344 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



which comes from the burning of prop- 

 olis. 



V. V. Blackmer — I have had the same 

 experience as Friend Crane. 



E. J. J^mith — I used some section 

 pieces covered with propolis, but did not 

 see as the smoke prevented robbing. 



Evening Session — Jan. 24th. 



Owing to illness in his family, H. P. 

 Langdon was unable to be present, and 

 the hour was occupied by J. E. Crane, 

 with a very valuable essay on the use of 

 bees in the fertilization of flowers. The 

 essay showed much study of the subject, 

 and was well written. 



VENTILATION OF HIVES. 



V. V. Blackmer — I hope the conven- 

 tion will not pass by this article of the 

 programme entirely. I have much in- 

 terest in the subject of ventilation. I 

 have tried all ways, from entire top of 

 hive open to entire top sealed, and find 

 that the bees average best where we 

 turn back the enamel cloth about one- 

 third way across the ends of the frames, 

 at the front of the hive. 



O. J. Lowrey — I have tried both ways, 

 and prefer cloth turned back across the 

 ends of the frames. 



H. L. Leonard — It is an important 

 subject, either in cellar or for out-door 

 wintering. I have tried cobs, woolen 

 cloths ; cloths over a part, honey-board 

 over the other part, and various other 

 processes ; and I find that my bees do 

 best with a little chamber above the 

 brood-frames, and some upward ventila- 

 tion. I desire a location sheltered from 

 all cold winds. 



J. E. Crane — I think the hanging of a 

 carpet in front of the entrances of the 

 " Bristol hive " advantageous. The por- 

 tico to these hives acts as a funnel to 

 concentrate the wind and direct it into 

 the hive. I prefer planer shavings for 

 packing above bees. Forest leaves work 

 admirably. In packing in the fall, reg- 

 ulate the size of the brood-chamber to 

 the size of the colony. It is bad to put 

 a small colony of bees into a large hive, 

 and vice versa — a large colony into a 

 small hive. 



SPRING PKOTECTION OF BEES. 



"Is spring protection necessary after 

 bees are put out of the cellar ?" 



M. F. Cram — This is a question that 

 can be answered by yes or no, and still 

 be answered correctly. The last two 

 seasons I have put my bees out on the 

 8th and 9th days of May, and in 30 

 days they were in the sections at work. 



My apiary is protected by hills ; and the 

 bees have water within 15 feet. I would 

 protect it if it was not done by natural 

 surroundings. My location is at a very 

 high altitude. I winter my bees in the 

 cellar in a room 9 feet square ; and have 

 not lost 3 per cent, for the last five 

 years. I now have 73 colonies in the 

 cellar; and I keep the temperature as 

 near 45-, Fahr., as possible. The hive- 

 entrance is open as in summer, with no 

 top ventilation. 



H. L. Leonard — I have wintered bees 

 in as many as 10 different cellars. I 

 find that they vary milch. Bees begin 

 to rear brood in January, and, if they 

 are wintering well, continue, otherwise 

 they cease about March. 



V. V. Blackmer — I have used the 

 Langstroth frame entirely until last 

 spring, when I bought some bees in 

 Bristol hives, and I think I like that 

 frame better. The bees have some 

 honey above the cluster instead of at one 

 end. 



SHAIXOW^ FRAMES AND HIVES. 



" Advantages and disadvantages of 

 shallow frames." 



O. J. Lowrey —I find half-depth frames 

 very handy, and think I shall use more 

 in the future. 



H. L. Leonard — A shallow-frame hive 

 has capabilities that but few see. It is 

 a very good hive to ha^e around the 

 apiary. 



But few had used the shallow-frame 

 hives, and no one sufficiently to speak 

 of them with any degree of certainty. 



BEE-PASTURAGE — SUPERSEDING. 



" Is it advisable t« sow buckwheat or 

 anything for the bees to work upon ?" 



J. E. Crane — It is a very doubtful 

 policy. I prefer to have my neighbors 

 do the sowing. Alsike clover is good, 

 but I think its value as a honey-plant 

 has been highly over-estimated. 



" Are bees more apt to supersede their 

 queen if its wings are clipped ?" 



H. W. Scott — I never have been able 

 to detect the slightest difference, pro- 

 vided the queen was all right in other 

 respects. 



PARTLY-FILLED SECTIONS. 



"Can partly-filled sections be used 

 again with profit ?" 



Yes, if the sections are clean ; if not, 

 no. Cut back the comb and use them as 

 bait, either in the center of the case or 

 at each end. 



(Concluded next week.) 



