1885 



GLEAKIJSIGS iN J3EE CULTUllE. 



iVO 



SOME NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



FRIEND W. F. CLARKE TALKS ABOUT HIBERNATION, 

 BEE-.IOURNAI,S, AND POME OTHER THINGS. 



fHE last two numbers of Gleanings have 

 been very sug-gestive of topics on which to 

 ■write; and to discuss them fully it would 

 require more time than I have to spare, and 

 more space than I dare venture to ask. But 

 there are two or three matters on which T must beg 

 leave to offer a few words. 



CHILLED BEES. 



Friend Doolittle has given us an interesting ac- 

 count of some experiments, as to the degree of 

 cold bees will bear, and the length of time they can 

 stand it. But I just wish to say, that chilled bees 

 are not hibernating bees, or bees to which I have 

 applied the term hibernation. A chilled bee, like a 

 shivering human being, is in a condition of discom- 

 fort and uneasiness. The state of hibernation, 

 semi-hibernation, quiescence, torpor, semi-torpor, 

 or whatever term may be applied to the well-known 

 condition in which bees remain closely clustered, 

 exercising their functions but little, and eating the 

 minimum of food, is a state of comfort, content- 

 ment, and rest. A chilled bee is on the road to death ; 

 its progress thither may be arrested by timely 

 warmth; but if not so arrested, the result will be 

 fatal. A hibernating, torpid, dormant, or what- 

 cver-you-like-to-call-it bee, is in the path of life. 

 The first effect of too much cold on a bee is to rouse 

 it to unusual activity; the second, to induce over- 

 eating; the third, to make it give up, get numli, and 

 gradually succumb. Like a human being over- 

 come by extreme cold, a chilled bee becomes 

 motionless and insensible. It may be roused out of 

 the first stages, and restored bj warmth: but if let 

 alone, it will infallibly die. 



THE .lONES FRAMK. 



On page 264, where a cut is given of this frame, 

 the idea is conveyed that it is the one generally in 

 use among Canadian bee-keepers. This is incorrect. 

 Owing to Mr. Jones's well-earned fame and intlu- 

 ence, his frame is extensivel.v used; but many of 

 our best bee-keepers prefer the Langstroth, or a 

 modification of it. Mr. Hull, of Woodstock, perhaps 

 our largest producer of comb honey, uses a frame 

 rather larger every way than the Langstroth, but 

 [ireserving very nearly its proportions. Most ol' 

 our hive-makers manufacture the Simplicity hive, 

 and it is in wide demand. I think Messrs. S. Cornell 

 and Allen Pringle use the Quinby frame, or a modi- 

 fication of it. Dr. Thom, I understand, is experi- 

 menting with the .Tones frame, turned the other 

 way about. A few Canadian bee-keepers use the 

 American and Gallup frames. In fact, we have a 

 great variety of frames in use— the more's the pity. 

 IJeginners in bee culture here, as elsewhere, are 

 prolific of ideas in regard to hives, and aspire to be 

 inventors before they have won their spurs ns api- 

 arists. 1 think I am correct in saying that the 

 .Jones and Langstroth are the two prevailing styles 

 of frames; those who produce extracted honey 

 preferring the Jones, and those who go into comb 

 honey, using the Langstroth. 



PROFESSOR COOK. 



(y\ir good friend Cook shows an excellent spirit 

 under what he meekly called the "just tiagellation " 

 I gave him about his ex-cathedra pronunciamento 

 concerning hibernation; but I am surprised to find 

 him falling into the same errors as unscientific 



writers, in overlooking the fact that hibernation is 

 a thing of degrees. This fact is recognized by 

 Kirby, the great authority whom he (piotes, who 

 says: " Every gradation is to be met with between 

 ordinary sleep, the imperfect or abnormal hiberna- 

 tion of some animals, and the profound hiberna- 

 tion of others, in which all the functions of life are 

 suspended." I have never claimed that the hiber- 

 nation of the bee is " profound, but only imperfect 

 and abnormal." Assuredly, in the case of the bee, 

 "all the functions of life are not suspended," but it 

 can not be denied that some of them are when the 

 close, compact winter cluster is formed which we 

 all know to be so desirable. I believe that bees 

 cluster in this way when they have satisfied their 

 appetites for the time being, and unclasp when the 

 demands of hunger make it necessary for them to 

 eat again. I think they feed only at certain inter- 

 vals, when in a normal wintering condition. How 

 long or how short those inteivals are I do not pre- 

 tend to know; but I fancy they are decided to 

 some extent by the weather, and that bees take the 

 opportunity of eating when a mild spell comes. 

 This is one reason wliy I prefer outdooi- wintering, 

 instead of the uniform temperature maintained in 

 a cellar or bee-house. By the way, notwithstand- 

 ing his expressed and no doubt sincere desire not 

 to be dogmatic, Professor Cook is, as you say, u 

 little too much inclined to get into the lut of posi- 

 tive assertion. Thus, in quoting Kirby he makes 

 the great naturalist say,' "Bees do not hibernate." 

 But on turning up the reference to Kncy. Brit., I 

 find that what he really says is, " Hive-bees jnoba- 

 bly do not hibernate." Prof. Cook no doubt quoted 

 from memory; hut it would seem that his recollec- 

 tion, like his utterances, is ai>t to run into a posi- 

 tive mold. He is right in saying that reporters at 

 conventions, in their study of brevity, arc apt to 

 give our expressions " too sharp a twang." But in 

 my "just flagellation " I quoted his own deliberately 

 penned language in the .4. Yi. J., where he said, in 

 reply to a (piery, " Bees never hibernate." His 

 quotation of Kirby, too, was penned l)y himself. 

 "Litoa Kcrii)ta nuKicC— " What is written, stands." 



THE MIX IN GLEANINGS. 



Has not the editor given liimself away a little in 

 his reply to friend Hutchinson t)n page liO'.i? 1 

 think so. He says, "Gleanings is not devoted 

 cntirelij and exclusively to bees." We all know 

 that. But the title-page on the cover says, " Devot- 

 I ed to bees and honey." That motto around the 

 flying bee is no part of the title of Gleanings. 

 It rather indicates the spirit in which the busy 

 little insect makes its flights; and sad experience 

 compels me to say that it has not a feeling of good 

 will to men universally, for it stings me on every 

 favorable and unfavorable opportunity. I think 

 the Scotch motto, "Nemo me impunc lacessit"—" No 

 man meddles with me with impunity"— would be 

 more applicable. I must say I rather sympathize 

 with friends Smith and Hutchinron in their criti- 

 cism on the varied contents of Gleanings; but if 

 you are bent on making your journal a miscellany, 

 would it not be better to amend the title on the 

 cover in some such way as this: " Devoted to Bees, 

 Honey, etc.'":' 



THE POLLEN THEORY. 



Friend Hcddon has sung his triumphant pivan in 

 Gleanings; but there is one difficulty, at least, to 

 be surinouuted before we can all join in the chorus, 

 " See, the conquering hero comes ! " It is the " dry 



