AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



371 



Divided Colonics — ^Vriting^ for 

 Ihe Press. 



Wrttte7i for the American Bee Journal 

 BY J. H. ANDRE. 



Query 849 — " Having Divided Colo- 

 nies as Good as Natural Swarms " — re- 

 minds me of my experience in this line. 

 The best success I ever had vi^as in 

 drumming out a swarm and removing 

 the colony, putting the new swarm in 

 its place. If there is much larvae in the 

 hive, some of it should be removed, as it 

 migiit not be properly attended if the 

 drumming is quite through. It is a 

 question to me if it is best to give the 

 removed larvte to the new swarm. I 

 sometimes think nature is desti'oyed in 

 doing so. 



If a large swarm is drummed from a 

 strong colony, they will hardly need any 

 additional strength. Giving them brood 

 might partially discourage the great 

 energy I have always observed when 

 they are left as a natural swarm (prob- 

 ably others will differ from me in regard 

 to their being a natural swarm. Well, 

 perhaps they are not ; but if not, then a 

 queen they are forced to rear is not a 

 natural queen). I have sometimes 

 thought if larval brood is removed it 

 would be best to give it to another col- 

 ony, and replace with sealed brood. A 

 laying queen should be given them im- 

 mediately, if possible. This saves the 

 two weeks or more of lost time it takes 

 them to rear one. 



I have tried the plan of giving colo- 

 nies laying queens after they had cast 

 one large swarm, by destroying cells and 

 queens. Such colonies were very profit- 

 able, holding strength well until late in 

 the season. 



BEE-STINGS FOR RHEUMATISM. 



Probably the cases of rheumatism 

 being cured by the stings of bees, which 

 are mentioned in the Bee Journal, 

 were caused by too much alkali in the 

 system. No doubt an acid, rheumatism 

 wrculd be greatly aggravated by the 

 same remedy. In fact, I think it is a 

 prime cause in many cases, my own be- 

 ing one of the latter. 



fair play in literary work. 



I have read Mr. Wm. F. Clarke's arti- 

 cle on page 827 of the Bee Journal for 

 1892, and know how he felt when he 

 wrote it. 



I am very sorry we cannot all think 

 alike in being careful not to send mat- 

 ter for publication which is likely to give 



i quo 



offence to others. Oftentimes the one 

 trod upon is just in the primary of his 

 or her literary abilities, and with a little 

 encouragement might make a first-class 

 writer. Alas, a slur discourages for- 

 ever. If there is any class that is more 

 sensitive than those in limited financial 

 circumstances who depend in part fbr a 

 living upon their pen, I have failed to 

 find them. 



I have been attacked through the local 

 press, and know how it feels. When 

 paraded as a contributor of a leading 

 New York paper, and liable to be ap- 

 pointed confidential advisor to the Post- 

 master General for trying to right a 

 wrong, I sent the clipping to the agri- 

 cultural editor of said paper, and his 

 reply was : " I have heard nothing from 

 your enemies, and it will make no differ- 

 ence if I do ; I judge articles by their 

 merit. Be sure you are right, then go 

 ahead." Well, it spurred me on to right 

 the wrong, and the consequence was the 

 writer of my local advertisements was 

 indicted for selling alcohol in the post- 

 office, fined, and driven from the office. 

 He also had a plurality of wives. 



My rule in writing is to strive not to 

 offend any one. I do this for the reason 

 that it is my principle. Also, others are 

 not interested in reading the petty dif- 

 ferences between two persons ; and, 

 most of all, I fear I might drive some 

 one out of the paper of far greater worth 

 than myself. 



Now, brothers, I am sorry if I have 

 ever given offence ; well pleased to hear 

 of your successes, and sympathize with 

 you in your losses. Let us all shake and 

 be friends. 



Lockwood, N. Y. 



►♦^ 



Dividing the Colonies vs. Natural 

 Swarniins. 



Written for the American Bee Joumdi 

 BY J. C. BALCH. 



I want to give Mr. Wooldridge (see 

 page 116) some pointers on dividing 

 against natural swarming. I, too, am 

 in favor of dividing where it is properly 

 and not too "numerously" done. The 

 way I proceed is this : 



As soon as the first colony has queen- 

 cells nearly ready to cap over, I take a 

 new hive to that colony, open the hive 

 and hunt the queen. When I find her, 

 I put the frame that she is on, with all 

 adhering bees, into the new hive, then 

 take out one frame with seme brood and 

 some honey, and put in with the queen. 

 Then fill the new hive with frames with 



