754 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. 



ovum, aud can exercise it when neces- 

 sity prompts them to do so. 



If the nurse-bees do ever perfo^m an 

 operation of the kind inferred it must 

 be subtile in its nature as to place it be- 

 yond the grasp of the most acute obser- 

 vation, unless, eventually, w. h the aid 

 of a powerful lense. But, without, it is 

 very doubtful that the bees «^f .^« 

 change the sex of the ova, and as the 

 Iroslnd cons relative to the process are 

 ^settled, it must remain a theoiT unti 

 a more reliable investigation than has 

 heretofore been made may confirm its 



truth or fallacy. .^lativp tn 



Whatever the facts may be relative to 

 a change of sex in the ovum, a nice dis- 

 crimination is displayed by the nurse- 

 bees in their care of the brood-a single 

 Srone-larva, surrounded by hundreds o 

 the opposite sex, is fed, and its cell 

 capped with unvariable precision. 



Much stress has been given to the 

 " pressure theory " in attempts to eluci- 

 date the sex qualifications; but as It IS 

 usually explained, there is but a slight 

 chance for its realization. When it is 

 known to a certainty that the queen-bee 

 will deposit ova, worker or drone regu- 

 larly in new combs with cells J^, and 

 often less than 1/16 inch deep bui 

 on foundation sheets, the assumption is 

 totally destitute of support, unless the 

 pressure is exercised telescopically by 

 the ovapositor on the bottom of the cells 

 —the act being accompanied by an ex- 

 ertion that secures the ova m their 

 places. Here, again, uncertainty of 

 observation relegates the whole matter 

 to the realms of conjecture. 



It is very doubtful if a system of re- 

 search can be instituted that will dis- 

 close the modus operandi to the satis- 

 faction of the most expert scientist ; tor, 

 iudging from the many attempts that 

 have been made to elucidate the mys- 

 teries that surround the known fact, 

 that the queen-bee can alternate the sex 

 of her ova with a precision that admits 

 of no mistakes, there is certainly but a 

 very slight opening for the most acute 

 investigator to exercise his talents in 

 attempts to solve the secrets that are in- 

 volved in the results. 

 Cumberland, Me. 



Hiving Swarms on Drawn 

 Combs— Bail Sections. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 

 BY J. K. COMMON. 



Your Neighbor Bee-Keeper 



—have you asked him or her to subscribe 

 for the Bek Jouknai. ? Only $1.00 will 

 pay for it for a whole year. And, bo- 

 sides, you can have Newman's book on 

 "Bees and lioney " as a premium, tor 

 sending us two new subscribers. Don t 

 neglect your neighbor I See page < cSJ. 



On page 823 of the Bee Journal for 

 1892, is an article from Mr. Hutchin- 

 son in regard to hiving swarms on 

 drawn combs in producing comb honey. 

 Having tried it to my entire satisfaction, 

 I am convinced that the bees will give 

 double the surplus honey if hived on 

 drawn combs, if rightly managed. 



When the first swarm issues, I hive it 

 in a hive filled with drawn combs, and 

 give them the section-case that was on 

 the old hive, or one with a few un- 

 finished sections, and I never had any 

 trouble in getting the bees to fill them. 

 I go to the old hive the seventh or 

 eighth day after the swarm issues, and 

 cut out all the queen-cells but one, and 

 enclose that one in a queen-cell protec- 

 tor, giving them a case of sections with 

 a few unfinished sections in the center, 

 then I am not troubled with any more 

 increase, and frequently I get from 80 

 to 100 pounds of surplus honey after 

 the swarm issues. 



Last year I was so careless as to neg- 

 lect to give one of my colonies the 

 proper attention, and a second swarm 

 issued. I hived it on drawn combs, and 

 about 15 minutes after it was hived a 

 stray swarm came along and alighted on 

 a bush ; I put it in with the new swarm, 

 and gave them a section-case baited with 

 a few unfinished sections ; they gave me 

 over 20 pounds of surplus honey, besides 

 filling their hive in less than three 

 weeks, and making a rousingly strong 

 colony that has wintered safely. 



There is no better way to get the bees 

 to work in sections than to give them a 

 few unfinished ones in the center of the 

 case for bait. When the white honey 

 harvest is over, give the bees more 

 frames, and when they are filled, if not 

 needed, put them away in a warm room 

 where they will not spoil, and they can 

 be used for spring feeding. This will 

 give you a lot of drawn combs if you are 

 careful of them, and it is better than 

 feeding sugar syrup to get the bees 

 through. I never fed sugar syrup but 

 once, and that was one year ago, when I 

 did not happen to have a lot of drawn 

 combs fillt'd with honey. I found a few 

 of my bees on the verge of starvation. 



Save the dark honey for feeding, 

 market the white, and let the sugar- 

 honey business severely alone. 

 Angelica, N. Y., May IT, 189b. 



