1902 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



741 



enced in the handling- of unwired combs, 

 either for extracting- or for hauling- bees, is 

 such that I could not think of g-etting- along- 

 without wiring-. Those who do so, if they 

 would once try wiring- a few hundred 

 frames, would not think of trying- to get 

 along- without it. 



I suppose g-lucose, diluted with water, cart 

 be fed to bees for the purpose of filling- out 

 comb honey. I believe that some unscrupu- 

 lous parties have been g-uilty of the prac- 

 tice; but from experimental tests that I have 

 made I don't see how it can pay very long-. 

 I find that bees do not like the "nasty 

 stuff." I can get them to take it, but from 

 the limited trials I have made I do not see 

 how it can pay; but there are men who will 

 work harder to get a living dishonestly than 

 they would by any fair honest means. 



American Gardening bears an excellent 

 reputation. It is published in New York. 

 Box 1697 is the address. 



The entrance to the Danzenbaker hive or 

 bottom-board is not too wide for summer 

 use, nor is it too wide other times of the 

 year, providing the colony is strong, except 

 during cold winter weather if the bees are 

 left outdoors. It should then be contracted 

 by an entrance-stop so the entrance shall 

 not be wider than fsx6 inches. If the colo- 

 ny is not strong, ^sx3 inches would be 

 enough. — Ed.] 



RUNNING AN EXTRACTOR BY GASOLINE. 



I would like your advice in regard to run- 

 ning an extractor by a gasoline-engine. I 

 want to fasten it on a wagon, and keep it 

 there. Do you think it a good plan to put 

 it on a low-down wagon? I can get a 1^- 

 horse- power engine for $85 that takes up a 

 space of 2x4 feet. Now, what size of ex- 

 tractor would you recommend, and what 

 size engine to run it? 



We are working a churn with a 1>^ -horse- 

 power engine weighing 400 pounds, and it 

 works finely. 



Do you think it best to have an extract- 

 ing-house on the wagon, or should I get a 

 shaft, poke it through the honey-house, 

 drive to the side of it, and buckle on? I 

 could get a tight and loose pulley to work 

 the extractor with. Please advise me if 

 convenient. Gleanings is getting better 

 every issue. The "Travels" are interest- 

 ing and instructive. A. H. Knolle. 



Shavana, Tex., Aug. 19. 



[The gasoline-engine can be used for the 

 purpose of running an extractor, and it is 

 by all odds the cheapest power ; but the 

 speed can not be controlled very easily ex- 

 cept by reducing gear, cone pulleys, or 

 a slack belt. If a gasoline - engine is 

 used, arrange the size of the pulleys from 

 engine to extractor so that, when the 

 belt is tightened, the extractor will run no 

 faster than good wired combs will stand. 

 There will be times, of course, when softer 

 combs should be run at a less speed. In 

 that case arrange for tightener with an 

 idler so that the speed can be slacked at 



the right point to secure the speed desired. 

 Your idea of having the engine on a wag- 

 on is excellent. In that case I would ar- 

 range to have the shaft that runs the ex- 

 tractor projected through the side of the 

 extracting-house. By having the engine lo- 

 cated on a wagon one could run to the sev- 

 eral out-yards and be under the expense of 

 having only one engine. — Ed.] 



QUESTIONS concerning BRUSHED SWARMS. 



Will you please answer a few questions, 

 and oblige? 



We usually have about 25 colonies of bees 

 to commence the season with; increase to 

 40 or 45 during swarming, and then double 

 up the following fall and spring to the 

 usual number again. Now, if I wished to 

 practice the "brushed-swarm" plan — 



1. Do you wire the frames in your new 

 hive containing or.ly starters? 



2. Do you ever give the new or brushed 

 swarm one or more frames of brood or hon- 

 ey at the time of brushing? 



3. Under this plan, are the queens any 

 more apt to put brood above in the sections 

 while the combs below are being built? 



4. Leaving the bees to build all their 

 combs from starters, will they not build 

 considerable drone comb? 



5. If you had all the bees and old combs 

 you required for your apiary, what would 

 you do with your surplus combs each sea- 

 son with the above plan? 



Kendallville, Ind. S. Farrington. 



[I can give you no answers based on prac- 

 tical experience. I only know what others 

 have said. If I do not give the right ans- 

 wers I hope those who are in position to 

 know will give us the correct practice. 



1. I don't know whether it is the practice 

 or not, but I would advise having the frames 

 stayed up with horizontal wires. They 

 will do no harm, and greatly stiffen the 

 combs for extracting as well as for moving 

 to outyards. 



2. As I understand it, no frames of brood 

 are given with a brushed swarm. Bees are 

 made to start from the ground up. 



3. The natural assumption would be that 

 the queen would be inclined to go into the 

 sections. My own advice would be to put 

 perforated zinc between super and lower 

 hive. 



4. There are certain conditions under 

 which bees will build store comb, and when 

 the}^ will build only worker. During the 

 swarming season bees are inclined to build 

 the former. I should naturally expect that 

 some store or drone comb would then be 

 built, but this might be cut out a la Board - 

 man. 



5. I do not know. I am getting into deep 

 water. It is not my rule to attempt making 

 answers or footnotes unless that answer or 

 footnote is based on personal observation. 



Our friend H. K. Boardman, of East 

 Townsend, O., is competent to give correct 

 answers along these lines, and I hereby re- 

 quest him to come over and help us. — Ed.] 



