340 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



App. 1 



frames. Frames hanging- on these nails in 

 notches would swing like pendulums with 

 the slightest movement of the wagon. Nail 

 supports are all right; but the spacing-de- 

 vice should be on the frame. — Ed.] 



CAN BROOD BE REARED DURING WINTER? 



Has any one ever succeeded in raising 

 brood in the winter season by feeding bees 

 carefully and making the conditions right 

 as to temperature? Could a scheme like 

 the following be used? Put the hive in a 

 warm atmosphere, say 70°, and have it rest 

 upon a wire box, say 3 feet high, just the 

 dimensions of the hive, with the bottom so 

 arranged that it could be left out, giving the 

 bees a chance to fly about in the wire cage 

 below, and yet at night gather in the usual 

 cluster. L. H. Clarke. 



Gardiner, Me. 



[Brood can be reared in winter, but it is 

 not practicable. You can warm up the 

 hive to 70 degrees; but unless the bees can 

 have a fly in the air outdoors, when it is 

 warm enough for them to do so, and return, 

 they will become uneasy and die ofl^. Some 

 thirty years ago, just within the limits of 

 my memory, my father conducted seme 

 elaborate experiments on rearing brood in 

 midwinter. Several hives were shut in a 

 greenhouse, and theglass was screened with 

 mosquito netting. He actually succeeded 

 in rearing brood, and the bees flew out, 

 and in time learned to return; but so many 

 of them were lost trying to get out, that the 

 experiment was deemed a failure. Your 

 wire-cloth box you speak of would be even 

 worse than the greenhouse. — Ed.] 



WHEN TO transfer. 



I have ten stands of bees in old hives, L. 

 frames, difi^erent sizes. I have bought new 

 hives, and wish to know when you would 

 transfer — in spring early, or wait and put 

 new swarms in? In the old hives I can not 

 take out frames to examine when queenless 

 or not. Mrs. C. C. D. 



Blufiton, Ind. 



[I would advise you to follow the Heddon 

 short method, and do the work just as set- 

 tled warm weather comes on. This method 

 is described in the A B C of Bee Culture, 

 and briefly it is nothing more nor less than 

 shaking or drumming most of the bees out 

 of the old hive and compelling them to go on 

 sheets of foundation in a new hive.. Three 

 weeks more, after the brood is hatched out, 

 the old hive is given another shake, or 

 drive, putting the remainder and the newly 

 hatched bees with the first. The old combs 

 are melted up. — Ed.] 



ROOFS FOR HIV^E- covers; A FEW POINTERS 

 FROM A CONTRACTOR. 



Your article, page 174, pertaining to roof- 

 ings for hive-covers, and your claim that 

 metal covers of that description are short in 

 service, is true unless you take the best 

 quality of tin and keep it well painted. 



That I would consider the best of the metal 

 roofings. Slate or iron roofing is not near- 

 ly as good in my estimation. In my prac- 

 tice as contractor and builder I come in 

 contact with almost all kinds of roofing; 

 and of al', outside of shingle, I can recom- 

 mend only two kinds — that is, for flat- roof 

 purposes. One is the best tin well painted, 

 and the other the Manville asbestos roofing. 

 This roofing, however, is more expensive 

 than other ordinary felt or tar roofing, but 

 still cheaper than tin or good shingle. 

 This roofing will not tear or break, being 

 interlined with layers of burlap, making 

 it thereby very strong and durable. The 

 upper face side is composed of a sheet of 

 pure white asbestos, and guarantee is 

 given that it will .stand all kinds of weath- 

 er for five years without any coating except 

 the cement put between laps. 



Speaking of hive-covers, I think this kind 

 of roofing would do excellent service, as it 

 would last a good while without any coat- 

 ing; and after coating, it would be all right 

 for some more years. The price I pay for 

 this material is $3.75 per 100 sq. ft. here at 

 the store; but each roll contains 200 sq. ft.» 

 making a roll very heavy. The nails used 

 for this roofing are purposely made for it^ 

 and are furnished with the roll, being flat- 

 headed, no tins required. 



Wm. F. Daniel. 



Sandusky, O., Feb. 22. 



AN EXPERIENCE WITH CANDIED HONEY. 



You ask for experience in candied honey. 

 At one time I had a hurry order for five 

 gallons of candied honey. I melted it and 

 put it in a tub, and set it outdoors in zero 

 weather. It thickened, but would not candy. 

 After exposing it for a week I set it in a 

 room without heat, at a temperature of 

 about 4°. In about two weeks more, with 

 some stirring, it candied. Again, I want- 

 ed to candy some in gl.iss cans for exhibi- 

 tion purposes. I placed it in an ice-house,, 

 laying it flat on the ice and covering it with 

 sawdust. It would not candy at all. This 

 was placed on the ice in August, and taken 

 out in October. Chas. Mills. 



Camillus, N. Y., Mar. 9, 1904. 



[Too cold a temperature is not conducive 

 to candying. It should be a little above 

 freezing, and change from warm to cold. — 

 Ed.] 



stingless bees; ark they worth any 

 thing kor honey? 

 Not long ago I saw an item in a paper 

 concerning a new stingless bee. Being 

 busy at the time, I laid the paper aside till 

 I might have more leisure; and when I 

 thought of it seme days after I could not 

 find the paper. I did not remember the 

 name or date, but I think it a s^imple copy 

 of some farm paper. If you know any thing 

 of them, let me know. If not, send me what 

 information you can; for if there is no seri- 

 ous danger of getting stung to ceath, or the 

 experiment will not call for more expense 



