210 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL AND GAZETTE 



[From the BienenzeituDg ] 



Does the Treatment of the Larva Effect 

 the Color of the Queen? 



A letter -u'hicli I recently received contains 

 the following' passage : 



"Accept my most cordial thanks for the very 

 beautiful queen you sent. Her progeny also is 

 particularly beautiful; each individual is in 

 itself a pearl. But the forty young queens 

 reared from her eggs do not appear to me to be 

 all equally yellow. I have had queens raised 

 from her brood by both common and hybrid 

 stocks, and it would seem to me that those bred 

 by the latter are more yellow. Still, I may be 

 mistaken. I will continue my observations 

 next year." 



If I understand the foregoing correctly, the 

 writer is of opinion that the diverging grade of 

 the brooding colony has exerted a peculiar and 

 advantageous influence on the beauty of the 

 queens produced. I have heard from other 

 ciuarters also the notion that queens reared in 

 strong and populous stocks are always hand- 

 somer and more perfect than others. Both 

 opinions are based on substantially the same 

 view — namely, that the construction of the 

 royal cell, the preparation of the jelly or food, 

 the nurture of the larva, and the general treat- | 

 ment, so affect the inchoate and maturing queen 

 as to produce a change in her color and appear- 

 ance; and that diversity of race especially, and 

 the vigor and populousness of the colony thus 

 engaged, perceptibly enhance and improve this 

 change. 



My own experience is directly opposed to 

 this view. In my practice I have been unable 

 to detect any difference, in this respect, between 

 strong colonies and weak ones,- or between 

 Italian, hybrid, or common stocks. True, in 

 weak colonies, the royal cells or rather larva 

 are more apt to fail of development, and a 

 smaller number are usual'y started; but I have 

 never perceived that the young queens were im- 

 proved in appearance by the nutritive power of 

 strong colonies, though composed of bees of a 

 different race. In my judgment the color and 

 race-peculiarities in general, are predetermined 

 in the egg, and undergo no change or modifica- 

 tion from either nutriment or nursing. If the 

 writer found the j^oung Italian queens reared 

 in common or hybrid colonies, either yellower 

 or handsomer than others, the difference, if 

 real, is certainly merely casual. 



But since all persons are liable to err, and I 

 do not deem myself an exception, I trust the 

 writer will prosecute his investigations. And 

 if other bee-keepers have made observations 

 differing from mine, I would request that these 

 be communicated. For if the writer's views 

 should prove to be correct, it is important that 

 the fact be made known, so as to render it 

 available in rearing Italian c^ueens, in order to 

 improve the race. G. Dathe. 



Eystrup. 



When one wdio is stung by a bee or by fate 

 does not keep still, the sting tears off and is 

 left behind, — Jean Paul. 



For the American Bee Journal . 



A String of Questions Answered. 



J/?'. Editor : As I have used the Langstroth 

 hive for several years, I will with pleasure 

 answer the "string of questions" for "Querist." 



In answer to the first two questions : What 

 is the best width for top-pieces of comb-frnraes ? 

 Should they be any wider than the thickness of 

 brood-combs? I will say that the top-piece 

 should be 1| inches wide for the following rea- 

 sons : If the top-piece is only | of an inch wide, 

 or no wider than the brood-comb, the bees will 

 build their comb above and between the frames, 

 and fasten it to the honey-board so firmly that 

 the latter cannot be removed without disturbing 

 the bees very much; and before it is put back 

 again the comb and honey must be scraped off, 

 to avoid killing the bees. Now, if the top- 

 pieces are made 1^ inch wide, and allowing ten 

 frames to a hive wiiich is 14| inches wide in the 

 inside, and only | of an inch is allowed between 

 the lioney-board and the top of the frames, the 

 bees will not put much comb between, and the 

 honey-board can be removed at anytime with- 

 out disturbing the bees but very little. Where 

 the tops of the frames are only | of an inch 

 wide, the bees invariably fill the holes for the 

 surplus honey-boxes nearly full of comb,leaving 

 only a very small passage to pass up through. 

 But where the top-pieces are 1| inch wide, the 

 holes are kept clean. 



I have not seen the comb-guides used for a 

 number of years. Bee-keepers found it too 

 much trouble to get straight combs that way. 

 A much better way to secure straight combs is 

 to use old brood-comb cut into .strips only about 

 three or four cells thick, and stuck in the 

 frames with a mixture of honey and rosin. If 

 put on properly it will not come off. Brood- 

 comb can be straightened by warming it a little 

 and pressing it between two pieces of boards 

 until it is cold enough to remain as the boards 

 leave it. 



Instead of a triangular comb-guide, a fiat 

 one should be used on which to stick guide- 

 comb. After the guide-comb is fastened to the 

 frames, turn off the edges till it will be as sharp 

 as a triangular guide. This is a sure way to 

 secure straight combs. I never knew a case 

 where the guide-comb was put on properly, 

 that the bees did not build their combs through- 

 out exactly within the frames. 



Those using Langstroth's hives in this part 

 of New England, use a honey-board three- 

 eighths of an inch thick, with holes for passages 

 to the surplus honey-boxes 1^' inch in diameter. 

 Fourteen boxes are placed on a hive at the 

 time, which hold, when full, three pounds each. 

 This kind or size sells best in the Boston mar- 

 ket. IIeniiy Alley. 



Wenham, Mass. 



I always feed my bees for two or three days 

 after they have sw\armed, be the Aveather foul 

 or fair. It saves time, and helps them to get 

 their combs sooner made. Nothing you give 

 your bees is thrown away. All is repaid with 

 interest. 



