GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Skpt. ]5 



iuj,"- comb, as I have explained. You will 

 note here that I really make a gain in this 

 way as to surplus honey, for this brood, 

 where placed, gives better results in sec- 

 tion honey than it would have done had it 

 been left where it was with the weak colo- 

 ny, as it almost immediately puts the bees 

 of the colony where g-iven (into the sec- 

 tions) at work, while, had the brood re- 

 mained in its own hive, these colonies 

 would have been somewhat slow in starting 

 in the sections." 



"Well, that is quite a scheme, surely; 

 for we can really kill two birds with one 

 stone in this way. I wish I had known of 

 this matter last year, as I had several col- 

 onies that I could have worked that way. 

 But what of the second-best plan? " 



" The second is, at the time of hiving 

 new swarms, which are treated in this 

 way when I wish them to build worker 

 comb. The swarm is hived on the full 

 number of frames the hive contains, and 

 left for 36 to 48 hours, a super of sections 

 being put on when the swarm is hived. 

 The hive is now opened, and five of the 

 frames are allowed to remain— the five that 

 have perfect worker comb being built in 

 them, and dummies are used to take the 

 place of the frames taken out. This throws 

 the force of bees, not needed below, into the 

 sections, so that the bees do not need to 

 build any store comb in the brood-nest, 

 which store comb, when built for that pur- 

 pose, is generally of the drone size of cells. 

 By this time the queen is readj^ to keep up 

 with the bees in their comb-building, with 

 her eggs; and in this way, nine times out 

 of ten, I get these five frames filled with 

 worker comb, and, besides, secure a good 

 yield of section honey." 



" Whj' do you wait from 36 to 48 hours 

 about arranging the hive? Why not give 

 only the five frames at the time of hiving?" 

 "Glad 3'ou asked that question, as I 

 should have forgotten to speak of something 

 that would have bothered you had I not told 

 you. In the first place, ,a swarm given 

 only five frames when hived, is liable to 

 think the place of abode too small, and 

 leave, or swarm out, and such a pn cedure 

 is a nuisance. In the next place, when 

 any colony having an old or laying queen 

 is first hived, the bees are likely to build 

 comb too fast for her, hence some of the 

 combs first started are liable to be of the 

 drone size on account of the queen not being 

 in condition to lay many eggs at first, as 

 all queens cease almost entirely to lay for 

 24 hours previous to swarming, so that they 

 may be reduced in weight that they may 

 fly and accompany the swarm; and full 

 prolificness does not return under 48 hours 

 after the swarm has commenced keeping 

 house in its new home. And as these combs 

 having the drone size of cells are just right 

 for store combs, the bees generally, when 

 once started, keep right on with that size 

 of cells till the bottom of the hive is reach- 

 ed." 



"I see now why I have had so much 



drone comb built when hiving swarms with- 

 out giving frames of foundation, and I am 

 glad to know of this matter. But I must 

 soon be going; but I should like to hear of 

 the third plan before I go." 



" The third condition under which work- 

 er comb will be built is just after the young 

 queen gets to laying in any colony having 

 cast a swarm. If, after she has been lay- 

 ing two or three days, we take away two 

 or three combs and put frames with start- 

 ers in their places, we shall find that these 

 frames will be mainly filled with worker 

 comb. As the bees are now over the swarm- 

 ing fever, and desire worker bees to pro- 

 mote the welfare of the colony, no drones 

 are needed, and the young queens are not 

 likel}' to lay in drone comb. However, we 

 are not quite as certain of all worker conib 

 in this case as we are in either of the other 

 two. as there are plenty of built combs in 

 the hive for the young queen to use, and it 

 sometimes happens that the bees will pre- 

 fer to leave off storing in the sections and 

 build store comb in the frames, thus de- 

 feating what we are striving to attain." 



" Well, thanks until you are better paid. 

 I will try all the plans next year, and then 

 I can tell more about how the matter works 

 with me. Good day." 



In our last issue I spoke of the fact that 

 there were large quantities of white clover, 

 red clover, and alsike, in bloom. This is 

 quite unusual; and Mr. Wardell, our api- 

 arist, who has had many years' experience 

 as a farmer and bee-keeper, says he has 

 never known a second crop of white clover 

 to yield honey. 



The great National convention at Den- 

 ver was a success. The attendance was 

 large, and the number of delegates from 

 the various States was greater, I think, 

 than at any previous meeting of the Associ- 

 ation. In the matter of hospitality and 

 warm-hearted welcome, the Colorado bee- 

 keepers have set a pace that it will be hard 

 for any State or city that may entertain the 

 National in the future to beat. Further 

 particulars will be given in our next. 



" Irrigation Farming " is the title of a 

 500-page book by Lucius M. Wilcox, editor 

 of Field and Farm. It is published by the 

 Orange Judd Co., of New York, and is just 

 from the press. From a hasty glance at 

 the work, and from what I know from per- 

 sonal observation of irrigation in the West, 

 the author evidently understands the sub- 



