382 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUBE. 



Aug. 



POLLEN CANDY. 



Mr. Root:- 1 received the queen yesterday all 

 right, and introduced her to-day, by caging- her un- 

 til this morning, and, at this writing, she is perma- 

 nently enstalled I think. I am succeeding amazing- 

 ly. I send you a sample of candy to feed bees which 

 is 1-10 bee-bread obtained by washing the pollen out 

 of the comb that was left after transferring. I have 

 transferred 13 colonies out of box hives, and have 

 enough pollen to make 30 or 40 lbs. of the candy. 

 Now do you think it will do to feed bees next spring, 

 in the form of the sample I send? I took 25 lbs. of 

 honey in sections yesterday. Please let me know 

 by return mail what you think of the candy so that 

 I will know whether to make up what pollen I have 

 before it spoils. L. C. McFatridge, M. D. 



Carroll, Ind., July 3, 1880. 



I think "tip top" of the candy, friend M. 

 It tastes exactly like the wild thorn blos- 

 soms ; and I can almost imagine while it is 

 in my mouth that I am standing under the 

 trees while in blossom. The sugar seems to 

 have a property of preserving the pollen, 

 even in its fresh flavor; and I think it will 

 be ahead of any of the artificial substitutes. 

 If it could only be obtained in such quanti- 

 ties, it would be a great thing; but I do not 

 think I ever saw 5 lbs. of pollen in a hive 

 here in my life. 



BEES AND FRUIT. 



At a recent meeting of the Santa Barbara Co. Bee- 

 Keepers' Association, the subject of fruit-growers 

 vs. bee-keepers was discussed, together with the 

 probable fight that will take place between the two 

 at the next meeting of our state legislature, and it 

 was voted,— 



That the secretary request the editors of the lead- 

 ing bee-journals of the country to publish any arti- 

 cles bearing upon the subject of the destruction of 

 fruit by bees. 



If you can find space in your valuable journal in 

 which to gratif y our wish, we should be pleased to 

 see any republications or original articles ®n the 

 subject. Frank Flint, Sec'y. 



Carpenteria, Cal., June 24, 1880. 



I shall be very glad to publish facts in the 

 matter, but, while so doing, I most earnest- 

 ly desire and pray that the whole difficulty 

 may be settled without any fighting or even 

 controversy. While the bees doubtless have 

 been blamed for much they were not guilty 

 of, I think we should be candid enough to 

 admit that the evidence given in our back 

 numbers is sufficient to prove that bees do, 

 at least at times, damage the interest of the 

 fruit grower. If your neighbor is a fruit 

 grower, try to agree pleasantly with him 

 in regard to the damage, if any, and, if you 

 cannot do that, move to some other local- 

 ity, and trust God to take care of you. Some 

 of you will ridicule such a course I fear, but, 

 if you cannot accept it, try the fighting way, 

 and, after years are passed, sum up the re- 

 spective costs of each course, and then see 

 who is best off and happiest. "Not by might, 

 nor by power," etc. 



introducing ; a failure in. 



I must tell you of my failure in introducing that 



queen you sent me, as I think it is an exception to 



the general rule. She came all right, was lively 



enough, and had plenty of candy and water in the 



cage. I had a hive from which a natural swarm had 

 come 5 days before. I opened it and took out 2 cells 

 sealed up, 4 almost ready to seal, and 2 just about 

 half built. All the unsealed cells had larvra in them. 

 I looked all the frames over carefully, to make sure 

 there were no more, then turned the cage screen 

 downward on the frames. This was about 2 o'clock 

 p. M. I looked at it again at 5, and the queen was 

 dead in the cage. I shall try again as soon as I get 

 the money to send to you, but think I shall send for 

 Vi lb. of bees with the next. 



Albert L. Entrican. 

 Westville, Mich., June 30, 1880. 



We have, occasionally, a case like the one 

 you mention. Yesterday I had one such, 

 where the queen and bees were all dead. 

 They were lively in the cage, and seemed all 

 right; but, after being put over the frames 

 in the hive, they soon all died. We have re- 

 cently introduced nearly all our queens with 

 the introducing cage for cold weather, given 

 in the ABC, and with these our losses have 

 been very few indeed. The plan is some- 

 what similar to that of the Beet introducing 

 cage. On another page, we give a cut of a 

 shipping and introducing cage, sent us by 

 our friend I). A. McCord. All of these 

 cages are so made that they can be put right 

 down among the brood, by separating the 

 frames slightly. Berhaps separating the 

 frames slightly will be an advantage with 

 any cage; of course, taking care that no 

 combs are built in this space. 



DRONE fdn. for comb honey, etc. 



We wish to make a change in our order of yester- 

 day. Instead of drone fdn. as ordered, please send 

 5 lbs. of thin worker, and 2 lb«. of drone fdn. Come 

 to take out honey, we think the drone does not look 

 as well. Will you kindly inform us which size of 

 section frame is best for market, and for bees to do 

 the most work in; that is, for all purposes, so when 

 we order again we can get the best size, all things 

 considered. W. H. Todd. 



Vermillion, O., July 2, 1880. 



There is but little doubt, but that most 

 people will think the small worker cells look 

 better for comb honey, than the coarser 

 drone; but, on the other hand, few will dis- 

 pute, that the bees build out the drone comb 

 and till it with honey much quicker. I can- 

 not say, at present, what the difference is, 

 but, during a heavy yield of honey, when 

 bees find it difficult to build comb fast 

 enough, I think the drone fdn. would make 

 a great difference in its favor. I should still 

 prefer the Simplicity, one-pound section, to 

 any or all others. 



A GOOD REPORT FROM HYBRIDS. 



I tried to prevent the colony of hybrids, which I 

 purchased of you last July, from swarming by giv- 

 ing them plenty of room, and taking away the 

 frames of honey nearest the side of the hive; but all 

 to no purpose. June 10th they sent out a large 

 swarm which has already drawn out 8 sheets of fdn., 

 built one frame of comb of their own, and nearly 

 filled them with brood and honey. Five sheets seem 

 to be little else than solid masses of brood, clear out 

 to the ends. Another year, if I live, I shall know 

 better how to manage them. This is my first year's 

 experience with bees -the first time I ever saw bees 

 or hived a swarm. But I got along nicely with it all, 



