1S80 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



(V7 



danger of teaching an error which may prove to be 

 the destruction of many a colony, would it not be 

 bettor to cease recommending this enameled cloth? 



ram aware that a very strong colony, kept so 

 warm that moisture will not condense and freeze 

 within the hive, with proper ventilation below, will 

 not require any vent Mat ion above, and may be sealed 

 up air tight above, as bees always do when left to 

 follow their instincts. Hut how many coLafttes, as 

 we generally find them, will answer to these condi- 

 tions? How many in your own apiary will do it? 

 Some open substance to go next to the bees, which 

 they can not cut to pieces, can surely be found. 

 1 think that your woven mats will answer 1he pur- 

 pose. I use a Chinese matting which comes around 

 tea chests and it answers the purpose very well. 



I am experimenting with a new cushion which, I 

 think you will admit, will beat the chart' in keeping 

 in the heat. Having a number of sheep skins hang- 

 ing in the barn, 1 thought they might be made use- 

 ful in keeping my bees warm. So I cut them to the 

 si/.e to tit my hives, and put on the matting and then 

 the sheep skin with the wool side down. All small 

 pieces made in cutting were used by laying them on 

 close together, the wool at the edges filling up the 

 cracks. There 1 don't you think that will keep them 

 warm? It may be liable to the same objection as 

 the enameled cloth; it may not let the moisture 

 pass off, or absorb it all sufficiently. 



Thaddeus Smith. 



Pelcc Island, Lake Erie, Canada., Dec. 15, IS"'-'. 



Thanks, friend S.; but is it not yon who 

 are mistaken V We are trying this winter, 

 as we have many winters before, the mats, 

 enameled cloth, burlap, and duck; but the 

 enameled cloth seems to please ns best of 

 all. [ should be glad if the mats answered 

 ii s well, because they are so much cheaper. 

 With a heavy, close chaff cushion over the 

 enameled cloth, we do not find that it causes 

 dampness, with any ordinary colony. Is not 

 the explanation in A V> V reasonable? 



HOW FUIEND STEEL, E LKAH\ED HIS 

 FIRST LESSON. 



AND HOW HE DIDN'T (JET STUNG AFTER ALL. 



yf SHOULD like to tell you some of my trials and 

 % tribulations since I became the owner of bees. 

 — J About the 18th of last .June, 1 was sitting at the 

 dinner-table when 1 heard a singing noise, and asked 

 my wife what it was. In answer to my question she 

 said it was neighbor Spilicr's bees swarming. As 1 

 had never heard or seen such a thing, I had to go 

 over and see what it was like. Mr. S. was not at 

 home, but his father-in-law was there at the time, 

 and he hived the bees, while 1 stood about fifty feet 

 Oft*, waiting to see him stung. I have heard many 

 Btories of bees stinging even to death, but he came 

 out without being stung at all. He told me to come 

 and see them in their new hive; but no, not I. Fi- 

 nally, alter a hail-hour or so, I got up to the hive. 

 As soon as 1 gol there, one of their number wanted 

 to form a better acquaintance, and came rather too 

 near tor me to stand it. The old man told me not to 

 strike at it, and it was a trying moment ; but at last 

 the bee did alight on my face, and then departed in 



peace, and 11 ft, " the hero, of the hard-fought bat- 

 tle." I tlun and there made the bargain for the 

 next swarm that came. The following Sunday, Mr. 

 S. was home, and a swarm came out and was hived by 



him, 1 being there too. After they were hived, half 

 of them went back again to the branch they were 

 taken from. That time I went up after them and 

 shook them into a tin pan, covered the pan, brought 

 it to the I ive, and c mptied it in front, without being 

 slung! That made mi- feel as brave as any man 

 could feel. Well, about i ne quartofbees went back 

 again. 1 asked Mr. S. if he would not hive them. 

 He said. '• .\o; inn may ha\e them if you will hive 

 them." I got a small honev-box and put them in, 

 thinking] had another swaim to begin with (Mr. S. 

 all the time smiling). J put the box on the stand, 

 and in about half an hour not a bee was in the box. 

 of course, the laugh was at my expense. 1 consoled 

 myself, however, with the belief that, in time, I may 

 know as well as' Mr. S. the reason why they did not 

 stay in the box. 



Well, a couple Of days after, another swarm came 

 off. Mr. S. not being at home, his wife came over to 

 me, asking me to hive her bees. ] did so,1hc swarm 

 banging to a limb in an apple-tree close by. I got a 

 pan and went up, but the swarm was in such a posi- 

 tion as to be right over my head. The consequence 

 was, that about a quart of bees fell down on my head 

 and shoulders. Hut what do you think, Mr. Hoot, 

 when I say again, that I did not get stung? The 

 women declared I was "the luckiest man" theyever 

 saw, and would better get another swarm. So I did, 

 and I made a hive with movable frames, though l 

 had never seen any before. Mr. S. keeps all of his 

 in box-hives. The bees built their combs in such a 

 shape that i could not get any honey away from 

 them, so 1 went into winter quarters with them as 

 they were. The one in the box is weak, because the 

 bee-worm came pretty near destroying them alto- 

 gether. The other one is good and strong, if I can 

 be the judge, and I hope 1 am right. If 1 suc- 

 ceed in getting them through the winter, I will 

 put them in your hives and commence to learn my 

 AI1C in bee-culture. < ITTO STEELE. 



Told,,, o., Jan. 4, 1880. 





JWi 



NATURAL VERSUS ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. 



¥OTJ seem pleased to hear how your subscribers 

 are doing With their bees, therefore 1 ui\ e my 

 ■-•i report. I lost none last winter, and commenc- 

 ed the spring with 12 stands; <> appeared weak, the 

 other 6 strong. 1 had not succeeded with artificial 

 swarming in '78, so 1 let them have their own way 

 this spring. The t; Btrong hives swarmed twice; the 

 other n did not swarm, but grew strong and made 

 plenty of honey. I made only one swarm, so I had 

 :::, colonics, and sold 1. in. II,. of comb honey from :.':.' 

 stocks; the other :; were small swarms and did not 

 store any surplus. They are all heavy now. and do- 

 ing well en the mustard that has been blooming for 

 the last three months, i paid every cent I owed for 

 my hives, and had something over; so i am Bat 



111 do as wt II next season, vol I will be sure to hear 



from me. Mrs. EmilieC. Museley. 



( >\ Bter Creek St ition, Texas, Dee. II, IS".!'. 



Pretty well done; my friend. As a general 

 thing, especially with beginners, I think I 

 would rather advise natural swarming. The) 

 will then generally avoid dividing too soon, 

 as well as too often; for bees do not usually 

 s Warm, unless there is a lair prospect of the 

 new colonv's being able to make a '" live " of 

 it. 



