Aprit., 1919 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



215 



it. In an incredibly short time we had 

 every colony sacked and loaded on the 

 trailer. The bees made a hissing in the 

 sacks and some of the colonics were very 

 strong; but there was no danger of the 

 bees suffocating, said Sweet, because they 

 could get out into the sack, which was very 

 roomy and porous. 



We cranked the Ford and off we started. 

 We got within three-quarters of a mile of 

 our destination, and down went the right 

 wheel of the trailer. The expression on Mr. 

 Sweet 's face was anything but ' ' sweet. ' ' 

 Wire wheels — he had had enough of them 

 for all time. There was nothing to do but 

 unload the sacks of bees and put them into 

 the Ford, carrying ten hives at a time. Three 

 loads carried the bees to destination, but 

 in loading and unloading, some of the hives 



fell off and rolled over on the pavement. 

 I had expected that many bees would be 

 smashed, but Mr. Sweet reported that not 

 over 200 dead bees were found in any sack 

 after the hives were unsacked. 



I might remaik that he didn't even take 

 the time or trouble , to fasten down the 

 covers. He said he had moved hundreds of 

 colonies in this way at night and always 

 with the best of results. 



When hives are old and full of cracks, the 

 jjlan is ideal. I am not sure but that it is 

 cheaper and quicker than entrance-closers 

 and hive screens even when the hives are 

 good. A set of sacks costing about ten cents 

 each would be good for dozens of movings. 

 The time is approaching in the Eastern 

 States when many will move their bees. I 

 suggest that the sack plan be tried. 



EARLY SPRING MANAGEMENT 



Comparison of the Views of Leading 

 oAuthorities as to What to T)o for 

 the Bees in Spring and How to Do It 



By lona Fowls 



THE question 

 of spring 

 management 

 is "the question 

 of the hour, ' ' 

 and Gleanings 

 has had the 

 curiosity to look 

 up the "authori- 

 ties " on this 



subject, and set down together their teach- 

 ings on each of its particular phases. This 

 has not been a small task, but it has been 

 an informing one. Perhaps the greatest 

 revelation that came to ns from reading a 

 number of authorities on the same subject 

 at the same time was the inadequacy of the 

 indexing of these books. It 's pretty nearly 

 "fierce" in most of them. Next to the 

 faulty indexing was our surprise to find the 

 different authors treating of the same topic 

 under entirely different heads. We were 

 also surprised to find that certain of the 

 problems of spring management regarded 

 as important by some writers are hardly 

 named by others. 



But, as best we could, we have dug out 

 from their written books what a half-dozen 

 leading beekeeper authorities have said on 

 spring management. Possibly, we have 

 skipped what some may have said on the 

 subject — especially if hidden away in the 

 discussion of some other subject. But here 

 are given the different authorities ' views 

 as we have found them. 



Object of Spring Manipulation. 

 All agree that the object of spring man- 

 agement is to put the bees into the best pos- 

 sible condition for gathering the approach- 

 ing honey flow. 



(The following five sub-heads have been 

 mentioned as having a bearing on the drift- 

 ing problem.) 



Time of Removal from Cellar. 

 L. L. Langstroth - Dadant. — "Unless the 

 day when they are put out is very favorable, 



111 a n y may be 

 lost when they 

 flv to discharge 

 their feces. In 

 movable - frame 

 hives, this risk 

 can be greatly 

 diminished by 

 removing the 

 cover from the 

 frames, and allowing the sun to shine direct- 

 ly upon the bees; this will warm them up 

 so quickly, that they will all discharge their 

 feces in a very short time. To our minds, 

 45 degrees in the shade, or 55 degrees in the 

 sun, is the lowest temperature in which it is 

 best to put bees out. ' ' 



Dr. C. C. Miller.—' ' Generally, I go by the 

 blooming of the soft maples."' "When the 

 red of the blossoms actually begins to push 

 forth," * * * "I watch the thermom- 

 eter and the clouds, and usually in a day or 

 two there comes a morning with the sun 

 shining, and the mercury at 45 or 50 de- 

 grees, with the prospect of going a good 

 deal higher thru the day." 



Dr. E. F. Phillips.— "They should not be 

 taken out until fresh pollen and nectar are 

 available, unless they show pronounced 

 signs of dysentery, as indicated by spot- 

 ting of the hives or by undue excitement." 

 * * * "To prevent" drifting, it is best to 

 set the bees out when it is too cold for them 

 to fly, so that as the weather warms, permit- 

 ting flight, this will take place more natural- 

 ly. ' ' 



M. Quinby. — "It is a good rule to leave 

 them as long as they will remain quiet. In 

 my own practice I prefer not to set them out 

 until just as the soft or red maple begins 

 to blossom." "It is much better to remove 

 them on a cool than on a warm day." 



W. Z. Hutchinson. — "Wait until the snow 

 is gone, and there is occasionally a day 

 warm enough for bees to fly, then take 

 them out to remain permanently. If the 



