THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



13i 



built much better than wlien 2 or 3 pieces 

 are used. This piece may be cut the shape 

 of a triangle, say 2 in. loi'ijj; and % in. wide 

 at the point. 1 used natural comb as 

 starters in the majority of my section boxes, 

 but would have pretVred yellow foundation. 

 In fact, I would rather pay $1 per lb for the 

 foundation starters than nse the natural 

 comb free of cost. The foundation starters 

 can be pat directly in the centre of the 

 frames, but this cannot be done so accurate- 

 ly with natural comb. I hnd no objection 

 to the color of the yellow wax starter, as 

 the bees quickly bleach it to a snowy white- 

 ness. 



The best way to fasten the starters or 

 foundation to the top-piece, that I have 

 tried, is to lay it down flat with one edge 

 very near the centre, and then crush down 

 one row of cells to the wood with the end 

 of a putty knife; a common case knife will 

 •do nearly as well. To keep the blade from 

 sticking to the wax, wet it frequently by 

 dipping it in honey. This must be done in 

 a warm room or place. When mashed 

 down, run the flat side of the blade back 

 and forth along the pressed wax, and it will 

 adhere to the wood as firmly as you may 

 wish. Now lift up the other edge of the 

 guide until it hangs in its proper place. A 

 boy or girl will soon learn to fasten the 

 starters in quickly. M. M. Baldkidge. 



JSt. Charles, 111. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



My Mode of Preparing for ¥/inter. 



By this day's Express, I send you a hive 

 of my own invention, and a smoker. I send 

 them to you, so that the many bee-keepers 

 who call at your oftice may examine and 

 give their opinion of them. I have been 

 (juestioned much concerning the hive, and 

 its construction and adaptation to wintering 

 bees. 1 have not lost a single colony of 

 bees as yet in this hive, in 5 successive 

 winters. If my method is fully carried out, 

 there is no need of losing a single colony. I 

 double up all my small or weak colonies 

 and make them strong, then I provide 



Eassages through all the combs, so tuat the 

 ees can have access to their stores. The 

 hive is so constructed that the back end of 

 the frames do not come in contact with the 

 back of the hive, and for fall management, 

 or preparing the colonies for winter, I open 

 the back door; after the removal of honey- 

 boxes, I take a blanket and drop it down to 

 the bottom of the frames, then fold it over 

 the top of frames. I also remove all of the 

 combs that the colony does not cluster be- 

 tween. This preparation for wintering 

 should be performed after three or four 

 hai'd frosts, which compact the colony; 

 then it is a small matter to perform the 

 work. 



After removing the spare combs, I drop 

 in the movable division-board and pack the 

 empty space with straw or hay; tuck the 

 blanket down tightly, so as to avoid all 

 draft of air through the brood chamber; 

 place the surplus boxes on top of quilt, and 

 put on the cover. If the entrance has been 

 enlarged to the full width of hive, place the 

 entrance board so that the colony has but 

 two holes for ingress or egress. .This is fall 

 management. The colony needs no more 

 care until winter has begun in earnest. In 

 the Northern States it commences about the 



1st of December, then if the colonies are to 

 remain on their summer stands, the lower 

 passage should be contracted to only one 

 hole, which is in my hives about 2 in. long 

 and nearly 3^ in. high. Open the upper en- 

 trance in front. This allows all foul air to 

 pass off without giving a direct current of 

 air through the brood nest. In case of pro- 

 tracted cold weather there is no danger of 

 the bees becoming covered with ice or frost. 

 In case the bees that drop to the bottom fill 

 up the lower entrance, the colony is in no 

 danger of being disturbed or smothered. 



For wintering in cellars, instead of leav- 

 ing the upper entranc(! entirely open, only 

 turn the perforated end of the tin over the 

 entrance, so as to exclude mice, reverse the 

 entrance board and close it down to the 

 proper height. 



My hives are made with and without bot- 

 toms, just to suit the fancy; I prefer them 

 without. I have wintered bees successfully 

 both in the cellar and on summer stands, 

 but prefer to winter on summer stands. 



Last season was a poor one for honey. I 

 commenced the season with 32 colonies, and 

 increased to (J7. I have taken 1,.500 lbs. of 

 honey, besides raising 73 pure Italian 

 queens. In 4 years I increased from 4 to 67 

 colonies, all in good condition at this date, 

 except 6 which perished for want of care 

 while I was absent from home. I was 

 absent from the early part of winter to Feb. 

 1st. 



The smoker is one of my own make, but 

 not of my invention; that honor belongs to 

 Mr. Quinby. I think it a much better 

 article than his. L. J. Diehl. 



Butler, Md., Mar. 4, 1877. 



For the American Bee Journal. 



Weather Report in La. 



I give here our temperature for February. 

 All can see how even it has been. We al- 

 ways have a breeze, and unless marked 

 with V. s. or s. or m., — very strong, strong, 

 moderate— it is only a breeze. 



