344 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, 



May 29, 1902. 



off most of the bees in front of the new hive, and use the 

 old one for the next swarm, putting- it on the stand of the 

 next colony that swarms, leaving that hive at the side of 

 the stand for seven days, then placing it on a stand of its own, 

 beginning again with a new hive as with the first swarm. 

 In this way we increase only one-third, and our colonies are 

 almost as strong as if they had not swarmed. 



Bj' this method the strength of the colony increases 

 from the day it is hived, instead of decreasing for three 

 weeks before there are any young to take the place of the 

 old ones that are wearing themselves out every day. 



As soon as the first super is well started, raise it up and 

 put an empty one underneath, and so continue, taking off 

 the full ones as soon as finished. But at any time when the 

 flow begins to slacken, place the empty super on top, which 

 will in a great measure prevent having so many partly- 

 filled sections, as the bees will usually finish the lower ones 

 before going above, especially during a light honey-flow. 



Cook Co., 111. 



Difference in Localities— A New Wintering Scheme. 



BY F. GREINER. 



AS favorable as the past winter was relative to wintering 

 our beloved little bee, it may be noticed by the observ- 

 ing that location plays a most important part in win- 

 tering bees. From what has come under my observation 

 during a period of more than 25 years, I am convinced that 

 natural protection is of greater importance than double 

 walls, chaff-packing, tarred-paper covering, and what other 

 auxiliaries we may have, and employ, to give protection to 

 bees. In an exposed place, where a dog couldn't keep his 

 hair, the bees will £-0, no matter how well they are protected. 

 Such a location will probably prove unsatisfactory even 

 during the summer season. 



We also know, however, that there are many sections 

 where bees may be kept with profit if the wintering problem 

 could be solved. A suitable cellar could be used in such a 

 locality with advantage. However, I wish to bring out a 

 scheme that, I believe, is practicable with the professional, 

 and has certain advantages for such as are situated to put it 

 in operation. 



It seems singular that natural protection in our climate 

 should be worth more than the skill of the professional, but 

 it really does seem that way many a time. I have known 

 of small after-swarms, which had built but little comb in 

 one corner of a thin-wall soap-box, to come through the win- 

 ter unharmed and built up and make good colonies ready 

 for the harvest, simply on account of this natural protection. 

 Sometimes the apiarist need not go very many miles from 

 his own place to find the sheltered spot, where bees could 

 be safely wintered. 



There may exist a great difference as to wintering bees 

 even in the different parts of the same yard. Mr. W. F. 

 Marks says, for instance, the bees at one end of his home 

 yard nearly always suffer badly, while those in the other 

 part come through in good shape, usually. He attributes it 

 to the exposure to the winds in that part of his yard, trees 

 and buildings giving' shelter to the others. 



From what has been said it would seem, then, that we 

 should winter our bees in one of the favorite spots, and that, 

 indeed, is part of the scheme. The proposition is this: To 

 stock up such a place -or more of them, if we can find them 

 — with say 50 colonies of bees each. We need not even be 

 very particular as to the kind of hives they are in. Box- 

 hives, nail kegs and the like will answer as well as any. We 

 allow our bees to swarm, and hive the young swarms in 

 improved hives of some kind, preferably shajlow brood- 

 chambers. Very early and large swarms may even be 

 "boxed," and thus give us a little surplus honey ; but, on 

 the whole, I vpould run the yard /or increase only. It will 

 take a lot of hives, of course ; but swarms are just what I 

 would want that first year. Small swarms are to be doubled 

 up. One hundred young swarms could thus be obtained 

 from the 50 old colonies. They should receive a large brood- 

 chamber, in order to enable them to build up into large, 

 populous colonies, and to store an abundance of honey for 

 winter. It would not require a skillful hand to attend such 

 a lot of bees. Any ordinary man, if not afriad of bees, 

 could see to the hiving. 



Every year this 50-colony apiary could be drawn on for 

 100 swarms, to be converted into comb honey the following 

 season, when they would have to be moved to other quarters 

 and run for all they are worth. They should be given small 

 brood-chambers, and, after a while, they may be doubled 

 down, and again doubled down, till finally we have little 



left but honey, combs and hives. The specialist will know 

 how to do this, and will reap a bountiful harvest in honey 

 and wax. The best and perfect combs may be saved, all 

 inferior combs melted up and made into wax during the 

 season. 



