102 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



KESTKIOTING THE QUEENS' LAYING BY USING 



SMALL HIVES DOBS NOT LESSEN THE 



NUMBEE OF BEES. 



C. Dadaut & Son, in a recent number of 

 Gleanings, while arguing in favor of large 

 hives, called attention to the fact that a 

 small hive restricts the queen in her laying, 

 and drew the inference that the number of 

 bees is thereby lessened. It is possible, yes, 

 probable, that the number of bees per hive 

 may be thereby lessened, but they are not 

 lessened per comb, or per apiary. If a man 

 having an apiary of 10-frame hives should 

 change them for eight-frame hives he would 

 thereby increase the egg-producing factor 

 (the queens) one-fourth, and the probabil- 

 ities are that instead of having less bees, 

 there would be an actual gain. The point is 

 just here : when a hive is reduced in size the 

 combs that are removed are not laid away 

 to remain idle, but are put into other hives 

 and other queens set to work tilling them 

 with eggs. 



Messrs. Dadant say that after a long series 

 of experiments, covering years, they know 

 positively that large hives are more profit- 

 able for them to use, and I don't doubt that 

 with their locality and management large 

 hives are preferable. Actual experience is 

 worth more than theory. 



OONSIDEK WELL THE LOCALITY. 



At one time the word " locality " seemed 

 destined to become somewhat of a joke or 

 " chestnut " among bee-keepers. I believe, 

 however, that the influence of locality is be- 

 ing regarded more at its true worth than 

 formerly. This question of the size of hives 

 over which there has been so much argu- 

 ment is undoubtedly one in which the in- 

 fluence of locality plays a large part. There 

 is also another question that is sometimes 

 settled largely by the locality ; that is, as to 

 whether honey shall be extracted as soon as 

 it is fit to be extracted or whether it shall be 

 left on the hives until the end of the season. 

 Mr. E. France, of Wisconsin, follows the 

 former course and explains in Gleaniwjs 

 why he takes this course. The first honey 

 that is gathered is dark and must be ex- 

 tracted just at the opening of the white hon- 

 ey harvest. The little honey adhering to the 

 combs will taint the next extracting, hence 

 this must be extracted if there is to be any 

 strictly white honey. If it is a good season 

 there are three more extractings after this, 

 and to keep the honey all in the hives would 



pile them up so high that the wind would 

 blow them over, besides, the number of 

 combs required would be ernormous. To 

 extract after the season is over requires the 

 greatest care or there is robbing. Mr, 

 France does not extract thin honey. He 

 waits until it is thick enough so that it will 

 keep well. 



EXXRHOTOD. 



The Necessity for a Cheap Package in 

 Which to Retail Extracted Honey. 

 One of the greatest objections to produc- 

 ing extracted honey is the difficulty of sell- 

 ing it. One of the difficulties is that honey 

 will candy, and another is the lack of a 

 cheap, suitable package in which to sell the 

 honey at retail. I have never seen a more 

 comprehensive review of this whole subject 

 than appears in Gleanings from the pen of 

 Mr. R. C. Aikin. It shows most clearly that 

 he has been over the whole ground. It reads 

 as follows : — 



"I have read withinterest Mr. E. France's 

 article on this subject, in Feb. l.'ith Glean- 

 ings, page 129. I have a little criticism to 

 make, but mainly wish to add to what he has 

 said. 



My criticism is in the use of barrels. Keep- 

 ing the barrels in a dry place, and well coop- 

 ered before using, is all right. It is a fact, 

 that a barrel kept in a cellar or damp place, 

 when tilled with honey, will season and let 

 the hoops fall off just as if it were empty. In 

 the fall of 1887 I tilled two 'i.'j-gallon white- 

 oak barrels, they having been kept dry for 

 months before, having eight hoops hard 

 d iven just before filling. These I brought 

 with me to Colorado. In a few weeks after 

 arriving here I found the honey —candied too 

 — leaking out, and I could pull the hoops off 

 with my fingers. Had the honey been liquid 

 I might have lost the most of it. That the 

 barrels can be made tight enough to hold the 

 honey, by his method, there is no question ; 

 but a barrel shipped from Wisconsin here 

 would not remain tight. A few days ago I 

 received a .Wgallon barrel of sorghum ship- 

 ped from eastern Kansas. It may not have 

 been thoroughhi tight when shipped; but 

 right in zero weather, and exposed to the 

 cold, it began to leak so that I iiave had to 

 drive the hoops on it. 



I have, the past winter, liquefied and mar- 

 keted between six and seven tons of honey. 

 It was in (iO-lb. cans. I sold it to consumers 

 very largely, it going here and ttiero all over 

 the'country, in lots of from one to four or 

 five cans. Few of the purchasers knew how 

 to liquefy, or were fixed to do it. Now, had 

 I stored this honey in barrels, then opened 

 the barrels and spaded out the honey to 



