950 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Aug. 1 



ing the fore part or the middle of the honey-flow 

 the empty super should be placed under the one 

 partly tilled. As the season begins to wane, the 

 empty one should be placed on top, for it is far 

 better to get one super completed and well cap- 

 ped over than to have two partly filled, neither 

 of them having any capped combs. In the case 

 cited you should not have given the third super 

 as soon as you did. The iirst super should be 

 well capped over before giving a third. 



As the season closes, or comes to a close, one 

 can, where there are only a few colonies or a few 

 supers to handle, take out the filled sections, plac- 

 ing all the unfilled ones in one super to be plac- 

 ed back on the hive; but in large apiaries this is 

 impracticable, for the honey can then be handled 

 only by full supers. — Ed.] 



HOW TO TELL WHEN A COLONY HAS SWARMED. 



I have a colony of bees that, so far as could be 

 seen, had no queen, though it has been making 

 much honey. It has been lying out on the 

 alighting-board several days. I have looked sev- 

 eral times for a queen, but could find none. The 

 colony had considerable capped brood, but no 

 unsealed. On 27 I found three queen-cells, and 

 saved one and destroyed all others. This morn- 

 ing the colony swarmed and went away. On ex- 

 amining the hive I found what I thought — the 

 queen hatched from the recent cell. 



I have two other colonies in the same condi- 

 tion — not so much capped brood as the other, 

 but no signs of brood in the larval state. Had 

 the first a queen.? Have these other two a queen.? 

 If so, why don't they lay, showing signs of their 

 presence.? M. F. Saule. 



Crestline, O., July 2. 



[It is our opinion that the queen of the first 

 colony died just before the bees were ready to 

 swarm. If the bees had not been hanging out, 

 and were reduced in numbers, we should say that 

 a swarm had issued from the hive. At all events, 

 as soon as the first virgin hatched she led out a 

 swarm. 



In the case of the other hives mentioned, we 

 should say that swarms had issued, leaving cap- 

 ped brood and queen-cells. 



If one does not keep a close watch on his col- 

 onies he will be liable to let swarms get away, 

 with the result that he will have weak colonies 

 left, a lot of queen-cells, and more or less after- 

 swarming. 



We may usually set it down as a rule that, 

 where a colony is reduced in strength, has capped 

 brood, no eggs nor queen-cells in the height of 

 or following a honey-flow, a swarm has issued. 

 If we find the same condition, either before or 

 after the honey-flow, it can be explained on the 

 ground of supersedure. — Ed.] 



WHY shade for bees IN SOME PARTS OF CALI- 

 FORNIA IS DETRIMENTAL WHEN GIVEN 

 ALL THE TIME. 



It was a surprise to note Mr. Leslie Burr's 

 comment upon the average " Californian's hor- 

 ror of natural shade," in the Sept. 1st issue of 

 Gleanings for last year, p. 1152. I say sur- 

 prising, because Mr. Burr has spent a season in 

 California, actively engaged in apiary work, and 



must have noted the sharp contrast in tempera- 

 tures between night and day. Here is the point: 

 The nights are cool, and the hives do not become 

 sufficiently warm for bees to do their best work 

 until too late in the morning. Especially is this 

 true when comb honey is the desired object. 



The wax-workers can handle their material 

 only when the temperature is sufficiently high to 

 render the wax pliable. It is a case of no comb 

 built, no honey stored, with bees in shade, and 

 a cool spring season combined. The last season 

 emphasized this very strongly. For the benefit 

 of young apiarists who may possibly establish 

 apiaries in a locality where the nights are cool, I 

 would say, place your hi'-ves in the sun, in double 

 rows, back to back, as suggested by Mr. Burr. 

 But he must be able to control the shade to fit 

 the conditions. Give it, if needed, and it will 

 be needed :if a Langstroth frame is used, or if 

 the combs are new and tender. 



The above is in explanation, rather than in criti- 

 cism, of Mr. Burr's article, which is full of help- 

 ful suggestions. F. E. Bagnell. 



Simi, Cal. 



DEAD OR FOUL BROOD IN THE HEIGHT OF A HON- 

 EY-FLOW. 



I have run up against a trouble which may be 

 serious. I am keeping only a few stands of bees. 

 Yesterday, while looking over my bees, I found 

 one colony which had three cells of foul brood, 

 and I think the colony will swarm in about a 

 week; then I am going to give them your starva- 

 tion cure. 



What is your experience in confining bees 

 three or four days on a set of frames filled with 

 full sheets of foundation.? Will it leave the 

 foundation in good condition to make comb? 



Wellsboro, Ind. W. H. Sanders. 



[It is our opinion that what you report is noth- 

 ing worse than dead brood. During very hot 

 weather, especially if the bees have been sent by 

 express or freight, some of the brood dies because 

 it is overheated or improperly nourished. It 

 turns brown, and in some cases assumes a slight- 

 ly ropy character. This would rather indicate 

 foul brood, except that we find this condition in 

 the height of the honey-flow when the weather is 

 hot, whereas real foul brood generally disappears 

 when honey is coming in freely. In your ca^e, 

 at least, we should say there was no disease of 

 any sort, but would advise you to keep a close 

 watch to see if it becomes any worse. If you 

 look through the hive you will find in the course 

 of a week that this dead brood will all disappear. 



If you confine bees in hot weather for three or 

 four days on foundation the probabilities are that 

 the foundation will stretch and may melt down 

 altogether, making a bad mess in the hive. The 

 bees should not be confined in the hive unless 

 they are kept in a cool place, say down cellar. — 

 Ed.] 



propolis from sweet-gum trees. 



I have noticed several theories as to where bees 

 procure propolis. In this locality it is gathered 

 almost exclusively from sweet-gum trees. I 

 have 75 colonies, and care for many others, and 

 have never discovered at any time any other sub- 

 stance than pure gum wax. W. C. Dailey. 



Crothersville, Ind. 



