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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 

 Non-Swarmers. 



From experiments thus far, I think we may 

 generally guard against the issue of swarms, 

 and so construct our hives that the whole force 

 shall be engaged in securing surplus honey in 

 boxes, except the necessary stores for breeding 

 and for winter's use ; and then secure the issue 

 of natural swarms when desirable. 



Last season I had one Italian colony in a 

 hive with boxes of about the aggregate capacity 

 of 125 pounds. Its product was two swarms and 

 106 pounds of surplus honey. One colony of 

 native bees gave two swarms, and with its 

 swarms produced 97 pounds of surplus honey. 

 Two colonies of natives, in hives of similar 

 construction, gave no swarm, and gave 297 

 pounds of surplus honey. Last season I took 

 ten hives to an apiarian a few miles distant, 

 and had swarms of Italians placed in them. 

 Four of the ten were of larger capacity in box 

 room. Three of them of about 150 pounds ca- 

 pacity each, and one with twenty-seven boxes 

 of nearly 200 pounds capacity. In one of these 

 a very small swarm was placed, and only half 

 filled its central apartment. It has now its 

 central apartment filled; ten boxes nearly filled; 

 and has commenced in two others ; probably 

 about 70 pounds. A second has thirteen boxes 

 filled, except a little finishing out and capping a 

 few of the combs ; probably 100 pounds. A 

 third has fifteen boxes about completed, and 

 commenced in two others ; probably about 120 

 pounds. A fourth hive is larger, receiving 

 twenty-seven boxes, of an average capacity of 

 nearly seven pounds. This colony has fourteen 

 boxes full, five in which they are working, and 

 only one empty, in which so many bees show 

 themselves as to indicate operations soon. 

 They have probably 150 pounds of surplus hon- 

 ey already. 

 " The fifth colony was so weak in the spring, 

 that I feared they would not survive ; but they 

 have now filled their central apartment, and 

 just commenced in the boxes. 



The old Italian colony has given two swarms. 

 I think the four described, had they only 

 had the box room of that, would have 

 swarmed. Does not their contented, contin- 

 ued, and successful labor indicate that, with 

 sufficient and acceptable room, they would be 

 likely to go through the season without swarm- 

 ing ? And may not swarming in very large 

 hives, be sometimes the result of anticipated 

 want of room, from the product of a very pro- 

 lific queen ? Jaspeb Hazen. 



According to the Baron of Berlepsch, three 

 thousand drones consume as much honey as 

 nine thousand three hundred and seventy -five 

 workers. 



Baron Ehrenfels states that when pasturage 

 abounded and the weather was favorable, many 

 of his strong colonies increased daily more than 

 ten pounds each in weight. 



[From The London Gardeners' Chronicle.] 



Fighting Bees. 



I had a hive of bees given me in the autumn 

 of 18G6, but in consequence of the severe winter 

 by which many hives were destroyed, I had no 

 swarm in 1867. The stock, however, grew 

 strong, and filled a glass with honey. 



This summer, however, instead of swarming, 

 as I expected, the bees fight so savagely that 

 the ground is covered with the slain ; and this 

 has continued for some time. I thought at first 

 that my bees were defending themselves against 

 robbers ; but I am now convinced that this is 

 not the case. It seems as if they took this 

 method of thinning their over-crowded hive. 

 Can you kindly give me any advice in the mat- 

 ter ? I suppose there is no method to induce 

 them to swarm peaceably, and thus cease their 

 destructive civil war. E. C. B. 



On this singular case, the Gardeners' Chron- 

 icle has the following remarks: — "Arc you 

 quite certain that the bees really do fight among 

 themselves; or is it only the dragging away of 

 deceased bees by their stionger companious? 

 "We have known many instances in which their 

 apparent slaughter has been attributed to fight- 

 ing, but have in some cases found that it pro- 

 ceeded from the bees being attacked by a disease 

 analogous to dropsy. The affected ones are 

 pulled out and cast forth by the healthy. It 

 has also occurred under our notice, in this and 

 other cases, that from some mysterious cause, a 

 large proportion of the young brood was hatch- 

 ed out with defective wings, or was otherwise 

 immature or malformed. We do not believe at 

 all in the theory of their fighting for the purpose 

 of reducing their redundant population." 



Whoever intends to erect an apiary, if inex- 

 perienced, should purchase hives towards the 

 close of the year, and such only as are full of 

 combs and stocked with a sufficiency of honey 

 and bees. In order to ascertain the age of 

 hives, it should be remarked that the combs of 

 the last year are white, while those of the for- 

 mer year are dark yellow. When the combs 

 are black, the hive should be rejected, as too 

 old and liable to inroads of vermin. — Willich's 

 Encyclopedia. 



Baron Berlepsch says second swarms do not 

 send out scouts in search of suitable quarters 

 for their permanent residence, till after they 

 have issued and clustered. 



A strong colony, when honey is plentifully 

 gathered, can build seventy-two square inches 

 of comb, containing four thousand ceils, in the 

 course of twenty-four hours. 



Bees begin to build their combs at the inner 

 top or ceiling of their hive, and build down- 

 wards ; though they can also build upward- 5 , 

 when circumstances require it. 



