1884 



GLEAKINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. 



457 



we hardly dared hope that each box of a 

 thousand contained so manj^ as 1150 first-class 

 sections. Perhaps you are a little better off 

 than a good many of our patrons in this re- 

 spect. ^^ 



HOW MUCH UOOM DOES A POUND OF BEES SEED 

 FOR SHIPMENT? 



What is the size of your cag'e in inches, you ship 2 

 H>s. of bees in? How much candy would it talve to 

 (hi 2 lbs. of bees 5 days? Would not a section box 

 filled with comb do to put water in for bees when 

 ]ireparing them for shipment? W. S. Cauthen. 



Pleasant Hill, S. C, Apr. 3, 1884. 



Friend C, we have found by experiment 

 that it takes a cage abo\it 9 inches long by 4i 

 square to liold a pound of bees in very hot 

 weather. Of course, some of the room inside 

 is occupied by the l)locks containing the can- 

 d^' and sugar. Two pounds Avould need 

 about double tlie amount of room. One 

 pound of l)ees would need about half a pound 

 of candy and sugar to last them five days. 

 ^Ve haven't been using comb in section boxes, 

 because the bees are so apt to bite it loose 

 during their confinement, and then it will 

 rattle about in the cage. When provided 

 Avith blocks of candy, such as are illustrated 

 in our ncAv edition of the A B C book, they 

 often build a piece of comb en route, and 

 sometimes the queen will deposit eggs in it. 

 When we can get them to doing tliis they 

 are always all right. If we could manage 

 some way to get a bit of comb partially built 

 in the cage just before they start, we should 

 then hit it exactly, for bees, like anybody 

 else, when busily employed in something 

 useful, are much more safe from contin- 

 gencies then when fretting against confine- 

 ment or circumstances. 



SHADE OR NO SHADE. 



I want to ask you one question in regai-d to my 

 bees. I have them under some fruit-trees, where 

 they are in the shade most of the day. Please tell 

 me whether that is as good a place as out in the sun. 

 My neighbor's bees are throwing out more swarms 

 than mine, and seem to be making more honey. 



R. G. Thomas. 



Mt. Vernon, Tnd., June 16, 1884. 



Friend T., the shade of the apple-trees is 

 an excellent place in the hottest part of the 

 summer; but during the spring months, or 

 when we have cool days, the heat of the sun 

 is an advantage. Sunshine is also an ad- 

 vantage at both morning and evening, and 

 this is why we have settled down on tlie 

 grapevines for shade. They can be made so 

 as to shade the hives when they need sliad- 

 ing, and at no other time, or, at least, pretty 

 nearly so. Very likely your neiglibor's bees 

 swarmed sooner tlian "yours, because tliey 

 had more sunshine; that is, if such is really 

 the case. 



BEE-BREAD, OR POLLEN, NOT A REQUISITE FOR 

 WINTERING. 



Does your ABC book give any recipe for feeding- 

 bees with any thing that will make bread? We lost 

 a hive, which died for tlie want of bee-bread, two 

 years ago. They were in one of Mrs. Cotton's hives; 

 there was over .W lbs. of honey in the hive at the 

 time. I don't think thej' died from exposure, as 

 they wintered on the stand the year before all right. 



My father bought the hive, and put a native stock 

 into it. We have not had any bees since. If there 

 is any way to get over this, and any profit in the 

 business in this section of the country, I would not 

 mind some expense, as well as labor. 



Thos. J. HOXIE. 

 Carolina, AVashington Co., K. T., Feb. 29, 1884. 



Friend II., you are entirely mistaken, I 

 think. Bees not only get along Avithout any 

 pollen at all during the Avinter season, but it 

 is pretty Avell settled noAV that they are far 

 better off without it. 



GETTING SURPLUS HONEY FROM QUEENLESS COL- 

 ONIES. 



What effect will the unqueeniug of a colony just 

 previous to or during the main honey-flow have on 

 the honey-crop? While the bees are rearing another 

 queen, will they lie idle, or will they continue to 

 work as well as with a queen? In Doolittle's ap- 

 pendix to A B C, note 80, he says, " Both Elwood 

 and Hetherington now take away the queen from 

 their stocks at work in boxes during the basswood- 

 bloom, and claim that it is the correct way to get 

 box honey with no .swarms. I don't agree, but may 

 some time." 



I is now nearly four years since Mr. D. wrote this. 

 Has he agreed yet? You raise and sell many queens 

 during a year, and have undoubtedly unqueened 

 many a colony in all seasons; have you noticed 

 what the effect is on the honey-crop of such col- 

 onies? E. CcoE, 



Cmnminsville, Ohio. 



Friend C, Ave should be very glad indeed 

 to hear from our friends mentioned above, 

 in regard to this matter of making a colony 

 queenless just at the riglit point during the 

 honey-floAV. My experience has always been , 

 that a colony with a (lueeuAA'orks better than 

 one Avithout; hoAvever, if the luA^e be full of 

 brood in all stages, it does not make so much 

 difference. SonK'tinies tli" bees from a hiA'e 

 that has just cast a natural sAvarm Avill work 

 right along nicely in the boxes. This Avould 

 hardly be a fair sample, however, as honey- 

 gatherers mostly go off Avith the SAvarm. 

 Will friend Doolittle please give us his opin- 

 ion of the matter up to the present time '? 



EXTRACTING HONEY THAT HAS BEEN IN COMBS 

 OVER WINTER. 



I am trying to extract honey that was taken out 

 last fall; and if you know of any process by which 

 to do it effectually, T should be pleased to try it. T 

 have a way of my own; and if successful, I will re- 

 poi-t to you if you desire it. F. M. Norwood. 



Whiting, Iowa, May 10, 1884. 



It is a little ditficult, friend N., unless you 

 have Aveather so Avarm that the thick honey 

 is pretty thoroughly softened up. We shall 

 be glad to know how you manage to succeed 

 Avitli it. _______ 



FRIEND BROOKS' TROUBLES ABOUT ANTS. 



The bell-glasses came in good condition. I have 

 them on the hives, and full of bees. Clover is bloom- 

 ing, and 1 expect a good yield again this season. 1 

 am in trouble, and come to you for relief. I have 

 built a store-room, in which to sell my honey, 

 and the ants are about to take me. I have my 

 counter-legs in pans of water, but my shelving sits 



