1907] THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 223 



story as to purity or not. A hybrid greatly lessened the lost time in cag- 

 queen mated to a pure drone of ing methods by putting the queen 

 strong ancestry, particularly if of alone, but with candy food, in a wire- 

 the "'golden" type, sometimes pro- cloth tube cage, the candy plugging 

 duces bees which appear pure. If you the opening. The queen so caged is 

 are trying to improve your bees put in the hive immediately on re- 

 through breeding, be very sure of the moving the old queen. He reports 

 stock you are using — and of whose success. Such a method is in some 

 advice you are following. Better ways more rapid than the "Direct 

 doubt what is told you until you have System" in which the queen fasts for 

 proved it for yourself, unless it lies twenty to thirty minutes and is then 

 in a field beyond your abilities or run in. It should be noted that Mr. 

 training; in which case seek the best H. always gives the new queen on 

 authorities to be found. (M.) removal of the old, and I believe he 



says that the plan is not sure if the 



TARRED PAPER FOR WINTER, colony has been long queenless, 



Before adopting a method or prac- whereas by the direct system a queen 

 tice study it, weigh it and. see if you ^^" ^^ giv en at any time. (M.) 



fully comprehend it and if it really 



is what it is represented. It seems JARRING BEES OFF THE 



almost incredible that supposedly COMBS 



thinking men will blindly follow any . ,-^^»„<. ^ ^ ■<.• * 1, -n^ r- r- 

 plan if it is only set forth by some y^^^'^^LZ^TT^ l^ °-- ^k ^• 

 favorite writer, or is catchily written ^'^^^^ ^^ ^"^ "^^ h^d of bumping bees 

 up. In a recent number of The Re- °f .^f '^^"^bs calls to mind the com- 

 view the editor referred to one ex- P^^'"^ of some beekeepers who used 

 tensive bee-keeper who had made a ^^ % '.'"^'^^^ methods, o the effect 

 flat failure with tarred paper for ^a their queens were "going bad," 

 spring protection. We wrote at once ^^at the brood was being put in very 

 to the editor and said he would find ^"egularly, old and young brood ap- 

 on investigation that the man in ques- ^%Z^ '1' contiguous cells 

 tion had used closely contracted en- ^he trouble was readily pointed 

 trances. Such proved to be the case, °"t. Severe or sudden jarring, while 

 the entrance having been reduced to "^°^ effective m displacing the bees, 

 % by %. A careful perusal of the '^ f^"" ^T^^^.T u ^'^^^^^'"^ ^^^1' 

 matter relating to the use of tarred ^"^ usually the bees remove such 

 paper, or a letter asking for all de- ^^^s. The dislodgment is not likely 

 tails and then a careful weighing of ,°,,\' "°'^f ^' f^ ^1"" ^^" '^^^^ 

 the same, instead of jumping blindly has been cleaned up the queen pro- 

 at the conclusion that the use of "^^^ ^" ^^e course of events, to fill 

 the paper without change of any oth- ^^ vacancies, and on a later inspec- 

 er practice was all that was neces- Jon the keeper discovers what he be- 

 sary, would have saved the man many ^'^^^^ to be evidence of a failing 

 dollars and probably some hard feel- '^"jS.t"" • r j u j- 



ings. Dont jump at conclusions; . There is a safe and happy medium 

 only a genius can safely do that, and ^" /^e bumping method which can 

 he sometimes misses. (M). ^^'^^.^ ^'^^'""^d ^y experience, and he 



^ hurried or careless man and the 



, ^^^^^ , r^^^^^ ^^ ^ ^^ r^^^^^^^r^^ tto vice ha d b et tcr use somB ot hcr way 



ADVOCATING OLD-FASHIONED of ridding combs of bees. Bees 



METHODS. "hang" on the combs, that is to say 



How persistently some of the they literally support themselves by 

 papers stick to the advocacy of the the claws of those feet which are 

 old, slow — hence expensive — methods uppermost, and while the claws of 

 of introducing queens by caging. The the other feet may assist some the 

 American Bee Journal in the Septem- result is the same, a bee hung up on 

 ber number has such an article, en- hooks. Turn a hook over and what 

 titled "Improvement in Queen Intro- is on it usually drops off, so turn 

 duction," the substance of which is the comb quickly, end or bottom up, 

 to necessitate more handling and and at once give it a quick shake or 

 does not lessen the delay. Mr. a "safe" jolt and presto the bulk of 

 Hutchinson and his brother have the bees are off. (M.) 



