220 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



are present, the small populations may be 

 again united. And in reference to the 

 certain possessions of a new queen by the 

 reunited stock, it is only necessary to ob- 

 serve, that with two, and especially with 

 three queens hatched, the probability of 

 the loss of all three must be very slight. 

 At least one queen will remain, which 

 then becomes the mother of the whole 

 united stock. But the unusual occurrence 

 of all three queens in a threefold division 

 being lost, is an exceptional case, upon 

 which little stress need be laid, since 

 other divided stocks will have a spare 

 queen for the less fortunate ones. 



It will be understood that by this mode 

 of division drone-breeding in the mother 

 stock becomes almost impossible. In 

 this matter, again, the easy control that the 

 apiarian has over the two or threefold 

 stock comes to his assistance. And if, by 

 this plan of division, he preserves only 

 one of his stocks from drone-breeding, 

 the slight trouble which it causes is thor- 

 oughly rewarded. 



That these small stocks of the divided 

 hive only build worker-comb under a 

 young queen, results from their weakness 

 and the impulse they feel to increase as 

 rapidly as possible the working popula- 

 tion which can only be raised in worker- 

 cells. 



In situations where bees that have a 

 strong tendency to swarm are cultivated, 

 or where through a luxuriant pasturage 

 they are easily excited to swarm, more 

 especially if the stocks are kept thorough- 

 ly strong like mine, it not unfrequently 

 happens that these stock, even under 

 young queens, instead of worker-comb, 

 vigorously begin to build drone-comb, 

 which is frequently furnished with eggs. 

 This undesirable occurrence is quite pre- 

 vented by this plan of division. The 

 empty frames with guides that are given 

 to these dividen stocks are, on account of 

 the reason above stated, built without one 

 cell of drone-comb. In this manner five 

 new combs may be built in a threefold 

 stock, so that the united population may 

 contain fourteen beautifully perfect combs, 

 which, being free from drone-comb, are 

 of considerable value to the bee-keeper. 

 It must be remembered, however, that 

 comb-building costs honey, which also 

 has its value; and judicious bee-keepers 

 will make the production sometimes of 

 the one, sometimes of the other, his prin- 

 cipal aim according to the end in view. 

 A certain amount of comb-building, how- 

 ever, should always be permitted to these 

 populations in wliich the building im- 

 pulse is strongly awakened when the 

 young queen begins to lay. The increas- 

 ed industry of the bees through comb- 

 building doubly compensates for the hon- 

 ey used for a moderate amount of combs. 



There are two advantages of this mode 

 of division which cannot be too highly 



estimated, — the raising of so many young 

 queens, and the production of populations 

 capable of work at the right time. Every 

 stock yields one or two fruitful queens, 

 which can be used for stocks that have 

 not been divided, or for those that have 

 become queenless, or for exchanging with 

 old queens, or those that are not satisfact- 

 ory, or for sale if there is the opportunity. 

 The advantages hence resulting there is 

 no need specially to mention ; they are 

 apparent, as also are those of possessing 

 at the right time, strong working popula- 

 tions, or to express myself popularlj^ "to 

 have bowls ready when it rains porridge." 

 Heis in want of the bowls whose stocks 

 first develope themselves, not before, but 

 during the gathering time, or break up 

 before or at the beginning of this time in- 

 to smaller populations. This splitting up 

 of the strength can be radically prevent- 

 ed, as I have pointed out by my plan of 

 division if this is undertaken at t!ie right 

 time, tliat is so arranged that by means of 

 the reunion of small populations, strong 

 stocks under young queens, free from the 

 swarming impulse and filled witn a rest- 

 less eagerness in collecting, are produced 

 at the season of the principal pasturage. 

 — Echoes from Oermany, in British {Eng.) 

 Bee Journal. 



{To he continued.) 



For the American Bee Journal. 



My New Bee House. 



BY B. I. TALBOTT. 



Mr. Newman : — As I see so much said 

 about a bee house now, I send you the 

 following article which I had published 

 in the Farmer's Journal, Cedar Rapids, 

 Iowa, for March, 1873. I have used the 

 House ever since with good success, and 

 believe it to be the great need of the age. 

 Here is the article in question : 



Having built a bee house a little diflFer- 

 ent from any I had seen, I thought I 

 would give a description of it so that if 

 any one wished to duplicate it, they 

 might do so without the expense of a 

 patent, as I am willing to make it a free- 

 will offering to the whole bee-loving fra- 

 ternity. 



DESCRIPTIONS OF MY HOUSE, BUILT FOR 

 TWENTY-FOUR HIVES. 



The foundation the same as for a bal- 

 loon frame, 4 joists 2.x6, 15 feet 2 inches 

 long; spike well together in form of a 

 rabbet, then 13 joists 2x6, 6 feet long, 

 placed just 15 inches apart from center to 

 center, and you have a foundation. Then 

 for one side, take 13 studs 2x4, 6 feet long. 

 Nail securely on the lower end of them, 

 a good and straight flooring board, plac- 

 ing the studs just 15 inches apart from 



