1873.] 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



175 



can sell Cuba honey as well as honey extracted 

 here in United States. It is hard to make purchas- 

 ers believe that our honey is better than that of 

 Cuba, and nine out of every ten believe that all 

 strained honey is artificially made, but when they 

 see it in boxes, then they are ready to purchase 

 and pay a fair price for it, when put up in small 

 packages. 



Twenty-one boxes, that will weigh when full 

 two pounds each can be placed over the frames of a 

 r,angstrotb hive. 1 make the top and bottom long 

 enough for three boxes, leaving just room enough 

 between the inner end pieces for a saw to run, 

 thus: 



When they are full they can be sawed apart. These 

 boxes have glass in two sides. The top and bottom 

 pieces are 2J inches wide by 15 long ^ thick; the 

 end pieces are of the same width, 4$ inches long 

 and f inches thick, and are grooved with a saw, T 3 g- of 

 an inch from the edge, ^ deep. These boxes should 

 be placed crosswise on the frames, and no honey- 

 board should be used between. Make a hole in 

 the bottom piece with a lh inch centre-bit before 

 the boxes are raised. Most bee-keepers do not 

 seem to keep in mind that when a box is filled and 

 sold, the same price per pound is received for the 

 box that is paid for the honey — making a profit of 

 fifty per cent, on the box alone. So, gentlemen, 

 don't be afraid to invest your money in small boxes, 

 when large boxes are sold, tare is allowed in most 

 cases. 



From experience I have learned that a small 

 piece of comb, say three cells deep by two inches 

 long, is better to put in than a larger piece. The 

 bees commence work in these boxes first and fill 

 them with nice new comb. When such boxes are 

 sent to market they should be put up in crates, 

 each crate to contain from fifty to eighty pounds 

 of honey, and be sure that the boxes are placed in 

 them bottom up, so that they will not break while 

 being transported to market. To have honey look 

 nice, it should be removed from the hives as soon 

 as capped over and placed in a dry, cool place. 



The objection to the extractor is the labor and 

 time it requires to work it. I would not have those 

 understand who intend to purchase one that it is 

 not what they need, but, on the contrary, it is just 

 what all bee-keepers need and should have, even 

 those who keep only a few stocks. 



There are but few bee-keepers who can use the 

 extractor to a good advantage, that is, to make a 

 business of it. The advantage of the extractor to 

 small bee-keepers is in saving pieces of comb for 

 future use. I consider one pound of good worker 

 comb worth at least one dollar. H. Alley. 



Newham, Nov. 18, 1872. 



[For the American Bee Journal. J 



G-allup's reply to Anderson. 



Mr. Editor : It is always my intention to answer 

 questions that are put directly to me, as soon as 

 possible after they are asked ; and I like the idea of 

 their being asked through the Journal, as I then can 



benefit more than one indiviual by my replies. But 

 here is one from Mr. Anderson of Bruce, Canada, 

 that I had entirely forgotten through a press of 

 business. The reader will find the question on page 

 7">, October number. In extra strong stocks 

 where the bees occupy every range of comb in the 

 hive, I raise the hive sometimes and in some cases 

 an inch from the bottom board all around, remove 

 the honey board entirely and the chambers for the 

 honey boxes are invariably left on the summer 

 stands, we do not want them in the cellar at all. 

 Now you will see that a hive in that condition is 

 simply like an open box without top or bottom and 

 might safely be suspended in the middle of the cel- 

 lar with a rope. Of course your bees were too 

 warm. Begin in this manner about four days after 

 your bees are set into the cellar and especially your 

 strong stocks ; commence raising the hive by wedge- 

 like blocks, a quarter of an inch on one side the 

 first day, and if the bees do not quiet down, raise 

 the hive somewhat more and keep doing so until 

 they become quiet. Positive fact, gentlemen, the 

 strongest stock of bees you ever saw can be win- 

 tered just as safely as the smallest when you once 

 know how. But if we have a hive on the New Idea 

 plan, one foot square and three feet long, it will 

 hold twenty- four combs, and every range of comb 

 is occupied with bees, we can ventilate them in the 

 above manner and all will be well. Now take a 

 hive with the same amount of comb and bees, one 

 foot square and three feet high, and the blindest 

 man in Christendom could see with his eyes shut 

 that they could not be properly ventilated. Those at 

 the top would be too warm while those at the bottom 

 would be too cold, and consequently they would have 

 to be continually changing places, and as a matter 

 of course could not remain quiet. Now friend 

 Anderson. I am not hitting you in the above re- 

 marks, but am snapping my teeth at those chaps that 

 have invented tall hives because, as they say, bees 

 winter in them so much the best, &c. I now can 

 set my bees in the cellar and ventilate them so near 

 right (judging by the size of the stock) that I need 

 not meddle with them again. A small stock must 

 not have too much ventilation and a large stock must 

 have enough. Your case of supercedure is a very 

 common one, and especially with pure Italians much 

 more so than with the blacks. I have never yet lost 

 a stock of Italians by their queen dying with old 

 age. They have invariably replaced her with 

 another before it was too late. I have lost quite a 

 number in my experience with black stocks, by 

 their queens becoming superannuated or dying with 

 old age, the bees neglecting to raise another. 



E. Gallup. 

 Orchard, Mitchell Co., Town, Dec. 6, 1872. 



[For the American Bee Journal, j 



Wintering Bees. 



Dear Journal. — In the report of the Chautauqua 

 Co. Bee-keeper's Convention, page 123, December 

 number, the above topic was discussed at some 

 length, and the conclusion arrived at, was that bees 

 should be wintered on their summer stands, which 

 conclusion is so much at variance with my own, and 

 so well calculated to mislead the inexperienced, as 

 being the united wisdom of the bee-keepers of 



