GLEANIKGS IK BEE CULTURE. 



85;^ 



Root, do you? The only i-emedy for the evil I have 

 found is not to open hives except when bees are 

 gathering honey; for in a honey dearth, any bees 

 are likely to ball and kill their queens, if disturbed 

 much at such times, unless in fall or winter, and 

 then they are not apt to do it. 



QUEENS REARED UNDER THE SWARMING IMPX'USE 

 —ARE THEY PREFER ABLE? 



Such is the "heading of Mr. J. Eastburn's letter. 

 page 786, Oct. 1, 1886. If I wanted more increase by 

 natural swarming out, from queens which are not 

 any more prolific than others which are not bred 

 under the swarming impulse, I would take those 

 that are bred under the swarming impulse; but for 

 work, and best qualities combined, I always choose 

 (jueens bred after the natural swarming impulse of 

 bees has passed off. My experience has been, that 

 the latter class of queens are fully as prolific, 

 though less inclined to swarm, than those bred un- 

 der the swarming impulse. 



I have queens in my apiaries to-day that are three 

 years old, and never offered to lead out, or swarm 

 during that time. They were bred under the non- 

 swarming impulse. If we desire bees that won't 

 swarm, we must get them by breeding queens out 

 of the swarming season, and contriving to select 

 the most non-swarming of these to breed our drones 

 and queens from. I will define. In part, what I con- 

 sider the term "swarming impulse" implies; or, 

 rather, the sense in which I apply it. That is the 

 season of the year and the time when bees are 

 swarming naturally, by Nature's own impulses, 

 when they mostly all have the swarming fever in- 

 bred. Cells built at that time, and by such bees, 

 are built under the natural "swarming impulse." 

 Those built out of that season, either with or with- 

 out stimulative feeding (to get them built perfectly, 

 well fed, and as near the quality of those built un- 

 der Nature's 'own impulse and desires), are built 

 and bred on the non-swarming impulse. Queens 

 from such cells as are built where stimulative feed- 

 ing is followed, till cells are completed, out of 

 swarming season, are such as I always select. But 

 be it remembered, I have them built in full colo- 

 nies ,'and from freshly laid eggs. When honey is 

 coming in plentifully from natural sources, stimu- 

 lative feeding to get cells built is not desirable. 



4— Abbot L. Swinson, 66—74. 



Goldsboro, N. C, Oct. 11, 1886. 



Thanks, friend S.. for your correction. 

 Since you speak of it, I see tliat tlie ■■• foot- 

 note " does not cover the whole question 

 asked by friend M. I liave noticed that 

 queens have been balled even after they 

 have been in the hive for a year or so. 

 Opening a hive during a dearth of honey, or 

 just after a honey-fiow, sometimes causes 

 the bees to ball their queen, as you say. 

 Bees are also apt to ball their queen a day 

 or so after she has been successfully intro- 

 duced, wlien a novice has a curiosity to look 

 in and ''see if she is all right.'' This is 

 one reason why we use and prefer the Peet 

 cage. It is so constructed that the (lueen 

 can be liberated by the bees without the 

 usual disturbance, noise, and jar. That is, 

 every thing progresses naturally. 



The balling of queens is sometimes caused 

 by placing the hives too near together, or by 

 having them too nearly of the same appear- 

 ance. In that case, enough bees will get 

 into the wrong colony to pitch into the 



queen because she is a strange one to them. 

 I think a great many losses have occurred in 

 this May because the hives were exactly 

 alike, and closer to each other than they 

 ought to have been. 



FLORIDA. 



GI^EANINGS ADAPTED TO ALI, LATITUDES. 



T was three years ago to day that I came to 

 Florida. I like it, its climate suits me, and 

 will euit any person who adapts his desires to 

 it. This is the secret of making any location 

 agreeable to you— content yourself. You can 

 not bring Ohio, Indiana, or Kansas here. If you 

 so desire, you had better stay where you are. I 

 you have no object in coming to Florida but to 

 make money, please stay where you are, for that 

 Is the best place for you; for if you are making 

 money, and that is your chief desire, you will be 

 worth more to Florida where you are; but if your 

 health is delicate, and of a pulmonary nature, 

 there is little doubt but that you might be benefit- 

 ed by the change, unless you are gi-eatly prostrat- 

 ed. In that case, die among your friends; but 

 never— no, never, break up your home and move 

 to any country until you have first seen it, con- 

 sidered all of its advantages and disadvantages 

 pertaining to you and your avocation, and studied 

 well all you expected to gain by the change. If 

 you do not do this you will almost certainly be 

 disappointed, and will bean injury to the country 

 you may chance to drift into. All I shall say in 

 ])raise of Florida is, that there is a great future 

 in store for it. Those who come here and adapt 

 themselves to the country and its climate, and di- 

 rect their energies in unison with the facilities of 

 the countr.v, will do well here. The man who has 

 done well before coming to Florida will usually do 

 so here. " Nothing succeeds so well as success." 



GLEANINGS AND ITS CONTENTS. 



Gleanings has been with me for three years 

 here, and seven years in Indiana. It was a good 

 guide while in my Indiana home. Its teachings 

 ■were closely watched; for then all the theories 

 of the "wintering problem," " spi'ing dwindling," 

 chaff hives, cellars, clamp, packings, Hill's device, 

 and a thousand other things that were then 

 applicable to my profession as a bee-keeper, are of 

 but little interest now, more than to see the differ- 

 ent troubles that follow bee-keeping. We have 

 our troubles here as well, but not as yet so great 

 as you have. We meet with no loss from winter- 

 ing, if we use auj' care. Birds, mosquito-hawks, 

 and ants, are our worst enemies. Robbing must be 

 guarded against; and, as Ernest says, you must 

 see to it youi-self, for there Is no great excellence 

 without great labor. 



The scientifl and working principles of bee- 

 keeping, as taught by the different authorities, are 

 applicable to us in Florida as well as with j'ou. 

 This makes Gleanings very dear to us here. The 

 Heads of Grain are closely winnowed, and much 

 good seed has been garnered. The Tobacco Col- 

 umn has been chewed and smoked by the lovers of 

 the weed, and many " smokers " changed hands. 



The Reports Encouraging and Discouraging 

 show the ups and downs of life as returned by the 

 different members of your family of bee-keepers. 

 Those discouraged, they bid "Hold the fort; "and 



