58 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



in every way. First let us say that 

 one colony was dead ! This is a rather 

 paradoxical method of arriving at sat- 

 isfactory results, and yet it is none the 

 less true, for had the same occurred to 

 any one else we would — in effect if 

 not words — have said, 'Served you 

 right.' The colony in question was a 

 fairly good one when last we saw it, 

 in September, '90; but in the coming 

 darkness and haste to catch our train 

 it was inadvertently left without slides 

 to the outer case, i. e , with an en- 

 trance about sixteen inches wide: and 

 as it faced nearly east, some idea of 

 what the bees had to stand may be 

 imagined. In consequence, they per- 

 ished, with plenty of stores about 

 them, from the piercing cold. The 

 other nine colonies are all in good 

 health, and in one hive young bees 

 Avere seen. Now, when it is consider- 

 ed that these nine stocks are in thin, 

 single-walled hives, with equally thin 

 outer cases, and with no packing be- 

 tween hive and case, we shall conclude 

 that for winter protection nothing 

 more is required. — British Bee Journal. 



"Springing Bees." — Why not say 

 springing bees as well as wintering 

 bees? Most any one with a proper 

 hive can winter bees, but it requires 

 some experience to spring them and 

 to bring the colonies up rapidly early 

 in the season. 



In order to get brood-rearing start- 

 ed early in the spring the brood-cham- 

 ber should be warmly packed, and if 

 short of stores, food in some form 

 should be given. I know of no better- 

 food than pulverized sugar and honey, 

 and no better way of feeding it than 

 by placing a piece of heavy paper on 

 the frames, and then putting the food 



right upon the paper, and letting the 

 mat and cushion come directly down 

 upon the food. As this food is in a 

 semi-solid form, it will not excite the 

 bees as liquid food does. There is no 

 danger of the moisture from the col- 

 ony softening the food so that it will 

 run and daub the bees. The bees will 

 cluster close to it and will not be in 

 the least disturbed by its presence in 

 the hive. 



Later on, and when the weather is 

 warmer, in fact so warm that the bees 

 can fly about every day, it will do to 

 feed liquid food. This can be done 

 with most any kind of a feeder that 

 has been recommended in the various 

 bee-papers. Liquid food may be 

 granulated sugar and water; say to 

 each three pounds of sugar, add one 

 pound of water. — Am. Apicultarist. 



Some Mistakes of Some Bee- 

 Keepers. — To think that a man who 

 has never been able to make a living 

 at anything else, who has failed in 

 everything else, can go into the bee 

 business and make a "grand success" 

 of it. 



To try to keep a hundred swarms of 

 bees through the summer with the same 

 care that twenty-five should have, and 

 on a range where fifty would starve. 



To neglect proper care in the winter. 



To rob them of all their honey and 

 then curse his "luck" in bee-keeping. 



To use all the patent hives and ap- 

 pliances, just because a smooth tongued 

 agent tells him to. 



To ventilate his hives by cracks in 

 the roof and knot holes in the bottom. 



To fail to put on proper cases for 

 surplus honey at the right time. 



To let the grass and weeds grow 



