22 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



1S75 



Mv objection to the Quinby hive is Its size— It is un- 

 wiefdy and a great task on an old man's strength to 

 handle it. W. S. Lunt. Fostoria, O. 



Veiy true; and yet a muscular young chap 

 like our friend Elwood might handle a much 

 larger frame with rapidity and ease. Guess vv« 

 ghatl have to have two sizes of frames if not 

 more. It seems to us that Mr. Q. puts much 

 moi'e luml>er into his frames, than is by any 

 means I'equired. 



nUURAH FOR RAPE AS A HONEY PI^ANT ! 



We sold quite a quantity of Rape seed last 

 season and were beginning to fear we had only 

 aided in bringing disappointment as we have 

 not Ijefore that we can now recollect, had one 

 single favorable report, in fact we have had 

 scarcely a report of any kind. Our own experi- 

 ment only demonstrated that it was a most 

 excellent grasshopper "feed," for they stationed 

 sentinels over the whole patch and as soon as a 

 rape leaf tried to "come up" it was nipped off 

 in a twinkling. We can until further notice 

 mail the seed at 20c per lb. 



FKIEND NOVICE :~I bought 3 lbs of Rape seed 

 IVoni yon last spring and give it to Mr. C. W. Driscoll. 

 Wyoming Co., N. Y.. to sow, he sowed % acre of it and 

 he says that he received Si^-OO tor the honey from it, 

 whicii was sold at iic per lb. net weinht cutting the 

 comb from the boxes, the boxes being old and not 

 salable. This honey was gathered by .'5 stocks and their 

 increase. He received more surplus honey from this 

 ])atch of Raije than from any otlier source. He is so 

 well ]ileased witli it that thisyear he is going to sow (! 

 acres, -2 acres at three times, the seed was not properly 

 harvest('(l but as I understood him to say, it i)ays him 

 as well if not better than any other crop, besides the 

 honey gathered from it. When the bloom was at its 

 higlit it was one perfect hum with bees, giving honey 

 not only to his own bees, but about 50 or 60 other 

 hives l)elonging to neighbors. I have seen no re|)orts 

 of Rape o; late in Gleaxings or A. B. J. I wish sub- 

 scri!)ers would give more reports concerning it. How 

 has Rape succeeded with you? The honey from Rape 

 sells as well as that from wliite clover, ami to my taste 

 it has a better flavor. I would like to see a report 

 from Gallu|). How has the long hive done with you 

 this last season? I would like to know from Doolittle 

 if he uses any side storers, and if they are as good as 

 top boxes ? I would like some one to give a report 

 regarding Mellilot clover, how it was cultivated and 

 wliether it has any other value than as a honey produ- 

 cing plant. Can any brother bee-keeper give a report 

 of l^app (the winter variety of Rape) ? Did you sow 

 any Vetches and were they of any value? Has anj^ 

 one tried l-:sparcet? Whathive does Harbison use? 

 John- JI. iMrLEBY, Buflalo, N. Y. Jan. 11th, 1875. 



Mellilot clover is a bad weed, and is only now 

 and then visited by the bees in our locality. It 

 ■will undoubtedly grow "its own self when 

 once started, for if you want an appetite for 

 dinner you need only to commence at 11 1^ 

 o'clock to pull one up. We sowed some six 

 years ago in our garden, and they still, "stand 

 by us." The "Sweet Clover in the hull" so 

 diligently advertised by the 7?. K. M., is from 

 the same original stock. About Vetches, see 

 Vol. 3, page 94. Will Mr. Harbison himself, or 

 some of our subscribers, in California, please 

 tell us what liive he uses? 



I have had only one year's experience, and am vei'y 

 fond of the "little critters," and do love the honey. 



Nathan Kephakt, Osceola Mills, Pa. 



1 was Italianizing my stock last summer, some of 

 them by removing lilack (^)ueen and giving (^)ueen cell. 

 A few among my strong stoi-ks I tn^atecl thus and had 

 their young <>ueens just hatched out as white clover 

 was doing its l)est ; these stocks of course' had no 

 brood to feed and tbe.N- gave me honey largelv in ex- 

 cess of those full of young brood thougli eipuillv strong. 

