1901 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER 



93 



cells, kill the queen and tear down the 

 cells. I tried introducing laying queens 

 and every one was accepted, began lay- 

 ing and were killed within a few days 

 after. I have changed positions of the 

 hives, tlius mixing up the bees, but it is 

 110 go. The same condition of affairs is 

 reported by several neighboring bee- 

 keepers. Now, can you tell me anything 

 as to the cause of the trouble? It is not 

 a lack of food or pollen, and it is not on 

 account of weak colonies, but the trouble 

 is on us just the same. If you want to 

 publish this, do so, it may be of suffici- 

 ent interest; but write to me. Bees are 

 swarming and honey from bhick tupelo 

 coming in at a good rate. Hope you are 

 having a good season. 



Yours as ever, M.VV. Shepherd. 



[Our corre,-pondent has presented a 

 very iuteresting case: and while we are 

 not' sure of our ability to advise one of 

 Mr. Shepherd's experience — as he has 

 had charge of extensive apiaries in vari- 

 ous parts of the United States — we would 

 say: We believe the practice of giving 

 brood from which to rear queens, is pro- 

 ductive of evil in several ways. The 

 inferior quality of queens resulting from 

 this practice would frequently justify 

 the deportment which Mr. Shepherd re- 

 ports on the part of the bees. The re- 

 fusal of some of the colonies to construct 

 cells and rear queens is, possibly, attrib- 

 utable to the absence of nurse bees in 

 the hive. Some certain strains of stock 

 appear quite indifferent to the import- 

 ance of rearing a queen for themselves ; 

 but this apparent indifference is, doubt- 

 less, the result of some existing condi- 

 tions, less apparent. Some colonies are 

 loth to exercise their egg-laying power, 

 even in instances of protracted queen- 

 les-^ness. Indeed, the presence of laying 

 workers betokens lingering hope; while 

 such colonies as permit their hive to 

 become greatly depopulated without 

 attempting to prolong their existence 

 through the laying function are rather 

 resigned to their fate and the doctrine 

 of predestination. Thus, it will be seen, 

 the latter condition is the more difficult 

 to combat, and is probably the result of 

 one or more futile efforts to retrieve. 

 The introduction of several frames of 

 brood — preferably sealed and hatching — 

 inaugurates a new condition, more near- 

 ly normal, upon which to work. Tliat 

 an abui;dance of young bees are an 



essential to queen rearing is a point that 

 should not be'forgotten in the treatment 

 of such cases. Imperfections resulting 

 from improper methods or accident, ai'e 

 objectionable to the bees, though invis- 

 ible to the apiarist: hence the dissat's- 

 iaction displayed by the bees in refusing 

 t ) accept the result of their inadequate 

 ability to supply a perfect queen. Mr. 

 Quirin finds that unsealed brood in the 

 hive is necessary to insure tlie proper, 

 attention and care by the bees when 

 cells or virgins are used. In brief: if 

 tlie conditions existing are unsurmount- 

 able, or difficult, change the conditions 

 first then operate in new ground, so to 

 speak. A country doctor was once call- 

 ed, so it is said, to see a patient who was 

 suffering from a severe attack of fever. 

 After repeaf-ed trials to allay the raging 

 fever, anxious friends of the patient 

 besought a reason for his ineffectual 

 efforts, and the unlettered di^^penser of 

 lierbi; and pills sought to dispel all fears 

 and doubts by conhdently tendering the 

 assurance that he cuuld cure her. '-I've 

 got some stuff," said he, "to throw her 

 into fits, and I'm great on fits; but I 

 don't know much about fevers, no how.'' 

 Now, we advise Mr. Shepherd to throw 

 those colonies into fits, and then treat 

 the fits.— Ed.] 



A HOME-MADE SCRAPER. 



Rock Valley, N.Y., March 37, 1901. 



AMERtcAN Bee-keepek : I will try to 

 describe a liome-made propolis scraper. 

 I have used one for a number of years 

 made from the heel of a fcythe. Cut 

 off about four or five inches of the 

 blade, with the shank to be drawn out 

 for a handle of wood, or have a three- 

 eighths hole put through and weld three- 

 eighths round iron into the heel at right 

 angles with blade. The edge should be 

 slightly tipped in like that of a hoe, to 

 do good work. The back of scythe 

 should be cut one-half inch shorter than 

 the thin part, so this can be beveled by 

 filing, and it will scrape out the inside 

 corners of hives or frames. The sharp 

 edge should be filed straight, then 

 beveled on the plan of the blades of 

 shears, so that when you pull toward 

 yourself the propolis will fly. 



I would not know how to do without 

 this tool for cleaning separators, frames 



