1886 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



them, they had to wait until some of the cells (a 

 number were already capped) should hatch. In the 

 mean time t divided them. On the 13th the colony 

 above mentioned cast a swarm, which I put in with 

 a nucleus, but about half of the bees went back to 

 theold hive. A day or two afterward another swarm 

 issued and absconded. Tins all happened during- a 

 great dearth of honey. 



Bees did very well on buckwheat, goldenrod, as- 

 tei', ironweed, smartwced, and another weed that 

 grows in damp places or on low lands, to the hcig-bt 

 of two or three feet, and has a bushy top, thickly 

 set with small white blossoms. Stocks that had 

 scarcely any honey have now enough for winter. 



The select tested queen I bought of you is doing 

 nicely; she has quite a large family of her own 

 raising. 



I have made a. simple chatf hive as a kind of ex- 

 periment. It is made just like a Simplicity, e.xcept 

 that it is four inches longer, and the rear end is 

 fastened in with three wood screws in each side, so 

 as to be movable. When you wish to pack up your 

 bees for winter, take out the screws, move the end- 

 board back, and put in the screws. Slip in two 2- 

 inch crosswise chaff cushions (made like your chaff- 

 cushion division - boards), then a chaff cushion on 

 each side; hang in your 7 frames of bees and stores; 

 put on the winter covering, and, presto, you have a 

 chaff hive all complete. What do you think of it? 

 Has an}' one ever tried a hive of tliis description? 

 IE you think it worth naming, call it a " Simplicity 

 chatf hive." Alwin S. Heim. 



Chandler, Tnd., Oct. 0, 1885. 



For many years we have liad reports in 

 regard to red ants destroying queens ; also 

 in regard to their propensity to bite into 

 queen-cells and destroy the inmates. We 

 have learned some sad lessons in losing im- 

 ported queens by leaving the cages contain- 

 ing them where the ants had access. You 

 will find a foot-note referring to the matter, 

 in the ABC book. 1 have known ants to 

 do considerable damage where combs were 

 left uncovered by tlie bees— especially combs 

 containing queen-cells ; but I do not know 

 that we have had a report before where tliey 

 invaded the hives. Very likely your hive 

 was left comparatively unprotected, by cast- 

 ing a heavy swarm. In such a case I would 

 try to find the nest of the red ants and treat 

 them to boiling water or turpentine.— Sim- 

 plicity hives made with a movable end-board 

 have been suggested before. Tlie objections 

 are, that where you find it but little labor to 

 fix over one hive, or, say, a small number of 

 hives, with a large apiary you would find it, 

 I think, altogether too much machinery. 

 Another thing, such a hive is much more 

 liable to be invaded by frost than tlie reg- 

 ular permanent chatf hive. 



510 COLONIES IN WINTER QUAUTEHS. 



I suppose you know we are in the bee-business 

 pretty heavily, having gone into winter quarters 

 with 510 colonics, kept in six different j'ards, or api- 

 aries. We have a great many letters of inquiry 

 about our management of bees in so many places, 

 and v/hy we don't Avrite more for the papers, etc. 

 Now, if you wish I will try to talk to the friends 

 some this winter through Gleanings. 



Plattevilc, Wis. Edwin France. 



To be sure, we know you are one of the 



big bee-keepers, friend F., and we are al- 

 ways glad to get reports from those who 

 have such large experience as this number 

 of colonies must give. Send us on your 

 talks, and we will at least try to pay you for 

 the time and trouble it takes. 



CAN HO.NEY he adulterated WITH GRAPE SUGAR, 

 AND N;)T be NOTICED? 



I mail you a sample of honey (?). I bought it 

 for white clover honey, as advertised in Glean- 

 ings for September 15. It has occurred to me that 

 something similar could be made of grape sugar 

 and water with a greater or less proportion of hon- 

 ey; but 1 reserve judgment until I hear from you. 

 What I wish to ask is. Would jou be willing to sell 

 this honey to your customers for pure honey? By 

 giving your opinion you will greatly oblige. 



Mt. Vernon, Iowa, Nov. B, 1883. Oliver Foster. 



Friend F., the sample of honey you send 

 is about the nicest clover honey I ever tast- 

 ed, and its being candied so perfectly white 

 and solid is the best proof of its purity. 

 The addition of even a very small quantity 

 of grape sugar, by some means whicli I can 

 not explain, prevents candying, instead of 

 hastening it. Two or three years ago Prof. 

 Cook made some careful experiments in this 

 matter. The addition of grape sugar also 

 gives the honey a peculiar flavor, which 

 I think I should recognize readily. I am 

 sure the honey from the friend you men- 

 tion is absolutely pure; and, by the way, 

 ought we not to be very careful about letting 

 such ideas get into our heads? In regard to 

 adulteration, if we as bee-keepers have not 

 charity and faith in our fellow bee-keepers, 

 how shall we expect the great world at large to 

 hold fast to the beautiful thought contained in 

 the sermon on charity— ''thiiiketh no evil"? 

 During the past year a great many samples 

 have been sent to me, asking if I did not 

 think such a sample was adulterated ; but 

 every single i sample, so far, I have pro- 

 nounced pure honey ; and, what is still more 

 strange, the most of the samples have been 

 extra nice honey. 



bee-keeping in the region of lake superior. 



As I think it probable that j'ou never have had a 

 correspondent from this region, and have probably 

 no idea that bees can exist, or that they have ever 

 had a chance to up here, 1 send you a few lines. 



The bee business is in its infancy in this region of 

 country; and whether it will ever get beyond that 

 is generally conceded to be r.n uncertainty. I 

 think that there arc not more than fifteen hives 

 of bees in the upper peninsula of Michigan. I have 

 started in the business to make a success if I possi- 

 bly can. I got two hives from Own Sound, Ont., 

 last June. I have now four i^-.s the result. I have 

 put my bees in the cellar, as our winters are more 

 severe than yours, although a neighbor of ours Is 

 going to try his out of doors. What I fear the most 

 is our late cool springs. Am I correct in thinking 

 the snow ought to be mostly or all off' in the spring- 

 before taking the bees out? R. N. Adams. 



Sault de St. Marie, Mich., Nov. 19, 1885. 



Friend A., as a rule the weather is hardly 

 fit for bees to lly before the snow is all off, 

 but circumstances may alter the case. AVe 

 have occasionally a season when bees work 

 quite industriously while considerable snow 



