1885 



(jLEAxMlNGS L\ JiEK CULTUilE. 



Ol , 



These dig tunnels in the earth, where they deposit 

 stores and lay their eggs, and where their young 

 are reared. Sometimes their tunnels are sunk 

 some inches in our hard walks and i-oads. 



These bees annoy the honey-bees some in earli* 

 spring, but I do not think need cause any alarm. 

 A. J. Cook. 



Agricultural College, Mich., Apr. 24, 1885. 



As friend Cook does not mention the bees 

 tliat seem to have tlie St. Vitus dance, I 

 would suggest that it is the same malady de- 

 scribed in the A B C book, at the close of 

 the article on the diseases of bees. Of 

 course, the little bee described has nothing 

 to do with the diseased l)ees. 



FIVE FKAMES IN A HIVE. 



WID?: FRAMES NOT YET THINGS OF THE PAST, AC- 

 CORDING TO FRIEND DOOLITTLE. 



aN page 21T of Gleanings for April 1st, Mr. E. 

 W. .Tames asks what I do with the remainder 

 of the space in the hive where I use but five 

 or si.\ frames, when a new swarm is put into 

 a hive. In all of my hives I use but '.) Gallup 

 frames, although the standai-d Gallup hive is made 

 to hold 12 frames. Some years ago I ascertained 

 that queens as they would average would not give 

 me brood amounting to more than 8 frames full, so 

 I gave 9 frames, as the amount of one frame was 

 needed for the pollen and a little honey, before the 

 sections were put on. To bring the standard hive 

 down to 9 frames, I used .3 division-boards, making 

 each one take the place of a frame; and when new 

 hives were made they were made for only 9 frames' 

 so that at present writing I have few of the stand- 

 ard hives on hand. In this way 1 was enabled to se- 

 cure a much larger yield of comb honey than I ever 

 could with the 12-frame hive, as, when such was 

 used, I always found the S outside frames filled 

 with honey at the beginning of the honey harvest, 

 which gave a tendency toward crowding the brood- 

 nest with honey, rather than an inunediate enter- 

 ing of the sections. After a while I ascertained, by 

 many careful examinations, that the (jueen of a 

 prime swarm would, on an avei-age, keep onlj' from 

 five to six frames filled with brood for the first six 

 weeks after being hived, after which the brood- 

 nest was gradually reduced to less size until there 

 was no brood on the approach of winter. After 

 having ascertained this I gave each new swarm but 

 five or six frames, and secured results from new 

 swarms never obtained before; but instead of using 

 division-boards, as friend Root supposes, 1 use wide 

 frames of sections on each side of the brood; for 

 by so doing I get the surplus honey (which I used to 

 get in the frames) placed in sections, which is just 

 where I want it. Those who have decided wide 

 frames are not the things to use will never fully 

 realize the possibilities of bee-keeping, in my opin- 

 ion. 



The great secret of a large yield of comb honey is 

 getting the sections as near the brood, both at sides 

 and top, as possible, and I know of no arrangement 

 that meets these requirements so well as wide 

 frames. After sending off and getting nearly all 

 the case arrangements mentioned in our bee-papers, 

 so as to make a careful comparison of them with 

 wide frames, to-day finds me more in favor of wide 

 frames than ever, and I do not believe, taking the 

 year through, that the case system has any advan- 



tage over the other, regarding the saving of labor, 

 which is the main plea used in their favor. Before 

 throwing away wide frames, I advise all to read the 

 short article from F. J. Farr, found on jjage .513. 



WINTERING. 



(Jn page 246 friend Root thinks that bees in chaff 

 hives will not die if fed heavily on sugar syrup, and 

 desires the particulars if any have so lost. I have 

 given the particulars in Gleanings and A. B. J. 

 regarding one so lost, so I will not go over the 

 grounds again, but will simply say that, upon now 

 going over my bees after a loss of one-fourth, with 

 another fourth very weak, I can see no difference 

 in favor of sugar syrup over honey. The difference 

 in favor of chaff' hives is quite marked, yet they are 

 not wholly exempt from loss, by any means. On 

 page 303 I find that it is thought that the " Lins- 

 wik" sisters' success is owing to the extra cai-e 

 they gave their bees. Let us see: A friend calling 

 at my house several years ago remarked to myself 

 and Mr. Betsingcr, who chanced to be here, that 

 there was no need of losing bees if the proper care 

 was given them when preparing for winter, for he 

 had never lost any, and did not believe he ever 

 should. B. remarked that his turn would come yet, 

 and, sure enough, to-day finds him with 20 weak 

 colonies left out of TO last fall, despite the extra 

 care he says he gave them. Another friend who 

 does not claim to use any great care, and who 

 brimstoned some 2J colonies last fall, because he 

 had more than he wished, came out of this winter 

 with every one alive, he being the only one in this 

 section who has not lost heavily; so I say that we— 

 I don't know any thing about what makes our bees 

 die. Last fall I packed with extra care two colonies 

 sitting side by side, each having the same number 

 of combs, of the same age, ipieens of the same age, 

 bees and stores eciual, and all as near alike us two 

 peas, yet one died before March 20th, while the oth- 

 er is the best colony I have in the yard to day. 

 Now, friend Rt)ot, when you or any one else will 

 tell me why the one died and the other lived, then I 

 will tell you how to winter beos; and until some 

 one can do this, 1 shall be excusable for saying I 

 don't know. G. M. Doolittlk. 



Borodino, o N. V., .May, IKS.'). 



Just one word in regard to what you say 

 about sugar syrup compared with honey, 

 friend 1). It was but a lew days ago that I 

 decided, while running over my letters for 

 coi)V. that there was no furtlier need of pub- 

 lishing letters showing the great advan- 

 tage of winter stores of sugar si/rnp over 

 winter stores of honey. Oiir bee-journals 

 have given i)roof again and again, year after 

 year, until 1 should say the matter is settled. 

 It is true, there are those who write that 

 they have not noticed any thing in favor of 

 sugar syrup over good honey ; but these let- 

 ters do not account for very much while the 

 fact remains that no one of late years claims 

 that honey is better than sugar stores. Once 

 more : The large stores of honey-dew have, 

 without question, been the death of thou- 

 sands of colonies. Had these bees been fed 

 on sugar syrup instead of honey-dew. they 

 would have been saved. Almost all the bee- 

 men in ^Medina County have lost terribly. 

 Their bees had such stores as they gathereti ; 

 ours, such as we fed them. They lost fear- 

 fully, and their bees are dying of spring 

 dwindling, even up to this present time, dur- 