 As the hight of clover yield only lasts fi-oni ten days 

 to two weeks after which there is next to nothing lor 

 them to get for awhile, an increase of bees just at this 



time is not desirable, unless for dividing or Queen 

 rearing. I think I can turn this knowledge to goodi 

 account. Chas. H. Rue, Manalapan, N. J, 



Very true; "-Our Beautiful Experiment", pag.> 

 90, Vol. 3, is on the same plan, but brood must, 

 be reared at some future time or the colony- 

 will go down in numbers. It 7nay l>e advisaljlt- 

 but w,e have our doubts. 



Have just put my 8!> colonies intf> winter qnarters- 

 Tliev weighed as follows: Twenty at (i(> lbs. each; 3'2» 

 75 lbs. each; 10, 80 lbs. ; 15, 85 lbs., and '2i at 100 lbs. 

 each. Average weight of the hives, 33 lbs. each. 



N. C Mitchell was to see me, he says that I may 

 write on each hive, dead. 1 say not one unless it is 

 Qaeenless. I say for success, strong in numbers, and 

 rich in stores. Ai>ah Bah:, RoUersville, O- 



SanduBky Co. Nov. 10th, 1874. 



We shoi>ld say that o3 lbs. of honey, net, per 

 colony a great plenty ; however we should be 

 very glad indeed for a report of the above api- 

 ary next spring. Be sure and tell us whether 

 those having over 00 lbs. are in any way bet- 

 ter, by June or July. Your extreme is a safe 

 one, and Mitchell's advice can do no hurt, if 

 you are very sure he did not contrive to get iv 

 way with any of your money. We have al- 

 most constant reports of hiui and it seems he 

 still tinds plenty of unsuspecting victims. 



It Is now the 28th of Dec, and vet we have scarcely 

 had a day that bees could not fly, notwithstnnding 1 

 see signs of disease among my bees. To-day in pass- 

 ing among them I saw the bees ot one late swarm 

 dragging themselves about the entrance witli bodies, 

 much distended, some unalile to fly and a smart sprink- 

 le of (lead I)' es around several hives. I commenced tlie 

 season with nine stocks in tolerable condition in- 

 creased them to seventeen, got 700 lbs. of honey all 

 extracted, save .50 lbs. box honey; sold in county town 

 for "20 cts. Itees mostly hybrids in common Langstroth 

 hives; some in long oin- story hives. Like them mitcU 

 the best for summer, can't say as to winter. All have 

 natural stor »s. H. Fedev, Mitchellville, Tenn. 



We notice a similar trouble among our own 

 bees, although the number of deceased is not 

 large. It seems to affect about equally those 

 out of doors, those in the bee house, and those 

 in the forcing house, with the single exception 

 of ;i hive purchased of a neighbor about 15 

 miles distant. This colony is very full of nat- 

 ural stores, but his l^ees have never had any 

 disease. It stands in the open air. Was bro't 

 us after our bees ceased working at the cider 

 mill. Those who claim natural stores are nev- 

 er deleterious should read the Article on Lau- 

 rel Honey.. 



Have yon any worker comb in frames, partially or 

 full of honey to spare and if so at what price ? 



J. H. luwiN, Atchinson, Kansas. 



Can no one supply this constantly recurring 

 call for empty combs? If they are onlv^)ro;> 

 erly cared for as we have directed in Vol. 2, a 

 hive full should be worth $5.00 even after the 

 bees have all died. 



Why are not eggs laid for drones fertilized the same 

 as those for Queens and workers? 



Because unfertile (Queens and fertile work 

 ers lay eggs that produce drones in abundance. 



Can you give me tlie name of the person whose 

 theory is latest and most accepted on this subject ? 



We know of nothing, further than what is 

 given in Langstroth's and (Juinby's Books; in 

 fact iill that has been brought forward since, 

 has tended rather to corroborate, than to over- 

 throw their teachings. Just now, students who 

 labor and practice, (rlih been, ar(? in more re- 

 (piest than theorists, begging your pardon 

 friend J. 



