1901 



GIvEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



507 



rearing on a large scale. In a booklet soon to 

 be published I shall endeavor to explain fully 

 the details of the storage of numerous queens 

 in a single colony, with much other matter as 

 yet unpublished. 



MODERN METHODS OF QUEEN-REARING. 

 The Progress Made During Late Years. 



BY W. H. PRIDGEN. 



Since the dawn of modern apiculture there 

 has not been a time when there was the same 

 interest manifested in queens and queen-rear- 

 ing as now. The tendency on the part of the 

 honey-producers is, to a greater extent than 

 ever before, to rear their own — not only be- 

 cause a larger per cent of those reared at home 

 give better results than those transmitted 

 through the mails, all else being equal, but 

 because the essential conditions necessary for 

 the production of those of the highest type 

 are more generally understood. 



The cardinal points were given to the public 

 years ago by men who spent much time and 

 talent in experimenting ; and by their per- 

 sistent efforts the foundation was laid, not 

 only for the most fascinating branch of our 

 pursuit, but the most promising field in which 

 to spend our thoughts and energies. 



Bees are no longer looked upon as bees with- 

 out considering their qualities ; but each pro- 

 gressive bee-keeper is continually on the look- 

 out for superior honey-gatherers and other de- 

 sirable traits shown by individual colonies. 



The ability to rear our own queens from the 

 best mothers, and control their mating to some 

 extent by weeding out and preventing the pro- 

 duction of objectionable drones, and thus, 

 step by step, make permanent improvements 

 in the working qualities of our bees, not only 

 increases our profits, but lends enchantment 

 to pleasure. 



We are indebted to Messrs. Doolittle and 

 Alley for the fundamental principles of what 

 is termed artificial or scientific queen-rearing, 

 who differ in some of the minor details. 



For instance, Mr. Doolittle uses artificial 

 queen-cups to which he transfers the larvae 

 vdth a toothpick, while Mr. Alley prefers 

 strips of worker comb containing ej^gs ready 

 to hatch, over which the bees fashion the cells 

 to their own liking. 



As these veterans differ on some of the less 

 essential points, so also do others differ with 

 them, and consequently the subject is kept 

 alive — short cuts devised, and modifications 

 made by the lovers of the art. 



In some of the manipulations, as much is 

 accomplished in a few hours now as was for- 

 merly done in as many days ; but what works 

 perfectly in the hands of those who conceive 

 new ideas and adopt measures to carry them 

 into effect are often considered to be failures 

 by others who have become proficient in more 

 faulty methods with which they are acquaint- 

 ed ; and hence the diversity of opinion as to 

 the best or easiest way to accomplish certain 

 ends. 



Without these differences of opinion and 



failures that lead to investigation, new ideas 

 or the different ways of accomplishing the 

 same thing, would not come to light ; and in 

 going over the ground that has been covered 

 by those who have contributed toward the 

 success of modern queen-rearing, the object 

 is to lend a helping hand toward a further ad- 

 vancement of the industry. 



As a rule, the reader cares but little 

 how, when, or from whom the writer gained 

 his information, but generally prefers the part 

 relating to the object in view ; and inasmuch 

 as it is generally known who advanced the 

 different ideas that make up our queen-rearing 

 system, in complying with the request for a 

 more elaborate treatise on the subject these 

 explanations will be omitted to some extent, 

 without any intention of doing any one an 

 injustice. 



Creek, N. C. 



CAPPINGS. 



Bees that are Rustlers; Covers adapted for Warm- 

 er Climates ; Comb Honey in Two-pound Sec- 

 lions ; Straining Preferable to Settling Extract- 

 ed Honey ; Fertilizing Queens in Confinement. 



BY E. H. SCHAEFFtE. 



At present the efforts of the queen-breeders 

 seem to be confined to stretching the tongues 

 of their stock to the utmost limit. While this 

 elongating of the bee's tongue may be of ben- 

 efit to those bee-keepers living in red-clover 

 sections, to the average apiarist the working 

 qualities of the bee are of far more impor- 

 tance. It is a well-known fact that some stands 

 of bees will put up several hundred pounds 

 of honey in a season, while others in the same 

 apiary will not give a pound of surplus. I 

 hold that the bee wanted is one that will give 

 the most honey under average conditions. 

 When I sit down by one of my best colonies 

 and compare their movements with that of 

 the average hive I find that the rustlers come 

 out of the hive on the run, stop an instant to 

 gather themselves for the spring, and then are 

 away like a bullet. Turning to the average 

 hive I see that the bees come out leisurely, 

 slowly crawl half way up the front of the 

 hive, stop for the spring, and then, springing 

 out slowly, circle and leisurely wing their way 

 to the fields. Returning, the rustlers come 

 down on the alighting-board with a bounce, 

 and rush into the hive as though the queen's 

 business could not wait, while the bees of the 

 average hive drop on to the alighting-board 

 exhausted, rest there for several seconds, and 

 then slowly crawl into the hive. 



Now, I can not go with the bees to the 

 " fields and f.ar away," but it is safe to assume 

 that they work in the field as they do at the 

 hive. If this is the case, the rustlers will 

 make two trips to the sluggards' one. I be- 

 lieve we can, by careful selection, produce a 

 strain of rustlers just as the fast trotter has 

 been developed. 



A non -warping top is a desirable feature in 

 this hot climate. Last season I set out in the 

 blazing sun three ten-frame hives. One of 



