414 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 1. 



The latter was a four-foot room, divided by an 

 air-tight partition from ilie cellar proper. As I 

 had had some experience with oil-stoves before 

 that, I was well aware of the fact that one 

 could not be used in a bee-cellar without being 

 more or less detrimental to the comfort of the 

 bees on account of obnoxious gases and befoul- 

 ing the air. For this reason 1 took special pains 

 to make the partition air-tight (as 1 thought), 

 and provided, as an additional safeguard, an 

 extra ventilator, 6 inches square, right over the 

 place which the oil-stove was to occupy. 



When the temperature went down to 38 de- 

 grees, after it had stood at about 43 the fore 

 part of winter, I lit the stove, which was well 

 trimmed and filled, and the blaze was turned up 

 to where it would give, according to directions, 

 the most perfect combustion, and leave no 

 smell in the room. After six hours (the time 

 that amount of oil is calculated to run the 

 stove) I went to see the effect. On opening the 

 door I found the little room dark, quite warm, 

 and with an offensive oil smell. As the stove 

 went out on account of the oil burning out, I 

 gave the dying blaze the credit of the bad odor, 

 and decided that, thereafter, I would either re- 

 fill the stove or turn it out before it would have 

 another chance to die a natural death. 



The next time I entered the cellar after I had 

 the stove started again, it was still burning at 

 full blaze, but, to my surprise, the disagreeable 

 smell was the same. The bees seemed to be 

 equally displeased. On listening I could hear 

 their roaring through the partition — a decided 

 increase over their natural quiet hum wben not 

 disturbed. 



Further investigation showed a rise of tem- 

 perature of 3 degrees in the further end of the 

 cellar, where the thermometer is placed. Now, 

 whether this rise of temperature was caused by 

 the heat of the stove alone, or whether the ex- 

 citement of the bees had something to do with 

 it, I am not certain ; but I am inclined to think 

 it had. The oil scent had also penetrated the 

 partition, and, undoubtedly, disturbed the bees 

 more than the rise of temperature. I agree 

 with Dr. Miller and the ABC, that stoves in 

 the cellar have done more harm than good. 



Since making the above observations I have 

 made but very little use of oil-stoves for that 

 purpose; neither have I tried wood-stoves or 

 boiling water; in fact, I do not need either 

 since finding, by experience, better, cheaper, 

 and safer means for keeping my cellar at the 

 desired temperature. First, better outside pro- 

 tection; and, second, filling the cellar to its full 

 capacity, or, if the necessary number of colo- 

 nies is not available, reducing the size of the 

 cellar. By these means my cellar maintains an 

 average temperature of about 45 degrees, with 

 a variation of not more than one or two degrees 

 either way. 

 Naples, N. Y. 



[While the ABC does not exactly recommend 

 artificial heat for bee-cellars Dr. Miller certain- 

 ly does if the temperature goes too low; but he 

 uses a small hard-coai stove in the bee-cellar 

 itself, and of course there are no odors because 

 the products of combustion go up the chimney. 

 Oil-stoves, I know, he would not use A common 

 stove carries away the foul air at the bottom of 

 the cellar, starts the good air circulating, and 

 raises the temperature.— Ed.] 



<-— ' ANSWERS TO 



SEASOMBLEdtflESTlMl 



BY G.M.DOOLITTLE.B0ROOINO.N.Y. 



PREVENTION OF AFTER-SWABMS. 



Question. — I wish you would tell us in Glean- 

 ings how to prevent after-swarming. I know 

 you have written on the subject before, but I 

 can not now turn to it; besides, I wish you to 

 go into the minutiae of the matter so that "a 

 wayfaring man though a fool need not err 

 therein." Last year I thought I could stop 

 such swarms; but I failed, hence appeal to you. 

 Please give the matter your attention in the 

 first issue for June, as my bees commence 

 swarming about that time. 



Answer.— There are various methods of pre- 

 venting-swarms, such as removing the old col- 

 ony to a new stand as soon as the swarm has 

 left it; setting the hive containing the new 

 swarm on the stand it previously occupied ; cut- 

 •ting off all of the queen-cells but one on the 

 fifth or sixth day after the first swarm issued; 

 hiving the after-swarms in a box on top of the 

 old hive till the next morning after they came 

 out. when they are to be shaken out of the box 

 in front of the old hive, and allowed to run in, 

 so that the young queens will, all but one, be 

 destroyed, etc. Each of these plans has its va- 

 rious advocates. I have tried them all, besides 

 many others put before the public, and not so 

 given; and, after trying the many, have set- 

 tled down on the two following as being the 

 cream of the whole. I have used these plans 

 with success for years, and use them in accord 

 with what I wish to do with the old colony. 



The first is used only where the old hive Is 

 carried to a new stand while the swarm is in 

 the air. on the principle of using the new swarm 

 for the main dependence for comb honey, hiv- 

 ing the new swarm on the old stand. To ac- 

 complish what I desire, I proceed as follows: 



As soon as the swarm is seen issuing from any 

 hive I go to the shop where I get a box or hive 

 used for carrying combs, which has previously 

 been prepared, having the desired number of 

 frames in it, either filled with combs or comb 

 foundation, taking it to the hive from which 

 the swarm came, when the frames are set out 

 of the box near the hive. I now take off the 

 super and take out the frames of brood, put- 

 ting them into the box. If the combs of brood 



