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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Oct. 15. 



they will not uncap the other; but this fall, as 

 all bur honej' is dark we would not care If they 

 did uncap some of the combs. 

 Roseville, 111.. Sept. (5. Mhs. L. C. Axtell. 



[My good friend, yoni' plan of getting rid of 

 robbers by feeding sweetened water instead of 

 syrup is one of my old hobbies, if you remem- 

 ber. At the time of my experiments, however, 

 I preferred grape s\igar, for the reason that it 

 was not as sweet as cane sngar,.and they did 

 not cai'e very much for it. I assure you it was 

 refreshing to get evei-y robber out of the way, 

 simply by drawing them off with a very little 

 cheap sugar. One objection, however, to this 

 very weak syrup or sweetened water, was that 

 it soured very speedily, especially in hot weath- 

 er, if I gave more than they took up at the time. 

 Yes, I too discovered how the bees would tight 

 and get daubed if it were just a little too sweet. 



Do you not unconsciously give us an illustra- 

 tion of some of the very inconvenient features 

 of the closed -end frame you use in connection 

 with the old Quinby hive? Yes, I have seen 

 just the result you mention, in taking bees 

 from one colony to give to another. Unless you 

 take pains to let the inmates of the laive get a 

 taste of the honey to make them good-natured, 

 they will sometimes sting, even when the new 

 comers are gorged with honey.] A. I. R. 



Our Quest/on - Box, 



WITH REPUES FROM OUR BEST AUTHORITIES. 



Question 194. In <i locality where flowers 

 are late in blooming in the ftprihg, ivoiild you 

 advise sujrplylng some substitute for pollen f 

 If .so, name two or three of tlie best. * 



Yes. We use flour, rye or wheat. 



Illinois. N. W. Dadant A Son. 



Yes. Rye or corn meal, or wheat flour. 

 Vermont. N. W. A. E. Manum. 



1 have always found enough pollen left in the 

 combs, but the best substitute is flour. 

 Louisiana. E. C. P. L. Viai.i.on. 



I don't think as favorably of feeding pollen 

 substitutes as I used to. 

 Ohio. N. W. H. R. Boardman. 



Rye and oats ground together make an excel- 

 lent feed. That's all I have ever tried, and it is 

 seldom necessary in this latitude. 



New York. E. Rambler. 



No, not here. I would not supply any substi- 

 tute. I have repeatedly tried it, and found it 

 would not go. It looked to be a howling suc- 

 cess, but it was not. 



Michigan. S. W. James Heddon. 



Most assuredly, if the bees are short of pollen 

 for breeding-purposes. I would use either pea 

 flour, or wheat flour mixed with honey, and 

 placed in the combs. 



Ohio. N. W. A. B. :Mason. 



Yes. Rye, oats, and wheat are good. While 

 I have never tried it. I think peas or beans 

 would be better. Corn meal will not do, as they 

 can not carry it. 



Illinois. N. C. J. A. (Jreen. 



No. I would not supply any artificial pollen if 

 the flowers furnished plenty when they did 

 come, even if it were late. My experience in 



that'direction has satisfied me that it pays bet- 

 ter to wait till natui'e comes to the rescue. 

 Wisconsin. S. W. S. I. Freeborn. 



The best substitutes for pollen are rye flour 

 and pea flour. But if you take care of your 

 combs of pollen of the previous season, substi- 

 tutes are hardly ever necessary. 



Ohio. S. W. C. F. MuTH. 



In this locality natural pollen is to be had as 

 soon as it is warm enough for bees to work 

 without loss. If I used a substitute I should 

 prefer rye flour. 



Illinois. N. W. C. Mrs. L. Harrison. 



I would use unbolted wheat flour. My miller 

 told me that, on one occasion, the bees came in 

 great numbers and worked in his flour-chest 

 as it came warm from the stones. 



California. S. R. Wilkin. 



In this locality bees can get pollen as soon as 

 they can fly safely. I imagine that this is pretr 

 ty generally true. In case there is a lack of 

 pollen I should advise oat or rye meal. 



Michigan. C. A. J. Cook. 



There are some localities where it pays to 

 furnish rye flour. A cheap wheat flour, known 

 as daisy flour, is taken quite readily. Pea meal, 

 recommended by British bee-keepers, is prob- 

 ably better. We do not feed. 



New York. C. P. H. Elwood. 



In my home yard I have used some rye flour 

 in early spring, but I don't know that it ever 

 did any good. I don't think I shall bother to 

 use any more. My bees always gather pollen 

 in the fall, so they have plenty of pollen in 

 spring, and don't need flour. If I thought they 

 had no pollen in their combs in spring, then I 

 would give them rye flour. 



Wisconsin. S. W. E. France. 



I do not know that this pays in dollars and 

 cents; but the •'fun" pays me, for it is lots of 

 fun for me and all who call at my house to see 

 the little fellows roll over and over in the meal. 

 I consider corn meal ground fine just as good as 

 any, while all that the bees do not use is not 

 wasted, as it can be fed to the cow, horse, sheep, 

 or chickens. 



New York. C. G. M. Dooi.ittle. 



Not very much to be gained on that line, I 

 think; yet there is no harm in furnishing pol- 

 len substitutes when the bees go for them eager- 

 ly. They work with great zeal sometimes at 

 fine dry sawdust. Let them have' the choice 

 between a lovely article of sawdust and rye 

 flour. While I think of it, feeding flour is some- 

 times complained of for getting the combs full 

 of little solid lumps that the bees have to tear 

 out to get rid of. 



Ohio. N. W. E. E. Hasty. 



If the weather were i)leasant enough for bees 

 to work, and they could not get enough natural 

 pollen, I would try to give them all they would 

 take of some ground feed I was using for horses 

 or cattle. You see, if they use only the finer 

 parts the rest can be fed to the cows after the 

 bees are done with it. I think I have liked 

 ground corn and oats the best. Corn meal will 

 do, but it is pretty heavy for them to work. 

 Rye. wheat, barley, buckwheat, are good: but 

 I would have neither of them bolted— both be- 

 cause it is pleasanter for them to work on the 

 unbolted, and because. I think, some of the best 

 is bolted out. The different brans are good if 

 not cleaned too close. Pea flour is used in Eng- 



