1873.] 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



87 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Mice Cleaning Combs. 



The practice of giving combs, to be cleared of 

 dead bees by mice, has been practised in frame 

 for more than fifty years. 



It is good only for those who own the old 

 gums or boxes. As the owner of these immov- 

 able hives cannot take out the combs, if he 

 wants to preserve some hives full of combs, he 

 has to clean them, to prevent moulding, and 

 mice can do that work for him. 



But the cleanliness of this process is doubt- 

 ful; wherever mice have access, they impreg- 

 nate the things around with their special scent, 

 which is far from being agreeable, besides they 

 eat not only the dead bees, but the combs also. 



There is, for us, owners of movable comb 

 hives, a better way to clean our combs ; it is to 

 introduce them in a May colony, between two 

 combs full of brood. The next day all dead 

 bees are removed, and the comb is scented 

 anew with the good odor of living bees. 



Cir. Dadant. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Feeding Bees, 



Last spring we had made up our mind to re- 

 move all the honey with the extractor from our 

 hives, but as the honey gathered this year is of 

 such a good quality we have concluded to 

 risk it once more. 



The readers of the Journal will remember 

 that my mode of mixing the syrup is about 

 this : To six pounds of granulated sugar add 

 five pints of water, boil five minutes. That is 

 our experience for the past fifteen years. One 

 of the best and most distinguished apiarians 

 in the U. S. informed me last spring tliat he 

 put about the same amount of water with his 

 sugar as Mr. Root does. I inquired if it didn't 

 crystalize, and his reply was no. Some time in 

 May, I received a neucli hive, containing five (5) 

 frames, of that gentleman and the way the 

 granulated sugar rattled out of those combs, 

 made me think that that man was not quite as 

 observing as he might be. However, we think 

 that four pints to six lbs. of sugar will do in 

 Oct., if it is boiled 10 minutes. 



"We think the cheapest (and can't say but 

 what it is the best) feeder in use, is the one Mr. 

 Langstroth has spoken of, that is, he mentioned 

 it to me, don't remember of his describing it in 

 the Jouknal. It is made of an oyster can or 

 a tomato can, holding about a quart. Two 

 combs are tied together at the largest end. One 

 is put in the can for the bees to run down on, 

 while the other is left outside for them to run 

 up on. As there is no patent upon this of 

 course it must be a good one. Our way of 

 feeding bees is to give each stock in Sept. or 

 Oct., enough to last them through the winter. 

 Nursing and feeding bees in winter is without 



profit. We are of the opinion that bees will 

 winter well throughout the northern States, but 

 in those parts of the South where it has beea 

 so wet all summer we think they will winter 

 poorly. One year ago (8 July, 1872.) we stated 

 in these columns that it was our opinion that 

 the loss of so many bees the previous winter, 

 was owing to the poor quality of food gathered 

 by the bees the season of '71. We are of that 

 opinion still and we find hundreds who came 

 to the same conclusion. 



In those sections where the honey is poor, 

 we advise the removal of it, and sugar syrup 

 fed instead. This is the only sure way to save 

 the bees. 



Last season very little pollen was collected 

 here, and the consequence was the bees left oflF 

 breeding very early. 



This season pollen is abundant, and at this 

 time (Sept. U,) my hives have nearly as much, 

 food as they did in the spring— or last of May, 

 rather. 



We shall expect them to commence breeding 

 at the usual time next spring. Very few bees 

 in these parts commenced breeding last spring, 

 earlier than first of May, as the weather was so 

 cold no pollen could be collected sooner thau 



that time. 



H. Alley. 



Wenham, Mass., Sept. 11, 1873. 



[For the American Bee Journal.] 



Fanners Should be the Bee Keepers. 



Mr. Editor : — There are several reasons that 

 present themselves to my mind, why the far- 

 mers should be the bee keepers ; and the profits 

 from the flowers, produced uptm their farms be 

 theirs ; as well as the profits of fields of grain 

 and grass. The fields are theirs and they are 

 entitled to the products. The product of honey 

 may be secured with much less expense and 

 trouble in proportion to its value, than the 

 other products of their fields. From 50 to 200 

 lbs. of honey may be secured annually, upon 

 each hundred acre farm, on an average ; worth 

 from $16.00 to $60.00— and require but an out- 

 lay of $10.00 for several years ;(i. e.) the cost of 

 one hive and swarm of bees. 



I have a swarm placed in my hive in 1867, 

 for which I paid $5.00, from which I have 

 taken in three years 480 lbs. of white clover 

 honey in boxes, and in the seven seasons in- 

 cluding its first year has averaged more thaa 

 lOOlbs. This, an ordinary season, I have takea 

 from it 140 lbs., by August 2nd, — of course all 

 white honey. 



If we divide the cost of the hive and swarm 

 ($10.00) into lOOO parts it will bring the actual 

 cost of the honey at one cent jjcr pound. But 

 this is my best hive, the only one from which 

 I have taken 200 lbs. of honey in one season my 

 next best gave me 174 lbs. But it can hardly 



