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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



ANSWERS BY MRS. TUPPER. 



We wintered 90 stands of bees in our 

 cellar last winter, and all came out alive 

 but onn that was queenless in the fall. 

 The cellar was dry and well ventilated, 

 mercury stood from 30 to 40 the greater 

 part of the time, when it sunk to 32. We 

 would build a moderate fire, there was but 

 very little mouldy comb, but some were 

 affected with dysentery, but after getting 

 a fly seemed to get over it. I lost one out 

 of 48 late in the spring, think they left the 

 hive as there was nothing in it but robbers 

 when first discovered. 



My object was to get surplus this season, 

 did not divide but one swarm. It is well I 

 did not, as we have had a very wet season. 

 So far my bees seem to get enough to live 

 on and prevent them from uncapping 

 brood (with but little exception), the 

 greater part of them have brood in all the 

 the combs, but very few any honey, mostly 

 one or two in each hive has a little, not 

 one out of the 48 can I find that has any 

 to spare. There was an abundant crop of 

 white clover and considerable yet, and I 

 find to-day they are gaining some. Some of 

 them are very strong, fill their six boxes 

 so full I can seldom see what they are 

 doing, and, lay out badly too. And yet I 

 find they are doing but very little. I have 

 taken out drone comb, put in empty frames, 

 etc., and yet they will leave such spaces 

 empty rather than fill it. All the comb they 

 have built this Spring and Summer would 

 not fill one Langstroth frame. I attribute 

 it to the heavy rains ; it has been dry for 

 a week and were it not so late would have a 

 Jwpe they migM do something yet. My 

 object in writing was to know thy opinion, 

 (knowing thee has lived in the State a num- 

 ber of years, should it be seasonable will 

 they be likely to gather enough to live on 

 until Fall flowers come,) there will be an 

 abundance of smartweed, (very many fields 

 did not get plowed at all,) I see it is coming 

 out now. I am well aware that many 

 would say feed, but I do not wish to ^o 

 to that expense if they will live without it, 

 I am sorry to bother any one, but will feel 

 very much gratified to receive a few lines 

 from thee if convenient. 

 Keokuk Co., Iowa. L. L. Vail. 



We have seen two just such seasons as 

 you describe, while we lived in Washing- 

 ton Co., and in both of these years bees 

 not only filled up but stored much surplus 

 in August and September. There will be 

 constant bloom until frost, and after then, 

 in wet seasons we always have had hot 



days, just right for secretion of honey. 

 We have had natural swarms as late as 

 the last of August, and one at least in 

 September that filled their hives, and 

 wintered well. The fact that your bees 

 have plenty of brood, shows that they 

 have been gathering a good deal of honey ; 

 they could not rear brood without it. We 

 would not advise feeding now unless in 

 case of a long continued storm — then it 

 may be necessary, to save brood. Damp 

 wet weather seems to encourage brood 

 rearing. Wet seasons in Iowa have been 

 our most profitable ones, counting increase 

 and honey, but we have never before this 

 year seen a season when everything has 

 been so discouraging up to date (July 25). 

 Cold dry weather in spring, followed by 

 constant rain — then, when linden came into 

 bloom, and the weather was all that could 

 be desired, a blight came on that bloom here 

 and but little honey was gathered. Still we 

 look for much fall honey, and bees that 

 have been kept in good condition to gather 

 it, will still have a harvest time. 



D. L. Adair, Hawesville, Ky., writes ; 

 " Our bees have done nothing until within 

 the last three weeks. They arc now doing 

 wonders."— Sept. 20, 1875. 



L. C. AxTELL, Roseville, 111., writes: 

 " We fed to forty -eight colonies one hun- 

 dred dollars worth of sugar, from apple 

 blossoms, till the first of August. There 

 seemed to be nothing for them to gather. 

 Apple blossoms, white clover and bass- 

 wood were all a failure here, but buck- 

 wheat promises well, and my bees are in 

 fine condition to gather it, and the hives 

 are crowded with brood."— Aug. 18, 1875. 



J. S. Harbison, San Diego, Cal., writes: 

 "The total crop of 1875 will not be over 

 two-thirds that of 1874, notwithstanding 

 the greatly increased numbers of hives 

 over the preceding year. Cause, drought 

 and cold."— Aug. 18, 1875. 



L. G. Purvis, Sidney, Iowa, writes: 

 "I cannot do without* The American 

 Bee Journal, as long as I keep bees, and 

 it remains as good as it is now. Bees are 

 doing well here in both increase and sur- 

 plus. I will give an account of my suc- 

 cess when the season ends. — Aug. 20, 1875. 



Hiram Roop, Carson City, Mich.,writes : 

 " To-day the country is white with bloom, 

 but it is cold vet. I got 8000 lbs. extracted 

 honey from 'fifty-five hives during bass- 

 wood bloom. I had 105 stocks running 

 for comb honey, but as the season has 

 been so cold, I have concluded to extract 

 nearly all. I will give you my report at 

 the close of the season."— Aug. 21, 1875. 



