378 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



May 1. 



case would be different from what it is where it 

 is necessary for the bees to create the heat 

 sufficient for brood-rearing inside of the cluster 

 of bees, and not inside of the hive. To thus 

 create and preserve heat inside of the cluster, 

 the bees must have more space than for a single 

 tier of bees between each range of combs. In 

 my experiments I have found that far more 

 brood will be brought to perfection, during the 

 cool days of April and May, with 1% spac- 

 ing, than there will with 134 spacing; but when 

 we come to July weather, then the most brood 

 will be produced with 1^4 spacing. But all 

 know that, as a rule, one square inch of brood 

 in May is worth tea square inches in July; and 

 as we do not wish to be continually spacing our 

 frames, we can not well adopt 1% for May and 

 IJi for July, so I strike the happy medium of 

 IK inches, and use the same the tvhole year 

 through. 



CONTRACTION FOR SWARMS. 



Question. — At the Chicago International 

 Convention some favored hiving new swarms 

 on four or five L. frames to obtain the most 

 surplus comb honey, according to the report of 

 that convention. In so doing, is it necessary to 

 fill the empty part of the brood-charriber, where 

 comb foundation is used in these five frames, 

 to prevent the bees building comb therein? 

 Also, is it necessary to use a queen-excluder 

 over such colonies? 



Answer. — It will be necessary to shut the 

 bees out of the vacant part of the hive while it 

 is thus contracted to four or five combs, other- 

 wise the bees will build comb in this vacant 

 space in preference to going into the sections 

 and working there, for it is more natural for 

 bees to fill up the apartment where the queen 

 presides, rather than to go into separate apart- 

 ments, away from her. In fact, bees will store 

 more surplus honey in an apartment with the 

 queen, if that is large enough to accommodate 

 them, than they will in any other way; and 

 the object of contraction is for the purpose of 

 compelling the bees to enter the many surplus 

 apartments made by the different sections. 

 The best thing I know of to fill up this vacant 

 space at the sides of the four or five frames 

 given is what are termed "dummies." After 

 you are satisfied regarding the number of 

 frames you will use, then make dummies out of 

 thin lumber, so that one on each side of the 

 frames used will exactly fill up the room. This 

 is easier than to use a number of division- 

 boards, although the hitter will answer the 

 purpose, but will require more labor in han- 

 dling. You will also need to use a queen-ex- 

 cluder, for in a contracted hive the queen is 

 quite liable to go up into the sections and de- 

 posit eggs, which the bees will nurse into brood; 

 and brood in sections is one of the most provok- 

 ing things that ever confronts a bee-keepor. 



[We have recommended the Heddon short 

 way of transferring considerably of late; but we 



were not aware that we or any one had advised 

 that good combs should be destroyed ; but the 

 combs in box hives, and in frames from farmer 

 bee-keepers, have been so crooked, as a rule, 

 that it has seemed cheaper not to fuss with 

 them, saving only those that were good and 

 true. In advising this short method we have 

 generally recommended its application after 

 the honey-harvest, because at that time it will 

 cause the least disturbance. When the old way 

 is to be followed we recommend fruit-bloom 

 time. 



Regarding spacing, we have never recom- 

 mended the 14 inch, because that seemed too 

 close; but we have invited free discussion for 

 the purpose of getting more light. The I'V- 

 inch distance is what we recommend; first, be- 

 cause we secure better combs, just as much 

 worker brood, less drone brood, and because 

 the majority of bee-keepers are using it. An- 

 other fact to be observed is, that many have 

 changed from 114 to 1?,^ inch; but we do not re- 

 call any one who has changed from 1% to IS 

 inch. When we had 13w-inch spacing in our 

 apiary we were always bothered with combs 

 bulged at the top during the honey-harvest. 

 By the 1^^ spacing, and fixed distances, we 

 have combs that are like boards over the entire 

 surface.— Ed. J 



^/c%/^g#^] 



M 



A correspondent from the far North wants 

 me to give in Gleanings my preference as tc 

 separators, tin or wood, also for 1 or 4 piece sec- 

 tions, with reasons therefor. 



If you nail on a wood separator, when thf 

 wo(id shrinks and swells, the nails holding it tc 

 place, it must curl: whereas if it lies loose in 

 place, simply held thereby being squeezed, ther 

 it can come and go and still lie perfectly flat 

 So I never would nail on a wood separator, bul 

 let it be loose. A tin separator will not cur 

 sidewise, like the wood, no matter whether it is 

 nailed or loose. But it is inclined to shrinli 

 endwise, if I may use such an expression— thai 

 is, it will assume a wavy form; and to prevent 

 this a tin separator must be stretched taut, and 

 nailed. So I would say, if a loose separator is 

 to be used, let it be of wood; if a nailed separa 

 tor is to be used, et it be tin. 



I prefer a one-piece section because cheaper 

 and because the bees will put less glue on the 

 bent corners. C. C. Miller. 



Marengo, 111. 



HOW TO SETTLE THE GLUCOSE PROHLEA[. 



Would you please tell us for what purpose 

 glucose is manufactured? Has it any real le- 

 gitimate use? If it is, as I understand it, usee 

 only to adulterate molasses, syrups, honey, and 

 the like, why is its manufacture permitted bj 

 the government? If it would be unconstitu- 

 tional to stop its manufacture, would it not b( 

 possible for the combined efforts of the bee- 

 keepers and their friends to succeed in having 



