330 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



May 21, 1903. 



the relation of those two things — or terms ? Seems to me 

 some writers simply say "formal," and let it go at that. 

 We would be glad to see these confusing words " form a 

 line." O for a chemist to give us a learned and earnest 

 talk — at the end of which we comprehend less of the matter 

 than before 1 (More cries of, " Put him out I") Page 227. 



DEATH OF DR. GALLUP. 



I failed to notice the death of Dr. Gallup when the num- 

 ber containing it arrived, and it just comes to me as a sud- 

 den sadness. Had hoped that it was a false alarm when he 

 wrote that he was sick and not expected to get well. Not 

 he that is to write " A Hundred Years Among the Bees, " 

 alas ! Still, the Book prophesies of a time when a child 

 shall die a hundred years old. Page 259. 



PICKLED BROOD NOT CONTAGIOUS. 



I hope Mr. France was right at the Northwestern, in 

 assuring us that pickled brood is not catching. Neverthe- 

 less, the man who looks a little out for it is still pardonable. 

 Suppose we should say, "Communicable, but good colonies 

 in favorable condition invulnerable to the contagion." 

 Would not that agree with what we know of the matter at 

 present ? Page 228. 



THE LONG-TONGUED BEE. 



Surprised if the long-tongued bee has become a back 

 number already. She was called for at the Northwestern, 

 and no long-tongued advocate stood up for her. So quickly 

 done for — what begun for ? Page 228. 



LARGE SPACE OVER THE SECTIONS. 



And the staid and reliable Mr. Baldridge can be queer 

 when he tries, it seems. Likes to have a two-inch space 

 over his sections built full of higglety-pigglety comb and 

 honey. Notifies one that the bees need more room. Sure ! 

 But most of us would prefer to be notified in a less strenuous 

 manner. Page 228. 



BEES AND FRUIT-BLOOM POLLINATION. 



Yes, the remark was loudly made that covering bloom 

 prevented pollen being carried by currents of air. We still 

 didn't know for sure whether lack of bees or lack of natural 

 conditions caused the failure of fruit-setting. To some ex- 

 tent I guess we shall have to say so still ; but Prof. Cook, 

 on page 229, makes a vigorous foray into that idea. Bees 

 admitted just momentarily, and marks put on the flowers 

 they visit — just those blooms and no others developing fruit. 

 Conclusive as to the excellence of bee-work; but even that 

 does not quite cut oS the idea that the sterility of the other 

 blooms was caused by their being covered up. All the same, 

 the seven items at the close constitute excellent " gospel " 

 on the subject. 



BEE-NURSES AND BEE-BABIES. 



Hello I Here on page 230 a new question bobs up. Does 

 each bee-nurse about supply one bee-baby, or more than 

 one? Answered tentatively for more than one. Maybe 

 it's all right ; but, see here once : To rear even one bee-baby 

 the nurse must in about six days provide an amount of food 

 considerably exceeding her own weight. Isn't that doing 

 pretty well — wonderfully well ? Just at present I guess we 

 had better make the question broader. Let it run : Does 

 each nurse supply several babies, or does each baby employ 

 several nurses ? 



Later. — The mathematical state of the case is dead 

 against me. If it took two niirses for one larva the whole 

 nursing time of a bee (16 days) would suffice to rear less 

 than two young bees, and the colony would never f^et ahead 

 any. This is anent the excellent article of Arthur C. Miller. 



Honey as a Health-Food is the name of a 16- 

 page leaflet (3>4x6 inches) which is designed to help in- 

 crease the demand and sale of honey. The first part is 

 devoted to a consideration of " Honey as Food," written 

 by Dr. C. C. Miller. The last part contains " Honey-Cook- 

 ing Recipes" and "Remedies Using Honey." It should be 

 widely circulated by every one who has honey for sale. It 

 is almost certain to make good customers for honey. We 

 know, for we are using it ourselves. 



Prices, prepaid— Sample for 2 cts.; 10 for 10 cts.; 25 

 for20cts.; 50 for 35 cts.; 100 for 65 cts.; 250 for $1.50; 500 

 for $2.75 ; 1000 for $5.00. If you wish your business card 

 printed at the bottom of the front page, add 25 cts. to.'your 

 order. 





