\OVEMBFR 1, 1915 



907 



(of GrainTi fremm Differeelt FieM§ 



or at least trying it. I had a swarm come out Sept. 

 7, this year, but they went back and saved me the 

 trouble of putting them back. That is the fourth 

 swarm since July 1. Three of them came from 

 young swaruis hived the last of June this year. I 

 say it is the nature of bees to swarm, and their only 

 way of increase, and there is no way to prevent it 

 totally, although plenty of room and a little shade 

 will prevent it to a certain extent. 



Bradford, O., Sept. 7. CURTiS C. GROOMS. 



The Backlot Buzzer 



BV J. H. DON.-^HEV 



Ikexe city people are mighty particular about 

 xorfe things. Last tutmmer when the bcex were 

 workitif/ on milkweed a man on Main Street put door 

 mats down in front of the hives so they could wipe 

 their fert. - 



A Telegraph Operator's Bees 



We have hud but very little sunshine this season, 

 and the crop was almost a complete failure here. 

 The early flow was of a fine flavor, but the later 

 honey was almost like water and of a mint flavor. 

 Vlthough I had 8 colonies to start with this season 

 I ?ot only about 50 pounds of honey from them. It 

 was of a di.rk color from leaving it in the hive so 

 long because it was not finished. I sold every sec- 

 tion for 20 cts. e:ic1i, and could have sold many 

 more if I had had it. I did not get out and try to 

 sell any for I did not have it. They all came to me 

 after it. I often think if the beekeepers would only 

 ask a little more for their honey they would sell al- 

 most as much. 



T am a telegraph operator for the Pennsylvania 

 Company. I have a second " trick " from .3 P. M. 

 until 11 r. il., and have always had a desire for 

 bops, as it makes a good side line. It seems as if 

 I lose alrao-st all of my bees every winter fro:n cold 

 weather. I had a little experience with American 

 foul brood three years ago. I burned hive, bees, 

 and all: al-o buried the ashes pretty deep, aud have 

 had no signs of it since. 



I have read every article I have seen on how to 

 prevent swarming. I have not tried any of the 

 plans, for I believe natural swarming is the best 

 way to innkc iuT-^ase, and I do not believe there is 

 anything that will prevent the bees from swarming. 



175 Swarms from 70 Colonies, Spring Count 



After keeping bees over 65 years I find I know 

 but little about them. I always thought that if I 

 had ten empty hives to 100 colonies I had plenty; 

 but it was different this season. 



On the first of June I had 70 hives with few bees 

 in each. I had them all plugged up to one bee- 

 entrance, and hardly a bee stirring. About July 1 

 I had a swarm off, aud I began to examine them, 

 and I found them loaded with brood. 



About .Tuly 15 they began to come off, and I had 

 40 swarms in four days, and I never saw them get 

 honey faster. They kept it up until September. I 

 have 174 colonies now, and I presume I have lost 

 12 or 15, which ^ot away to the woods. Eleven had 

 been found within two miles. 



1 secured about 5500 lbs. — not a big yield if there 

 had been a good lot of bees and no swarming. It 

 all sold as fast as taken from the hives. I never 

 saw nicer honey — no travel- stain nor water-colored 

 sections. 



I had in all something over 175 swarms. I dou- 

 bled them up all I could — three swarms in some of 

 the hives. The colony that swarmed first I moved 

 to a new place, and hived the swarm on the old 

 stand. The parent colony made me over 100 lbs. of 

 corah hone\, and then swarmed again about the 

 middle of August. 



West Rupert, Vt., Sept. 6. C. M. Lincoln. 



The Tenement Hive for Summer as Well as 

 for Winter 



I have used the four-hive ease exclusively since 

 13S6. I soon saw the folly of unpacking the bees 

 for the summer. If the frames are as movable as 

 they should be they may be quickly taken out just 

 ar. well from the hives in the case. If large loose 

 sawdust cushions remain on all summer the condi- 

 tions are ideal; for the hives are cool during the 

 hottest part of the day and warm during cool nights, 

 lu actual practice I seldom see bees doing very 

 much fanning. 



The case should be 30 inches deep so as to hold 

 two supers at least. The roof should be half pitch, 

 and the large gable should be open in suinmer. The 

 roof should pro.iect over the sides at least % inch. 

 For convenience I have the upper half of the case 

 hinged. I use no packing under the hive. 



Little Britain. Ontario. R. F. Whiteside. 



The Cause of Late Swarming 



III regard to late swarming, my bees have not 

 di'velnped this abnormal condition for several years: 

 but I have had uiany swarms in August and Sep- 

 tember — one as bite iis September 28. 



AV'ith my bees, this unnatural swarming mania 

 developed just after a short heavy honey-flow which 

 suddenly stopped. Foundation was drawn out in 

 supers in anticipation of a harvest which never came. 

 Kverv swarm came out with a most stubborn deter- 

 mination to alwcond. Reasoning from these two 



