196 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[For tho American Bee Journal.] 



Temper of Bees. 



Mil. Editor : — As lintuud tolefirn and prac- 

 lico to the extent of my ability, I leel deeply iu- 

 lerested in the Jouknai, and all other mediums 

 through which I can communicate with others 

 on the subject of bee-culture. 



You did me the favor to publish a few re- 

 marks of mine in the Journal for October, 

 18G7. I thank you for the comments on the article 

 rci'erred to. But as I was not sufficiently defi- 

 nite, I will, with your i)ermission, try to explain 

 more fully what 1 intended to convey. 



I did not intend to be understood to say that 

 all the descendants of my queen were hybrids, 

 but will now saj^ that of the three-banded bees, 

 or " Simon Pures," I have had excellent luck, 

 although a few of these queens do not produce 

 all of that stamp. 



But my observation and experience does not 

 agree with those who claim that the Italians 

 are more mild than the black bees. On the 

 contrary, with me, those colonies where not a 

 bee can be found with less than three yellow 

 bands are more venomous than those mixed ; 

 and the mixed more so than the black bee. 

 And I repeat it will yet be acknowledged that, 

 in i-roportion as we Italianize our bees, in just 

 that degree will their vindictiveness be in- 

 creased. "Oh," says Mr. Queenvender, "your 

 bees are not pure; you know nothing about the 

 Italians." Nevermind, I only speak of what 

 I have seen ; intending to know more, by and 



I believe it is admilted on all hands that the 

 liybrids are more pugnacious than the black 

 bees, or tliat black bees are more mild than hy- 

 brids. Now the axiom that " like begets like " 

 is contradicted, if this additional ferocity of hy- 

 brids is derived from the black parent ; because 

 the black parent could not invariably impart 

 more venom than it possessed. Consequently 

 it must have been derived from the Italian par- 

 ent. This argument cannot be turned against 

 the black bee, because its reputation is estab- 

 lished by universal consent, and it is the stan- 

 dard of comparison ; while that of the Italian 

 is disputed by very many, and by some very 

 high authority on any bee question. 



Again, the claim of those who represent the 

 Italians as such amiable creatures, proves en- 

 tirely too much, for they give them the reputa- 

 tion of gathering more and better stores, and of 

 being more successful and resolute in their de- 

 fence against other bees, and j^et less disposed to 

 interfere with man. 



Now, is it possible that a creature governed 

 entirely by instinct, can have more resolution 

 to defend against other intruding bees, and at 

 the same time less resolution to defend against 

 ma7i as an intruder ? Or are they to be credited 

 with so much sagacity as to enable them to dis- 

 criminate between one class of intruders and 

 another ? 



P. Peckham. 



Columbia Cross Roads, Pa. 



(Il^"Send us names of bee-keepers with their 

 post office address. 



[For the American Boo Journal. [ 



Answer to a Correspondent. 



I did not set my bees out for a purifying flight 

 until spring ; liave set them out sometimes in 

 winter years ago ; but avoid doing so now, by 

 keejoing equal numbers of bees in each hive, 

 and the right numbers of hives in each room 

 well ventilated, dark, of a uniform temperature. 

 Have kept a dozen hives in the house six 

 months, on trial : they kept well. It will pay 

 to house bees in the working season, when 

 there is a failure of pasturage ; liave kept them 

 in some parts of all months, cxcejDt June, for 

 ten days at time, to save bees and prevent rob- 

 bing. 



The best style of hive for me to use with my 

 knowledge, is a low box, containing frames ; 

 as I get on and filled three boxes fifteen inches 

 long, or six or nine shorter ones, as soon as I get 

 the two twelve-inch or four shorter ones on my 

 box hives filled. 



I have one hundred box hives with bees in, 

 the remainder of five hundred and fifty; the 

 em[ity ones piled up for future reference. 

 They are twelve by twelve, fourteen inches 

 high, the bottom edge shaved down to one- 

 fourth inch, ten holes leading into honey-boxes 

 covered with a cap on top ; two holes between 

 each comb, and they all straight from front to 

 rear ; entrance one-fourth inch by four long at 

 the bottom, one-half inch entrance near the top 

 front side, ojjeu when the bees are at work iu 

 honey season, at all other times covered with 

 wire screens. A single boarded house is too 

 thin to winter bees in, as it is effbcted by every 

 change of outside temperature. It will i:)roba- 

 bly do to lath and [blaster twice, as that will 

 make two dead air spaces to your thin boarded 

 house. In damp cellars ventilate well both the 

 hives and the cellar room. I have used a cellar 

 that had water stand in it three inches at a 

 time. Of course it was dami^ the rest of the 

 winter. I have used a thin boarded house, but 

 can make a better one pay. If the feed is bad, 

 or hives or room not well ventilated according 

 to the amount of bees, and they need carrying 

 out to prevent a worse state of alfair^, that is, 

 cannot expel the excess of moisture from 

 their bodies, or from the hive, then carry 

 out if the Aveather is warm. If too cold, put 

 them in a warm, drj' room. Ventilate every 

 range of comb thoroughly with wire netting. 

 If tire bees are badlj' troubled, place a wire bas- 

 ket, the larger the better, for them to fly in. 

 After they have evacuated the excess of mois- 

 ture, and are quiet at dark, they can be returned 

 to their winter quarters. I have more bees in 

 my home apiary than I wish to keep some win- 

 ters. I have now one hundred and forty in 

 a cellar, one hundred and fifteen in a brick 

 house, sixty in a stone house. Honey is the 

 best, and the season was driest for j-ears. The 

 hives had no rain or snow on them for months. 

 I carried the most of them in, early in fall ; 

 generally have them all in by the first of Novem- 

 ber ; generally carry them out March 25th, then, 

 carry back part, sometimes the whole stock, ' 

 until they can Avork. 



St. Chai^les, III. James M. Marvin. 



