256 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



The Queen Nursery. 



I recently received from Dr. Jewel Davis, of 

 Charleston, Illinois, a circular respecting his pat- 

 ented Queen Nursery. In theory the matter 

 seems very plausible, but how about its practical 

 applicability ? Two years ago, as I remember, 

 Mr. Adam Grimm, of this place, used an arrange- 

 ment substantially similar, and in so far antici- 

 pated the Doctor. But he soon discontinued the 

 use of it, as not fully answering the purpose ; and 

 as I know Mr. Grimm to be a thorough apiarian, 

 I can scarcely think that others will be more suc- 

 cessful with the new device. Moreover, accord- 

 ing to the description given, though we may se- 

 cure an increased number of colonies, we shall 

 not obtain supernumerary queens for market, 

 unless we rear them specially, and this with more 

 or less damage to the colony, by depriving it of 

 its fertile queen. 



I found that Mr. Grimm subsequently employ- 

 ed a process practically much more serviceable — 

 permitting the young queens to mature and leave 

 their cells in the parent hive, anc removing them 

 only when fertilized. I have known as many as 

 from ten to tAventy queens to be taken from a 

 colony by this process, and used satisfactorily in 

 forming nucleii. 



Instead of the plan employed by Dr. Davis, I 

 should prefer to insert in the deprived colony, or 

 artificial swarm, a nearly mature queen cell, 

 which will readily be accepted ; and let the bees 

 themselves " nurse" their queen. 



The passion for patenting appears to be becom- 

 ing epidemic among bee-keepers, so that one can 

 scarcely venture to make and use an alteration 

 or improvement in anything relating to hives or 

 bee-culture, without previous careful inquiry 

 Whether somebody has not already covered it 

 with a patent, subjecting the user to the risks or 

 costs of litigation. Besides, the numerous pat- 

 ented hives now claiming notice serve rather as a 

 discouragement to bee-culture, perplexing new 

 beginners, leading them into useless expendi- 

 tures, not unfrequently ending in disappoint- 

 ment, if not loss. I have myself seen not a few 

 of such patented novelties into which I would 

 not put a swarm of bees, if given to me gratis. 

 It is sad to see such a waste of good lumber, fit 

 now only for kindling wood. 



W. Wolff. 



Jefferson, Wis. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Prom the Cumberland Plateau, Tenn. 



Mr, Editor :— I thank Mr. J. M. Worden for 

 his description, in the March number, of the hive 

 he uses. I have for many months desired to see 

 or obtain a description of a hive in which the 

 frames stand on the bottom board and the honey 

 boxes are placed on the sides of the frames, in 

 contact therewith. I do not wish any boxes on 

 top of frames, for my own use. Mr. Quinby 

 was requested to describe his hive in the Jour- 

 nal, and thereupon Mr. Wordeu responded. 



I came here from Ohio last fall, having sold all 

 my bees, and am now commencing anew. On 

 my way hither, I called on Dr. T. B. Hamlin, of 

 Edgefield Junction, near Nashville, and pur- 

 chased two queens to commence with on this 

 mountain ; and I suppose I am the only breeder 

 of Italian bees on the Cumberland Plateau. I 

 found Dr. Hamlin's apiary well cared for — his 

 bees and queens handsome. He controls fertili- 

 zation by the newly invented methods, and I 

 consider him a very careful and reliable breeder. 



I purchased a good many queens of different 

 breeders last summer, and, so far as I know, did 

 not get humbugged by any. I sold the queens I 

 bought to others, and did not see the progeny of 

 all of them. I found A. Grimm, W. W. Cary, 

 and A. Gray, reliable. I intended to buy of Mr. 

 Alley, but my order was sent so late that he 

 could not fill it last fall. 



The alders were in bloom here on the ISth of 

 February, and the bees carrying in pollen. But 

 cold weather soon followed, and I saw no more 

 blossoms till March 18th, since which time vege- 

 tation has advanced rapidly. Apple blossoms 

 are now about gone, (May 5th,) and crab apple 

 and other wild flowers in abundance. I saw my 

 young Italians flying on the second of February. 



W. C. CONDIT. 



Howard Springs, Cumberland Co., Tenn. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Introducing Queens. 



If friend Wilken will try fumigating with to- 

 bacco smoke, I am inclined to think he will 

 lessen his losses very materially. The process is 

 as follows : Open the hive ; remove the old 

 queen ; place the new one in her cage on top of 

 the frames ; throw an old carpet over the frames, 

 covering up the caged queen and the bees; put 

 on the cap of the hive ; blow tobacco smoke into 

 the entrance for three or four minutes. Now 

 stop a little while, and then resume blowing in 

 smoke, continuing it for five or ten minutes, or 

 until the bees commence to fall down and crawl 

 out of the hive ; now give them air, raise the cap 

 and carpet, liberate the queen and let her run or 

 drop down among the bees, and in twelve hours 

 she will be depositing eggs. 



It does no harm if the bees get so much smoke 

 that they all tumble down to the bottom of the 

 hive, and the queen too. The bees seem so glad 

 to think they are alive that they will readily ac- 

 cept of any queen, when thus treated, even a 

 young unfertile one. I have seen them fondling 

 over the newly introduced queen, when they 

 were still so drunk that they could not crawl. I 

 think it a sure plan, and then it is all done in 

 twenty minutes. I have exchanged queens quite 

 late in the fall, in this way. The bees do not 

 seem to know that the queen is a stranger. 



This is friend Alley's plan. Speaking of Mr. 

 Alley reminds me that I received two queens 

 from him last fall, the worker progeny of which 

 are the most beautiful of any I ever saw. I have 

 bought queens of diflerent persons, at from $20 

 down to 13.50, and would not exchange those 

 two for any I ever had. 



