46 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



lessen the variety of hives, etc., though 

 there can be no doubt but that a re- 

 duction to one or at most to two or 

 three standai'd sizes and forms would 

 be an immense gain. 



That it is possible to devise such a 

 hive as indicated there cau be no doubt ; 

 that we can prevail upon all to adopt it 

 is a question big with doubt. 



2. To do all in their power by pre- 

 cept and example — as 1 think nearly 

 all now do — to prevent it. Also to se- 

 cure such legislation as will throttle 

 this ubiquitous demon. 



3. Easily ; by securing his honey in 

 the nicest shape, and demanding the 

 highest price in the market for it. 



4. In ray judgment they are all 

 wrong. The whole history of civiliza- 

 tion and all progress in every art re- 

 fute their position. Even sewing 

 machines and reapers had to meet just 

 such an outcry. Apicultural progress 

 is wonderful. It is largely due to what 

 is denounced. 



5. By getting it on to every table 

 and in every household in the land. 



6. The question of how we may ob- 

 tain full and accurate statistics in re- 

 gard to our business. The good of 

 our art calls loudly for such knowledge. 

 Like any other great need, we must 

 and will soon obtain it. 



QUESTIONS BY A NOVICE. 



1. For successful wintering, why 

 should frames be any deeper than the 

 perpendicular diameter of the cluster 

 occupying them ? 



2. Can anyone give a scientific (not 

 theoretical) reason, why bees will not 

 winter as well on frames 9^ inches deep 

 as on deeper ones, all other points be- 

 ing the same? 



3. Does the depth of a frame have 

 any bearing whatever upon the matter 

 of wintering ; if so, what and why ? 



4. In preparing our bees for winter- 

 ing on summer stands do we gain any- 

 thing by removing frames of comb, and 

 putting division boards in their place ; 

 if so, why? 



5. Taking the bees alone into con- 

 sideration, is a frame hive any safer 

 for wintering on summer stands, than 

 the old box hive; if so, why? 



6. Do the expert beekeepers of to- 

 day really kiiow any more about winter- 

 ing, than did those of forty years ago r 



ANSWERS BY G. W, DEMAREE. 



1. I have never been able to see 

 any reasons, either in theory or in fact, 

 why the depth of a hive for any pur- 

 pose should be greater than its diame- 

 ter. 



2. In my judgment, no one has 

 ever yet given a scientific or a sound 

 theoretic reason why bees will not win- 

 ter as well on frames 9| inches deep 

 as on deeper ones. I believe that the 

 facts show that bees winter better on 

 the shallow frames. 



3. I really believe it does. On the 

 same principle that a room with a low 

 ceiling is more easily warmed than the 

 same with a higher ceiling, a shallow 

 hive is more easily warmed by the bees 

 than a deeper one. Besides, a shallow 

 brood chamber necessitates a greater 

 length of frame, and this enables the 

 bees to get at their stores by moving 

 with the openings between the frames 

 rather than to have to cross over the 

 frames to get their feed. 



4. In this climate nothing is gained 

 by removing combs and substituting 

 them witli division boards. A comb 

 makes a better division board than 

 wood. I have never found my bees 

 clustered next to the wood in winter. 



5. The old idea that a "bee gum" 

 has no other signification than a mere 

 domicile for bees to live in, still clings 

 to modern apiarists. The idea ought 

 to be exploded. Movable frames in 

 the beehive are implements by means 

 of which the apiarist manipulates and 

 controls his bees. Hence they are not 

 put into the hive for the "bees alone" 

 Looking at the matter in this light I 

 claim no superiority for the frame hive 

 over a well made box, so far as win- 

 tering bees is concerned. 



6. Modei-n apiarists have learned 

 how to feed bees when short of stores 

 in winter, and by reason of this knowl- 

 edge, thousands of colonies are saved 

 now, that would have perished under 

 the care of our fathei's forty years ago. 

 Outside of this, little knowledge has 

 been gained so far as the science of 

 wintering is concerned. 



In my opinion more bees are coddled 

 to death by the theorists and chafl" 

 stuflers, than would die if left to shift 

 for themselves, after the fashion of our 

 fathers of forty years ago. 



Christianshurg , Ky. 



