AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



585 



whole thing was wedged up tight, all 

 was glued tight, glue gradually accumu- 

 lated, making everything tighter, and 

 making my face redder each time I 

 opened one of the hives. 



Then I got some of the Hoffman 

 frames with the V edge, against which 

 edge I was strongly prejudiced, but 

 after a full year's use, I must say that 

 they are very nice and easy to handle. 

 I don't wedge them at all, just push the 

 frames tight together each time, and 

 there's no trouble about picking out the 

 dummy or taking out the first frame by 

 simply pushing the dummy back. So I 

 condemn the old Hoffraans, but I like 

 the new ones better than anything I 

 have tried. I would like still better to 

 have no chance for glue. 



Prevention of Granulation. 



In a late issue of the "American Bee 

 Journal" Mr. Doolittle gave directions 

 for making a winter feed that will not 

 granulate in the cells — 5 pounds of 

 honey, 30 pounds of sugar, and 15 

 pounds of water, I believe. Will granu- 

 lated honey, liquefied as usually directed, 

 answer for the purpose ? E. B. 



Answer. — I think the granulated 

 honey will be all right. 



Two Colonies in a Hive. 



I am satisfied with my success in bee- 

 keeping this year. I think I have done 

 fairly well for a novice. I started last 

 spring with two colonies of blacks in 

 box-hives, and increased to six by swarm- 

 ing — all in frame hives. I got about 30 

 pounds of honey in transferring. The 

 two colonies got no surplus, as "we" 

 were swarming in the honey-flow, which 

 .was basswood this year. My neighbor, 

 an experienced bee-keeper, started last 

 spring with 3 colonies of Italians, and 

 increased to 11 by dividing, and took 

 130 pounds of comb honey, and will not 

 have to feed for winter. I have fed 15 

 pounds of syrup to two of my weakest 

 colonies, and am through feeding except 

 the hybrids. 



I introduced two Italian queens last 

 summer, one was received all right, and 

 the other, after looking thoroughly for 

 her six or seven times, I found a black 

 queen in possession. I am sure there 



were no queen-cells or queen in the hive 

 when I introduced her in the cage. I 

 think she must have come from some 

 other hive. It seems that such things 

 do occur sometimes, as the above-men- 

 tioned neighbor in introducing some 

 Italian queens on the combs years ago, 

 when there were no other Italians in this 

 part of the country, accidentally let one 

 go, and after awhile found her in a col- 

 ony of blacks of his. 



What would be the probable result 

 of wintering two small colonies in one 

 hive, if a frame covered wiih screen- 

 wire, and fitted so that no bees could 

 pass, were placed between them ? Would 

 they likely be restless, or quiet, and like 

 a large colony ? The object would be 

 economy of room, heat and feed, as I 

 believe it is claimed that a large colony 

 will winter with less feed in proportion 

 to its size than a small one. 



Belleville, Wis., Oct. 22. 



Ans. — I've wintered many small colo- 

 nies two in a hive, with a 9^-inch board 

 between them, and it works well. 

 Whether wire-cloth would work the 

 same I don't know, but I am inclined to 

 think it would be all right. But you 

 can't be sure till you try. 



Changing Size of Hive-Entrance. 



Should the hive-entrance always be 

 the same size ? If not, when should the 

 changes be made ? Missouri. 



Answer. — As a matter of actual prac- 

 tice, I think most bee-keepers leave the 

 entrance the same the year round, al- 

 though those who winter in cellars and 

 who do not give upward ventilation pre- 

 fer to have the entrance much enlarged 

 while in the cellar, even to taking away 

 the bottom-board entirely. If there is 

 any time when it seems profitable to 

 lessen the entrance, I should say it is 

 when first flights begin in spring, so as 

 to save the heat as much as possible for 

 breeding purposes. 



Uniting Colonies — Moth-Proof Bees. 



1. I have some more questions to ask. 

 This week I united some of my weak 

 colonies and caged one of the queens, 

 and left the other free in the hive. 

 What bothers me is, in one hive that 

 contains two of the small colonies they 



