May 10, 1906 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



409 



^ 



Doctor ZTTillcr's 

 (Question * Box 



j 



Send questions either lo the office of the American Bee Journal, 



or to Dr. C. C. Miller, Marengo, 111. 



iy Dr. Miller does not answer Questions by mail. 



Buckwheat Honey in Brood-Chamber Darkening Surplus 

 Honey 



What would you do with buckwheat honey that has been in the 

 hives all winter and up till the time white clover bloom6? I had some 

 in the hives last year aDd the bees carried it up to the top story and it 

 darkened a lot o( my surplus honey. Ontario. 



Answer. — The circumstances must have been exceptional that 

 would have allowed buckwheat honey to remain in the hive over win- 

 ter and then to be carried up into the surplus apartment. It could 

 only be where the combs were so crowded with honey that not enough 

 was used up before harvest to allow the queen room to lay. In that 

 case I would take out a frame or two of the heaviest, and give it to 

 the lighter colonies. If all were too heavy, I'd extract some of the 

 heaviest combs. 



Albino, Banat, and Cyprian Bees 



Will you kindly publish all you know about the Albino and Banat 

 bees, good qualities and bad, markings, color, etc.? I see them ad- 

 vertised, and I have heard of them. Are they a new bee in this coun- 

 try? 1 would like to know what you think of the Cyprians, as I have 

 one queen this spring, and if good I will breed from her. 



Wisconsin. 



Answer. — Albino people are those who have very light hair, skin 

 and eyes, the coloring matter being lacking, and it is generally the 

 case that an Albino, whether man, animal or bee Is more or less lack- 

 ing in physical vigor. That does not make it impossible, however, 

 that there might be exceptions to the general rule. 



Banat bees I know knothing about. I don't suppose it is a new 

 variety introduced, but merely a name that has been given, for any 

 one can call his bees by almost any name he pleases. I could call my 

 bees " Miller " bees, but that wouldn't make them a new variety. 



Cyprian bees are favored by some for crossing, but not many 

 seem to care for them in their purity. They have a reputation for 

 vicious temper, for starting laying workers on very short notice, and 

 for the very large number of queen-cells they start when queenless or 

 preparing to swarm. 



•» • » 



Getting a Honey Crop and Then Transferring the Bees 



Can I safely run my bees for honey till the middle of July and 

 then put them into new hives with new foundation? Would that give 

 them plenty of time to build up for winter? 



Don't say, "Get a book," for I can't just now; but I shall send to 

 you for one later on. Maine. 



Answer. — No, I'll not say get a book in order to find an answer 

 to that question, for I doubt that you would find a direct answer to it 

 in any book, and your question is one that fairly belongs in this de- 

 partment. 



If you put a colony on foundation the middle of July, and leave it 

 entirely to itself, and if there is nothing yielding honey after that time, 

 you may feel pretty sure there will be nothing but dead bees in the 

 hive the following spring. But you can make it a success by feeding 

 to make up the deficiency. Feed enough every other day to keep up 

 brood-rearing, and enough in September for winter. 

 C No, don't send to me for a book. I don't have books to sell. The 

 reason I constantly urge the buyingof a bee-book is not to sell one, 

 but because I know the bee-keeper who has none i6 standing in his 

 own light. I wouldn't be a good friend of yours if I didn't insist on it. 



Stopping Swarming— Finding Queens- Best Book On 

 Bees-Scented Water to Throw on Bees 



1. What do you think is the be6t method to use to stop bees in the 

 act of swarming? 



I — 1 3. I would like to clip the wings of the queens, but don't know 

 how to go at it. What is the best way to find a queen? 



3. As there are so many books written on bees, I would like to 

 know which one you think is best. 



4. I have heard that bee-keepers have some stuff they put in the 

 water they throw at bees, which has a peculiar smell that makes the 

 bees slop. If this is so, what is the name of it* Iowa, r ' 



CT~ Answers. — 1. When a colony nas really'started to swarm, it isn't 

 an!easy thing to stop the_bees. Perhaps thei I best is to smoke vigor- 



ously or to 6hower heavily with water. But that will not hinder their 

 trying it another time. 



2. In this locality we generally look over the frames, one after 

 another, till we find the queen. Care 6hould be taken not to give 

 enough smoke to start the bees running. It they begin once running, 

 the best thing is to close the hive and let them quiet down, not open- 

 ing the hive until after an hour or more, or trying it the next day. 

