May 4, 1905 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



329 



section at the top; moEt likelj an exceptional case, as a section looks 

 better the other side up. I note also that on the bottom there is little 

 glue, nine-tenths or more of the material being pure wax; in tliis 

 particular case apparently an unproh table degree of crowding. 



It is nothing very strange that some adhere to wide frames. I 

 have a very kindly remembrance of the fine crops of honey I secured 

 with them. Given a complete outfit of any kind of surplus arranjie- 

 ments, and a man is not warranted in changing to something a little 

 better; it should be mKc/i better. There's the expense of the chanire. 

 Then he's used to the old, and the new is troublesome. I think some 

 who have tried T supers have failed to get the right benefit from not 

 knowing how to use them. While looking at the daubed pieces you 

 sent, my assistant said, "Sections like that can be scraped so as to be 

 nice, and I'd rather have the trouble of scraping, if it was necess;iry, 

 than to have the extra trouble of handling the wide frames." 



Transferring and Hives— Clearness In Answers 



1. I notice when beginners ask about transferring bees from box- 

 hives, you quite frequently advise them to wait until the colony 

 swarms, and then 21 days after that do something. You do not seem 

 to take into consideration the fact that the bees may not swarm. It 

 would be too bad to advise a beginner to wait until the bees swarm, 

 and then they don't swarm until the second year, when he wants to 

 transfer them before the first season. I have often thought about this 

 when reading some of your answers. 



2. Also, one questioner asked as to the value of the Danzcnbaker 

 hive for comb honey, and you told him you preferred the " dove- 

 tailed." Perhaps you forgot that the Danzenbaker hive is also a 

 dovetailed hive, the word " dovetailed " referring to the way the cor- 

 ners are made. So they are both dovetailed hives. I do not know 

 how to distinguish them unless you should say that you prefer the 

 " regular Langstroth dovetailed " hive. Pretty near all the hives made 

 now are " dovetailed," as you know. 



I am simply after clearness in your answers, which might be con- 

 fusing to a beginner if left as you give them sometimes. 



A Reader. 



Answers. — 1. Your exception is well taken. At the very least, 

 something should be said as to possibilities. The great probability is 

 that the colony will swarm. In case it does not swarm, the probability 

 is that in most cases it does not swarm because the season is so poor 

 that it can not afford to swarm, in which case the advice may remain 

 good, " Wait till the colony swarms," even if you have to wait till the 

 next year. Especially is this true because in most cases the inquirer 

 is a beginner who will do well not to tinker too much with bees in a 

 poor season. After all this is said, there may be cases of a different 

 character. A colony may be so little inclined to swarm that it may 

 go through a good season without swarming, especially if it be in a 

 large hive. 



Suppose, then, we put the answer in something like this form: 

 Wait till the colony swarms, hive the swarm in your movable-frame 

 hive, setting it on the old stand, and putting the old hive on a new 

 stand. Twenty-one days later drum the bees out of the old hive, put 

 them in a new one, leaving it on the same stand. That will give you 

 2 colonies. You may, however, prefer not to have any increase; in 

 that case hive the swarm as before, putting it on the old stand with 

 the old hive close beside it, and 21 days later drum out the bees and 

 give them to the swarm. In case the bees do not swarm until 2 or 3 

 weeks after other colonies are swarming, and the colony in question 

 seems in a prosperous condition, you may take the matter into your 



own hands and transfer in the old way in the manner directed for 

 transferring in your book of instruction. 



2. Strictly speaking, there is no such a thing as a dovetailed hive; 

 yet, by common consent, the manner of locking the corners of a hive 

 together now in general use is called dovetailing, and that use of the 

 word is likely to continue. 



Wm. MoEvoy is a Canadian, not an American. True, he lives in 

 America, but custom makes the word " American " apply not to every 

 one who lives in America, but only to those who live in the United 

 States. 



The Danzenbaker hive is not a dovetailed hive. True, its corners 

 are dovetailed just as much as those of a dovetailed hive, but the cus- 

 tom of years makes the name " dovetailed hive " apply not to every 

 hive with dovetailed corners, but only to those containing frames 

 17;Yx91h. There may be a certain inconsistency in this, just as there 

 is in saying that a Canadian is not an American, but established cus- 

 tom controls, and any other understanding of the name "dovetailed 

 hive " would throw out of gear the catalogs and bee-literature in gen- 

 eral. A beginner may be confused, but instead of saying to him every 

 time " regular Langstroth dovetailed hive " (which to many begin- 

 ners would need further explanation), it maybe just as well to use 

 the concise form, and let him leiirn what " dovetailed hive " means, 

 just as it is well to let him learn what " American " means. 



Please don't understand from this that I take any exception to 

 your strictures. It would take a whole lot of italics and capitals to 

 let you know how heartily I thank you for what you have said, and if 

 you will only do so some more I'm sure it will be helpful all around. 



The RIetsche Press— Making Foundation 



1. Would it pay to have a Rietsche press for 100 colonies (I use 

 shallow extracting-frames and sections on each colony), or would it 

 pay to sell the wax and buy foundation? 



2. Will the same press make different thicknesses of foundation? 



3. How much could one make in 10 hours, and will each sheet 

 have to be trimmed by hand? 



4. Please tell your readers all you know about the Rietsche press. 



5. What size and shape pans are best to mould beeswax in for 

 market? Oregon. 



Answers. — 1. I doubt that you could easily make foundation 

 with a Rietsche press that would be satisfactory for section honey. 

 For brood-frames you can make foundation with it that would be 

 entirely satisfactory. Whether it would be advisable to make or buy 

 depends upon circumstances. If you are somewhat at leisure part of 

 the year, it might pay to buy a press, especially as the cost is not very 

 much. 



2. Yes, but as before said, you can hardly make it light enough 

 for surplus foundation. 



3. I must refer this question to Mr. Getaz, who doubtless answers 

 it in his circulars, or will give the information privately on request. 



4. I know nothing about it from personal experience. Mr. Getaz, 

 who makes the machines, is a man in whom I have much confidence. 

 He is the first, I think, to make any serious effort to introduce them 

 in this country, but a large number of Rietsche presses— I think some- 

 thing like 20 000 — are in use in Europe. Pretty good proof that they 

 give good satisfaction there; but it is also true that it is not so easy in 

 Europe to be sure of getting a pure article when you buy foundation. 



5. That's a matter chiefiy of your own convenience; only it should 

 be a vessel that is at least a little flaring, so the wax will easily leave 

 the vessel when cold. 



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Bees Wintered Well 



Bees have wintered well here. I wintered 

 20 colonies outdoors and over 100 in the cellar 

 without loss, except from failure of queens 

 and a few small queen-rearing nuclei that ran 

 short of honey. The hives outside were cov- 

 ered with snow during the coldest of the 

 weather. J. L. Strong. 



Page Co., Iowa. March 29. 



CUppinR Queens— Water for Bees— 

 Ant-PFOof Bee-Housa 



I have just finished clipping my queens. I 

 clipped 57, and will tell how I did it. I made 

 a wire-trap, wimling small wire around aflat 

 wedge-shaped piece of wood. When the wood 

 is removed it is just big enough for the queen, 

 and is cone-shape, but flat at the bottom. It 

 is nearly 2 inches wide. I open the hive and 

 when I find the jueen I set the trap over her, 

 and as soon as she runs up in the small end I 

 put my thumb en the bottom. In clipping I 



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