203 



THE A?^[ERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[March, 



that j)ole by this time), so that we couhl have 

 received the opinion of an Esqninianx or a Kam- 

 schatcan, along- with Novice's ojjinion of our 

 hive. AVhy, ^Ir. Editor, only think of his com- 

 parinjT our liivo to an American liive, and decid- 

 ing tliat the latter, as arranged by liim, was 

 much the best ! We were just as mad as our 

 skin could hold. "But to return to our story. 

 His remarks have called out quite a large pri- 

 vate correspondence, and it is for the purpose of 

 making some explanations to said correspond- 

 ents that I commence this article. 



The reader will understand that Novice set 

 his two sets of frames in this manner — one set 

 by the side of the other ; while we set one set of 

 frames directly in the rear of the other — quite a 

 different arrangement in our estimation. Now 

 any one using the Kidder, Thomas, or almost 

 any square frame can try the experiment with 

 one or two hives ; and we are not sure but even 

 the American will work with our arrangement. 

 Make your outer case long enough to hold two 

 sets of frames, one set directly in the rear of 

 the other, and have an entrance in the front and 

 rear ends, just alike. Have the passages through 

 the centre board, between the two sets of frames, 

 clear across the centre and also at the bottom of 

 said centre board. Now, by closing these pas- 

 sages, either end is in the same fix as a single 

 hive, so far as a swarm of bees is concerned ; 

 and in fact, if we keep those passages closed, we 

 can work two swarms of bees in this double 

 hive.* Bo we certainly need not throw it away, 

 but keep it as a curiosity, if ibr nothing more ; 

 still, we believe it will work f(n' one swarm satis- 

 factorily. Now as soon as this swarm is popu- 

 lous enough, and the weather is right for storing 

 and extracting, till up the rear end with worker 

 comb, remove two or three cards containing un- 

 sealed brood into the rear end, replacing in the 

 front end empty worker comb. Now, revolve 

 this hive half around, bringing the rear entrance 

 to the front. (Of course the rear entrance has 

 been kept closed up to this time.) Now what 

 was the front has become the rear. Nearly close 

 this end and open the other, and you bring the 

 whole working force into the vacant end at once, 

 instead of waiting for them to take possession 

 of an upper story (as we sometimes have to do). 

 We have, as the little girl says, foolislied them ; 

 and they are not even aware of it, as both ends 

 are exactly alike. Thus we have the novelty of 

 a swarm of bees departing from one end and 

 arriving loaded at the other. Before admitting 

 the bees to both ends, or at that time, we oi)en 

 the centre passages. Now keep the brood about 

 equally divided, part in one end and part in the 

 other, and in the centre of each apartment, with 

 the empty combs at the sides of the hive. If a 

 novice does not know how to get np a good 

 strong stock of bees in the double hive, let him 

 proceed in this manner : Take brood nearly 

 ready to hatch from other stocks, and till up the 

 vacant end, time enough before the honey har- 

 vest commences, to have them on hand to help 

 to store honey. A large colony, in any hive for 

 storing, should have a good, young and prolific 

 queen. It is u.seless to work a small, weak 

 swarm with perhaps, a worthless queen iu a 



large hive, expecting great results. Now, we 

 do not say that every one will like this arrange- 

 ment of frames, but we say that, so far, we are 

 very much pleased with it, and from our experi- 

 ments last summer, we are pretty confident that 

 we can control swarming to suit ourselves, in 

 such hives. Mr. D. L. Adair has worked his 

 sections in this manner for years, if we rightly 

 understood him. We do not advise everyone to 

 go into this arrangement extensively ; but make 

 a trial of it at first with a few hives. The only 

 thing that we were disappointed in was this : 

 Some of our queens occupied the entire twenty- 

 six frames with brood, which left very little room 

 to store honey, and this was the very reason why 

 our thirty-two frame hive gave us the best satis- 

 faction. Now, after taking into consideration 

 your honey resources, and trying scmie few of 

 these hives, take into consideration also the ex- 

 traordinary yield of honey in this locality, and 

 the enthusiasm of your humble servant. Each 

 individual must judge for himself whether this 

 hive will suit him. 



E. Gallup. 

 Orchard, Iowa. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



A Few Inquiries. 



Ed. Bee Jouknal :— Will you allow me to 

 ask Mr. W. R. King, of Kentucky some questions 

 with reference to his description of the fertiliz- 

 ing house, etc., that he used last summer, and 

 described in the February number of the Jour- 

 nal, p. 177. 



1st. Why do you put sweetened water and 

 honey into old honey combs and place them on 

 a shelf in the house (fertilizing room) if the 

 workers are not permitted to tly in the room ? 



2d. Is there no danger of the queens entering 

 the wrong hive, fertilizing box, and destroying 

 each other when they return from their wedding 

 flight, if several ai-e iu the house at the same 

 time ? And if so, how can it be prevented ? 



3d. Must the top of the house be da7'k colored 

 and why ? 



Brown muslin would be more durable and it 

 could be painted, which would make it still 

 better to turn the rain. 



And now, Mr. Editor, I intend to construct a 

 fertilizing house next summer upon Mr. King's 

 plan. I failed with N. C. Mitchell's plan, but 

 it might have been my own fixult. I will try it 

 again, if I live. I like the Journal first-rate, 

 having been a constant reader for five years ; I 

 would not take five times what it costs for 

 the knowledge that may be gathered from its 

 pages. 



I wish that the Journal would make its visits 

 oftener than it does. Say semi-monthly. I for 

 one will be willing to pay double the present 

 price. Will Novice please tell me where he gets 

 his glass honey jars or cans, I want the best and 

 handiest kind. Put me on the track. 



John Gakdner. 



Mt. Gilead, 07uo, February 15, 1872. 



