1885 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CL^LTUllE- 



191 



the temperature is the same as that at which bees 

 will barely fly in May. Unless my bees have a 

 chance to fly soon, the prospect is that these ex- 

 periments will cost me somethinir; for some of the 

 colonies thus treated are getting: <auite uneasy, and 

 show sig-ns of the bee diarrhoea. 



By one experiment I find that the lowest temper- 

 ature in a diseased colony is 7.5°. I believe them to 

 be rearing brood, but can not well open the hive, 

 on account of the steady cold. From the above I 

 think all Avill see that it is impossible for bees to 

 hibernate when they must burn honey enough to 

 warm a temperature of 16' below zei-o to 6:^° above. 

 This makes it also plain why it takes less honey in 

 the cellar to maintain C4"to 07' of heat in the clus- 

 ter, where that of the outside never goes lower 

 than 4:."=. 



I may ne.xt winter take notes regarding these in- 

 side the cellar; but as I have not been inside the 

 bee-cellar since Jan. 13, I shall not try the e.\peri- 

 nient this winter. O. M. Uoolittle. 



Borodino, N. \\, Feb. 28, ISF.'",. 



Thanks, friend I)., for the positive facts 

 you give in this matter; but 1 do not (luite 

 see that yon iiave settled it after all. for you 

 say the duster was disturbed by putting in 

 the thermometer, and witiiout a doubt the 

 temperature rose rapidly as soon as you be- 

 gan to disturb them. I fear you skipped 

 over something in tlie back "volumes of 

 Glkanings coming pretty near to tiiis 

 point. It is where 1 spoke of pushing my 

 hand under the cushion, just over tlie clus- 

 ter of bees, to see if they were alive. In tlie 

 liouse apiary I used to "do tiiis often, and it 

 seemed likiiputting one's hand under an ofd 

 hen while she is sitting. I think I descril)ed 

 it something that way. Now, had you i)usli- 

 ed your tiieiinometer right over the cluster, 

 a thin sheet of cotton or enamel cloth only 

 intervening between the bees and the ther- 

 mometer, it seems to me you would have 

 accomjilished almost as much, as the iieat 

 rises, and would keep the cushion and all 

 above it pretty nearly, I tlnnk. up to the 

 temperatuie of" the cluster. 15iil even this 

 disturbance would probably elevate the tem- 

 perature of the eluster. 



Now a word in defense of fiiend Clarke's 

 theory. Sometimes a cluster of bees is 

 warm' and lively, and at otiier tinu's it is not 

 so lively, (^uite a number of us have at 

 some time or other luilled the combs out of 

 the hive, thinking the bees weie dead ; but 

 we linally decided they were only asleep, or 

 in a sort 'of dormant state : for alter a while 

 they woke up and could sting as well as any 

 bee's. When we iind them thus, tiiey are so 

 knotted together that it seems to me next to 

 impossible they could stir enough to move 

 even a leg or a wing. They are packed into 

 cells, ami scpieezed together in combs, until 

 one would never believe so large a number 

 of bees could be put into so small a coniiiass. 

 I remember one spring when a certain hive 

 did not come out to liy, while the rest did. 

 r looked in and decided tluit the bees were 

 gone; the combs were clean, and full of 

 stores, and I had commenced taking them 

 out, until, down in one corner of the hive, I 

 found a ball of bees about the size of a large 

 apple. When this ball unrolled, or unfold- 

 ed, they tilled the hive pretty tojejubly. 



They were not up against the cushion at all, 

 but down toward the bottom-board, and there 

 was frost all through the hive, except close 

 up to this cluster. They made no sound, 

 that I could perceive, and no movement, un- 

 til 1 pulled them to pieces, and let the sun 

 down on them ; and it seemed, when taking 

 the combs out, as if I should tear them limb 

 from limb, so tiglitly were they tied up in 

 theii- winter nap, 1 presume this thing is 

 familiar with hundreds of our readers ; and 

 1 believe that most will agree that bees, 

 when knotted up in this manner, always 

 winter si»lendidly. 1 liave no idea that the 

 temperature of "this ball was as low as the 

 freezing-point; but it seems to me it might 

 be down al)out the same as the bear and the 

 i woodchiick when they lay themselves away. 

 ! I have for years supposed they somttimci 

 j go into this s'eini-doim<uit condition, and at 

 [other times ihac they do not; or I have 

 I thought that perhaps some colonies had a 

 I fashion of going to sleep, and sleeping for 

 j weeks or months in this way, I do not be- 

 lieve we need now many theories on the sub- 

 ! ject. but w(! do need facts; and I for one 

 i should like to have my bees wi)iter in these 

 little tight balls; at least, it seems to me 

 that is what we want. 



FROM BUKMAH. 

 The Apis Dorsata Heard From Again. 



now HtlKNI) HU.NKKU SUCCEEDS WITH BEES. 



BKOPHEIt ItOOT:— It is very kind of you to pay 

 loi- my poor notes to you, and to send your 

 Niiluahle uKigazine free at the same time. T 

 really don't expect pay, nor ask it. I shall bo 

 most glad if 1 can in any way add a little to 

 the sum total of bee-knowledge in the world, and at 

 the same time aflord myself a most delightful study 

 in natural history. 



I am off to-morrow morning for a long preaching 

 tour anumg the wild Padang Karens, so I just write 

 to say that T shall take much pleasure in studying 

 the .Ipis dniiinta. I have a large church near by (20 

 miles off), whicli lias in its possession scores of 

 swarms of this bee. 1 can get every oi)portunity 

 to study the bee. and will do so. I think I will get 

 a sheet of brood, and put it into a swarm of com- 

 nu)n bees, and see what will become of it. t have 

 now five swarms, all df>ing well. One swarm has 

 trebled in size in two months, under stimulative 

 feeding. I am keeping careful notes, and shall bo 

 glad to report progress, but don't think you must 

 pay me for my writings. I want to help, not only 

 for the good of others, but for myself and my peo- 

 V)le. The study of bees is a fascinating one, even in 

 the very small beginning I have made. 



My bees arc of two kinds, quite distinct. One is 

 small, (!'i colls to the inch, brown, wings give oil' 

 colors in the sunlight, gentle, and active. The sec- 

 ond are larger, (5 cells to the inch, black, active, and 

 aggressive. They went to robbi iv^ a stronger swarm 

 the second day after l>eing transferred. I have not 

 had them long enough to tell all the differences yet, 

 but am studying them, and will report in due time. 



I am now going out as a flshQr— of men, and shall 

 leave bees behind. I hope I may catch some souls. 

 The fields are white for the harvest. Oh, where are 

 the vpaj)fj>?;' •';!<• muu for ""m districts and ftfttions, 



