1903 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER, 



registers will be needed to properly re- 

 cord all the cells. 



The number of the breeding queen, 

 used in a certain batch of cells, is in- 

 dicated on the upper disc and is re- 

 corded by moving the binding wire to 

 the right or left so as to enclose the 

 desired figure. 



When remq,ved, after starting, the 

 cells are classified and are placed in 

 full colonies to be completed. At this 

 time lead pencil records are made 

 (which are quickly erasable with the 

 thumb) opposite the numbers around 

 the outside of the disc, which will tal- 

 ly with the numbers given the full 

 colonies used in completing the cells. 



The small disc is for indicating the 

 number of cells started in each batch 

 which will be readily understood by re- 

 ferrfrig to the drawing above. 



Swarthmore, Pa., June 17, 1903. 



exceedingly strong and giving to the 

 weaker. I allow the bees all the hon- 

 ey gathered before raspberry bloom, 

 then I put on all the sections that I 

 think they can keep at normal heat and 

 add as fast as consistent, keeping drone 

 cells uncapped. At the close of the 

 honey fiow I take off all capped sec- 

 tions and return to them the uncapped 

 ones, and wait for goldenrod to finish 

 up. 



Last season was a very poor one 

 here, but I got 750 pounds from 23 

 colonies, with an increase of nine col- 

 onies. This was 400 pounds comb and 

 350 oounds, extracted. I have forty 

 hives, extractor and sufficient stock of 

 supplies for this year, and the apiary 

 has a credit of $7-84- My crpp for 

 1902 netted me a total of $79.00. 

 Yours truly, 



C. W. Sewell. 



Keating Summit, Pa., Jan. 5, 1903. 

 Editor Bee-Keeper: 



]\Iy apiary is located in McKean 

 county, thirty miles from the New 

 York line, where the hemlock forests 

 stood very thick a few years ago. Our 

 honey crops are obtained in early 

 spring from sumac and fire cherry. In 

 June we have the raspberry and white 

 clover, with an occasional fall run from 

 goldenrod. 



In May, 1898 I bought two colonies 

 in story-and-a-half chafT hives. Since 

 then I have used nothing but the Fal- 

 coner chafif hive, and believe they are 

 the thing for this climate. I set my 

 hives on the ground and cover them 

 with "Red Rope" roofing paper and 

 keep them well painted. At first the 

 bees made it very warm for me, so 

 I ordered a smoker, rubber gloves and 

 the American Bee-Keeper, and began 

 to study. The first year, I took 135 

 pounds of honey. I clip all my queens, 

 and have never lost a swarm to my 

 knowledge; or have I ever fed my 

 bees a dollar's worth of anything but 

 honey. I keep each colony strong in 

 summer by taking from those that are 



Knox, Pa., March 26, 1903. 

 Editor Bee-Keeper: 



Last season I was troubled with a 

 few of my bees collecting and cluster- 

 ing at the entrance of the hive, and not 

 working, although the fields were full 

 of honey. They would only work a 

 few hours in the morning, then would 

 cluster about the entrance during the 

 afternoon, while my neighboring col- 

 onies were still in the field. How can 

 I prevent this, this season? 



I was also bothered a great deal dur- 

 ing the swarming ' season. Several 

 colonies had the swarming fever, and as 

 fast as I would cut out the queen-cells 

 they would rebuild them. What meth- 

 od would you use to keep bees from 

 swarming? The bees are shaded dur- 

 ing the hottest part of the day, and I 

 alwavs give them plenty of room with 

 sections. 



Yours very truly, 



Emory Beck. 



(Perhaps the treatment for the pre- 

 vention of swarming, which you prac- 

 ticed, was responsible for the idleness 

 of the bees. Continually cutting out 

 the queen-cells as a means of prevent- 

 ing swarming is not generally regarded 

 as practicable, for the reason that suc- 

 cessively thwarting their swarming 

 plans in this way, seems to discourage 

 the bees, and they become sulky and 

 indolent. Dififerent strains of bees are 

 not uniformly active. Possibly, a 

 change of queens early enough in the 



