THE AMERICAI^ BEE JOURNAL. 



203 



the s:une or nearly the same eftect as shortening 

 the frames ; yetNit is inconvenient to do so. No 

 frame should be over thirteen inches long, inside 

 measurement. I mean tliat portion of the top 

 bar to which the comb is attached. Fourth, the 

 frames are not adjusted at equal distances apart. 

 Many will laugh at the idea that this is an objec- 

 tion. AVell, laugh, and enjoy your opinion; but 

 having tiied both, I prefer frames properly ad- 

 justed at equal distances apart. 



J. II. Thomas. 

 BrookUn, Ontario. 



[For the Americau Bee Journal.] 



Bee -culture and Artificial Swarming. 



Mr. Editor : — I came very near losing pa- 

 tience in not getting my invaluable assistant in 

 due time— I mean the Bee Journal. There is 

 nothing now of this world's goods that I value 

 S(i much as the Journal, except it be the better 

 half and the little ones. I am in receipt of it 

 yesterday, and find in it as usual, many valuable 

 tilings ; and what pleases me above all is that it 

 is likely to live, and is fighting its way bravely for 

 existence. May it prosper, and continue to find 

 "troops of friends," which it is evidently gain- 

 ing every day. I expect pretty soon to win a 

 number of subscribers for it. But as mattei's 

 stand here in my neighborhood with regard to 

 bee-culture, it is in rather a rude state yet; 

 though for one I am bound to maky efforts for 

 improvement in the management of this impor- 

 tant pursuit, in accordance with scientific prin- 

 ciples. I am therefore a warm-hearted supporter 

 of the Journal, and am indeed very sorry that 

 I was not made aware of its existence before this 

 current volume began. I am sincerely thankful 

 to Mr. J. H. Thomas, of Brooklin, Canada, for 

 telling me of it, when corresponding with him. 

 Of course I am only a beginner in the business, 

 last season being my second. That being an 

 unfavorable one, I did not make any very great 

 progress in increasing my stock ; but if all is 

 well, I intend doing something in the coming 

 season. 



I have read of many different plans of making 

 artificial swarms, and have practised several 

 methods, none of which please me exactly, 

 though I was successful in every instance. I 

 have thought of a new plan, at least with me it 

 is new, and may be so with a great many more of 

 the leaders of the Journal. I will therefore make 

 it public through that medium, and hope sin- 

 cerely that some of your more experienced 

 friends will give us their opinion whether it is 

 likely to work or not. If it will work in that 

 Avay or witli some slight modification, it will suit 

 me first rate. I contemplate trying it next sum- 

 mer, but desire previously to obtain the judg- 

 ment of others. The process T propose is as 

 follows: Get a hive arranged with combs, and 

 remove a strong stock to a new stand, some dis- 

 tance from its former location, phice the hive 

 with the arranged combs on the stand of the 

 stock thus removed. The bees that range in the 

 field will fly to their accustomed stand. Finding 

 their queen gone, and having no means left to 



rear another, they will according to bee-ology, 

 gladly accept any queen offered to them. But, 

 after a_ considerable number of bees have col- 

 lected, 1 should give them the queen caged, and 

 liberate her after twenty-four hours. Whether it 

 would answer to give them a virgin queen, is 

 what interests me most ; as I fear that when the 

 queen takes her excursion trip, the bees may not 

 yet have become fully reconciled to the new 

 state of things, and hence accompany the queen 

 never to return. If this plan can be made to 

 work, it would be a great advantage, as the old 

 stock would not be disturbed, and about every 

 ten days a new colony could be formed. Where 

 increase of stock is the object, as it is with me, 

 it will be necessary to provide combs to fill the 

 hives for the new stocks to be formed, in making 

 colonies in this manner. Will not friend Gallup, 

 or some of those possessed like him of much ex- 

 perience, report their views of the above sugges- 

 tion ? With best wishes, Mr. Editor, for you 

 and the Bee Journal, and wishing the latter 

 came four times a month, I am yours, as ever, 



C. WURSTER. 



Klcinsburg, Canada. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Does Bee-keeping Pay? 



If you are in doubt upon that point, I suggest 

 that you turn over the leaves of my record for 

 1869. It is the record of one much more truly a 

 "novice" in these matters, than the experienced 

 and enthusiastic correspondent who wears that 

 name in the columns of the Bee Journal. 



My stock in trade for the sirring of 1869, con^ 

 sisted of two old box hives almost destitute of 

 honey, with few bees in each ; about fifty frames 

 of empty combs from Langstroth hives ; and any 

 required amount of interest in the subject. I 

 began feeding syrup in March, using the inverted 

 can with perforated screw top ; fed plentifully 

 till flowers came, using for each hive 5 lbs. 8 oz. 

 of coff"ee sugar. Between June 11th and 28th, 

 each of these stocks threw off four good swarms, 

 which were duly cared for in Langstroth hives, 

 with a fair allowance of empty comb as a start 

 in housekeeping. From the two prime swarms 

 I removed the honey boards a few days after 

 hiving, placing one set of surplus boxes directly 

 on the frames. July 8th, I hived a large swarm 

 that came to me. Instead of two, there were 

 now eleven stocks. The wet weather kept up a 

 constant succession of clover blossoms ; pastures 

 and commons were white and .sweet until late in 

 September. But, " into each life some rain must 

 fall," and just here came in my reverses. Not 

 looking for any further increase of stocks, I left 

 home for a few weeks. During my absence one 

 prime swarm threw off a large colony (Aug. 13), 

 which not being properly cared for, deserted soon 

 after hiving. On my return I found a third 

 swarm infested by worms, and broke it up. (N. 

 B. — I plead guilty to carelessness in the use of old 

 comb.) August 25, the same hive that had dis- 

 tinguished itself twelve days before, sent out a fair 

 second swarm, which was secured, receiving the 

 last of the old combs, and a full frame of brood 



