140 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



"any number of queens." Neither do I think 

 its introduction would prevent raising them. I 

 consider it simply labor lost; doing neither good 

 or hurt; and all contention as to who first dis- 

 covered the application, unless it can be shown 

 to effect more in other hands than mine, had 

 better be dispensed with. 



Another point in Mr. Flanders' management 

 I do not approve. That is, the four days lost 

 time in rearing brood in one-half the hive. A 

 prolific queen during that time might secure 

 from foitr to six thousand bees, which is thrown 

 away by protracting her absence that time 

 longer than necessary. I should not be sur- 

 prised to find nearly all the eggs hatched into 

 larv?e by that time, and thereby suffer a defeat. 



The cages for hatching queens, "constructed 

 by boring holes through a board," no doubt 

 answers a good purpose, but as it separates the 

 bees, and sometimes they leave one side exposed 

 to a chill, I have made a different arrangement 

 that I like better — not patented — which I will 

 describe, if j'ou wish, some time when I have 

 more room. M. Quinby. 



St. Johnsville, N. Y. 



MONTHLY MANAGEMENT. 



Care of Bees. 



The article on '■'■Extraordinary Sicarm- 

 ing''' in our last number, dated at Delhi, Ohio, 

 should have been dated at "Delhi, Ingham 

 county, Michigan." It was an iuadvertant 

 error, such as will at times occur, much to the 

 annoyance and vexation of the proof-reader. 



For the American Bee Gazette. 



Robbing. 



HOW IT COMMENCES GENERALLY. 



A bee or two fly around the entrance; the 

 heated air from within makes them and 

 others of the same scent, with those in the hive, 

 and they acquire boldness by not being attacked 

 at the entrance, enter, and are not molested, as 

 they have the pass or same scent of the owners 

 of the hive; take a load home; others go through 

 the same process, until the hive is robbed, un- 

 less stopped by changing the scent of the bees 

 of either party. We stop it best by putting 

 something in the robbers' hive like a piece of 

 onion; any kind of mint, or feeding a little 

 scented feed at night ; keep the entranco 

 close'; keep strong stocks 



jAiiEs M. Marvin. 



St. Charles, Kane Co., Ills. 



A DOUBLED hive will consume no mora honey 

 in tlie winter than a single one. The reason of 

 it seems to be, that where there are many bees 

 in a hive, they can keep warm by crowding 

 close together, instead of eating, so that in a 

 lull liive the same quantity of honey goes further 

 I ban in a weak one, as each bee eats less. They 

 keep themselves warm from the outside, and so 

 do not require to be heated in the inside, as a 

 man who can, by keeping bees, or any other 

 honest way, have a good coat on his back, is 

 Avarm enough without a brandy bottle. 



As during the mouth of January there ia 

 usually little for the bee-keeper to do, beyond a 

 general supervision of his hives, it may not be 

 out of place here to submit some general remarks 

 on the care and treatment of bees. 



We are by no means to suppose that the care 

 of bees means a continual officious interference 

 with them — lifting the hives to ascertain their 

 weight; turning them up to inspect the con- 

 dition of the combs, or opening the sidelights 

 to see what may not well be seen. Every such 

 disturbance is felt to be an annoyance by this 

 quiet-loving insect, produces more or less ex- 

 citement in the mass, and causes an increased 

 consumption of honey. 



This of course is less injurious during the 

 working season than at other periods, but even 

 then it is a disadvantageous interruption of 

 their labor, which should be avoided when pos- 

 sible. Important objects may sometimes make 

 it indispensable to subject the bees to rather 

 rough handling; but whatever is thus under- 

 taken should be executed with all possible ex- 

 pedition. Most of the old Avriters caution be- 

 ginners against such frequent intermeddling, 

 asserting that those colonies in an apiary which 

 are least disturbed and even rarely visited by 

 their owner, generally accumulate the largest 

 stores of honey. Our own observation and ex- 

 perience corroborate this. 



The recent discovery, too, made by Hubler 

 Rothe, and Keding, that such disturbances often 

 cause the workers to encase and kill their own 

 queens, shows how important it is that colonies 

 should never be exposed to needless or avoid- 

 able annoyances. Even standing in front of a 

 hive when the bees are flying, after noon, at a 

 time Avhen queens are being reared, may cause ' 

 the loss of one returning from abroad. 



While thus discountenancing all unnecessary 

 interference, we would earnestly recommend a 

 regular and observant supervision of the hives, 

 noting the deportment of the bees of each 

 colony. To this end it is not necessary to 

 stand watching them hour after hour. A single 

 glance is ofttimes sulficient to ascertain the con- 

 dition of a colony, and the practiced eye will 

 speedily detect any unusual appearances, by 

 which one colony differs in deportment from 

 another. Should aught suspicious be observed, 

 investigation of the cause should immediately 

 be made, though as gently and quietly as pos- 

 sible. Passing and repassing in front of the 

 hives, calmly and se .lately, to accustom the 

 bees to your presence,is in no wise objectionable, 

 provided it be done at proper times, when nor. 

 interfering with the flight and labor of tlie busy 

 multitude, or, as above stated, endangering the 

 safety of a newlj'-bred queen. 



Bee-culture, this season, promises to make 

 great progress, as much unusual interest is taken 

 by bee-keepers for the cultivation of bees. We 

 will soon be able to make favorable comjiarison, 

 in that line, with that of Europe. 



