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THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



327 



about one-third drone-comb. What is best to do with this 

 colony ? 1 would like to keep the queen. 



2. Will a new swarm accept a strange queen ? 



F. P. P. 



Answers. — 1. The case seems unusual. So much as a 

 third of the comb being drone-comb would account for a large 

 number of drones being reared, but it Is unusual that they 

 were allowed to live through tjie winter. Better get rid of so 

 much drone-comb in the hive. Give them in its place frames 

 filled with worker foundation, or if you have no foundation 

 try to get them to build worker-comb. Take away some of 

 their combs that have least drone-comb, giving it temporarily 

 to another colony to care for, and give them frames with 

 starters of worker-comb. As you have left them the combs 

 with the most drone-comb, they will likely build worker. 

 Then take away the drone-combs and return the combs pre- 

 viously removed. 



2. I don't know. Perhaps in the confusion of swarming 

 they might accept a strange queen, providing their own was 

 previously removed, but it might not be best to risk a valuable 

 queen in that way. 



Bec§ Changed in Color — SwHrming. 



1. What may be the reason that my bees are black this 

 spring when they were yellow last fall ? 



2. When they swarm, which queen goes, the old one or 

 the young one? 



3. Which are the most proper indications that bees are 

 going to swarm ? Centralia, Iowa. 



Answers. — 1. The queen has been changed. A change 

 of queens occurs at swarming, and often the old queen is 

 superseded by a young one at the close of the harvest. Of 

 course a queen may be superseded at other times, but perhaps 

 the majority of supersessions occur in the fall. If the young 

 queen meets a black drone, then the workers will be much 

 darker. In very rare cases there may be such a thing as a 

 young queen from another colony getting into the hive, making 

 a greater change than would be possible in case of a daughter 

 taking the place of her mother. 



2. In a first swarm the old queen goes with the swarm, 

 leaving no queen in the hive, but several young queens in 

 cells, the first one of which emerges about a week later, going 

 off with a swarm, unless the colony decide not to swarm any 

 more. 



'6. You can't tell. You can make a yery good guess at it 

 if you keep watch of queen-cells and note when the first one 

 is sealed. If everything is favorable you may then look for a 

 swarm within 24 hours. If you find eggs in queen-cells, the 

 bees are likely to swarm within a week or 10 days. But 

 sometimes bees swarm before the queen-cells are sealed, and 

 some even report swarms before queen-cells are started. A 

 second, or after-swarm, may be expected 8 or 10 days after 

 the prime swarm, providing there is any after-swarm, and if 

 no after-swarm issues within 16 days of the time when the 

 prime swarm issued, you need look for no after-swarm. 



Italianizing Bees — Getting Pure Queen§. 



1. I have 6 colonies of the common black bees in dove- 

 tailed hives, and want to Italianize them, but as I have never 

 had any experience, will you tell me all about the most suc- 

 cessful plan to do this ? Would it be better to buy some Ital- 

 ian queens that are fertile, with o-frame nuclei, and build 

 them up with brood-frames from my old colonies, and not dis- 

 turb the black queens ? 



2. Do you consider the Italian bees superior to the 

 blacks? 



3. Can you refer me to some reliable bee-man from whom 

 I can purchase Italian queens, and feel assured that I will get 

 pure Italians that have been impregnated by a pure Italian 

 drone ? C. C. C. 



Answers. — 1. It depends somewhat upon circumstances 

 what is your best course. If you are anxious to increase, or 

 if you do not care for expense, it would be an excellent plan to 

 get 3-frame nuclei and build them up. If you have to send 

 very far for them, expressage will be quite expensive, whereas 

 a queen will be sent by mail a thousand miles just as cheaply 

 as ten. You can get untested queens for the least money, 

 with the likelihood of having most of them pure, and purely 

 mated. By paying perhaps ."iO cents more, you can have all 

 tested queens. Perhaps a good plan would be to get one 

 tested and the rest untested. Then you would be sure of hav- 

 ing one true to breed from, and for practical work you will 



probably find hybrids just as good as pure. But you should 

 have pure blood to breed from, for with black blood all around 

 you, you will find it very dilBcull to keep Italian blood in the 

 majority. Your text-book will give you full instructions as to 

 introducing, and generally instructions are sent out with each 

 queen. 