This method would be a slow way of getting anything 

 out of the original SO colonies, but they have not cost much, 

 and the income would be pretty certain. The profits from 

 wa.x would be no small item. We are neglecting the pro- 

 duction of wax by far too much. This method will give us 

 at least a fair yield of this desirable article. 



To do justice to the originator of the above ideas, I 

 want to say they developed in the brains of our friend, Mr. 

 E.H.Perry. Ontario Co., N. Y. 



On Woman's Dress for Bee-Worl(. 



BY MRS. K. S. A. SNYDER. 



SEEING an article by Miss Wilson, on how women should 

 dress for bee-work, I should like to say a few words, 

 first on the subject of wearing woolen skirts, and second 

 on gloves. 



In advising woolen skirts we lose sight of the fact that 

 the honey-bee has implements on the three little claws of 

 its hind legs shaped like a hoe, a trowel and a rake, and 

 these delicate little implements catch on the wool and cause 

 no end of unnecessary annoyance to the bees. I know if I 

 wore woolen skirts in the apiary the back, though "the 

 apron covers the front," would be full of struggling, sting- 

 ing little prisoners, caught on the fuzzy material. Nothing 

 annoys rae so much as to see somebody entermy apiary with- 

 a felt hat on. I always keep two or three straw hats and 

 suggest an immediate change, with an extra veil. 



Clean, starched clothes, and why not duck, short skirt 

 with bloomers, no matter what color, so they are clean ? I 

 wear black cotton shirt-waists (because light colors fade 

 and white soils so quickly), and clean cotton skirt. I rarely 

 ever get a sting. I became so conceited about my method 

 of handling bees that I rolled up my sleeves and went at a 

 three-story hive with about 40,000 bees in it, and I got three 

 or four stings. I reasoned it out and came to the conclusion 

 that the arms and hands perspire more or less when warm, 

 and the little bees in constant contact with the exquisite 

 perfume from the flowers quickly discern that it is living 

 flesh, and sting immediately. 



So I tried this experiment : 



I got an old pair of kid gloves, 3 or 4 buttons, and a size 

 too large for me, so they will come well up on the wrist. 

 Then I cut the finger-tips off to the second joint, and 

 warmed beeswax and rubbed it well in, and then placed 

 them in a warm oven so it would soak and permeate the 

 gloves thoroughly. I have worn these gloves for three 

 years, and rarely ever get a sting. They never sting the 

 gloves, and I can wash my hands, as the wax protects the 

 kid. 



Yesterday I handled and looked over three 3-story hives, 

 and thoroughly cleaned the bottom-boards, for I believe 

 that strict attention to cleanliness prevents foul-brood, 

 though I have never experienced a case here. Each of these 

 hives contained, on an average, 40,000 bees. I extracted 

 about 5 gallons of honey, besides hiving swarms. I never 

 increase, but cut out all queen-cells and return a swarm to 

 the hive from which it issued, on empty combs and comb 

 foundation. I received only one sting during my stay in 

 the yard. 



The reason I cut off the finger-tips is, I cannot under- 

 stand anybody handling the delicate little bees without be- 

 ing sensitive to every little creature that flutters on the 

 hand ; I should smash dozens, and could not work with des- 

 patch. Sonoma Co., Calif. 



Honey and Beeswax— Considered by tiie Illinois 

 Food Commission. 



BT PROF. E. N. EATON, STATE ANALYST. 



Recently a report has been (|uite wiiiolv circvilated and credited 

 which has affected, injuriously, the reputation and sale of honey. This 

 report pretended lo give ; 



first. — Tlie ap/jmrnnce of honey when puff. 

 Sn'oml. — The extent of adulteration on the market. 

 Third. — A dencription of the manufaetiire of comb honey (carton) 

 and prevalence of thin product on the market. 



Knowing the report to be unwarranted, the Chicago Bee-Keepers' 

 Association, at one of their semi-annual meetings, asked me to give 

 the facts in this connection to the public. 



