AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



435 



every possible way to keep only the best 

 that can be reared. 



I give below a system that we have 

 been using for some time, and one with 

 which I can find no fault, so far: 



We use the little slates recommended 

 by Mr. A. I. Root, to be hung on a nail 

 driven into the hive, for keeping a rec- 

 ord of each colony. On one side of the 

 slate we keep in a sort of short-hand, or 

 abbreviation, a record of the condition 

 of the colony. On the other side of the 

 slate we have something like this : 



Age, Jun 92. 

 D. S. rd. abov Exc. 



This means that the queen was 

 hatched in June, 1892 (showing her 

 age). " D. S." means that she was 

 reared from eggs from one of Doolittle's 

 Queens, or Doolittle's Strain or Stock ; 

 and " rd. abov Exc." means that the 

 cells were built over a full colony having 

 a laying queen below, and a queen-ex- 

 cluder between the upper and lower 

 stories. If the latter read " rd. by N. 

 S.," it would mean that the cells were 

 built under Natural Swarming, or by 

 bees under the swarming impulse. 



We find the best thing for writing on 

 these slates to be a medium soft lead- 

 pencil. Under ordinary circumstances 

 this writing will last for many months, 

 or even a year, and that, too, when ex- 

 posed to the elements. Should we find 

 the writing becoming dim, it takes but a 

 few seconds to renew it. By holding 

 the slate so that the light strikes it at 

 the proper angle, this writing is quite 

 plain, and is easily read. 



Many, no doubt, prefer keeping re- 

 cords in a book provided for the pur- 

 pose, and having the hives or colonies 

 numbered. But no matter how we keep 

 the record, is it not surely worth the 

 time and trouble ? 



Bluflfton, Mo. 



► ■ ^ 



Burr-Combs on Brood-Frames- 

 Hybrid Bees, Ete. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 

 BY C. A. MONTAGUE. 



Where deep frames are used, is there 

 found to be as much trouble with "burr- 

 combs" as with shallow frames? Do 

 those who use the Quinby frame gen- 

 erally have as much bother in this direc- 

 tion ? This frame I have never used, 

 but ever since I commenced to handle 

 bees (in 1882) I have had both the 

 Langstroth and Gallup frames in con- 

 stant use. Invariably, I have had much 



more trouble with burr-combs on the 

 Langstroth. In fact, I have had so little 

 trouble with the Gallup that I would at 

 once change to that frame, were it not 

 for the expense. 



The greater depth of the Gallup frame 

 leaves the cluster in better shape for 

 wintering. On the other hand, I work 

 for extracted honey, mostly, and I find 

 it slower work to extract from this 

 frame, where the bees are allowed to 

 cap the honey. This would make little 

 difference, however, especially as I can 

 procure more honey, and of fully as good 

 quality, by extracting just as soon as the 

 bees commence capping. 



I strain the honey into the tanks (it 

 is much easier to strain if extracted be- 

 fore it is capped), and tie cheese-cloth 

 over the tops of the tanks. I think the 

 editor will acknowledge that it is good 

 honey. [Yes ; the sample sent to us 

 was excellent.^ED.] 



I used 100 of the improved Hoffman 

 frames the past season, and I could see 

 no difference as to "buiT-combs," but 

 they are much easier to handle. Ex- 

 cepting the Gallup, my frames all have 

 the thick top-bars. 



PREFERS THE HYBRID BEES. 



I am not sure that I care for any of 

 the "yellow" bees. I find that my 

 hybrids are more cross, and build comb 

 wherever they can find a chance ; but 

 they are more active, can't be robbed, 

 and gather more honey ; and thaVs what 

 I want. 



Archie, Mich. 



* I m 



Treatment of Svi^arming; Queen§ 

 Explained. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 

 BY DR. C. C. MILLER. 



I have received the following letter 

 from James P. Hall, of Wyanet, Ills., 

 which I desire to answer in the Ameri- 

 can Bee Journal : 



Friend Miller : — On page 69, in 

 your book, " A Year Among the Bees," 

 you state, " After the queen is in the 



cage and the cage put where the 



bees can take care of it," etc. Now, 

 what I wish you would make plain to me 

 is this : When the queen's wings are 

 clipped, and a swarm issues, and the 

 queen found and caged, how long do 

 you allow the queen caged before she is 

 released ? 



The trouble with my clipped queens 

 the past season was, they would stay in 



