980 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Dec. 



that you use that which is best suited to your hives. 

 If a cap, half-story cover, or hood, as it is variously 

 styled, is used, then I would use one of the three 

 first-named surplus arrangements; while if I used a 

 flat cover I would use something' similar to the 

 Heddon case, if not that one. 



Having the full colonies all boxed, and the bees 

 well at work in the sections, they should be watch- 

 ed closely, to the end that they do not become 

 crowded for room; for if they do, swarming will be 

 brought on sooner than it otherwise would, and we 

 desire to get the bees started in as many sections 

 as possible before they swarm. As soon as they 

 need more room, tier up the sections, by placing a 

 set of empty sections filled with thin comb founda- 

 tion on top of the first set (if the questioner used 

 chaff hives, I would say use wide frames and the 

 lateral plan which I have lately given in Glean- 

 ings), and so keep tiering up as long as the bees 

 show no signs of swarming. When it is expected 

 that they will swarm, the apiarist, when he gets 

 home some night at six o'clock, is to eo to such 

 hive as he thinks will soon swarm, and set it from 

 its stand, placing an empty hive in its place, which 

 hive is to contain only five frames having founda- 

 tion starters in them, a la Hutchinson, the rest of 

 the space being contracted with dummies. The 

 surplus arrangement is now to be lifted off the old 

 hive and placed on the new, when all the bees are 

 to be shaken off the brood combs, and out of the 

 old hive, in front of the prepared new hive, into 

 which they will immediately run, when swarming 

 is over with for that hive. The combs of brood are 

 to be taken to the hives having the small colonies 

 in them and given to those which can care for them 

 best, giving none over three combs at a time. In 

 this way keep on till all the colonies are " swarm- 

 ed," when swarming will be through with for the 

 season, for if properly managed in the heart's-ease 

 bloom they should not swarm thus late in the sea- 

 son. As there will be more brood in the 30 strong 

 colonies than you can put in the 30 weak hives, 

 colonies are to be made from those whose hives 

 were first filled out with brood, by taking one 

 frame with adhering bees from each of 8 hives and 

 setting them all together in one hive, and giving a 

 queen, thus making a strong colony at once by the 

 old plan so often given. In this way you make 

 room for the rest of the brood and obtain the 30 in- 

 crease desired. As soon as each hive is full of 

 brood, these too are to have sections put on them, 

 so that they may help swell the amount made by 

 the stronger ones. When the harvest of white hon- 

 ey is over, take the dummies out from those hives 

 having only 5 frames in them, and fill out with 

 frames filled with foundation, so that lots of brood 

 can now be reared to work on the henrt's-ease later 

 on when the surplus is to be obtained from this 

 source. In this way we secure all the honey pos- 

 sible from the white clover by having the laborers 

 in shape for that harvest; make our increase in a 

 way and at a time so as to interfere the least possi- 

 ble with our crop, and get our bees in good shape 

 for the fall crop and for winter. 



Borodino, N. Y., Dec. 4, 1889. G. M. Doolittle. 



Very good, old friend. Had not our que- 

 rist put in so many conditions, we might 

 have differed from you a little ; but as it is, 

 I think you have it about right. When I 

 used to keep bees, and could see them only 

 morning, noon, and night, I adopted a good 



deal the routine you mention. Where the 

 apiarist can be on hand all the time, I think 

 I would not swarm any of them until they 

 swarmed themselves ; but where he can not 

 attend to that, perhaps the best way to 

 avoid swarming is to take it into our own 

 hands, and decide as you suggest. 



THE INTERNATIONAL BEE-ASSOCIA- 

 TION AT BRANTFORD. 



ON THE WAY AND WHILE THERE, AS REPORTED 

 BY ERNEST. 



E (myself and better half) started on 

 the evening of the 3d for Brantford. 

 With the other necessary baggage, I 

 took along my Anthony Detective 

 camera that I might take some 

 views of the Palls, and also a view or two of 

 the bee-keepers' convention. I had heard 

 that amateur photographers had experi- 

 enced some difficulty in getting their instru- 

 ments over into Canada, even when they 

 were for their own use. Accordingly, I in- 

 quirer! concerning the matter, at the Bu- 

 reau of Information, at the Erie depot, at 

 Buffalo. Said the agent, " Put on a brazen 

 face, and make no effort to conceal the 

 camera, and I'll guarantee you'll have no 

 trouble." 



On arriving at the Suspension Bridge at 

 the Falls, I did as directed, " brazen face " 

 and all. My camera and contents were 

 worth about $50.00 ; and the duty, if de- 

 manded, would amount to one-fourth, or 

 over $12.00. The customhouse officer in- 

 spected our sachel, and then, glancing at 

 my camera, said, " What do you call that ?" 



" A camera. It is one I have had a couple 

 of years, and I should like to take some pic- 

 tures in Canada." 



Said he, in a very gentlemanly manner, 

 " It's subject to duty. While I should be 

 glad to make an exception in your case, I 

 am acting under the instructions of the 

 government of Canada." 



" Can't I leave it somewhere V *" 



" Yes, 11 said he, " in the Custom-House 

 office." 



" But," I said, " you people will put me to 

 considerable trouble in getting it out again. 

 There is a lot of red tape in this business." 



He assured me kindly, that on the presen- 

 tation of my name on my return I could 

 have it. With some misgivings I accepted 

 what I could not help, and surrendered my 

 instrument into the hands of the officer. 



The train pulled out. and ere long we 

 rpached Brantford. We went immediately 

 to the Kerby House, where special rates to 

 bee-keepers, at $1 50, had been secured, the 

 regular price being $2.00 By way of a pa- 

 renthesis, I want to say that I have been to 

 several three and four dollar houses, with 

 no better (if as good) accommodations in 

 the United States. Most of the bee-keep- 

 ers, as a matter of course, took lodgings 

 there. 



The first person I met was Frank Mac- 

 pherson, of the D. A. Jones Co., of Beeton. 

 Frank and I, you know, had a little— well, 

 argument — respecting the place of meeting 

 for.the last session of the American Bee As- 