2. Decidedly. And that's the general opinion of bee- 

 keepers In this country, altho across the sea there are many 

 who prefer blacks. Some think that the blacks in this coun- 

 try are not as good as those in lOurope. 



3. Probably any one whom you may find in the advertis- 

 ing pages of this Journal would send you just such a queen as 

 you describe, if you order from him a " tested queen." 



The Harding Kon-S%varining Device. 



Is the Harding non-swarraing device an improvement on 

 the Langdon ? and has the latter proved a success ? I've seen 

 nothing said about it lately. Indiana. 



Answer. — Seldom has any implement come before the 

 bee-keeping fraternity in which were centered such high 

 hopes as in the Langdon non-swarmer. But nothing is said 

 about it lately, and those who tried it did not find It to suc- 

 ceed as anticipated. The Harding is of the same principle, 

 and it is not likely it will succeed any better. 



A HaiT-Dozcn Questions. 



1. What is an Adel-Carniolan ? 



2. What is an Albino ? 



3. How are Italians crost, so as to increase the bands 

 from 3 to 4 or 5 ? Is it an outcross, or are they still pure 

 Italians? 



4. I would be pleased to know what is thought of the 

 Adels and the Albino bees. If I understand it rightly, Adels 

 are yure Carniolans, but yellow, while Albinos are Italians 

 crost with Carniolans. 



5. How much per colony should be stored per day on 

 buckwheat less than '4 mile away ? 



6. Is Washington, Oregon, and Idaho favorable bee- 

 countries ? If so, of what does the pasturage consist ? 



Bands. 

 Answers. — 1. Different strains of bees may have differ- 

 ent names, either from the name of the man that breeds 

 them, the place where they are bred, or a name supposed to 

 be descriptive in some way. The word " Adel " is. applied to 

 one strain of Carniolans which probably differ nothing in ap- 

 pearance from other Carniolans, but may differ as to special 

 qualities. 



2. An albino is an animal or a man or bee which lacks the 

 coloring matter in some or all parts of its integuments, and so 

 approaches white in color. 



3. Those who have bred for bands could tell how they 

 proceeded, but it might not be far out of the way to guess 

 that constant selection was made of those having brightest 

 or most bands, and if Italians only were used, of course the 

 product would still be Italians, and if different races were 

 crost they would have the not strictly correct title of hybrids. 



4. Of late, few expressions of opinion have been given, 

 but possibly this may call forth expressions from those who 

 have had experience. The opinion prevails that albinos of 

 any kind, being deficient in coloring matter, are likely to be 

 deficient in vigor. 



5. A rough guess might set 5 to 10 pounds as a good 

 day's work for a strong colony. But that's only a guess, and 

 the field is entirely clear for any one to answer who has any 

 definite knowledge about it. 



H. Some reports have been very favorable. Will some 

 one from that region in question answer as to the pasturage ? 



Tlie Names and Addresses of all your bee- 

 friends, who are not now taking the Bee Journal, are wanted 

 ot this office. Send them in, please, when sample copies will 

 be mailed to them. Then you can secure their subscriptions, 

 and earn some of the premiums we have offered. The 

 next few months will be just the time to easily get new sub- 

 scribers. Try it earnestly, at least. 



Bees'wax 'Wanted.— If you want to get casli for 

 your beeswax prompthj, ship it to the publishers of the Bee 

 Journal. We are now paying 25 cents per pound for good 

 yellow beeswax delivered at our office. Address, George W. 

 York & Co., 118 Michigan St., Chicago, 111. 



