72 



1HE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 



we were troubled in the same way 

 until we sprinkled flour of sulphur 

 in their haunts which effectually drove 

 them away 



We havo a new kind of hive which 

 we are using and they give good satis- 

 faction. It is a quadruple hive, i. e. 

 four hives cornering together in the 

 centre, each containing ten L. frames, 

 the whole surrounded by a chamber 

 rilled with chaff. We have an en- 

 trance on each end and two on one 

 side, thus leaving the other side free 

 for the. attendant. We usually have 

 a roof cover hinged on the entrance 

 side, the same being high enough to 

 admit of two tiers of sections on each 

 hive. The bees in cold weather clus- 

 ter towards the center, thus keeping 

 each other warm. These hives prove 

 to be a success with Italian bees, and 

 I see no reason why they would not 

 work well with black or any other 

 kind. Yours truly, 



(i. A. Simpkins. 

 Wdlsvill , X. Y., April 15, 1801. 



Editor Am. Bee-Keeper, Dear 

 Sir : I have for a number of years 

 been drifting along keeping bees, hav- 

 ing from one to twelve colonies, and 

 could never get above that number in 

 the old style of box hive. Some years 

 I would have 25 lbs. and some years 

 100 lbs. of surplus or more, but often 

 none at all. Never until last year did 

 I have frame hives, and last spring I 

 transferred six swarms from old box 

 into new frame hives with perfect suc- 

 cess, and would not exchange one new 

 hive for a dozen of the old style ; 

 would rather (pi it keeping bees en- 

 tirely. For six years previous I did 

 not get one pound of honey, but last 



season from eight hives I got 200 lbs.. 

 I have now twelve frame hives and a 

 good bee book, and am now in a fair 

 way to increase, and shortly will be 

 able to supply my vicinity with honey, 

 I never took a bee paper until this 

 year, and so far I think I would not 

 be without one or two as long as I con- 

 tinue handling bees. Yours truly, 

 St. Cloud, Pa. S. H. Hosier. 



Ed. Bee- Keeper, Dear Sir: I re- 

 ceived the March number of the Bee- 

 Keerer and would like to speak a few 

 words in praise of your valuable mag- 

 azine; I do not think it could be val- 

 ued too highly as a bee paper. I enjoy 

 reading bee periodicals very much, 

 and think if those interested in bees 

 would read more, it would profit them 

 to do so, but I find there are some men 

 interested in bees whom it is impossi- 

 ble for me to get to subscribe for even 

 one bee paper, much less two or three. 

 They think it is throwing money away. 

 They will keep from four to six col- 

 onies, and could get the same amount 

 of honey from thsee or four if they 

 would read more, but they do not count 

 the cost of those extra hives anything, 

 besides, they do not get as fair quality 

 of honey as they would if they under- 

 stood handling bees better. There 

 have thirty-five per cent, of the bees 

 in this locality died this winter; about 

 half of the remainder are in a very 

 weak condition on account of the poor 

 honey flow last year. They were car- 

 rying in some pollen March 29th, the 

 first for this year, and also some the 

 first of this month, but today it is 

 snowing and blowing, and if it con- 

 tinues cold for another two weeks there 

 will he a great many colonies that will 



