AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



235 



eggs produced drones, it would be pretty 

 conclusive evidence that the queen has not 

 the power to change the sex of an egg that 

 she lays. 



My question is this- Do you know if 

 such experiment has been tried, and what 

 the outcome was ? 



Having been a bee-keeper for 20 years, 

 and a subscriber to the Bee Journal for 

 about that length of time. I have always 

 taken a great interest in all obtuse ques- 

 tions that have been discussed in its col- 

 umns. T. T. 



Lancaster, Pa. 



Answer. — If my memory serves me cor- 

 rectly, the experiment has been tried, of 

 putting eggs from worker-cells in drone- 

 cells, but always with the result that the 

 eggs hatched out workers. Within the past 

 year a good deal has been said about using 

 drone-cells to rear queens in, but in that 

 case I think larvae and not eggs have been 

 transferred. 



Does it not appear a physical impossi- 

 bility for the workers to aflfect the eggs so 

 as to change the sex by " sweeping off " the 

 spermatozoa ? For these minute beings are 

 not on the outside of the egg, but enter 

 through the micropyle, the very name of 

 which indicates an entrance so small that a 

 bee's tongue would not be likely to set up 

 business inside. 



I think I can give another argument to 

 give a strong leaning in the same direction, 

 although it may not be entirely conclusive. 

 I suppose you know very well that if all the 

 drone-comb be taken from a hive, and 

 every inch be filled with worker-comb, 

 what frantic efforts the bees will make to 

 build a few drone-cells in odd corners, and 

 how the queen will go out of her way to 

 lay in them. You know also that if a 

 drone-laying queen lays eggs in worker- 

 cells, that the bees will go on and rear 

 drones in them, notwithstanding their be- 

 ing in worker-cells. Now if all that is 

 needed to change a worker-egg to a drone- 

 egg is a lick of a worker's tongue, how do 

 you account for the queen's going so much 

 out of her way to lay in remote drone- 

 cells ? And if the bees are so very anxious 

 to have drones when there are no drone- 

 cells in the hive, why do they not rear 

 drones in worker-cells, seeing they can do 

 so readily if the right eggs are there ? 



Putting Foundation in Hives, Etc. 



1. When putting sheets of foundation in 

 the brood-nest, should they be put between 

 frames of comb, or on the outside by them- 

 selves ? 



2. If I should put frames containing 

 sheets of foundation in an empty hive, and 

 leave the entrance open so that bees could 

 enter at will, would the wax-moth be apt 

 to damage the foundation, where moths 

 are bad ? 



3. When bees are divided for the purpose 

 of increasing, what proportion go back to 

 the old stand ? For example, if about 

 swarming time, I should take about half 

 the bees and comb from a hive, and put 



them into a new hive, what proportion of 

 bees should I shake from the combs left on 

 the old stand in order to have them about 

 equal after the old bees return. 

 Oak Hill, Kans. J. K. 



Answers. — 1. Sometimes a hive is en- 

 tirely filled with frames of foundation and 

 no old combs, but if you have both in the 

 hive, and want the bees to make the best 

 work possible on the foundation, put a 

 frame of foundation between two old 

 combs. 



2. I don't suppose the bees of other hives 

 would keep the moths away, but if you 

 could get a spider to occupy it, that might 

 do. Better watch pretty close if you try it. 



3. All the bees that work in the fields will 

 go back to the old stand, some of them on 

 the second day. If the change is made 

 when the bees are having their play spell, 

 the bees out at play will go back to the old 

 stand. Perhaps you might shake off at the 

 old stand the bees of one or two frames, 

 then about the third day you can shake off 

 more if they are needed. But look out not 

 to leave so few bees in either hive where 

 there is brood, so that the brood will be 

 chilled. Keep in mind that bees will desert 

 the new for the old stand, a day or two 

 after the division. 



Combs Built Crosswise. 



I bought two colonies last spring, and got 

 no increase and no surplus honey last year. 

 The winter was mild up to Jan. 21st, but 

 cold since then — 22 degrees below zero on 

 the 24th. In one hive the combs are built 

 crosswise of three of the brood-frames. 

 What must I do with them, so that I can 

 manipulate all the brood-frames ? 



Guy, Mo., Jan. 25. E. A. J. 



Answer. — Lift the other frames out of 

 the way, then lift out the three frames to- 

 gether, and then cut loose that part of each 

 comb where it is attached to the wrong 

 frame, and force it back into its own frame. 

 Possibly the case is so bad that all the 

 combs must be cut out and fastened in the 

 frames as directed in the books for trans- 

 ferring. Of course, it must be warm 

 enough so as not to chill the brood, and so 

 the comb will bend. 



The Increase at an Out-Apiary. 



In running an out-apiary for comb honey, 

 in your opinion, what would be the best 

 way to manage in increase, being with 

 them a part of the time only ? 



Logan, Iowa. F. E. H. 



Answer. — So much depends upon the 

 man and the circumstances that your ques- 

 tion is hard to answer. If you have some 

 one to watch for swarms, possibly it might 

 be best to let them swarm naturally. But 

 in an out-apiary you may not desire that. 

 Possibly the nucleus plan might suit you 

 best. You will find this described in the 

 books, the main point being to start a 



