THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



concerned, always bounds his own 

 mental horizon ? Most beekeepers 

 will recognize the type. 



Well, Mephisto, carrying a dim 

 light, proceeds to lead the way to 

 the cellar; while the beekeeper, 

 armed with a dust-pan and broom, 

 and a long hooked wire, meekly 

 follows. And just here, I would 

 like to ask, why Mephisto, who 

 would inevitably ruin all the bees, 

 if allowed to meddle with them, 

 should always naturally lead off, 

 in this procession of two. 



But to the bees. Truly that 

 dark cellar did appear to be a very 

 happy place — air quite soft and 

 pure — no trace of mould on the 

 cement floor or stone walls. Not 

 a bee was seen to fly out of the 

 twenty-seven hives ; and so few 

 dead bees, that we decided not to 

 sweep them up, as we have always, 

 at mid-winter, heretofore done. 

 No use for the hooked wire, — as 

 indeed, the backs of hives are 

 raised considerably higher than 

 fronts, to facilitate removal of 

 dead bees. A good many colonies 

 seemed perfectly quiet, while from 

 others, proceeded the most gentle, 

 happy "■hum" imaginable. 



And so we silently hastened out, 

 feeling it almost sacreligious, to 

 have thus intruded, without invi- 

 tation, into the quiet and seclusion, 

 of this, apparently, so peaceful, 

 winter home. And Mephisto, for 

 once, was silent. 



You will see that the report of 

 the Sheboygan Co. Beekeepers' 

 meeting in "Api," March No., 

 should read in Wisconsin^ instead 

 of Michigan^ as given. 



Sheboygan Falls, Wiscoyisin. 



CAN BEES TAKE CARE OF 

 THEMSEL VES? 



Six Mile P. O., IFayne Co. 111. 



Dear Sir: 



Tlie writer of this li.is thirty-five 

 stands of bees in Langstruth hives. Mj^ bus- 

 iness will take me away from liome most of 

 the summer. I want to koow how to i)revent 

 my bees swarming. Will you tell me the best 

 w.iy to di) it? I have been told that to cut out 

 the (jucen cells in Alay and .lunewouUl pre- 

 vent swarming. Is Ihiit true? Will not ihe 

 young bees come out and swarm, queen or no 

 queen ? Is it not as natural for them to swarm 

 as it is to make honey? And will not they 

 swarm witliouta new queen and keep coming 

 out, doing no good ? 



II you will send me a line or two and let me 

 know how to prevent swarming, I shall be 

 obliged. Yours truly, 



William Leacii. 



ANSWERS BY J. E. POND. 



In reply to the letter of Mr. Wil- 

 liam Leach, which reality amounts 

 to the above question, I can only 

 say that for more than twenty 

 years I have been trying to get my 

 bees to take care of themselves, 

 but as yet have not succeeded. 

 Tlie " swarming impulse" is as 

 natural as the instinct for gather- 

 ing honey, and one is as easily con- 

 trolled as the other ; that is, neither 

 can be in anywise controlled. It 

 is true that swarming itself may be 

 to a certain extent prevented by 

 removing queens, giving room in 

 the hive, etc., but none of these 

 plans are certain or positive in their 

 effects. It makes no difference 

 what hive is used, if it is large 

 enough, the ten frame L. being my 

 j)refercnce. Manipulation may, to 

 a certain extent, and at certain 

 times prove advantageous, but can- 

 not be relied upon at any time. In 

 fact I know of but one means by 

 which swarming can positively and 

 certainly and at any and all times 

 be prevented, and that is by using 

 the queen and drone-trap. If one 

 of these is attached to each hive, 

 the owner ma}' go where he pleases, 

 when he pleases, and stay as long 

 as he pleases, with the positive 

 assurance that no swarm can issue 



