1880 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



441 



some out. I had to cut out 5 the first time to avoid 

 cutting some in two. The next time, I had to cut 

 out 8, and then had to cut one in two to get them. 



Your statement has convinced me that I stand 

 head for a large number of queen cells on a single 

 sheet of comb, L. frame. B. F. Cathey. 



Cabot, Ark., July 10, 1880. 



Are you not a little uncharitable, friend 

 C.V It is because of the great mass of cor- 

 respondence before me, and not because I 

 have any disposition to be partial, that your 

 letter was passed by, and friend P.'s given. 



$cfy§ and §uqriq§. 



HAD a swarm inal'a story, Simplicity hive, 

 which became very weak. I could not find a 

 queen at all; still they had drone brood and lar- 

 rae. I found one queen cell, in which there was a 

 larva, but in a short time it was torn down. I 

 changed places with a very strong colony, and now 

 it is strong, and seems to be all right. What was 

 the matter with it? and did I do right? 



T. H. Duncan. 

 Oakland, Coles Co., 111., July 8, 1880. 

 [Your hive has a fertile worker, or a drone laying 

 queen, I think, friend D., and, if so, they will soon 

 be as bad off again. You must give them a good 

 queen. See A B C] 



BEES THAT WILL NOT WORK IN THE UPPER STORIES. 



Our bees have not made a pound of surplus honey 

 this year. The brood chamber is filled up with hon- 

 ey. Please inform us what is the matter with the 

 bees. Chas. Abraham. 



Hillsboro, Miss., July 19, 1880. 



[If they will not work above, put a wide frame full 

 of sections in the lower story, friend A. That we 

 may be able to do this with stubborn stocks is one 

 great purpose of the wide frame of sections.] 



THE FARIS DIPPING MACHINE. 



We looked with great interest for July No., for 

 something durable for dipping fdn., and behold! 

 plaster of Paris dipping plates. We have used them 

 2 seasons for dipping starters. I think Oliver Fos- 

 ter ought to have some credit for dipping plates. 

 I sent to you for fdn. a year or two ago to make 

 casts, but it all got broken in the mails. 



Stephen Hill. 



Port Huron, Mich., July 13, 1880. 



[A great many deserve credit, friend H., who per- 

 haps never get it from the great masses of the 

 people.] 



ALMOST •' BLASTED." 



I deem it the duty of every bec-kecper to send re- 

 port of honey crop in his locality for publication, 

 and thereby all may be informed. I report *£ crop, 

 the poorest in ten years. It has been rather too cold 

 for bees to work much since basswood. White clo- 

 ver was a failure. It is cold and raininsr at present 

 writing. I am retailing at home for 20c. Syracuse 

 markets are flat, on account of sharp dealers, and 

 small bee-keepers that will sell for any price. 



F. L. Smith. 



Watervale, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Aug. 19, 1880. 



My bees build so much comb between the brood 

 frames and the wide section frames, that when I 

 lift the upper story off, most all of the brood frames 



lift out with it. If I want to look into the lower 

 story, I have to take out one frame at a time, and 

 cut the new comb off, which I find very inconve- 

 nient and annoying, as it takes so much time. Is 

 there a remedy for it? The hives and frames were 

 furnished by you. That queen got fertilized but not 

 by that one drone, for he is around yet. 



Geo. H. McGee. 



Point Marblehead, O., July 13, 1880. 



[Ueduce the space between upper and lower 

 frames to \ inch, and you will have little trouble 

 with most colonies. Occasionally, however, we find 

 one that will build it all solid with honey almost, in 

 spite of us. I know of no perfect remedy for these 

 exceptional cases.] 



Our bees (14 stands) made no honey until linn 

 bloom. Then, Oh my! it came in with a rush, but 

 they are not doing much since. The "gude mon " 

 is " gone on a journey," even down to Boston, to vis- 

 it his brother, Rev. A. Bunker, who goes back to his 

 mission work in Burmah soon; so I am trying to 

 manage the bees, the farm, and the three "manikins" 

 by myself. Clara Bunker. 



El Dora, 111., July 10, 1880. 



[May God bless the missionary, as well as the "gude 

 mon," yourself, and the "manikins," friend Clara.] 



I commenced in the spring with 4 weak colonies, 

 in wood frames, which I successfully transferred to 

 metal cornered frames. I increased to 10 good col- 

 onies. We have plenty of honey for home use, and 

 have sold some. Out of the 5c. pkg. of Spider-plant 

 seed, we succeeded in getting 27 plants to grow, 

 which have been blooming for the last 2 weeks, but 

 I haven't noticed any bees on it, till the last few 

 mornings. Jos. B. Wise. 



Nappanee, Ind., July 20, 1880. 



[Guess you didn't get up early enough, friend W.] 



will bee stings curb rheumatism? 



To every bee-keeper: Will each of you please 

 answer the following questions by postal card or let- 

 ter. 



1st.— What is your age? 



2d.— How long have you been handling bees? 



3d.— Were you afflicted with rheumatism before 

 engaging in the business? If so, do you get partial 

 or complete relief when "stinging time" conies? or 

 do you get worse from year to year? 



4th.— If you did not have rheumatism previous to 

 engaging in bee culture, have you been so afflicted 

 since? 



5th. About how many stings do you get during 

 the honey season? 



Please answer promptly, and I will report the re- 

 sult in Gleanings, W. W. Lemmon, P. M. 



Otwell, Pike Co., Ind. 



[Answers can be sent to rac, to save trouble, and I 

 will report. I think the stings act only as a counter 

 irritant.] 



We have had a cyclone of honey for the last three 

 weeks. I never saw such a feast before. 



propagating honey trees by layers. 



Lay some limbs from your paulina trees on the 

 ground, and cover them up all except a few inches 

 at the end, and they will perhaps take root in one or 

 two years. I propagate apple, peach, and almost all 

 kinds of trees in that way. Sprouts that come' out 

 near the ground are best. M. S. Klum. 



Home, Grayson Co., Tex., Aug., 1880. 



