818 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUllE. 



May 



had chaff cushions, but none had chaff - cushion 

 division-boards. Those that died, died of starvation ; 

 l>ut the prospects are not verj- promising' for a good 

 lionej' yield for the coming season, as the clover is 

 badli' killed out in many places. 

 ( enterville, (). G. AV. Lawson. 



I woiikl not be in haste to borrow trouble, 

 fiiend L., for the clover sometimes catches 

 up wonderfully, under the influence of favor- 

 able weather. 



FHOM 4 TO II, AND U.5 LBS. OF HONEV, ETC. 



I began the spring of 1884 with 4 colonies: in- 

 creased by natural swarming to 11, and took 145 lbs. 

 comb honey. Now a question: Do bees raise bees 

 all winter, even when it is freezing cold? On the 

 26th of February I found fresh young white wing- 

 less bees in front of one hive, that being about the 

 second day that was warm enough for them to fly 

 for about a month. They carry pollen into every 

 hive now when it is warm enough. J. S. Daniel. 



Siloam Springs, Ark., March 8, 1885. 



Bees do raise brood every month in the 

 year, even away up here amid our frosts and 

 snows, friend L).; that is. they do occasion- 

 ally. Mo.st colonies will, however, have but 

 little brood during December ; but in Jan- 

 uary and February, almost all strong colo- 

 nies contain more br less. 



from my neighbors who have lost their bees. I can 

 buy all the bees I want for $1.C0 to S1.50 per colony, 

 in bo.v hives. E. Farabee. 



Tina, Carroll Co., Mo., Apr., 1885. 



Friend F.. shut your combs up in a tight 

 box or tight room, 'where the moth can not 

 get at them, and there will not be any trou- 

 ble in keeping them over summer. See Bee 

 Moth in the A B C book. 



A OOOI) ItEPOUT FHOM FHIEXD PEIKCE. 



Nov., 1884, 46 colonies: Apr. 20, 188.), 42, and better 

 filled with bees than any previous spring— chaff 

 hives, sack of dry soft shavings over the frames, 

 front entrance of the hives all open. The 4 dead 

 colonies were full of bees, but starved. I am 

 ashamed to write it. J. H. Peikce. 



Dayton, Ohio, April 20, 1885. 



ONLY ONE dead OUT OF 73. 



Out of 73 colonies left on summer stands, packed 

 with straw and chaff, one has died. The rest seem 

 to be in pretty fair condition, as they seem to want 

 to rob one another pretty lively, while all defend 

 themselves well. The neighbors report some all 

 dead, and some about three-fourths, and others 

 one-half dead, while some think the survivors 

 will perish on account of not having enough honey 

 to build up on. While the cold weather still stays 

 with us, having a snow this morning two inches 

 deep, not much prospect for a very early spring. 



Lima, 111., March 21, 1885. J. A. Thornton. 



FROM 4 TO 13, and 303 LBS. OF HONEY. 



Here is my report for 1884: Spring count, 4 hives; 

 increased to 13 by natural swarming, and got 30J 

 lbs. comb honey. I took Gleanings last year, and 

 have the A B C book, and I like them very inuch. 

 F. B. Stephenson. 



Deep Water, W. Va., Feb. 17, 1885. 



FRO.M 6 to 10, AND 120 LBS. OF HONEY. 



We commenced last spring with si.v stands of 

 bees; increased to ten, which are all alive at pres- 

 ent, and got 120 lbs. of comb honey, surplus. The 

 honey season was cut short by the extreme drought. 

 F. C. Tho.mas. 



Spring Valley, Ohio, March 17, 1885. 



ONLY ONE lost OUT OF 24. 



In the last issue of Gleanings I notice many dis- 

 couraging reports, especially to beginners; but I 

 shall take fresh courage, and go ahead. I started 

 in last si)ring with 14 colonics in hives of my own 

 make, movable frames, no name for them. I in- 

 creased by natural swarming to 20; united to 24; 

 came out this spring with 23, some dead bees in each 

 colony. Through the coldest weather in January 

 and Februai-y I kept them covered with snow, head 

 and ears— no other protection, except quilts over 

 tlie frames. I will try to do better next winter. 



Please tell me how to save comb from the moth 

 (luring sunimci', as I can get all the comb I waiU 



ONLY ONE LOST OUT OF 33; SAVED BY NEGLECT. 



Contrary to expectation, my bees have wintered 

 well, having lost but one out of 33 last fall, and that 

 one was queenless. My bees were not prepared at 

 all for winter, on account of my absence from home 

 when they should have been cared for, and my ina- 

 bility from rheumatism and heart disease after get- 

 ting home. They were all just as left, about the 

 first of July. Some had wide frames with section 

 boxes in the upper stori' (chaff hive) and some were 

 full of L. frames above, with nothing but roof of 

 hive above the frames, and others Were partly full 

 above, and some with cushions or honey-board 

 above brood-nest, and all did equally well, as far as 

 I can see. Some had the upper story full of sealed 

 honey, and some not very much. It was very dry 

 last fall, and I expected the bees around here would 

 die of old age. Many did; but mine were saved by 

 neglect. T. F. Wilson. 



Milan, lud., April 12, 1885. 



Friend W., it does seem as if yom- bees 

 lived in spite of their want of care; but I 

 guess the truth is, they had an abundance of 

 good wholesome stores ; and when this is 

 the case they will stand almost any kind of 

 ventilation. 



MRS. LUCIND.\ HARRISON'S REPORT. 



We commenced to carry our bees from the cellar 

 April 1, and they are now all on their summer 

 stands. I've not examined them yet, but, judging 

 from their flight, they are generally in good condi- 

 tion. It is cool to-day, as there was a hard freeze 

 last night, which formed thick ice. Bees carried in 

 pollen on the 4th and 5th of April, for the first time 

 this season. 



BEES UNITINfJ IN THE CELLAR OR BEE-HOCSES. 



Do begs ever unite in the cellar;' Our bees had 

 on Hill's device, covered with a muslin sheet and 

 comforter, and i)ilcd one upon another with inter- 

 vening sticks. A few hives had no bees: and in 

 every instance the hive beneath was running over 

 with lioes, a|)pearing as if they had movpd into one 

 hive. .Mrs. L. Harrison. 



Peoria, III., April 8, 1885. 



Yes, my friend, tliey will tuiite very often 

 when the hives are too close togetlier. and a 

 broad entrance permits them to pass to and 

 fro. You will liave all your bees left, but 

 are ustudly minus a (lueen. If you examine 

 these overpopidons colonies as soon as taken 

 out, however, you will oftentimes liud botli 

 (lueens alive : an(n)ypromi)tly dividing a col- 

 ony you will be all right again. 



