81G 



GLEAXIXGS IX BEE CULTURE. 



Bfic. 



cloth for reference, that has covered frames all 

 season. I have two queens that met hybrid drones, 

 and one hybrid queen and several Italian queens 

 mated with Carniolan drones. These queens were 

 raised in the fore part cf the season, for experi- 

 ments. The ones that have black blood in are 

 smaller, with very little down on some, and a rath- 

 er bad disposition to stiug-, which the Carniolans 

 have not, as I have not had a smoker lighted; ex- 

 cept when uniting- them, for three months, or since 

 I got stocked up with Carniolans, and have got but 

 a few stings. 



The Carniolans are very hardy, and are the best 

 comb-builders I ever had, and make the nicest sec- 

 tion honey. They protect their hives as well as 

 Italians, as far as I am able to judge. I have some 

 Carniolan swarms that built more comb in August 

 and September than the best Italian stands did in 

 the honey season. They also work on red clover as 

 well, if not better, than Italians. But you will find 

 them to swarm more, and some queens raise verj' 

 pooi'ly marked bees. In raising queens I have 

 much better results after going over my bees the 

 second time, and excluding all queens and drones 

 that had many yellow ones among them. In breed- 

 ing them I would buy some drones from darkest 

 queens, if they are uniform in color, and also breed 

 from darkest queens. The thing we want is a black 

 underground, or scales, with heavy stripes of down 

 on workers; and queens that raise these without 

 yellow ones among them are hard to get, but they 

 are as line-looking bees as the best Italians. It 

 takes the very best queens of this race to have 

 good results in raising them; and even then some 

 are not fit to send, as folks will call them hybrids, 

 when pure. H. F. Sh.4NNON. 



Spring Hill, Ind., Oct. i;J, 1885. 



And SO, frientl S., yon would endeavor 

 to breed ont the yellow' bands from the Car- 

 niolans, wonld yon? It seems to me this is 

 going to comi)licate matters qnite a little. 

 If it is really as yon say, that the Carniolans 

 are disposed to show yellow bands, even 

 when not crossed with Italians, wouldn't 

 this indicate that the race itself is a cross? 

 and how are we to know when they have be- 

 come crossed with Italians, and when they 

 have not? I am glad to hear of the good re- 

 port you make in regaid to them. If it is 

 true, that they collect less propolis, this will 

 be quite an acquisition, and we will take 

 particular pains to notice them in oiu' own 

 apiary next year. 



REVERSING COMBS, ETC. 



GOOD IlEPORT OF THE HONEY SEASON. 



T THINK that, as others have something to say in 

 ^ Geeanings in regard to rcversil)le frames, I 

 ^[ have the same privilege. Like all new things, 

 -*■ there is more or less doubt; but there is no 

 doubt in my mind as to their utilitj'. I tried a 

 few last season, simply by sawing off the end-bars 

 and driving a long wire nail to take its place, hop- 

 ing in time something would come along for the 

 much-needed purpose of a perfect reversible frame, 

 and all the while I have been working for it. I tried 

 quite a number, especiallj- the wire you have. I 

 liked that best of all, on some accounts. One great 

 objection is, when we desire to run stays down be- 

 tween the frames, the side wires are much in the 



way; and, too, unless they are perfect, the frames 

 will easily hang out of true, and one must have a 

 very nice tool to clinch them to the end-bars. 



As we are all a little selfish, I am going to tell you 

 I have made a reversible frame I like best of all. I 

 send you a sample with this. The wire is right in the 

 center of the end of frame, so it can not but hang 

 true, and the frames do move so easy, and no job to 

 reverse the wire! It takes only about half the wire 

 that yours does. To be sure, it takes 3 half-inch 

 screws to an end of frame, but they cost only one 

 cent per dozen, and you see these wires can be 

 used equally well on side storing frames or on a 

 full set in upper story. I have made a machine to 

 make them on, that cost about 50 cts., aside fi-om a 

 vise that I use. I do not use the spring wire, but 

 the common, as it works much better, and is good 

 otherwise. 



so.me additional advantages of reversible 

 frames. 



I have such a love for reversing, that 1 shall use 

 such frames, if for nothing but to fill out the bot- 

 tom of the combs. But there need not be the usual 

 space, if the fdn. is set within \ inch from the bot- 

 tom-bar—no matter about a little space at top; that 

 will be all filled. I used to set it up close to the top; 

 and where it was ' 2 inch too narrow to fill the frame, 

 the space was always left. But the thought oc- 

 curred to me, that it would work to leave the space 

 above, which is very plain— don't you see? I know 

 that, by having full combs, it takes quite a number 

 less in a certain number of hives; and, too, the bees 

 can i-each all the comb quicker, and they are so 

 much stronger, also. By reversing and extracting 

 I can run a queen on seven frames that without 

 would need 8; and hoAv much better the bees take 

 to the sections! I also find that it pays to use full 

 starters in sections, and I learned from W. H. Nor- 

 ton that the starters, to work best, should be cut 

 about I4 inch narrower at the bottom than at the 

 top, and I find it much less work to put such into 

 the boxes, as they do not catch on the sides. 



SEPARATORS. 



I have used separators wholly this season, and 

 must say I can never do without them, and I have 

 a case that I can use them on or not, and can use a 

 few or more boxes, narrow or wide. I can take out 

 a full box, and replace one with fdn., and it will be 

 filled and no bulging, which otherwise it would be. 



I think I have learned one way to foretell when a 

 queen will be killed. When from any cause a 

 queen goes about with her wings up as if she were 

 about to Hy, and drags herself along, they are about 

 sure to be killed; at least, I had two Syrian queens 

 and one Italian thus this season. I presume there is 

 some disease that causes her to appear so. 



This has been the best season here ever known, 

 and such white goldenrod honey I never saw. I 

 had, I think, 75 lbs. brought in in seven days by one 

 colony (of the best late honey). I have my bees all 

 fixed for winter, with about one-half natural stores, 

 with racks over the frames for U-inch passage, and 

 they are mostly on only five frames, and are strong 

 in bees. I have on more warm packing than 1 used 

 to, for I believe nature is something to go by, as it 

 says, " Stop all upward escapes," an<l mine that had 

 the most packing last winter came out the best, 

 and ate the least. They are all in chaff hives, and I 

 use a good large bran-sack of leaves over all the 

 cloths, etc. 



I am standing on my tiptoes, awaiting the deci- 