Dr. Miller's Answers 





Send Questions either to the office of the American Bee Journ 

 or to Dr. C. C. Miller, Marengo, 111. 



Rearing Queens. 



I tried to rear some queens by the plan given by Mr. L. Stachel- 

 hausen, page 150, and failed. 



I prepared the colony as he directed, and gave the strips about an 

 hour after the separation — that was Tuesday about 1 p.m. Thursday 

 noon I looked in and there was not a cell started, and every larva 

 was gone. So I gave some more (two pieces about 8 inches long) and 

 at the same time put in 5 cell-cups and grafted them (I had no royal 

 jell}'). Friday noon they had built out 4 of the cups and had started 

 one cell on the strips. All the other larv;c in the strips are gone. 



In shoving down the cells on the strips I think I cut a little more 

 than half way, that is, cut off more than half the depth of the cell. 

 What do you thinly is the reason they would not start cells on the 

 strips? Would cutting off the comb too deep make any difference? 

 I used larv;c that were just hatched, and the cell-cup they did not ac- 

 cept was the youngest larva I transferred. Of course what I transfer- 

 red was older. 



I am going to try again, as I believe it is a good plan. Any in- 

 formation will be thankfully received. Texas. 



Answer.— It is very hard to tell just why it is that bees fail to do 

 as we wish about starting queen-cells, especially when one has only a 

 written description. The most experienced do not invariably make a 

 success, and in most cases it is quite likely they do not know the exact 

 cause of failure. Your greater success upon second trial is your war- 

 rant for believing that you will continue to improve. It is the com- 

 mon experience. Cutting down the cells a little more or a little less 

 than half way would hardly be the cause of failure. " If at first you 

 don't succeed, try, try again." 



Paclns Hives-Old and Moldy Combs. 



I had eight colonies of bees last fall and wintered them out-doors 

 packed thoroughly in leaves, and roofed, 4 together, facing south and 

 4 facing east, each packed the same. Those facing south came out 

 strong and fine, while of the 4 facing east 2 were queenless, and 

 all had many dead bees and the combs more or less moldy, though 

 with plenty of honey. I have comlined three colonies and faced them 

 south. 



1. Was this in consequence of their facing east? 



3. Can I use those or other old combs to hive swarms on, or would 

 they be better melted down * They nearly all have some honey and 

 some pollen and mold, but are good, straight combs, and I dislike 

 melting them if the bees will take them. Illinois. 



Answers. — 1. I don't know, but the facing east may have some- 

 thing to do with it. A day might come warm enough to start flying 

 in the afternoon those facing south, without starting out those facing 

 east. Quite likely, however, there were reasons for poor wintering 

 aside from the facing east. 



2. Don't for a minute think of melting up those combs. Put 

 them in a lower story under strong colonies for the bees to take care 

 of, and then use them when wanted for new colonies or swarms. 



Weak or Perhaps Queenless. 



What is the matter with one of my colonies! I caught it late last 

 fall. It did not gather enough honey to keep it over winter, and so I 

 had to feed it about the middle of March. It does not clean out the 

 mold and dead bees since I put them out of the cellar this spring, and 

 it does not gather pollen, as my other colonies do. Minnesota. 



Answer. — Hard to tell what is the trouble without looking in the 

 hive. Very likely the only trouble is that they are weak. It is possi- 

 ble, however, that they may be queenless. Lift out the frames and 

 see if they have any eggs or brood. If not, unite with other colonies. 



Trouble Over a Bee-Tree. 



I want to write to you about a bee-tree which I have found, and 

 the owner of it will not let me cut it. How can I get the bees, etc* 



1. Has he a right to the bees and honey which the tree contains? 



3.^1 agreed lo grub the tree, and work it from the land, and the 

 owner to pay me 60 much a cord for the wood; the grubbing of the 

 tree I would do for nothing. The owner said, " No, we will let 

 it stand until fall and divide the honey, and then you can have the 

 bees." I said, " Then you can have the bees, too." He laughed at 

 me. 



3. The tree is not worth 10 cents to either of us, if we wanted to 

 buy it, as it is rotten from top to root. No, I would not give one cop- 

 per cent for the tree as far as the wood is concerned. Why. they burn 

 wood by the trainload in order to open land. Why not burn this one? 



