1897. 



THE AMERICAN BEE KEEPER. 



357 



length of one strain two-tenths mil- 

 limeters in the past season. This was 

 done by crossing. 



We are also experimenting on the 

 mating of queens to desirable drones. 



Next summer, these and other ex- 

 periments will be carried out and we 

 hope some of them will be of use to 

 ever}'^ bee-keeper. 



In order to help the apiarists, we 

 must have their names and we will be 

 glad to give whatever assistance is in 

 our power, as well as send them our 

 reports. 



1 noticed in another article, a be- 

 ginner wants to know some points ; 

 one was extracting. 



I should say extract all the frames 

 at once and if the brood chamber is 

 in proper shape the bees will keep 

 right on storing honey. Use the same 

 combs; if more combs are wanted add 

 one or two sheets of foundation at a 

 time. A colony should always be 

 kept populous. 



The sealed brood will not be injured 

 if the extractor is not turned too hard 

 and the honey is warm. Never ex- 

 tract from a frame with unsealed 

 brood. Better use a queen excluder 

 if running for extracted honey, then 

 you will avoid having brood in the 

 extracting combs. 



I should not feed a colony in the 

 height of the honey flow. 



Mr. G. W. L. says that "there is 

 so much that he does'nt know about 

 bee-keeping." — My dear friend, we 

 are all in the "same fix." Some aie 

 farther advanced than others. 1 al- 

 ways like to talk to a man who does 

 not think that he knows more than 

 most ordinary men. In fact, you can 



never give a man any assistance un- 

 til he finds out that he needs it. 



1 have not written this, Mr. Edi- 

 tor, expecting you to publish it, but 

 if any of the answers to the questions 

 suit you, you may print them. 



I should like, however, to have you 

 inform your readers that they are not 

 slighted by the Michigan Experimen- 

 tal Station. Yours Truly, 



John M. Rankin. 



Agricultural College, Mich. 



Nov. 17, 1897. 



Ed. Am. Bee Keeper, D.ar Sir. — 

 My bees have furnished me with a 

 good crop of honey this season, and 

 1 feel very much encouraged to take 

 care of them properly. 1 hope for an 

 even better honey season next year. 

 I say better, for we have had plenty 

 of rain this season thus giA'ing the 

 clover a good start, and it is so well 

 rooted that it will be ready in the 

 spring to come forth and meet the 

 bees half way. 



The American Bee Keeper Is all 

 I take in the bee keeping line, and I 

 want it as long as 1 am able to keep 

 a few bees. 



Some cruel bee keeper recently told 

 in the Bee Keeper how he clubbed 

 toads to death in the bee yard. This 

 is wrong. The toad is more a friend 

 than an enemy and should not be 

 killed. When 1 find one in my bee 

 yard, 1 set one foot gently on him 

 and then take him up by the hind 

 foot and carry him ten or twelve rods 

 to the garden where I leave him to 

 catch insects. Yours truly, 



S. M. Keeler. 



Chenango Bridge, N. Y. 



Nov. 29, 1897. 



