1891 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



373 



while tho fiiigors serve to steady it on the side 

 from you. This bring:s the frame in front of 

 yon so you can examine one side. This we will 



FIRST POSITION. 



call the first position, and here is where most 

 mistakes are made. In order to get to the next 

 position the bottom-bar is either brouglit to- 

 ward tlie ojierator. or it is turned away from 

 him until tlie opposite side of the frame can be 

 examined. In either case tlie comb is not prop- 

 erly supported by tlie frame; and if new. and 

 the weather warm.it is liable to drop out by 

 its own weight. The position is also ti'ying on 

 one's hands and fingers, which might not be 

 noticed on a few hives, but will tell in a trying 

 way where it is followed all day. 



There are usually but three parts of a frame 

 to be examined; viz.. two sides and the bottom. 

 L^nless the colony is unusually strong, no bees 

 will be on the end-bars; so all we want is three 

 positions of the frame to have it all gone over. 

 We have given the first, and now to get the 

 second. To examine the bottom, i-aise your 

 right hand, keeping the thumbs in the same 

 position, also lower left hand at the same time, 

 and bringing it toward you also until one hand, 

 the right, is directly over the othei-, the fiame 

 standing on end. While raising your right 

 hand, allow thi' bottom of the frame to swing 

 toward you. This will 

 give you the second po- 

 sition to examine the 

 bottom. 



The thii'd position is 

 jot by allowing the 

 frame to swing ai'ound 

 )to the left, like a door, 

 the top-bar serving in 

 place of hinges. After 

 this side of the frame 

 lias been examined you 

 can let it swing on 

 around, and you have it 

 ready to put back into 

 the hive in just the 

 same way it came out, 

 so far as the frame is 

 concerned; but you are 

 holding the frame in an 

 entirely different way, 

 as it now rests on the 

 second joint of th(> first 

 finger instead of on the thumbs, the latter being 

 on top of the frame instead of under, as at 

 starting. It is a kind of sleight-of-hand you 

 have performed, but not hard to hiarn when 

 one sees it done, but not so easy to put on iiaper. 

 It always keejis the comb in a perpendicular 

 position, so it can not fall out, if never so brittle 

 or weak, and yet every side has been toward 

 you, and the hands have not been changed nor 

 the frame laid down. If you have never han- 

 dled frames in this way. try it; or if any one 

 has a better way, let him come forward and ex- 

 plain it. C. A. Hatch. 

 Ithaca, Wis., Apiil. 1891. 



[Your method of handling frames. Triend H., 

 is the same one that we use. and I think it is 

 generally accepted as .the right one, especially 

 if the frames are unwired. and combs are ten- 



SErOND ANI> THIUD 

 POSITIONS. 



der. In either case, if they are very heavy it 

 is almost a necessity, in order to examine both 

 surfaces, to handle combs on the swinging-door 

 plan. Your instructions will apply exactly to 

 the Hoffman frames, with the exception that 

 they would be handled more in pairs, and the 

 two outside surfaces could be examined the 

 same way that we examine the two surfaces of 

 a single comb. Closed - end frames on the 

 Quinby plan are handled by the centers of the 

 end-bai's; and the weight, inst(»ad of b(>ing sup- 

 ported on the fingers, is held by the whole 

 liand.l 



PLANT-LICE AND THEIR PARASITES. 



PROF. COOK TKLI.S US WHEN AND HOW TO 

 FIGHT THEM. 



Mr. Edward J. Knebel. Spring Branch, Tex., 

 sends me by mail some insects which are very 

 destructive to cabbages, mustard, and other 

 cruciferous plants. He desires me to comment 

 upon them in Gleanings, and desires to know 

 whether it is possible to destroy them without 

 injuring his plants or endangering his bees. 



These insects are the ccmimon cabbage aphis 

 {Aphis 1rr(issic(i\ Linn.). It is quite common 

 all over our country, and at almost all seasons 

 when these plants are growing. Even in winter 

 it may be found on cruciferous plants in our 

 conservatories. Like all plant-lice it increases 

 with remarkable rapidity, and so, very often, 

 the plants will be covered with the lice. More 

 than this, like all aphides it is very harmful, so 

 that jilants attacked are sure to languish and 

 even to die if the lice are very common and 

 abundant. Fortunately these and all plant- 

 lice ai'e very subject to attack from parasites, 

 species of a minute hraconid fly. These flies 

 lay theii- eggs in the lice, and their young feed 

 on and destroy the lice. Rapid as is the de- 

 veloiiment and increase of these lice, yet they 

 are eclijised in both respects by this tiny para- 

 site. While they run up to thousands in a few 

 days, the jiarasites increase to tens of thousands 

 in the same time. How strange! A tiny in- 

 .sect, hardly as large as a pin-head, overcoming 

 an enemy so mighty, that, if left undisturbed, 

 it would bring famine and want. Y"ea, iti 

 w'ould often desolate the earth. 



If Mr. Knebel will observe closely he will 

 find many lice on his plants — that is, if the par- 

 asites have not already wii)ed them all out — 

 which are shoi't and globular, and of quite light 

 color. These all harbor the /)raco7iiV7.s{, and thus 

 their doom is sealed. Instead of bearing young, 

 they will soon die and give rise to a fly that will 

 victimize scores of lice. Of the aphides sent, 

 Isawmanv of these rotu;u! light-coloi'ed lice, 

 and so I feel sui'e that Mi\ K."s plants will soon 

 be freed of the pest that has sought to desti-oy 

 them. 



I presume Mr. K. will need no remedy other 

 than that which nature has provided; but as he 

 asks for one. I will give it in the kerosene 

 emulsion, which is entirely safe. This is made 

 as follows: I4 lb. of soap is dissolved in a quart 

 of boiling water. To this, while still hot, 2 

 quai'ts of kerosene oil are added, and all violent- 

 ly stirred till permanently mixed. It now looks 

 like rich cream, and will not separate upon 

 standing. For all plants, add water till one 

 fourteenth of the whole is kerosene. Stir a lit- 

 tle, as all unites freely. Apply to plants affect- 

 ed with plant-lice, with pump or syringe, as the 

 liquid should be thrown on with much force. 

 so tliat every louse would be struck. Tliis is 

 also good for vermin or lice on cattle, horses, 

 and dogs. In this case we add water till one- 

 eighth is kei-osene. That is, it should be strong- 



