•2oH 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. 



Apr. 



sort, we are very glad of your experience ; 

 and even it' it should advertise your business 

 indirectly, we are glad of that. Where a 

 man writes an article which, on the face of 

 it, is evidently to advertise his business, we 

 don't want it ; but when he writes as you 

 always do, to bring out the truth, no matter 

 whom it favors, we are always glad to hear 

 from such. I think Prof. Cook has set us a 

 good example in his writings and in our in- 

 stitutes. He says he is always glad to rec- 

 ommend a good implement or a good man, 

 whenever it comes naturally into the dis- 

 cussion. I do want to add, however, that 

 one plea which friend P^lwood made for the 

 flat-t)ottom foundation was, that we can get 

 more square feet to the pound than we can 

 where the base is made ihe natural shape. 

 Well, this is desirable to the honey-producer 

 and the honey-consumer. Neither one wants 

 an ounce more of beeswax in comb honey 

 than is absolutely necessary for the safety 

 of said honey. 



SPACE BETWEEN COMBS. 



Tell US it it if* important tu have all spaces in a 

 hive >4 to -'8 inches. Nearly all the bees in box 

 hives have died in our neighliorhood this winter. 

 On examination of some I found the frames home- 

 made, and at very irregular distances apart, com- 

 pelling the bees to build very thick combs. Is it 

 probable that the honey put in these thick combs 

 did not ripen sutHciently for winter food? Would a 

 queen lay as readily in these thick combs as those 

 of the right thickness? What is the rijfht thick- 

 pess for combs? J. I. Brought. 



Strode's Mills, Pa., Feb. 2.5, 1888. 



Friend B., the irregular combs, and those 

 of great thickness, would be a detriment to 

 rapid brood-rearing; but I should hardly 

 think it was the cause of the bees dying. 

 Brood can not be reared in these thick 

 combs. They must be cut down first ; and 

 the bees often do this, even if it leaves a big 

 space between one comb and the one ad- 

 joining. I should think it quite likely that 

 the contents of thick combs would not be as 

 good for winter food. 



ABOUT THAT PORTRAIT ENGRAVING. 



Mr. Root:— Ho you know I do not think that I am a 

 big enough bee-keeper to be put in Gleanings? I 

 am a big enough woman, plenty big enough, but 

 not a big enough bee-keeper. If I were running 

 Gleanings I would not admit anybody's picture 

 to its columns who had less than a hundred colo- 

 nies of bees, and who had not realized at least a 

 thousand dollars from the sale of honey and bees 

 in a single year. This would bo my test of a suc- 

 cessful bee-keeper— lots of bees and lots of money. 

 I have never had more than thirty colonies at one 

 time, and never made more than a hundred dollars 

 out of bees in any one year, and these hundred-dol- 

 lar years are about as scarce as angels' visits. I 

 must thank the engraver for making the picture 

 better than the photograph, and also thank Mrs. L. 

 Harrison for her complimentary sketch. 



Mahala B. Chaddock. 



Vermont, 111., Feb. 14, 1838. 



Why, my good friend, your condition of 

 admittance, 1 am afraid, would take us all 

 out. It is true, there are a few who make a 

 thousand dollars a year from the sale of 



bees and honey ; but when they make so 

 much money they generally get proud, and 

 won't send us their picture nor write for 

 Gleanings, nor answer questions ; so you 

 see it may be lucky after all that you have 

 not made any more than you say — that is, 

 lucky for the rest of us 



THE HOUSE APIARY ; SHOULD ANY CHANGE BE 



MADE IN THE ONE DESCRIBED IN THE ABC 



OF BEE CULTURE? 



I have been interested in bee culture for a good 

 many years, and have always been especially in- 

 terested in your writings on the subject. Your 

 ABC has been invaluable to me, and is often con- 

 sulted. I contemplate moving my apiary, which 

 consists of 20 colonies, from my home in the city 

 to the country. It seems desirable for many rea- 

 sons that I should build a bee-house. In the ABC 

 you describe an octagonal house which you say 

 had been in use for two years. In your experi- 

 ence since then, would you suggest any changes or 

 improvements on the plans there given? 



Syracuse, N. Y., Feb. 27, 1888. M. C. Hand. 



We have no improvements to suggest in 

 house apiaries, other than those already 

 given in the A B C. If we made any 

 change, however, it would be something to 

 carry away the smoke that accumulates 

 from the smoker while at work inside. Per- 

 haps a ventilator in the top of the room 

 might answer the purpose. Oh, yes ! a bee- 

 escape in the door would be very desirable 

 too. W^e will shortly give a diagram and 

 descri{)tion of C. C. Miller's bee-escape. 



THE EGYPTIAN BEKS, AND SOMETHING ABOITT 

 THEIR DISPOSITION. 



Please let me know if you know any one in the 

 United Suites who has the Kgyptian bees, as I want 

 to get them. A. Y. Chhisman. 



Hanford, Cal., Mar. 4, 1888. 



Friend (' , we believe there is no one in the 

 United States who fiunishes the Egyptian 

 bees. Some years ago a colony was import- 

 ed , but they were found to be so vindictive 

 -—yes, so terribly savage— that no one would 

 handle them. They have been known in 

 their native climate, when enraged, to even 

 pursue sailing crafts down the Nile, com- 

 pelling the sailors and passengers to go be- 

 low. Mr. D. A. Jones said that, while on 

 his Eastern tour, he once opened a colony 

 by working with the utmost caution ; and, 

 moving as gently and as slowly as possible 

 for him to do, he was enabled to make some 

 sort of an examination. If we are correct, 

 however, he was finally obliged to retreat in 

 inglorious defeat^ 



GOT THE SWEATS. 



I have lost one hive with the sweats, I think. 

 The combs were all sweat, and there were scarcely 

 any bees. There was 2t) lbs. of honey in the hive. 

 I have another hive, the bees in which are hum- 

 ming all the time. I gave them three frames of 

 honey, but they still hum. What is the matter? I 

 have read your ABC Itook, but can't find any 

 thing about it. J. Peaker. 



Macksburg, O., Mar. 5, 1888. 



You say your bees have the " sweats." 

 From your description I am inclined to 

 think they have the dysentery. Look for 



