190S 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



II 



of pinkish color and rather unpleasant taste. 

 The honey obtained from heather is of dark 

 color, and rather strongly tiavored, granu- 

 lating as soon as cold weather sets in; yet the 

 sections made during this honey-flow are of 

 the finest appearance with regard to wax 

 and cappings. The ivy blooms at about the 

 same time, and yields a honey of tine body 

 and rather pleasant taste 



Some time ago I ordered an Italian queen, 

 and I hope to have her by the end of this 

 month, when, if not too late, I shall try to 

 requeen some of my colonies for the purpose 

 of compai'ing the work of these Italian bred 

 colonies with the native species. The bees 

 of this country are industrious, and winter 

 well outdoors Their defects are that they 

 are great propolizers, and rather cross in 

 temper. Among my colonies I possess one 

 which I imported myself from the neighbor- 

 ing country of Bulgaria. The bees of this 

 Bulgarian stock are very probably allied to 

 the Caucasians, because they are mild in 

 temper and seem not to know the use of 

 propolis and of stings. They are of rather 

 small size, rather prolific, and not inclined 

 to swarm. The sections which I have ob- 

 tained from them are white, and well capped. 



Please answer the following questions. 



Is it true that some species of pine-trees 

 yield nectar through a kind of insect, of the 

 aphid family? I have heard some peasants 

 of this country and of Greece assert this, but 

 would not give credit to their assertions be- 



fore I hear it supported by some more com- 

 petent authority, especially as no pine-trees 

 are found in my immediate vicinity to watch 

 bees on; it is, moreover, said that a honey of 

 delicate flavor and color is obtained from 

 this pine-bred aphid. 



My second question is about the chestnut- 

 tree, of whic^h we have plenty in this country. 

 Does it yield any honey, and of what kind? 

 I have seen bees work earnestly on them, but 

 could not ascertain whether they were gath- 

 ering honey or pollen. 



Constantinople. 



[The .source of pine-tree honey is a moot- 

 ed question. Chestnut honey is not very 

 good. It does not seem to yield a great deal. 

 It is better for pollen.— W. K. M.] 



NATURAL SWAR3IING 

 QUEENING. 



AND RE- 



Prevention of After- swarms. 



BY B. H. BRADLEY. 



I am sending you a photograph showing 

 59 sections. The colony that produced them 

 had 11 more equally good. I let my colo- 

 nies swarm once, hiving the swarm with the 

 old queen in a new hive, close to one side of 

 the parent hive. Some of the bees hived 

 with the old queen will I'eturn to the parent 

 stock; but enough will remain to take care 



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A LOT OK FANCY HONEY IN 4x0 SECTIONS, I'KODUCED BY A NATUKAL SWARM. 



