June, 1910. 



American T^ee Joarnalj 



is found" hum when bees are content- 

 edly entering into a hive after having 

 swarmed, and even in a more pro- 

 nounced manner is the hopeless, queen- 

 less hum noticeable in a colony that 

 has just lost its queen — is it possible 

 that they have also a call that sounds a 

 warning to all the bees in the hive that 

 the queen is in danger ? It looks very 

 much like it, and more's the pity that 

 they do not take more sensible meas- 

 ures to protect her in her peril, fancied 

 or otherwise, than simply to embrace 

 and smother her to death. 



In the event of the queen being re- 

 leased before death ensues, why is it 

 that she is generally useless afterwards, 

 as is nearly always the case, according 

 to what I have learned from others, 

 coupled with a few experiences of my 

 own. 



Three years ago at the Altona yard I 

 had a queen in one of my best colonies 

 balled, and although she was released 



in less than half a minute after being 

 attacked, and safely introduced that 

 evening again, yet the queen laid only 

 a few eggs afterwards, and was super- 

 seded in 2 or 3 weeks. She was not 

 stung, in so far as I could see, but in 

 some way she had been injured, and, if 

 I am correct, what happened to that 

 queen after being balled is the common 

 lot of other queens thus treated. 



I have always been very much ad- 

 verse to opening hives during unfavor- 

 able weather, particularly in the spring, 

 and the results of this spring's work 

 during such weather only serves to in- 

 tensify my feelings on that line. 



Let me repeat once more what I have 

 often said before, that early spring 

 manipulation of the hives causes the 

 death of many valuable queens each 

 spring. This advice is of course only 

 for beginners — others have learned the 

 truth of the same through experience. 



Southern Beedom 



Conducted by Louis H. Scholl, New Braunfels. Tex. 



Bulk-Comb Honey Production — The Comb 

 Foundation 



This is a most important subject in 

 connection with profitable bulk-comb 

 honey production — one upon much de- 

 pends whether we are successful in ob- 

 taining the maximum quantity of a 

 gilt-edge article ; one upon which not 

 enough importance is placed by a great 

 many, even experienced bee-keepers. 



There was a time when I thought 

 starters were sufficient during a honey- 

 flow, since much wax would be secreted 

 and would otherwise go to waste if the 

 bees were not given a chance to use it. 

 But one single experiment, and that an 

 accidental one, proved to me the im- 

 portance, yea, more, //lat the use of full 

 sJieets of comb foundation Tcas most 

 essential and frofilablc at all times and 

 under all conditions; for the extensive 

 bee-keeper at least. 



It might be admitted that there are 

 certain times and conditions during 

 which a lesser use of foundation may 



be profitable, but that belongs entirely 

 to another class of bee-keepers from 

 ours. They are those whose numbers 

 of colonies are small, and who have 

 abundant time to be watchful of such 

 occasions. This can not be done by 

 those with numbers of apiaries, and 

 these in as many different localities, 

 with perhaps as many diflferent honey- 

 sources. This is my condition exactly, 

 and being so situated has given me 

 occasion to observe. It has taught ?«c 

 to use full sheets of foundation at all 

 times, both in supers and brood-cham- 

 bers. It pays, and pays big'. 



The picture (Fig. 1) gives an idea of 

 my operations when putting in the full 

 sheets of foundation. The large pile 

 of supers are already filled. Note in 

 the foreground a charcoal furnace on 

 3 legs. On this is a pan of melted wax. 

 Immediately between this and the pile 

 of 4 supers notice a seat with a cush- 

 ion on it; this can barely be seen. I 

 want you to get an idea as to just 

 where the operator sits — almost facing 



toward the furnace, and having the wax 

 in easy reach to the right. 



In front of the operator, to the left, 

 within easy reach, is a frame-rack upon 

 which the frames are placed for filling. 

 Notice the 3 slanting guide-boards of 

 it just in front of the small tree in the 

 picture. These things will be described 

 more fully further along. My desire 

 now is that you locate the position of 

 these things as I use them, so you will 

 understand them satisfactorily. 



As described, the operator has the 

 pile of 4 supers shown with empty 

 frames, to his right. These empty 

 frames pass from here to the frame- 

 rack, and, when filled, to the pile to the 

 left of him, thus filling one super after 

 another as they are emptied on his 

 right. 



Now I will fix the fire-pot as I use it 

 instead of the furnace shown in the 

 picture. Fig. 2 will explain this. It is 

 nothing less than a 5-gallon honey- 

 can with a large opening for the pan of 

 wax. On each side are large ventilator 

 holes made by "jamming" a heavy- 

 pointed instrument through the tin. 

 Inside the can rests a square piece of 

 tin, with like holes through it, on two 

 rods of iron extending through two 

 sides of the can as shown. This acts 

 as a grate upon which I make the fire. 

 Charcoal, corn-cobs, or chips of wood 



Fig. 2.— Schoi.i.'s Fire-Pot. 



FiF. I.— Schoi.i.'s Wholesale Method of Putting Foundation in Frames. 



are used for fuel. A wire handle fast- 

 ened as shown finishes the stove. 



Of course there are many others, and 

 perhaps better ways of heating the wax, 

 but it must be remembered that in an 

 extensive business, as mine is, with 26 

 apiaries, and these widely scattered, it 

 is impracticable to have things just the 

 best. Small oil-stoves or gasoline 

 heaters are fine, but as we can not 

 always carry them along, or have them 

 where wanted, we must have something 

 at each place. Hence, something,-- cheap 

 must be adopted, and old, rusty, worn- 

 out honey-cans fill the bill for me. 



A very cheap, 10-cent stew-pan is 

 used for melting the wax ; using a 

 quantity of water in it to prevent 

 scorching. For this work I use all 

 kinds of scrap and inferior wax not fit 

 for the market, hence I gain an advan- 

 tage here, .^n important matter is to 

 have a good quantity of melted wax at 