 Another way is to lift all the frames out of the hive carefully, putting 

 them in another hive, then look carefully to see that the queen is not 

 left in some corner of the hive; then having a queen-excluder at the 

 entrance of the old hive shake or brush from one of the frames all the 

 bees in front of the entrance, then put the frame in the hive, and pro- 

 ceed in the same way with all the frames. The queen, not being able 

 to get through the excluder, will be found at the entrance. 



3. That's rather an unfair question to answer, and a difficult one 

 if not unfair, for any of the leading bee-books are good. If you are 

 going to do much with bees, it will pay you well to get any one of 

 them, and then get others afterward. 



4. I don't understand to what you refer. Possibly to throwing 

 water on bees to stop their robbing. In that case, the water will be 

 more effective if carbolic acid is put in it. 



Changing Bees from Old to New Hives 



I sent for some improved Lang6troth-Simplicity hives, and have 

 some bees that 1 would like to put into the new hives. How would 

 you put them in? Iillinois. 



Answer — I think I would wait till they swarm, then hive the 

 swarms in the new hive, then 21 days later cut up the box-hives, and 

 if you think best cut out the best combs and fasten them in frames to 

 put in the new hives. It may make less bees in the way if you drum 

 out the bees before cutting up the hives and cutting out the combs. 



Using Wood Splints Instead of Wire in Combs 



1. Can brood-combs be drawn out during a heavy honey-flow and 

 not sag when using splints on light-brood foundation? 



2. What do you think of using splints on wired foundation for 

 extracting and brood combs? Or, do you recommend only medium 

 brood when using splintB? 



3. I would like to try splints, but I am at a loss where to get some. 

 Do you have them made to order, or do you make them yourself? 

 What kind of lumber? Would Louisiana cypress do? 



1 guess you will smile a little at my ignorance. Texas. 



Answers —1. Having never tried it I can not say positively. But 

 I should hardly expect any sagging with light brood foundation, and 

 if there should be any sagging with splints the usual distance apart 

 (about 3)4 inches), one or two additional splints in a frame ought to 

 make all right. 



2. For extracting there would be a little advantage so long as the 

 combs were new, in having both splints and wires; whether the ad- 

 vantage would be sufficient to pay is another question. For brood- 

 frames the addition of wires could hardly be any better than the 

 splints alone. But if I had the wires in, I should still think it would 

 pay to add the splints. 



3. My splints have been made to order, but they can be made at 

 slight expense at any manufactory of bee-supplies or berry boxes 

 where they have machinery for slicing wood. They are made of bass- 

 wood, but I suppose almost any kind of wood would answer. A wood 

 somewhat tough i6 probably better than one very brittle. I am not 

 acquainted with Louisiana cypress, but should have little fear as to 

 using it. 



Yes, I might smile at your ignorance, only I have a good memory, 

 and have a very vivid recollection of the time when I was more ignor- 

 ant than you are. And if you'll promise not to tell, I'll just whisper 

 in your year that I have on hand at the present moment a big stock of 

 ignorance about bees. _ 



Raising the Hive for More Ventilation 



I see on page 370, E. W. Deifendorf advocates the putting of holes 

 or an entrance above the brood-chamber and between the supers. 

 Also T. L. Shawler, on page 365, recommends raising the hive at the 

 bottom when the weather gets warm, to prevent swarming. I can 

 readily see the need of plenty of air and ventilation in hot weather, 

 but would not these many entrances promote robbing? Which would 

 be the better, to raise the hive from the bottom or to raise the super, 

 leaving } 4 ' inch between the hive and super? Kansas. 



Answer.— Contrary to what you might expect, there is little 

 danger of robbing being started when large openings are given in 

 harvest time. I've tried it very thoroughly, and don't think I ever 

 had a case of robbing from that cause. Better raise the hive if work- 

 ing for comb honey, although I have practised also shoving the super 

 forward. For extracted, do both. 



Amerikanische Bienenzucht, by Hans Buschbauer, is 

 a bee-keeper's hand-book of 138 pages, which is just what 

 our German friends will want. It is fully illustrated, and 

 neatly bound in cloth. Price, postpaid, $1.00; or with the 

 American Bee Journal one year — both for $1.75. Address 

 all orders to this office. 



