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TBE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



at the outset of at least partial failure in the 

 use of dummy combs. I saw by June 1st 

 that my hives were too small. The experi- 

 ence, however, instead of discouraging, 

 has led me to see greater possibilities for 

 success than heretofore. The coming sea- 

 son I hope to transfer my frames of comb 

 and bees into hive bodies nearly one-third 

 larger. Other valuable features have also 

 been suggested by the season's experience. 



During the swarming period I undertook 

 in the absence of water, to prevent the issue 

 of swarms by smoke. Using the smoker 

 well charged I puffed it freely into the en- 

 trance as soon as the swarm began to issue, 

 being careful not to burn the bees. Four 

 colonies were thus treated and in each in- 

 stance the swarm returned. This was most 

 conclusive proof to my mind that bees are 

 guided, in clustering with the queen, by 

 scent. I have no doubt as to the issuing of 

 queens as well as bees, for although one 

 swarm had returned after a long flight I 

 found the queen, within the radius of their 

 flight, surrounded by a handful of bees, 

 upon a fence; while in another instance I 

 saw the queen return with the bees. I be- 

 lieve these swarms had abandoned all hope 

 of scenting the queen, which seemed evi- 

 dent by their scattered and widespread area 

 of flight, hence they returned, trusting upon 

 the maturing queen calls for a final issue. 

 This latter confirms what is already an ac- 

 cepted fact, that the place being determin- 

 ed upon, the loud buzzing call brings all to 

 the one location. But, in swarming, until 

 a place is determined upon, I believe the 

 bees are guided almost wholly by scent, and 

 with the queen are brought together. Most 

 bee-keepers of experience know that if the 

 queen be caught and held in the hand, many 

 bees will be attracted by her scent, which if 

 allowed will finally attract the entire swarm 

 in many cases. Again, with a like number 

 of issues, under the circumstances of smok- 

 ing them, a like number might also cluster, 

 in which the queens would answer to the 

 call and join them. 



Experiments were also made by hiving 

 three or four swarms upon combs from 

 colonies which had swarmed, using only 

 those with all sealed brood, and no queen 

 cells. The result was, swarming took place 

 the following day in each instance. There 

 is certainly something akin to scent in the 

 swarming impulse. We may not' compre- 

 hend it fully, but the lesson teaches that 



distance between hives must be observed in 

 order to suppress swarming. 



August was a decidedly cool month in 

 Michigan, being unfavorable to the secretion 

 and storage of nectar. The harmony of 

 arrangement as found in Nature shows how 

 compensating she is in her workings. The 

 low temperature which retards the secretion 

 of nectar, also contracts the cluster or mass 

 of comb builders in the supers, naturally 

 confining their work within a less number 

 of sections. Too much warmth in the su- 

 pers would expand the cluster, resulting in 

 a greater number of unfinished sections. 

 I also find tiering unsatisfactory as compar- 

 ed with a large supering surface under such 

 circumstances. Some half-dozen which 

 were tiered gave me the least number of fin- 

 ished sections compared with single supers 

 containing 3G sections, on equally strong 

 colonies. The bee is wonderfully economi- 

 cal in her workings, during cool weather in 

 August. The cluster not ouly contracts, 

 endeavoring to maintain a sufficiently high 

 temperature for wax working, but in its 

 failure to construct comb delicately thin, 

 comparable with that of warm weather; of 

 the abundance of propolis collected at this 

 season a portion is utilized by being liquified 

 and mixed with wax forming the comb 

 structure, so with retarded comb building, 

 which tends to discolor it by travel of the 

 bees, the stain of propolis also darkens the 

 shade. 



Although having but five acres of sweet 

 clover, I must report favorably in that my 

 crop of late honey was much augmented by 

 it. The honey though somewhat mixed 

 with buckwheat and autumn flowers, forms 

 a most delightful blend much sought after 

 and preferred by many here in Jackson, 

 Referring to my article in the Sept. Review, 

 I there recommended syrup for feeding, 

 made by using VI lbs. of sugar to a quart of 

 water. This season I procured sugar which 

 required two quarts to that amount of sugar 

 and was gummy withal. Since writing 

 that article I have made inquiry in reference 

 to the difference, and find that, owing to the 

 Cuban war, cane sugar has almost entirely 

 been substituted by that made from beets. 

 This latter acts very differently both as to 

 the amount of water required, audits work- 

 ing in an atmospheric feeder. It is gum- 

 my like glucose and not as acceptable to the 

 bees. Having returned the sugar, I procur- 

 ed a barrel of what is known as " Diamond 



