424 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



fork, this making small holes in the cappings. I 

 placed the two comljs with brood in them next to a 

 good brood comb with more or less honey in it. I 

 used to scrape all combs with the fork, as this caused 

 the bees to remove the honey which would stimulate 

 them in brood-rearing. I spaced these five combs 

 as near together as I could and leave a bee-space 

 between them. I moved up the partition as close as 

 I could and leave a bee-space. I then used a stick 

 just fitting the entrance, and long enough to reach 

 half way across the hive. After providing a narrow 

 honey-board I shook the remaining combs in front 

 of this five-frame hive, taking these combs and the 

 old hive to the honey-house for safe keeping. 



I took a large basket to the barn and filled it with 

 chafif from the barn floor. I filled the empty side of 

 this hive with chaff. I next took some old four-inch 

 boards and made a frame or rim the exact size of 

 the cap. I put this frame in place of the cap, and 

 filled this extension level full of chaff, covering the 

 honey-board three or four inches deep with chaff. 

 I then placed the cap over all, and contracted the 

 entrance to about one inch. I did this with all 

 strong colonies, using fewer combs for the weaker 

 ones. The hive being thus warm, the bees went to 

 the field in large numbers, and were able to push 

 breeding to the utmost. 



I let them alone for about ten days. I then took 

 the big basket, and w'ith my hands removed most of 

 the chaff, so I could move the partition. I always 

 found the comb next to the partition filled with eggs 

 and larvae, also the center combs well filled with 

 brood. I took another comb from the store hive 

 and scraped the cappings with the fork and placed 

 this comb next to tlie partition, and covered all 

 again with the chaff. I made all additions of comb 

 to this warm side of the hive. I had to make these 

 additions every few days. When I got the hive near- 

 ly full of combs I removed all the chaff and the par- 

 tition, filling the hive with comb. I had to work 

 fast to keep ahead of the bees, as they would get 

 the swarming fever. There was work in this, but it 

 paid. 



I recollect having a lot of nuclei ; and when a 

 swarm came off I hived it with a nucleus ; and after 

 removing the cells from the old stock I returned the 

 old queen. In about three weeks she would lead 

 out another swarm. I have thus had three prime 

 swarms from a single old colony, and a surplus be- 

 sides. 



Lyndon, Vt., Feb. 26. H. E. Harrington. 



Prospective Co-operative Beekeepers' Association 

 in New Zealand 



The chief drawback to our industry here is want 

 of organization ; but there is hope that this will be 

 rectified shortly. A movement is on foot to establish 

 a co-operative association in Canterbury, and if 

 enough support is forthcoming a company will be 

 formed in time for next season's crop. A Dominion 

 association may be formed eventually, something on 

 the lines of the National Association in America. A 

 committee was appointed at last conference held in 

 Wellington last August, and the members have been 

 collecting information. This committee will submit 

 a scheme at the next conference, and there is every 

 prospect that a workable scheme will be evolved. 

 Promises of support have been received from many 

 of the leading beekeepers who intend to be present 

 when the next conference is held. Prizes this season 

 are low, probably on account of the crop being so 

 much above the average. It is hoped that an export 

 trade will be established; and if this is done, t..e 

 local market wnll be relieved. A comprehensive 

 scheme of advertising is contemplated in connection 

 with the above, as honey is not as extensively used 

 as it deserves to be. 



Christchurch, N. Z. E. G. Ward. 



The Help of Bee Experts Wanted 



I wish to suggest a possible opening in the way 

 of what ought to be a good business. I keep bees 

 because I must. My business demands it, yet it is 

 impossible for me to give them necessary care or to- 

 look after treatment should brood diseases get among 

 them. All through the country are farmer beekeep- 

 ers who do not know hovr to work their bees. If 

 a man were to come to me two or three times a 

 season, certified as competent and trustworthy bj' a 

 recognized authority, say the secretary of the Na- 

 tional Association, or the State Inspector, I would 

 gladly pay him three dollars for a day's work, or the 

 work necessary, on my few stands. Perhaps I could 

 better afford to pay five dollars than to let him pass 

 on. So could others, though perhaps they would not. 



It is possible that a bee expert could not develop 

 a business at itinerant work; but I wish there were 

 one whose territory would include my place. It 

 would, of course, be absolutely essential that such 

 a one be thoroughly grounded in the scientific know- 

 ledge of brood diseases, and competent to use the 

 best methods, and exercise all the precautions neces- 

 sary in treating and handling diseased colonies. 



Carthage, Mo., Jan. 20. Benjamin 0. Auten. 



[Possibly some such plan could be worked out; 

 but it occurs to us that in most parts of the country 

 the traveling expense would be almost prohibitive. 

 — Ed.] 



Wire Cloth in Connection with the Alexander Plan 

 for Making Increase 



I w'ish to add one improvement on the Alexander 

 plan of prevention of swarming as given on page 

 314, May 1. When the change is made with the 

 cxueen in the new hive, and the excluder on, put a 

 wire screen on the excluder, and then set on the 

 hive body containing brood. Then shake most of 

 the bees in front of the new hive. What are left 

 will care for the brood, and the heat will pass from 

 the colony below, and will be saved. This makes the 

 colonj- shaken the same 'as a natural swarm — no 

 brood to care for, and it forces twice as many bees 

 into the field. 



In eight days remove the screen and cut out all 

 queen-cells. The upper colony or hive body contain- 

 ing brood should be given a small entrance in front 

 when the cage is first made. I have tried the plan 

 a number of times without the screen, but in almost 

 every case too many bees would go above with the 

 brood. This discourages the queen so that in a few 

 cases she stops laying. The plan is not a success 

 without the screen unless with an extra populous 

 colony or with very warm weather. 



Simi, Cal., May 19. Geo. W. Rich. 



A Lining for the Firebox of a Smoker 



I have made a " discovery," or learned something, 

 whichever way your old friends care to put it. Cut 

 a piece of galvanized iron or good heavy tin as long 

 as the circumference inside, and as wide as the 

 depth of the fire-box on your smoker. Bend it into 

 a hollow cylinder, and slip it into the fire-box. I 

 have used a smoker thus for nearly a year, which 

 had burned through before I put it in. If put in 

 when the smoker is new it will certainly double the 

 smoker's usefulness. 



San .Juan, Porto Rico, .May 1. F. E. Haktwell. 



Alfalfa Does Weil at High Altitude 



On page 272, April 15, is an inquiry from J. W. 

 Hontz, of Portales, N. M., regarding alfalfa at high 

 altitudes. I am in the far-famed San Luis Valley, 

 which is 50 miles wide by 100 miles long. The alti- 

 tude is 7500 feet. Alfalfa does well, and the bees 

 also do as well as I have ever seen anywhere. 



Wm. J. Baker, M. D. 



Monte Vista, Cal., May 21. 



