives but have something now that I think I can tie 

 to. Rec'd a choice Imported Queen from Ch. Dadant 

 & Son, this year. My stock is all raised from Import- 

 ed stock and if nothing happens will be in the Queen 

 trade in a small way another year. Have taken about 

 KXW lbs. of honey dining the season. 3000 lbs. since the 

 i!oth of Aug. I had some gather over 150 lbs. between 

 the 20th or Aug. and the 15th of Sept. One of the best 

 honey plants in my locality is Wild Cucumber; the 

 islands along the Mississippi river are covered with it. 

 My bees worked well on Alsike and Bed clover, but 

 when the Cucumber commenced blooming they work- 

 ed on it. Another good plant for honey is a variety 

 of Spanish Needle that grows in abundance in corn 

 fields especially in places too wet for corn. Mv bees 

 cross the Mississippi river and gather a great deal of 

 honey from it in Aug. and Sept. The honey is a beau- 

 tiful golden color. 1 will send you a sample the first 



time I am at a town where there is an express office- 

 My bees have always wintered on their natural stores- 

 have never lost a colony except from starvation. The 

 late honey is so thick 1 could not throw it out if I 

 wanted to. I wintered them in cellar of my house. 1 

 have made many observations on bees and honey 

 plants but am a poor hand to write them. 

 A lover of bees. A. L. William . 



Deer Plain, 111. Sept. -28th, 1874. 



Shall be very glad of your assistance in the 

 Queen trade friend W. We hope no one will 

 be deterred from writing us because they think 

 themselves poor hands at telling what the ' 

 have observed. We are all "at home" in this 

 department. 



Xow I am only a beginner in the business, having 

 only four colonies, three Greys and one Italian. In 

 passing them lor the last week or two 1 have noticed 

 a pecular tour smell among them. As as they were 

 working finely. I attributed the smell to the bloom 

 they were working on; but the scent increased, and 

 yesterdav I found "that it wa-i the Italian colony, so I 

 opened the hive and found ir. wet inside, from sweat 1 

 suppose, drops of water were on the lid and running 

 down the side. The comb seemed to be dam]) and 

 had a sour smell. On openingall the hives this morn- 

 ing I found two others in the same fix, except not fo 

 sour. I want to know the best plan to pursue in thi -s 

 case. I am using the Buckeye hive and it has no ven- 

 tilators. I have attributed the cause of the sweat to 

 that. Am I right ? I intend ventilating them by bo- 

 ring a hole near the top and covering if with wire 

 cloth. T. B. Pakkkh, Godsboro, X. C. Oct. 0th, 1874. 



We think the trouble is that they are getting 

 very thin honey or syrup from some source, so 

 thin in fact that it sours before they can ripen 

 it. More ventilation will probably help the 

 matter, but to make sure, we would remove 

 the cover entirely and let the sun shine direct- 

 ly on the bees and combs ; this will dry them 

 out and assist them in getting everything 

 sweet and clean. We have had a similar troub- 

 le in feeding weak colonies a large amount of 

 very thin syrup. 



Find out where they get these stores if you 

 can, and report. The superior industry of the 

 Italians sufficiently accounts for their being 

 the worst affected. Nothing can equal the 

 benefit of direct sunshine, for restoring either 

 plants or animals to vigor and health. 



And now a word on the "Iron weed'' experiment. 

 I moved two colonies on the morning of the 5th of 

 Aug., after extracting all the honey, to the prairie 

 referred to four miles off. By VI o'clock A. M. they were 

 as busy as though they had not been disturbed, . nu 

 by the 15th they had every thing filled. Having a fine 

 Queen I wanted to take care of. I took a couple of 

 frames of young bees, brood etc.. from these two hives, 

 and put into a new hive, caged the Queen and put her 

 in with them. In .'?»> hours I let her out, and now they 

 are a good colony. I added other frames of brood 

 from the other colonies however. Xow I have three 

 strong colonies that I have no doubt will winter safe- 

 ly. I did not extract any of this honey to test its 

 quality. Xext fall 1 propose to utilize this prairie to 

 the extent of a barrel of honey, the season favoring. 



This season has been considered a poor one for hon- 

 ey as every person here depends upon box honey for 

 their supply. But with an extractor it would have 

 been a tolerably fair one, the Basswood vieldiug 

 abundantlv. Win. M. Cake. 



West Independence, O. Oct. 7th, 1874. 



Thanks for the item. We think you Lave 

 made a move in the right direction friend ('. 

 We have often admired the Iron weed (Vein')- 

 via) but have had no chance to try the honey. 

 May we petition for a jar of it if you succeed 

 next season? 



Can you give me one or two names of parties 

 who will pay the best price, cash, for box honey of 

 excellent quality— in 16 lb. boxes? We have about 

 1400 lbs. of such." 



We have increased this season from 27 to 50 colonies- - , 

 the 27 have made the honey above, besides .'JoO lbs. ex- 



