Nov. 5, 1903. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



715 



verify until we know how ffeneral these things are. If bees 

 never offer a queen anything-, a cajjed queen would seem to 

 be in dire straits. It is generally understood that whole 

 apiaries are run for ten days or so with queens caged, to be 

 fed by their own bees. I never did this, and don't, at this 

 moment, know whether it is necessary to put food in the 

 cages or not. 



It's interesting to see that even during very rapid lay- 

 ing the queen takes rests of ten minutes or so. (Juess the 

 eggs are in strings (so to speak) and when one sting is ended 

 the next may not be quite ready. But, then, we don't 

 urgently need any theory other than the usual weariness 

 and rest to account for this. Evenly told off through the 

 day. 2000 eggs would be one each 46 seconds. Page 61(>. 





Dr. Miller's Answers 





Send Questions either to the office of the Araerioan Bee Journal, 

 or 10 Dr. C. C. Miller, Marengo, 111. 



Storing Drawn-Out Combs. 



Where shall I store drawn-out foundation combs to keep from get- 

 I ins moldy during the winter? Misnesot.i. 



Answer. — Anywhere except in a damp, moldy cellar. 



Two-Plece Bottom-Bars— Bee-anllt— White Clover. 



1. Where can 1 f:et frames with the two-piece bottom-bars; 



"J. How much more do they cost than the regular Hollman frames ; 

 :!. Could the regular Hottman frames be made that way? 



4. What do you use over the frames for winter covering besides 

 the cover? 



5. Give a good description of a bee-quilt. 



6. I have some honey that I call white clover, but in the place of 

 being clear white it is a kind of yellowish color, some cappings being 

 white while others beside them have a yellowish appearance. What 

 is the cause? 



I have 'Si colonies of bees. I had about a third of a crop this year, 

 the weather being too wet and cold. Wisconsin. 



Answers. — 1. You can get them from the G. B. Lewis Co., by 

 ordering MUler frames, and probably elsewhere. 



2. I don't remember, but there's very little difference. 



3. If you mean with a two-piece bottom-bar, I think they might. 



4. Nothing whatever. They are taken into the cellar just as they 

 ?tood on the summer stands. 



r>. I haven't seen anything of the kind for a number of years e.x- 

 cept in an apiary in California, and there a simple sheet of heavy 

 material like denim or duck was laid over the frames. The last thing 

 of the kind I used was a double layer of heavy sheeting with several 

 layers of newspapers between. 



6. Hard to tell without seeing it. I suspect you left it on pretty 

 late and the bees gave it a slight varnishing with propolis. 



Wintering Bees. 



As we are just starting in the bee-business, we would like to ask a 

 tew questions in regard to wintering bees. 



1. We bought 4 colonies of Italians about 2 weeks ago (Oct. 1), 

 ;ind have had no experience heretofore, excepting what information 

 we got by reading the " A B C of Bee-Culture," edition of issr. Do 

 you think it is too old for modern bee-keeping! 



2. Two of the colonies have about 1.5 pounds of honey in the 

 supers in sections. Would you advise taking this out? 



3. It so. would it be best to remove the super or leave it on! If 

 left on, would it be a good plan to fill same with shavings, or something 

 like that? 



4. Also, one hive has no cover, and there was a board laid on 

 with a cloth or quilt, and the honey is stuck fast to it. As it is long 

 and wide, and very unhandy, would jou advise taking it oH? If so, 

 how; I do not think there is much honey below in it, as the hive is 

 very light. 



.5. As we have no good cellar to put them in, would you advise 

 building a shelter, or leave them out in the opening as in summer! 



6. What kind of cloth or quilt do you recommend ! and can they 

 be bought of dealers in bee-supplies! Iowa. 



Answers.— 1. Of course, there is constant progress being made in 

 bee-keeping, but if you keep up with the teachings of 1887, you will be 

 doing very well. 



2. Supers are supposed to be taken off long before winter. 



a. Either way. If left on by all means use planer-shavings or 

 other packing. 



4. I'm afraid it you meddle you may make bad work. The bees 

 have probably settled their winter quarters up against that board, and 



you better leave them as they are till spring. It the board is too much 

 in the way by its leugtli, saw it off. 



h. Better give some kKid of shelter, if it be only to pile corn-stalks 

 about theiu. 



