1895. 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPRE. 



209 



Bee Notes. 



BY S. M. KEEliER. 



In this locality the early spring was 

 favorable for bees to build up. A 

 few built burr combs above the top 

 bars of brood frames and put some 

 honey in a few cells, from sugar map- 

 le blossoms. And I did not put on 

 surplus cases according to rule. 



The cold wave and frost struck the 

 apple bloom, so had to feed enough to 

 keep the bees happy until the clover 

 blossoms that did not come. 



I use 8, 9 and 10 frame hives, and 

 like all of them. Run 8-frame swarms 

 mostly. If some are prosperous 

 enough to require more room, I like 

 to accommodate them. Hive covers, 

 brood frames, all intef changeable. 





It is said that there are five kinds 

 of stingless bees in Central America. 

 Can you tell us whether they produce 

 surplus honey ? If so, does their honey 

 have the same good keeping qualities 

 as honey from our stinging bees ? 



I have learned how to prevent bees 

 from swarming. The bees could not 

 find honey enough to give them the 

 swarming fever this summer. Wish 

 they could. 



The brood frames with wire bottom 

 bar takes the cake. 



Chenango Bridge, N. Y, 



" How TO Manage Bees," a 50c 

 book, and the American Bee Keep- 

 er a year for only 60c, or A. B. C. 

 of Bee Culture — last edition — and 

 the Bee Keeper one jear for 75c, or 

 including Gleanings one year $1. 65. 



We are offering A B. C. of Bee 

 Culture paper cover last edition at 

 50c each by mail post paid. 



The W. T. Falconer M'f'g Co. — 

 Gentlemen: I enclose fifty cents in 

 stamps for the American Bee Keep- 

 er. Our bees wintered A^ery well in 

 spite of the extremely cold weather, 

 and are in good condition this spring. 

 We have nine hives, and try to make 

 the most of them. Through the death 

 of my father the hiving business fell 

 to me to do, and as my husband is 

 away all day he cannot help me. I 

 take great pleasure in it, and am 

 proud to see what I can do with the 

 bees besides my household duties. 

 We had eight swarms come off; one 

 hive did not swarm at all. It seems 

 that they take the greatest delight in 

 swarming in the hottest time — ^the 

 latter part of May and first of June. 

 This was not quite so agreeable for 

 me for I had to run up and downhill 

 in the hot sun ' ' sweating like a troop- 

 er. " One day 1 was hiving a swarm 

 and I did not take the canvas from 

 the top of the frames; the entrance 

 was very small. It was a very large 

 swarm of Italians, and I thought they 

 were acting very queerly, so thought 

 best to watch them awhile. I had to 

 go into the house a few minutes, and 

 when I came back I was just in time 

 to see them go. As I did not want 

 to lose them I chased after them 

 through brush and brier, over a stone 

 wall and poison ivy, without a bonnet 

 on; but I lost sight of them. I stood 

 on the ledge of a rock looking around, 

 wondering where they could have 



