588 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Dec. 



tested them made like samples, and iind the bees 

 unable to cut them. We have used a {rood many like 

 the samples, and not one of them has been injured 

 by the bees. 



PREPARED PAPER FOR THE BASE OF FDN. 



The fdn. is made on lighter board, prepared in the 

 same way. 



I made a crude bath for dipping-, and, as I had to 

 dip at the side of the can to avoid the lumps of wax, 

 I did not get the paper coated the same thickness on 

 both sides. T drove to York (making; a round trip of 

 41 miles), where, through the kindness of Messrs. 

 Rians & VanEaton, the fdn. was made. As you have 

 all things necessary for making fdn., I send samples 

 of paper for trial; and if you succeed any better 

 (and I have no doubt but that you will), please send 

 me sample by mail. Itiiedsomeon the wrapping- 

 paper, but succeeded in getting only one fair sam- 

 ple. I regret I did not have more paper to send you 

 for trial. As the machine does not seem to injure 

 tfce paper at the base of the cell, I think this must be 

 an improvement on wood for this purpose. In mak- 

 ing, the sheets of paper would have to be cut the 

 size to be used, as it would not do to cut them— at 

 least, not until after the cells are drawn out by the 

 bees, unless the edges were again coated. 



Sample sent is one I used when they came between 

 edges of boxes. The result was, the comb was made 

 %. in. thicker, and boxes glassed up as much (the 12 

 boxes weighing 25 lbs.) as the 5x6x2 boxes. 



We shall keep the paper for separators (also the 

 comb fdn., if it proves to be a success), to supply 

 bee-keepers the coming season, price list of which 

 and directions for shellackingthe paper, will be giv- 

 en in our 4th annual circular, issued in Jan., 1881. 

 We shall discard tin and use paper in the honey- 

 boxes altogether. 



Honey is hardly half a crop in this part of the 

 State, our crop from 84 hives in spring amounting to 

 only 2900 box and 109 extracted, at most. I expect to 

 winter about 150 hives. 



Mr. Rians thought fdn. on paper wall could be bet- 

 ter made on press instead of rolls. J. E. Moore. 



Byron, N. Y., Sept. 28, 1880. 



The shellacked paper is very nice, and we 

 are much obliged to you, friend M., for it; 

 but I am afraid it will not prove sufficiently 

 substantial. It would be better than tin, 

 without a doubt, because it is a non-conduc- 

 tor of heat, unless the bees will be more apt 

 to attach the honey to it. Your experiments 

 have doubtless satisfied you on this point. 

 The objection to wood as a base for fdn. 

 (that it takes too much wax to bring the base 

 of the cell into proper shape). I think will 

 apply here. I have experimented a good 

 deal on paper of all kinds; and, although I 

 have good combs in my apiary built out on 

 paper, I can but think it is as yet a failure, 

 and principally because of the additional 

 quantity of wax it requires. 



A BEGINNER'S UPS AND DOWNS. 



SSEE, in Oct. No. of Gleanings, a number of let- 

 ters, some reporting success, and some blasted 

 hopes, and so I thought I would give my ex- 

 perience in bee-keeping. In the fall of 1878, in a 

 trade, I got some 10 swarms of bees in miserable old 

 gums, which I brought home, and thought I would 

 try to see what I could do at keeping bees; but as 



it was so late in the season, I could do nothing but 

 study and prepare for the coming spring, and, ac- 

 cordingly, I sent for sample copies of some of the 

 leading bee magazines, of which I selected Glean- 

 ings, and have been a subscriber since. Then I sent 

 for your A B C, and also for King's Text Bool:, all of 

 which I studied with zeal until toward spring, when 

 I sent for a Simplicity and a chaff hive, and went to 

 manufacturing hives, waiting patiently for the time 

 to arrive when I should try my hand at transferring, 

 which I did with success, many thanks to your A B 

 C, and so launched out on my first season of bee cul- 

 ture, which was a poor one in this locality; but I got 

 about 100 lbs. of surplus, and increased to 17 swarms, 

 but not very good ones. And here let me say to any 

 new beginner, be cautious about dividing for the 

 sake of a big increase, until you are thoroughly con- 

 versant with the business; but with good packing, 

 and feeding some grape candy in Feb., 15 of the 17 

 came through to April 1st O.K. But the 10th of 

 April, which was a very warm day, I happened away 

 from home, and, like some children when the old 

 folks are gone, my bees thought they would have a 

 playspell; and, from my wife's toll, they had a big 

 one, and the consequence was, when I got home they 

 had got so mixed up that I had but 10 swarms left, 

 and I tell you I felt as if I ought to go into Blasted 

 Hopes. Nevertheless, I gathered up the empty 

 hives and took care of the combs, and made the best 

 I could of a bad job. So, you see, I started in this 

 season with 10 swarms again, but with more experi- 

 ence. The 10, 1 have increased to 14; got 200 lbs. ex- 

 tracted honey. 100 lbs. in pound sections, and nearly 

 200 lbs. in L. frames, which I kept to give to any 

 swarms I might get of my neighbors, who were go- 

 ing to sulphur theirs*. My 14 swarms are all packed 

 for winter, and are full of bees, and have from 20 to 

 30 lbs. of honey each. I forgot to say, that in July I 

 got a dollar queen from King & White, New London, 

 O., which arrived safely by mail; was introduced 

 without any trouble, and proved to be purely mated. 

 I also got one queen from her eggs, which has pro- 

 duced bees nearly as light-colored and distinctly 

 marked as those of her mother. And now, friend 

 Root, what would be your advice in regard to mak- 

 ing a house apiary to hold 38 to 50 swarms? I am 

 thinking about it, because I have so little room, and 

 want to increase my stock another year as much as 

 possible. Do the house apiaries prove a success? 

 and will a swarm on the north side of a building do 

 as well as on the south? I have only an acreof land, 

 and am breeding several different kinds of fowls, 

 and so I have to economize ground as much as pos- 

 sible. I took my extractor, a hive, my smoker, and 

 some honey, to our fair at Troy, Pa. The extractor 

 was quite a novelty, as there were hundreds who 

 never saw nor heard of such a thing. Although I 

 got no premium for the articles taken, yet I think it 

 a good thing, for there were a good many wanted 

 me to furnish hives, and transfer their bees in the 

 spring. H. E. Chace. 



Gillette, Pa., Oct. 18, 1S80. 



Very good, friend C; you have learned 

 some very important lessons, and I think 

 you will get along nicely now. If you can 

 not get room on the ground, perhaps it 

 would be well to build a house apiary ; but 

 they are being generally discarded. Taking 

 the season right through, the bees will do 

 just as well on the north side of the house as 

 on the south side. 