(i. Enameled cloth may be used, or heavy sheeting, such as you will 

 find at any store. But, nowadays, many use Mat covers without any 

 sheets or quilts. If jou pack shavings in the super over the hive for 

 wintering, you must have something under the shavings. Burlap, or 

 almost any kind of cloth, will do. 



A Kind of Fly-Bees Flgtitlng-Unitlng Colonies. 



1. I am a beginner in bee-keeping. I caught a fly or a bee, I 

 don't know what to call the critter, so I send it to you alive in a tin 

 box. I saw a couple of them enter one of my hives. I don't know 

 what they are; I saw them several times during the warmest part of 

 the day. What is it, a lly or a drone! Name it, and give its habits. 



2. I opened a hive the Qrst part of September, and set the frames in 

 another hive-iiody and looked for the queen. I spent about half an 

 hour, but could not find the queen ; I wanted to kill her, as she was a 

 hybrid. The bees filled themselves with honey, and when I put the 

 frames back nearly all the bees went back, then some went lighting 

 among themselves, and would take a bee that was rather late in get- 

 ting back and would make her give up all the honey she had, 

 then they would sting her to death, or bite her so she would die in a 

 few minutes. They killed about a half pint of bees in this way. Bees 

 from other hives did not lly on that morning, as it was a little cool, so 

 it was their own bees they killed. Why did they kill their own bees 

 in this way >. 



3. Is a Langstroth frame the same dimensions as the Hoffman 

 frame? If it is not, what are the dimensions of the Langstroth frame? 



4. It 2 colonies are united now (Oct. 15), will they tight very much 

 if smoked some before setting one brood-body on another? 



Michigan. 



Answers. — 1. The insect is a kind of fly that is not very uncom- 

 mon, but I'm not entomologist enough to give its name and habits. 



2. I wonder if there can be no mistake about there being bees 

 from other hives. If it were their own sisters they were killing, I can't 

 give the reason why. 



3. The same, 17"'sX93». 



4. Possibly ; put a paper between the hives with a hole big enough 

 for one bee to pass at a 'time, and they will gnaw the paper away, 

 gradually uniting. 



Winter Stores in Super. 



I have some light colonies. I gave them supers with unfinished 

 sections. Will they winter well if I leave them on for winter? 1 have 

 a good bee-cellar. I would like to leave them on. The bees do not take 

 the honey below. Wisconsin. 



Answer.— Yes, it will be all right so far as the bees are concerned, 

 but it will be rather rough on the sections. 



Managing Out-Apiaries-Swarming. 



1. I have run an apiary of 100 colonies for the last 10 years, along 

 with a farm, but I am thinking of giving up my farm to my son, and 

 if I do I would start an out-yard. Could 1 manage the out-yard my- 

 self ? 



2. How would it do to put queen-excluding guards on the entrance 

 in swarming-time, and keep all the queen-cells cut? Would that 

 work in the out-yard! or would it be better to remove all the brood to 

 an upper story with the queen on starters below, with a queen-exclud- 

 ing board between the two! 



I have been a reader of the American Bee Journal for a number of 

 years, and owe all my success to it. May it live long, and die happy. 



Ontario. 



Answers.— 1. You could manage the two yards yourself it you 

 don't have too many bees in them, and your plan of management does 

 not require too much work. The problem will be easier if you run for 

 extracted than if you run for comb honey. 



2. The guards will do if you follow up the right management 

 afterward, but simply putting on guards and cutting out queen-cells 

 will not be sufficient. The second plan you mention will work well 

 tor extracted, but not tor comb honey. You have no doubt seen much 

 lately about shaken swarms, and they might answer your purpose. 



Report for the Season-Wintering Bees in a House. 



I started with 6 colonies last spring, and increased to 21 by cap- 

 turing 3 stray swarms. I got 1S24 pounds ot comb honey, almost all 

 in 1-pound sections. 



I read the American Bee Journal and " Forty 1 ears Among the 

 Bees." 



I make my own hives; I think they are what are called the Wis- 

 consin portico hives, with S-frames. I have weighed them to see it 

 they had plenty of stores for winter. They weigh from 60 to 7.5 

 pounds each. 



I have no cellar fit to winter bees in, so I will have to winter them 

 out-ot-doors, or in a house I built for chickens. The house is 10x18 

 feet and 7 feet high, with a good shingled roof, and boarded tight with 



