312 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Aug. 



My first natural swarm came off May 19, and all, to 

 this date, have eome from single hives that were 

 wintered in doors. 



We shall probably hear the usual complaints about 

 the loss of swarms by their going- to the woods, but 

 if you hear of my losing any in that way, please say 

 it was my fault, or that of my assistants. Don't lay 

 the blame on the innocent bees. But, says one, do 

 your bees never leave for the woods ? Well, Yes; I 

 lost one swarm in that way four years ago, and 2 or 

 3 have tried to leave since then, but did not make a 

 success of it. 



In each case, however, the bees had just cause of 

 complaint. In the first case, the bees commenced 

 swarming- at about half past six o'clock one Sabbath 

 morning, while the family were at breakfast, and, 

 of course, all hands had to go to attend to them. 

 As it was a close, sultry morning-, swarm after swarm 

 came out, so that it was half past ten before all were 

 able to return from "pleasure to business," and 

 finish their breakfast. As appetites had become 

 pretty sharp by that time, of course, all were anx- 

 ious to return to the house, and, in the hurry, one 

 very strong- swarm was left unshaded; the heat in 

 their hive becoming- almost unbearable, they left 

 for more comfortable quarters. Those also that 

 tried to leave did so for the want of sbade before 

 they had become firmly established in their new 

 homes. James Bolin. 



West Lodi, O., June 23, 1879. 



I do not see but I shall have to give up, 

 friend B., in trying to make you admit that 

 spring dwindling is a disease, especially, as 

 you continue to avoid it year after year, 

 keeping a large number of colonies as you 

 do. I think there is little doubt now, that 

 house apiaries may be made to winter beauti- 

 fully, but, so far, I have never yet found one 

 who liked to work in them as w T ell as with 

 hives out doors. Shall we really be obliged 

 to lug our hives in every fall, and out again 

 in the spring V How is it, friend B.V do you 

 never have to carry yours out in the middle 

 of the winter for a fly, when there comes a 

 warm spell ? 



m ■>■ i * 



A GOOD WAY TO INTRODUCE A QUEEN. 



/jpv|N Saturday, the 14th, I received your letter 

 SjUjj) stating- that my queen was on the way. So, 

 to avoid hunting- out my old black queen, and 

 having so many frames and bees to look over to 

 keep an eye on my yellow queen, I went to my 

 Strongest colony, took 3 frames of hatching brood 

 and as many adhering bees as I could get, carried 

 them to a new hive with a division board, and I had 

 a strong nucleus. On Monday morning, at half past 

 8 o'clock, here she came. Of course, it was a new 

 wonder with the folks here— the idea of sending a 

 queen on the train, and questions were asked with- 

 out number. So I "lit out" for home, with my new 

 prize. The first thing .when I arrived home was to" 

 take care of a swarm that had issued while 1 was 

 gone. In about 15 minutes they were in the hive, 

 with a frame of brood. I wanted to see if my queen 

 was all right, and if there was plenty of water in the 

 vial; so I made the room dark with the exception of 

 one window, opened the cage, and let bees and all 

 out. 1 found a little water in the vial, and the candy 

 about half gone. There were 5 dead bees. The rest, 

 queen included, looked rather feeble, but seemed to 

 enjoy a lunch of sealed honey. To test my queen's 



wings, I carried her back a few feet and found she 

 could fly almost too well; so I clipped about one- 

 third of one wing off. After all had had their meal, 

 I put them back in the cage, and placed it on the top 

 of the frames of my nucleus, formed as mentioned. I 

 saw conclusively there was no queen in the nucleus, 

 for they had queen cells started, and the bees seem- 

 ed to be so friendly toward the inmates of the cage, 

 feeding them through the wire cloth, that I thought 

 I would let them out; especially, as they wanted so 

 badly to get out. 



Out they came, queen and bees, and not a single 

 fight ; no, not even a quarrel ; the bees fairly get- 

 ting on their knees to the new queen. On Tuesday, 

 she commenced laying and would not stop when I 

 would take the frame out to show her to my friends; 

 she would not get frightened at all, but would walk 

 as calmly over the comb, examining every cell and 

 depositing eggs, as though the frames had not been 

 disturbed. She now (the 27th) has 8 frames nearly 

 full of eggs and brood. I built them up by taking 

 frames of brood that was just hatching out, with ad- 

 hering bees, from some other hive, always taking 

 care not to get the queen. Now they are very popu- 

 lous and work with a perfect "vim." Did I not pro- 

 ceed about the best way for a beginner? 



Pocahontas, Tenn., June 27, '79. C. M. Reed. 



Your plan is an excellent one for begin- 

 ners, or any body else, and you have worked 

 so much like an old bee keeper, I have given 

 your letter at length. A little caution is 

 needed about taking frames of brood, bees 

 and all, for building up nuclei, or weak 

 stocks. The plan will work all right, usual- 

 ly, during the honey season ; but, as there 

 is always danger of the queen's being at- 

 tacked, it is generally safest to shake and 

 brush off all the bees. The comb of hatch- 

 ing brood will be cpiickly cared for by the 

 bees already in the nucleus. 



QUEENS BV MAIL. 



LETTER FROM THE POST MASTER GENERAL. 



gN|iIK:— For reply to your letter of June 27th, I 

 ^^> would respectfully refer you to the inclosed 

 copy of Section 222, of the new edition Postal 

 Laws and Regulations, and state that this Depart- 

 ment will make no exception thereto in order to 

 favor any special interest. 



The letter of your correspondent is herewith re- 

 turned. The statement that he has the opinion of 

 several postmasters that "bees" might be sent in 

 the mails when inclosed in certain packages is some- 

 what surprising, in view of the fact that this De- 

 partment has used every possible means to advise 

 all postmasters to the contrary. 



I am very respectfully, 

 James H. Man, 

 Actg. 1st Assist, P. M. Gen'l. 

 Washington, D. C July 1, 1879. 



Copy of Section 222, referred to above. 



Section 222.— Unmailable Matter.— Liquids, pois- 

 ons, explosive and inflamable articles, fatty sub- 

 stances easily liqueflable, live or dead animals (not 

 stuffed) live insects and reptiles, fruits or vegetable 

 matter liable to decomposition, comb honey, pastes 

 or confections, guano or other substances exhaling 

 a bad odor, are regarded as in themselves, either 

 from their form or nature, within the inhibitions of 

 the preceding section, and under no circumstances 

 must they be admitted to the mails. 



