1871.] 



THE AMEEICAN BEE JOUKNAL. 



271 



to permit bees to pass throngli it, uiid let it be 

 so fastened to tlie iiuder side as to be kept about 

 three-eighths of an inch from the top of the 

 frames. The sides of this box may be abnut six 

 inclies deep. Within it place a series of small 

 boxes compacted together, each one of which has 

 a wire bottom resting on the wire bottom of the 

 larger box. Make these boxes of sufficient size 

 and depth to receive a frame of the usual size 

 of frames in nucleus boxes. If desired, the 

 sides of these small boxes may be glass. The 

 top should be movable, having a small hole 

 closed with cork. When the apiarian has a suf- 

 ficent number of young queens, or queen cells 

 nearly matured, he should make as many nuclei 

 as there are small boxes. Before making these 

 nuclei, let him select suitable nuclei frames con- 

 taining honey, and each sui^plied with a small 

 quantity of water. Into each of the frames let 

 a queen cell be carefully inserted. I find the 

 following to be the simplest way of supplying 

 these nuclei with bees. Take from the hives 

 one or more combs. Let them stand for a few 

 minutes, leaning against the hive, until the bees 

 have filled themselves with honey. Then shake 

 them into a large vessel of moderately cold 

 water. With a skiftinier gather them together, 

 and put the required number into each box. 

 The whole process will occupy scarcely more 

 time than has been used in describing it. When 

 the large box is filled with these small nuclei, 

 place over them cotton, wool, or some other 

 good non-conducting substance. They will 

 then receive through the wire-cloth of the bot- 

 tom board, and retain, all the animal heat that is 

 necessary to mature the queens. By inspecting 

 these boxes through their glass sides every bee 

 can be seen, as in an observing hive, and the 

 apiarian can always ascertain when the young 

 queens have hatched. Then, Avhen they are 

 about five days old, let him remove the cork 

 and put into the nucleus one or more selected 

 drones. If any light is needed, in order to 

 secure the fertilization of these queens, it may 

 he introduced by raising slightly, or, if desired, 

 removing entirely the top cover of the hive, and 

 the small boxes may be separated by wedges, to 

 admit the light more perfectly. If the outside 

 temperature is not svilficiently elevated for the 

 fertilization of queens, (I find that a tempera- 

 ture of about 70" is usually necessary for this 

 purpose, ) it might perhaps be useful to remove 

 the large box containing these nuclei from the 

 hive and place it upon heated sand, bricks, or 

 some other warm but not too hot surface, at 

 about one or two o'clock in the afternoon, the 

 time in which queens are usually fertilized. 



In this way we might possibly secure the fer- 

 tilization of our queens quite in advance of the 

 usual season, as we can always, by retaining a 

 few drone-laying queens in the apiary, have an 

 abundance of early drones. One advantage of 

 the method thus described is the large number 

 of nuclei which may be made in connection 

 with a single hive; and the fact that this box, 

 with its nuclei, may be at any time removed and 

 replaced, without interfering with the members 

 of the colony ; one or all of the nuclei may be 

 removed without opening the hive. 



If the queens can in this way be fertilized, 

 and if the comb containing honey is, 'as it should 

 be, a suitable breeding comb, they will in a 

 very few days begin to lay. As soon as we are 

 satisfied that the desired end has been secured, 

 the queen may be removed, the attendant bees 

 shaken out, and a new queen cell with fresh 

 bees added. It will be seen that with one hive 

 a large number of queens may be secured in 

 a single season. 



L. L. Langstroth. 



Oxford, Ohio. 



[For the Americaa Bee Journnl.] 



"Winterina; Bees. 



Editor A. B. J. : — I have two items of inter- 

 est to write about — one, on the result of winter- 

 ing my bees on their summer stands ; and the 

 other, "Foulbrood," which I have treated in ac- 

 cordance with the suggestions of Dr. Abbe. 



F.rsU fis to the result of wintering out of doors. 

 When I commenced ''improving^^ my bees, five 

 years ago, according to the suggestions of the 

 authorities, I determined to save the great waste 

 of honey, incurred by their vigorous appetite in 

 ci'ld weather. I was very successful, for I saved 

 almost all the honey, though, alas ! in some cases 

 I lost the bees. We cannot all have the perfect 

 bee house of ]N'ovice or the ventilating skill of 

 Gallup ; so, though most devotedly trying up- 

 ward and downward ventilation, in a dry cellar 

 ranging at 40". I found mouldy combs and sadly 

 weakened stock. Some few hives came out in 

 perfect condition. but were always later in swarm- 

 ing than ray neighbors' stocks, left out in their 

 box hives on their summer stands. Last tall I 

 prepared waim wadded quilts, which I laid on 

 the frames and pressed down with a weight, 

 covering with the cap, as usual. We had an un- 

 i\sually severe winter, yet I do not think there 

 was ever more than ten days without an oppor- 

 tunity for the bees to fly out in the middle of the 

 day, which I allowed them to do whenever they 

 chose. Seeing many young bees I examined tlie 

 stocks, April 26th, and found them in iriost in- 

 stances full of brood — hardly an unoccupied cell. 

 Two hives had drones, and one had started queen 

 cells. My stocks are all black bees. You see I 

 have now the opportunity to strengthen weak 

 stocks, with frames of brood, as we shall not 

 have blossoms till the middle of May. I feel to 

 have gained about a month, by wintering out of 

 doors ; and have found neither mouldy combs 

 nor dead bees. For the future I shall always 

 winter out of doors, except a great scarcity of 

 honey should compel me to once more run the 

 risks of the cellar to avoid expense of feeding. 

 Of course my experience is not necessarily 

 adapted to other latitudes ; but bee-keepers here- 

 abouts will, I believe, find the oiatdoor winter- 

 ing, under a wadded quilt, much better than 

 putting their stocks in the cellar. 



FOXJLBROOD. 



I had several stocks badly effected last fall, 

 which I spread with hypo-sulphate of soda, as 

 recommended by Dr. Abbe ; but I took the pre- 



