1887 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



483 



all the imported queens were alive, I felt 

 morally certain that every one of the said 

 queens would be introduced successfully in 

 the liives. We gave Neighbor II. ten to take 

 to his apiary, sent one away, and the re- 

 maining 14: we introduced in the Swamp 

 Apiary. Both the queens whicli Neighbor 

 II. took, and tliose which we reserved, were 

 introduced with entire success. In order to 

 make room for some of the imported queens 

 which we introduced we were obliged to 

 cage the queens where we hud just taken 

 out a queen to fill an order. That is, we 

 took the old queen out, and at the same op 

 eration caged an imported one in lier place. 

 In one or two cases the imported was out 

 and laying in twelve hours from the time 

 the former queen was removed. 



After the 14 queens were all caged on the 

 combs, I told the boys not to release them, 

 and, as far as possible, to let them entirely 

 alone ; if, in opening a liive, they discover- 

 ed that the queen seemed weakly, and lia- 

 ble not to live much longer in confinement 

 (which I thought was hardly probable), they 

 might then release her. 



I believe a large part of the losses occur- 

 ring from introducing by the Feet process 

 is, that beginners become unduly anxious 

 for the queen. If she is not out in 24 hours, 

 they think they must release her. This fuss- 

 ing, opening the hive, and pulling off the 

 cage, is liable to cause the bees to ball the 

 queen. If the beginner let the Peet cage 

 do the work itself, he will be vastly more 

 sure of success, providing the cage has been 

 placed over a few cells of honey, and on 

 good old hard comb. I mentioned this 

 fact in connection with the Peet cage, on 

 page 1001, last year. Since that time two 

 or three seem to rather doubt whether it 

 were best to let the Peet cage shift for it- 

 self ; but from almost constant experiments, 

 year after year, I feel more satisfied than 

 ever that it is far better to let the Peet 

 cage do its work automatically. The two 

 men we have in our apiary this season are 

 beginners ; but when they commenced work 

 I gave them instructions something as 

 above, on introducing queens. We intro- 

 duced a large number of queens this spring, 

 and, with the exception of one or two vir- 

 gin queens they have not lost a single fer- 

 tile queen. I have taken this occasion to 

 reiterate these facts for the benefit of be- 

 ginners, and to show how the best results 

 may be obtained with the Peet cage. 



THE HYDE APIAKY. 



Something over a week ago Mr. Spafford 

 and I drove down to the Hyde apiary, put 

 on the honey-boards, T supers, and, in fact, 

 got every thing ready for a flow of comb 

 honey. We aimed to put each colony, so 

 far as possible, under different conditions, 

 for the purpose of more accurately getting at 

 results. 



NO HONEY. 



At the present writing, no honey has come 

 in, and the bees have been for nearly a 

 mouth on the point of starvation — barely 

 sustaining themselves. If honey does not 

 start pretty soon now, \ye .shall not expect 

 wuch fronj clover. 



Gleanings in Bee Culture. 



Published Senii-ltlonthly , 



.£^. I. I^OOT, 

 EDITOR AND PUBLISHER, 



iviEX5iisr.a., OHIO. 

 TERMS: $1.00 PER YEAR, POSTPAID. 



For Clubbing Bates, See Tirst Page of Beading Matter. 



I^^EIDi:tT^=^, J-Cri>TE IS, IBS'Z. 



WANTED, Gr.EANINGS FOR MARCH 1, 188T. 



If mailed us at once we will allow 10 cents each 

 for the above. 



THE WHITE-CLOVER CROP AT THE PRESENT WRIT- 

 ING. 



There seems to be a general complaint, that, 

 while the bloom is most bountiful, very little honey 

 Is coming in. We presume this is on account of 

 much rain. At such times clover usually yields 

 bountifully just before its close; in fact, a few re- 

 ports already state that white-clover honey is com- 

 ing in bountifully. Much rain usua'ly, for the time 

 being, spoils the honey-flow. 



MR. THOMAS HORN. 



Our friends will remember that Mr. Horn said, 

 on page 319: 



I am preparing the notes just as rapidly as possible, and will 

 finish this evening so as to go out in to-morrow's mail. 



Tnos. Horn. 

 And again on page 408: 



Friend Root: — I mailed, as promised, all notes excepting a 

 tew ret.ained tor further investigation, which 1 have since 

 mailed; and now to the best of my knowledge all have their 

 notes. If I have overlooked any, if they will kindly inform 

 me I will mail them at once. Thomas Horn. 



Now, we think it best to be slow to condemn; but 

 when we tell our readers that complaints have been 

 coming continually during several weelcs past, say- 

 ing that Mr. Horn has as yet sent no note at all, we 

 feel very much inclined to think the time has come 

 when forbearance ceases to be a virtue. May Slst 

 we wrote Mr. Horn, asking him for an explanation; 

 but up to the time of going to press, no word has 

 been received. I may mention, also, that I have 

 been severely censured for accepting his advertise- 

 ment again, even though he did promise to give 

 notes to all his customers. Perhaps some of the 

 sufferers may become impatient at our way of do- 

 ing business, but we hope they will be patient ^a lit- 

 tle longer. And now, friends, since we have heard 

 of so many who nave not got their notes, will all of 

 those who /(are received them please inform us at 

 once by postal? We want to know exactly how 

 many have received Mr. Horn's note in the way of 

 settlement. It seems very plain and certain that 

 Mr. Horn can give his notes for the amounts he is 

 owing, if he has any disposition to be fair and hon- 

 est. However, we think it best to wait a little, as 

 the case stands. 



BEESWA.X, AND HOW TO SEND IT TO MARKET. 



In years past I have repeatedly cautioned the 

 friends about sending heavy shipments of beeswax 

 by express, for the reason that the express charges 

 are sometimes almost equal to the value of the wax. 



