1880 



GLEANLNGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



IK 



down on combs, until it would seem that the bees 

 could hardly all get in, for want of space. The re- 

 mainder of the combs were set outside of a division 

 board on one side, the board being- raised a little (% 

 of one inch) from the bottom, with a third division 

 board to be used on the outside of those combs, and 

 all covered up warm with quilts. Such bees increas- 

 ed in numbers, instead of dwindling. Occasionally a 

 comb was set over in the hive as the others were till- 

 ed with capped brood. The bees would carry in the 

 honey from the outside combs as needed. We found 

 that a few weak colonies would not go outside of the 

 division board for honey, unless it was raised about 

 an inch from the bottom, or was set down on the 

 bottom so that they could go over at the top, and 

 crowd the bees still more on their combs to keep up 

 the warmth. Some of the hives were left in this 

 way until the bees begau to bring in honey, and the 

 little fellows would go under the division board and 

 deposit it in the outside combs. 



I know that flour feeding sometimes seems 

 to do harm, especially since our late winter- 

 ing troubles, but as any kind of feeding, or 

 any thing that starts brood rearing unsea- 

 sonably, seems to have the same effect, I can 

 hardly think it best to decide that flour feed- 

 ing, or giving artificial pollen of any kind is, 

 as a general thing, hurtful. Where the bees 

 are destitute of pollen, during warm weather 

 in early spring, I have seen good results fol- 

 low so plainly from feeding meal, I should 

 be loth to discourage its use entirely. I 

 should hardly recommend* flour feeding so 

 early as February. Chaff-packed bees, win- 

 tered in the cellar, and kept in until natural 

 pollen is to be had, is a pretty safe way, 

 where one has a cellar good enough to keep 

 them quiet and contented all this time. 



WET CLOTHS TO PREVENT ROBBING. 



Wet cloths do away with the tent for us. I hard- 

 ly think people know how to appreciate them, or 

 they would speak of their merits more. We have 

 from 35 to 50 cloths, and if the hive shows the least 

 sign of being robbed, we wet a cloth and lay over it, 

 and go ahead; as the cloth dries, the wind will gen- 

 erally blow it down by the time the bees are quiet. 

 Also, if a comb of honey is out of the hive, and the 

 bees pay any attention to it, wet a cloth or two and 

 lay over it, and they will keep away; when, if the 

 cloth was dry, they would crawl in all around. 



Mrs. L. C. Axtell. 



Roseville, Ills., Feb. 2, 1880. 



Wet cloths to stop robbing is rather a new 

 idea to me. Will others test it and report. 

 I suppose our friend, Mrs. A., intends to 

 cool off their ardor for stolen sweets, by 

 throwing a "damper*' or dampener over 

 them. I know drenching them with cold 

 water will often cause them to disperse, at 

 least for the time being, or until they get 

 dried off again. 



HOW TO STOCK AN APIARY. 



| HIS is a question that seems to be puzzling the 

 minds of many beginners to-day, and also of 

 many who have sufficient knowledge to han- 

 dle bees upon an improved plan. To the latter I will 

 make a few suggestions. At this time of the year 

 many are thinking, "Now, if I had enough bees to 

 open up the resources of my location, or enough to 

 put with what I have to produce what honey I could 

 sell In my own neighborhood, I would bo satisfied." 



Well, there are lots of bees all around you that it is 

 your duty to do something for. They want some one 

 to yet them out of their old, weather-beaten, moth- 

 eaten towers, and give them a house such as all bees 

 have where modern apiculture has reached them. 

 If you have a little spare time this month, run 

 around among the box-hive men of your county and 

 have a "bee talk" with them; take a sample hive 

 with you, provided it is not a patent; if it is, throw 

 it away. But if you persist in taking a patent, I 

 would advise you to arrange matters so that when 

 you tell the man that you have a patent bee hive, 

 and wish to put one up for him, you can have at 

 least two fences and a large wood pile between you 

 and him, and then the sooner you get your horse to 

 running away, the better 'twill be for you; for I can 

 assure you that some of those old homespun farmers 

 are alive to their best interests on the question of 

 patents, if they don't know much about bees. Well, 

 having got a simple, modern hive, take also several 

 copies of bee journals, and a smoker. These three 

 are the most important articles for a beginner, and 

 when you come to a man's house where box hives 

 are used, stop; show how you manipulate your hive, 

 also leave a copy of your journal there for a few 

 days; show him your smoker; tell him you would 

 like to introduce your hive into his yard, and also 

 how you propose to do it. After I have found that a 

 man is willing to try my hive, I state something like 

 this: I will bo at your house some time in May, and 

 will transfer a colony and warrant them (by this I 

 mean, if I should kill the queen while transferring, 

 that I will pay him for his swarm or furnish him an- 

 other one), and also furnish a good, painted, two- 

 story hive (this costs me $1.50), and a smoker, or, aft- 

 er the 1st of July^a dollar queen instead of the smo- 

 ker; but, instead of either one, I would tell him, I 

 think, —yes, I know I would,— that a year's sub- 

 scription to a good bee journal would do him more 

 good than either one. Well, I call this all worth 

 $3.50, for which I take a common swarm of black 

 bees for my pay; but, if they are extra good, I let 

 him have another single hive, or something to make 

 up their actual worth to me. Remember, this swarm 

 is an old colony that has not cast a swarm yet, and 

 if you take it home, transfer it, and handle it prop- 

 erly, it will amply pay you for your work. I was out 

 the other day, and, at one place, I took an order of 5 

 to transfer and furnish; at another place, 2 swarms 

 to transfer and furnish. At the first place, I got 4 

 swarms of bees for my pay, and at the other place, 

 •*s.oii in moner. Well, after you have got your or- 

 ders, lill them just at you agreed to do. Remember, 

 you are establishing a reputation, and upon that 

 will depend your success, should you ever want to 

 procure bees in this way again. Yes, and I can safe- 

 ly say that your success as a bee-keeper depends 

 much upon your word to your customers. And now 

 I wish to say, unless you intend to do just as you 

 agree, and have sufficient knowledge of bees to war- 

 rant your work, let your neighbors' bees alone; for 

 you will lose every time, as well as they. 



M. A. Gilt,. 

 Viola, Richland Co., Wis., Feb., 1880. 



Many thanks, friend G. I like your ad- 

 vice to the boys very much indeed, especial- 

 ly the latter part, Now, to sum it all up, 

 does it not amount pretty nearly to this lit- 

 tle text?— 



Trust in the Lord and do good: so shalt thou dwell 

 In the land, and verily thou shalt bo fed.— Psai.mb 

 xxx vll. 3. 



