158 



THE BEE-KEEPERS REVj 



had an average strength of 5.11, average fall 

 weight of 41 lbs., and an average consump- 

 tion of 7.93 lbs., and the comsumption per 

 unit of strength of 1.55 lbs., the consump- 

 tion of the heaviest ones being in excess by 

 more than 19 per cent. These results sug- 

 gest that a great surplusage of stores causes 

 unnecessary consumption, and it might be 

 suspected that there had been an over esti- 

 mation of the strength of the lighter col- 

 onies but a careful comparison with the re- 

 sults in the tables G and H where the sugges- 

 tion would be that the weaker ones had been 

 underestimated would have a tendency to 

 remove that suspicion. These results and 

 those tables in reality seem to emphasize — 

 in fact to prove each other. 



Lapeer, Mich. May 23, 189.5. 



A Safe and Kapid Method of Queen Intro- 

 duction. 



L. A. ASPINWALL. 



It may seem strange, 



That a stranger. 

 Should not appear 

 Strange. 



/arOM PARABLE 

 13 with the fatal- 

 ities in wintering, 

 the loss of queens 

 attendant upon in- 

 troduction, be- 

 speak the skill of 

 the bee-keeper. 

 Those who are suc- 

 cessful in one are 

 usually so in the 

 other. A review 

 of our failures as 

 amateurs will cer- 

 tainly recall with regret the loss of valuable 

 queens. My own experience dates back to 

 boyhood days in ISGO when I purchased my 

 first Italian queen from that noble and gen- 

 erous hearted bee-keeper, Mr. M. Quinby. 

 That queen which cost me $5 was lost 

 through introduction, although the method 

 prescribed by Mr. Quinby was followed 

 closely. I connot here refrain from ex- 

 pressing my gratitude and admiration, for 

 the kindly act on the part of Mr. (Quinby in 

 sending the boy bee-keeper another queen 

 free of charge. The sweet memories of it 

 frequently recall those early days in bee- 

 keeping. 



The difficulty in obtaining uniformly SUc-- 

 cessful results is due to the varied conditions 

 of our colonies. These conditions which 

 vary from time to time are not generally un- 

 derstood ; hence, the degree of uncertainty 

 which attends the work, even with those 

 skilled in the pursuit. The circumstances 

 of a honey flow, whether the introduction 

 is to be made in, or out of the swarming 

 season, whether the colony has a laying 

 queen or otherwise, also, the amount of 

 brood, if any ; all these are factors in queen 

 introduction which should be taken into con- 

 sideration. 



If the queen of a populous colony be 

 caged four or five days during the swarming 

 season, the chances are she will be destroy- 

 ed upon being released. Increase of the 

 colony depends upon continuous egg laying 

 during that period ; and any interruption 

 which affects the progress of brood-rearing 

 is attributed to the queen, she being re- 

 garded by the workers as defective. This is 

 a fact which should teach us the importance 

 of a rapid method. Any delay in intro- 

 duction (release), by which breeding is in- 

 terrupted, will cause the building of queen 

 cells, and, in most instances, prevent accep- 

 tance of a queen. 



It is extremely difficult to introduce queens 

 into colonies which have been long queen- 

 less during the swarming season. At other 

 times it is readily accomplished. Of course 

 the amount of brood becomes lessened, when 

 we have the 4th factor under consideration. 

 As this period corresponds with the appear- 

 ance of virgin queens after swarming, queen 

 cells will be readily accepted, at which time 

 a laying queen is regarded as an intruder, 

 or, possibly defective, and cause of decline 

 in the colony. 



The circumstances of a honey flow, (the 

 first factor), so modifies the conditions of 

 introduction that we may safely present our 

 queens by the most rapid methods, provided, 

 the other conditions are favorable. 



Having presented the difficulties which at- 

 tend queen introduction, let us consider a 

 method which is comparatively easy, and 

 scarcely interrupts the working of the col- 

 ony. The method is one I have employed 

 the past three seasons to the exclusion of all 

 others. It consists of a cheese-cloth cage. 

 The frame is wood to which the covering is 

 secured by small tacks. As the material 

 costs but five cents per yard they are quite 

 inexpensive. Muslin will not answer. To 



