1894 



GLEANINGS IN HEE CULTURE. 



023 



groove, ridge, or starter, running along the 

 center for a comb-guide, leaving two ridges on 

 ■either or both sides) does not work with me for 

 hiving on empty frames. The bees have taken 

 the outside one frequently. («ive me the for- 

 mer style, every time, with one unmistakable 

 comb-guide and a bottom-bar •'.! inch broad, 

 and a little flexible. Geo. W. Gkasi.kn. 



.lessup, Md., July 11. 



[There have been other complaints, more 

 particularly because of the dilliculty of fasten- 

 ing comb foundation to the comb-guide of the 

 improved top-bar; and very recently we have 

 changed the cutter- knives so as to make the 

 grooves on either side deeper, leaving the comb- 

 guide more prominent, and more accessible to a 

 foundation-roller. The new top-bars, while 

 modilied but slightly, would give you but little 

 trouble, excfjit, perhaps, to hive a swarm upon 

 frames eont;iiiiiiig such top-l)ars absolutely 

 fi'ec. from any comb-guidi^. It Is not a safe 

 thing to do. usually, to hive on frames strictly 

 empty. Most bee-keepers fasttm a narrow strip 

 •of foundation to the comb-guide; and even if it 

 project down only an eighth of an inch, it will 

 prevent the bees from building the combs cross- 

 wise of the frames. Another season we con- 

 template sending out with hives all complete, 

 ■enough foundation for mere starters. We thus 

 secure all the advantages of hiving on empty 

 frames, and at the same time insure the bees 

 starting right. Our bottom-bars have been 

 made 5.ix34 inch for two or three months. — Ed.] 



THK THEORY THAT NUKSE-UEES TRANSMIT 



THEIK CHAKACTEKISTICS TO THEIK 



OFFSPKINO DISPJtOVED. 



I'm glad to have friend Abbott coi rect me as 

 lie has done on page .536. But it seems to me he 

 might have done it in fewer words — something 

 like this: "Dr. Miller is an old fogy, and still 

 holds to the theory that was held several years 

 ago, that the germ is furnished by the male. 

 Scientists nowadays believe that the new being 

 does not proceed from the father alone, but 

 from the union of two cells — one turnished by 

 the father and one by the mother; therefore 

 traits resembling those of the mother come 

 through the original cell, and not. as was for- 

 merly supposed, through nourishment received 

 from the mother; hence he has no support 

 therefrom to prove that trails come from nour- 

 ishment furnished by the nurse-bees."' 



There. Bro. Abbott, haven't I made a better 

 job of it? You see, I've told in a single para- 

 graph what you occupied two full pages in 

 telling. I've just one excuse for my mistake — 

 ignorance — pure ignorance. The old theory 

 had remained good the last I knew of it, and, 

 having held good for ages. I didn't think of its 

 having been knocked endwise in the last gener- 

 tion. But, please remember that I am no cham- 

 pion for the theory of heredity through the 

 nurse-bees. I'd rather not biilieve in it. Good 

 men, however, advocate it; and if there is any 

 thing in it we are wise to look the matter 

 squarely in the face, and be guided according- 

 ly; for it has direct practical bearing on queen- 

 rearing. So I am very glad of friend Abbott's 



correction, for it leaves a better chance to be- 

 lieve that it makes but little difference what 

 sort of nurse-bf*es rear a queen, providing the 

 egg comes of good stock. C. ('. Miij.er. 



Marengo, 111. 



HASTV's UKK-VEIL; A SUGGESTION. 



If Mr. Hasty will make his veil as I do, he 

 can lick his fingcjrs as often as he pleases, and 

 let out a stray bee without taking out a pin or 

 unfastening any thing. Tell him to sew the 

 veil to a yard of broad elastic, allowing a little 

 fullness for the elastic to stretch; sew the ends 

 together; take two pieces of the elastic, about 

 12 inches long, and, with four safety-pins, pin 

 them on for armholes. You can make them tit 

 any one by moving the pins; then you can wear 

 a broad -brimmed hat, and the veil never 

 touches your n<!ck. A. Gkubb. 



THOSE CALIFORNIA KEPOHTS. 



Mr. Root:— I supposed the men who gave the 

 reports of the S. C. B. K. A. were true, as they 

 were surely best informed. I simply reported 

 what they gave, and what I took down on the 

 spot. Personally I have all yet to learn. I 

 know that this year is almost if not quite a 

 total failure. This strike shuts us from the 

 world. I hope it will bring good commensurate 

 with the cost. A. J. Cook. 



Claremont, Cal., July ti. 



THE "OKANK" vs. the ".TAW." 



In one of Rambler's Echoes, printed June l.>, 

 he suggests that some one construct a combined 

 head dress and smoker for bee-men, the smoker 

 being operated by the jaw of the wearer, add- 

 ing that men might not work it; women would. 

 I was ungallant and univlxe enough to read 

 this Echo to a lady, giving the insinuation its 

 full force, when she remarked, "Some one 

 ought to make a smoker to be operated by a 

 cnmh. Women couldn't work it, but men 

 couhV- Please tell Rambler. 



Jesse W. Newell. 



Farmersville, 111.. June 22. 



THE SWARM OF A CLIPPED QUEEN. 



In your issue for July 1st, page 530, Dr. Miller 

 takes ihe Britiuli Bee Journal to task for say- 

 ing that the swarm of a "clipped queen will 

 join her on the grotnid." Please say to the doc- 

 tor that I have had only one swaim this year; 

 and after getting out of sight they returned, and 

 settled on the ground within ten feet of the 

 hive, where I soon found one of Trego's clipped 

 queens, and in lo minutes I had rehived them. 



Franklin, Tex., .July (i. J. Mitchell. 



THOSE DRONES FROM LAYING WORKERS. 



I notice you requested me to report about 

 drones from laying workers. The island I had 

 picked out was occupied with sheep under the 

 the care of an old Mexican, and he was afraid 

 to let me put bees near him. I am about to 



