210 



THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



ANSWERS BY WILL. M. KELLOGG. 



1. Yes, I think so; at least I 

 have not had good success leaving 

 them unpacked. 



2. No, it absorbs and allows to 

 pass oft' moisture. M}' chaff'-hives 

 are never wet anywhere, except 

 about one inch deep of chaff" on 

 top where the escaping moisture 

 comes in contact with cold air. 



3. No; that means disturbing 

 and fussing with bees at a time 

 when it does the most liarm. Pack 

 in tlie latter part of September and 

 let tliem alone till time to put on 

 sections. I aim to retain all that 

 "animal heat" all winter to keep 

 the hive dry and save honey. 



ANSWERS BY J. E. POND. 



1. I have a double-walled "Al- 

 ley L-IIive,'"' with one inch dead 

 air space all around, that has been 

 in use for fifteen years, during 

 which time it was never packed, 

 and I have never lost a colony 

 from it, though I always winter on 

 summer stands. 



2. If a hive is properly made 

 and packed, it will not absorb and 

 retain moisture, consequently will 

 not keep it cold and damp. The 

 double-wall hive with dead-air 

 space is preferred by myself, and I 

 think the novice will find it more 

 satisfactory than a chatt' hive as 

 it is ordinarily constructed. 



3. Concerning the first part of 

 the question authorities differ, but 

 one thing is certain sure, the col- 

 ony must be so covered as to re- 

 tain heat in late winter and eax\y 

 spring in order that brood-rearing 

 may be carried forward rapidly. 

 The objection I have to chaff-hives 

 is, that it requires an immense 

 amount of external heat to warm 

 them up so that the bees can take 

 a cleansing flight, if the weather in 

 mid-winter is such that they can 

 safely do so. 



HOLVLAND AND PALESTINE BEES. BEST 

 WIDTH OF SECTIONS. 



Query No. 29. 1. Are Ilolyland, Pales- 

 tiue, and Syrian each a different race of bees, 

 or are they all different names of the same 

 race? 



2. Whixi is the best width for section 

 boxes ? 



E. B. S. 



ANSWERS BY DR. TINKER. 



1. The bees of the Orient differ 

 somewhat according to locality 

 but the}' all have the same general 

 characteristics. They do not breed 

 strictly to a type and I am very 

 sure have a trace of black blood. 

 The theory that they were descend- 

 ants of Egyptian bees originally, 

 slightly mixed with the blacks, is 

 entitled to a respectful considera- 

 tion. The names Holyland, Pal- 

 estine and Syrian are practically 

 of the same race but from different 

 localities. 



2. The best width for section 

 boxes is one and seven-eighths 

 inches, and I have tested every 

 width from one and three eighths up 

 to two inches. The narrow sections 

 are open to the serious objection 

 that unless placed over very deep 

 brood frames, they are sure to be 

 made depositories for pollen. Be- 

 ing about the thickness of the 

 brood combs the bees store pollen 

 in them in view of the possibilities 

 for brood rearing in them. 



SUGAR STORES. HIVING SWARMS. 



Query No. 30. A writer in the April is- 

 sue dI iiie An .says in substance: "To get 

 sugar i^tores ready for use in wintering bees, 

 FClect colonies at the beginning of ttie sum- 

 mer dearth, reiluce the brood-cliamber to live 

 frames and then give eacli empty combs, and 

 syrup as last as the bees will appropiiate it." 

 Wdl such feeding have a tenilenoy to make 

 the l)et's l.izy or indolent? 



2. Whicli is the best way to hive swarms if 

 comb honev is wanted; on empty frames, 

 empty combs or foundation, or on frames 

 witli starter? 



G. P. Smith. 



ANSWERS BY R. L. TAYLOR. 



No, at least not more than would 

 the gathering of a like quantit}' of 

 sweets from the fields. Bees al- 

 ways become apparently less active 

 when their hive becomes largely 



