908 



I want to say right here I think any one is apt to 

 fall down unless he is careful in the way the queen 

 is run in. Referring to the danger mentioned in an 

 editorial in the September 1st issue, when introduc- 

 ing to small nuclei, of having the queen run away 

 into some corner or away from the combs, I will say 

 that I always remove the entrance blocks at the side 

 near the combs and let the queen run in at the cor- 

 ner, then replace the block, and upon examination I 

 have never failed to find the queen upon the combs 

 and at home. I have never had one balled yet. 



I have not had a chance to try this method on 

 laying workers, but will in the near future if the 

 opportunity presents itself. Some of our old bee- 

 keepers are shy about trying this method, and seem 

 afraid of losing queens by it ; but we have got to try 

 things out if we ever expect to get anywhere in this 

 world. I have introduced queens for other beekeep- 

 ers by this method with the best of success, and I 

 am firmly convinced that it is the quickest and best 

 method given yet, and also the safest if properly 

 done. It certainly means a big saving of time and 

 money to all who try it, queen-breeders especially. 



Berlin, Ct., Nov. 21. A. E. Crandall. 



Queens Introduced by the Smoke Method are Lay- 

 ing the next Day 



Regarding the smoke method of introducing queens, 

 I will just state that I have been using that method 

 for the last twelve years, with the result that I have 

 generally succeeded in introducing successfully about 

 100 per cent of my queens. About ten years ago I 

 wrote an article for the Western Bee Journal detail- 

 ing said method of introducing, at which time I did 

 not know who was using that method. Previous to 

 this I had always observed the directions for intro- 

 ducing, and, as a result, I lost about one-fourth of 

 my queens. 



One thing I wish to say about the smoke method 

 is, it must be used with caution. An overdose is 

 cruel, and, if given during a honey-dearth, you will 

 find plenty to do protecting- the hive from robbers. 



Another advantage which is important is, the 

 queens are laying the next daj'. 



Bakersfieldi Cal., Nov. 8. F. D. Lowe. 



Sending Honey by Freight C. 0. D.; Plain Simple 



Business Directions to Those who are 



Shipping to Strangers 



I sell most of my honey by correspondence, or, in 

 other words, I do a mail-order business. When ship- 

 ping to strangers I ship to shipper's order, bill of 

 lading attached. I have had one or two shipments 

 refused because the railroad agent refused to let 

 parties inspect honey before signing a draft. Others 

 (from letters received) think it shows disrespect to 

 them to ship in that way. How do you manage 

 this? I can't afford to ship to strangers with straight 

 bill of lading, as I have had trouble collecting that 

 way. 



Llano, Tex., Oct. 2. L. B. Smith. 



[In sending freight of any kind, draft attached 

 to bill of lading, if you desire the consignee to in- 

 spect the bill of goods you must make that proviso in 

 the bill of lading, otherwise the railroad agent has 

 the right to refuse the consignee such privilege. 



In sending stuff C. O. D., either by express or 

 freight, one has to run the risk of offending a possi- 

 ble future customer who will pay cash. If his bank 

 standing or credit is good he is more apt to take 

 such offense. It is usually advisable to go to your 

 bank and ask if it knows the financial standing of 

 the parties to whom you propose shipping your 

 goods. If they can find no rating in Dun or Brad- 

 street whatever, or if the rating is unsatisfactory, 

 you will be compelled, if you ship at all, to send 

 goods draft attached to bill of lading. 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



In all transactions of this kind it is usually best 

 to ask the prospective customer, in the first place, 

 if unknown to you, to furnish references. This is 

 an ordinary plain business requirement; and if 

 business men, and in particular beekeepers, would 

 take this precaution they would avoid a lot of bad 

 debts and, very often, bad feelings of a sort that 

 means no future business. Any man who is offend- 

 ed because you require references should be avoided, 

 for no responsible person objects to it; and it is not 

 always wise to presuppose that parties referred to 

 would give the proposed consignee a satisfactory 

 rating ; so it is best to write one or more of the 

 references. It may consume a week's time, but it 

 may save the price of a crop of honey.— Ed.] 



Melting up Extracting-combs Taken from Foul- 

 broody Bees 



I wish to know whether it is advisable to melt up 

 all extracting-combs taken from foul-broody bees. 

 What percentage of a yard of forty colonies (nearly 

 all having it, but most of them fairly strong in bees) 

 would come through the winter? 



Subscriber. 



[We certainly would melt up all combs affected 

 with American foul brood. Combs from a European 

 foul-brood}' colony may be used again ; but we would 

 advise melting them up also to be on the safe side. 



Foul brood, either European or American, will not 

 affect the wintering of a colony of bees unless it 

 reduces its strength in the fall. Many hives affected 

 with either disease will have only a few cells of dead 

 matter. Such colonies will winter as well as the 

 average normal one, other things being equal. But 

 if a stock has foul brood very badly, so that its 

 strength is reduced, it will die, probably, during the 

 winter and the following spring ; for as soon as the 

 bees can fly, other bees will rob out these diseased 

 combs, thus spreading the infection far and wide. 

 This is precisely the manner in which American foul 

 brood is spread in many cases. — Ed.] 



Making Increase by the Alexander Plan 



I have a few colonies in ten-frame shallow hives, 

 two of which make up one brood-nest. I should like 

 to know the best way to manipulate these hives for 

 increase, following the Alexander plan, or any other 

 more suitable to meet existing conditions. I have 

 plenty of shallow frames with full combs or founda- 

 tion. I am prepared to buy que'ens if advisable. 

 The honey flora is plentiful, consisting of dandelion, 

 fruit bloom, clover, smartweed, melilotus, and fall 

 flowers. Subscriber. 



[We would advise you to follow the Alexander 

 plan, which plan we have given several times in 

 these columns. You will also find it given under 

 the head of " Increase " in our ABC and X Y Z 

 of Bee Culture. Your increase will be much more 

 rapid if you buy queens, of course; but it is more 

 economical to raise one's own queens. However, in 

 some localities there are so many black bees that 

 pure stock can not be raised, and for that reason, if 

 for no other, it is better to buy queens and thus have 

 pure stock. — Ed.] 



Information Wanted Concerning One of Mr. Lang- 

 stroth's Relatives 



Have you any information as to where Miss Saddle 

 Langstroth can be found? She is the daughter of 

 J. T. Langstroth, and granddaughter of Rev. L. L. 

 Langstroth. Her cousins have tried to find her for 

 several years, without success. She probably is 

 married, and under another name. 



Holyoke, Mass. Herbert P. Davis. 



[If any of our subscribers or readers can furnish 

 Mr. Davis the desired information we hope they will 

 do so. — Ed.] 



