GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



September, 1919 



_!_ for 1919 has 

 been rather 

 disappointing. In 

 the spring most 

 colonies were 

 nnusiially strong. 

 There has been 

 a good bloom of 

 clover ; but we 

 had a great many rainy days, followed by a 

 low temperature, with the result that only 

 a fair or average crop has been gathered. 



We are trying to clean our sections of 

 propolis this year as fast as removed from 

 the hive — not an easy task, but it has some 

 advantages. "We can sort out those that 

 have open cells of pollen, which are liable 

 to develop worms, and can treat them to 

 carbon bisulphide or sell them to the neigh- 

 bors that drop in for a comb. Then we can 

 sort out any unfinished combs and return 

 these to be finished, if it is not too late in 

 the season; but it is usually a sticky job 

 if the weather is hot. It requires a sharp 

 knife of extra-good temper. Sometimes we 

 have had a dish of water to dip the knife 

 into as we use it. This year we have used 

 machine oil and found it a wonderful help. 

 Set a shallow dish of oil near you, and, as 

 you start on a new super, dip the tip of 

 your finger in the oil and rub it on both 

 sides of the knife blade, and you will be 

 surprised at the ease and rapidity with which 

 you can scrape off the propolis. The oil 

 will keep not only the knife blade largely 

 free of propolis but also the handle and 

 your hands too. 



That item quoted from the Western Honey 

 Bee, page 529, advising to place an empty 

 body below frames of foundation in order 

 to prevent new swarms from absconding, 

 cannot be too highly commended. Had I 

 known it years ago, it would have saved me 

 many a swarm. It is all right. 

 » * * 



Dr. Miller, page 512, thinks Belva M. De- 

 muth's plan of placing extracting-combs 

 on colonies of bees to be cleaned up would 

 be all right if she could only "secure the 

 hearty co-operation of the bees." Well, 

 Doctor, to get the bees to do it right used 

 to be my trouble; but if you will first place 

 an empty brood-chamber over the colony 

 and then pile the wet combs over this, you 

 will doubtless "secure the hearty co-opera- 

 tion of the bees. ' ' 



When I opened again the hive having the 

 aluminum comb, I found it well stocked 

 with brood. It was put in so solid it looked 

 pretty good, and, in my enthusiasm, I felt 

 like throwing my hat 20 feet high and 

 shouting — but I didn't, for I am a quiet 

 man. When I looked again I confess I was 

 a little disappointed, for the brood did not 

 seem nearly so compact. There were many 



cells where the 

 brood apparently 

 had been remov- 

 ed. Fully one- 

 fourth of the 

 cells, I should 

 estimate, in the 

 space occupied 

 by brood were 

 empty. Nearly 

 all the cells of the two rows on each side of 

 the upright wires that hold the comb in the 

 frame had failed to mature any brood. I 

 have examined it again today and find brood 

 in all stages, and considerable capped brood 

 maturing but somewhat scattering — quite 

 too much so. One comb in one hive is not 

 enough for a very thoro test of the value 

 of these combs; but it is highly interesting 

 to watch developments. 



* * « 



For one I am grateful to Dr. Miller for 

 his statement that he has strengthened weak 

 colonies hundreds of times by giving a comb 

 of brood with adhering bees. I have done 

 so many times, but have always been afraid 

 it might work harm. Another way I have 

 found useful is to shake a lot of bees with- 

 out queen into an empty box and confine 

 them for five or six hours with honey enough 

 so they would not be in danger of starving, 

 and then at or near night run them in where 

 wanted. They are so pleased to find a home 

 with a queen that they forget their old home 

 and adopt the new one as their own. 



* * 4f 



Every one seems interested in the price 

 honey will bring this year. It appears evi- 

 dent that the crop will not be large — doubt- 

 less below the average. There will be a 

 ilisposition on the part of some to push up 

 the price. This seems to me to be unwise, as 

 last year 's prices were all or more than the 

 market would bear. Many years ago there 

 was a short crop, and the advice to bee- 

 keepers was to hold on to their honey and 

 that thus the price would go up. Well, it 

 did go up; but when the price reached a 

 high figure the demand dropped off, and a 

 large amount of comb honey was carried 

 over unsold until the next year. 



* If » 



I was much interested in the article by 

 Jay Smith, page 498, August Gleanings, on 

 safe introduction of queens. If, as Mr. Smith 

 says, it is a sure way, it may well be used 

 in place of some of the quicker and more 

 modern methods. I tried this method more 

 than 40 years ago, using heavy wire-screen 

 cloth for* the cage, raveling the wire from 

 the edges so the cage could be readily push- 

 ed down into the comb. The difficulty, how- 

 ever, of getting the wire screen of the right 

 size or strength led me to discard this meth- 

 od of introducing. Does Mr. Smith make 

 the saw-tooth tin by hand or can it be 

 bought in quantity? [At present it is 

 not made in any quantity, but there is no 

 reason why a die could not be made. — Ed.] 



