586 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 15 



amounting: to over /"ISCO is augmented by a public 

 grant of about /"BOO, and they insure all bee-keepers, 

 irrespective of the number of colonies in their posses- 

 sion, for the small charge of less than fid., guaranteeing 

 to "make good any losses from foul brood, fire, theft, 

 etc." In no other country on the Continent, however, 

 is agriculture so well organized or so successfully car- 

 ried on as it is in Germany; and her bee- literature is 

 second to that of no other country, while for scientific 

 knowledge of bee anatomy she stands an easy first. 



WORKING FOR COMB AND EXTRACTED HONEY. 



"Say, Doolittle; can I work my apiary 

 for both comb and extracted honey at the 

 same time and in the same year?" 



"Well, Brown, I see nothing to hinder. 

 Why do you ask such a question?" 



"Because Jones told me he would not do 

 it." 



"It is not a question of what Jones would 

 do, but one of what you want to do, is it 

 not?" 



"It looks that way. I have 50 colonies, 

 and I wish to work 25 for comb honey and 

 25 for extracted. I use combs 5>2 inches 

 deep in the extracting-supers, and the 4X5 

 sections for comb honey. My principal 

 trouble is swarming during the honey-flows, 

 thus interrupting work in the supers. 

 Please tell me how you would work in both 

 cases, and I shall be very grateful to you." 



"In the first place, I should not expect to 

 allow many (if any) swarms by natural 

 swarming, from the colonies worked for ex- 

 tracted honey; for I believe more extracted 

 honey can be obtained where the colonies 

 have no desire to swarm than can be by 

 any plan which inclines the bees to swarm. ' ' 



" I am quite in accord with that; but how 

 can I hinder their swarming?" 



"Mr. Quinby told us how, years ago, 

 when he said that, if a colony were given 

 from 5000 to 6000 cubic inches for a hive. 

 and this space was filled with comb, such 

 a colony would not be likely to swarm; and 

 in all of my operations with bees I have 

 found Ouinby to be very nearly correct on 

 this point, and especially so if the honey is 

 extracted from the combs not occupied with 

 brood, as soon as the most of it is sealed 

 over. ' ' 



"Then why should I be bothered with 

 swarming?" 



"My idea of this matter would be that it 

 is because you are using those 5/2 -inch 

 combs in your supers. Why do you wish 

 to use combs for extracting-purposes of that 

 depth?" 



"Because I got started that way from a 

 colony or two that I bought from a man 

 who worked for extracted honey." 



"I have never been able to see any par- 



ticular reason for using combs of any other 

 than the same depth as the brood-frames 

 used in the lower hive, for extracting pur- 

 poses." 



"But some use sucb, do they not?" 



"Yes, I know that a few of our advanced 

 bee-keepers do use combs in the extracting- 

 super, of a different size from those in the 

 brood-chamber; but what few reasons have 

 been given for such a course have seemed 

 illogical when viewed from my standpoint. 

 Have you any frame full of comb not in use, 

 like those the bees are on?" 



"Yes." 



"How many?" 



"Probably enough to fill twenty hives." 



"Then as you have asked me to tell you 

 how to work those bees, I judge I'd better 

 tell you just how I would do it, and I would 

 use those extra combs on twenty of the colo- 

 nies I worked for extracted honey; and then 

 if those colonies needed more room I would 

 put the 5>^-inch combs on top, working for 

 full depth combs till I had enough such 

 combs to supply all their needs. When this 

 was effected, the 5'^ combs would be 

 rendered into wax. Colonies fixed with 

 full-depth combs as above, where the honey 

 is extracted from them as soon as ripe, will 

 not swarm, according to my experience; 

 and, in my opinion, if you work this way 

 you will secure the best possible results 

 from the colonies so worked." 



"This is something altogether different 

 from what I had planned or ever worked 

 before. ' ' 



"If you have any doubts I can tell you 

 how you (or anyone else) can prove wheth- 

 er Doolittle (or any one who tells you of 

 something new to you), is right or wrong, 

 when his teachings are applied to your lo- 

 cality." 



"How is that?" 



"Just try the plan advocated on a part of 

 your colonies, using your former plans with 

 the rest, and this will prove the matter to 

 your entire satisfaction. If the new plan 

 proves good, then prepare to work the whole 

 number you wish to work for extracted hon- 

 ey that way. If it proves not so good as the 

 plan or plans you have been using, then 

 drop it, adhering to your old plans till you 

 strike on something better. By doing in 

 this way you may go a little slower, but you 

 will be sure you are right iox your \oz2l\\- 

 ty." 



"Thank you. That is fair, I am sure. 

 But what about working for CDmb honey?" 



"In working for comb honey the bees must 

 build their combs, or draw out foundation 

 in the sections, at the best, and this places 

 the bee-keeper where he will most certainly 

 have more or less swarms, unless he hinders 

 such by some profitable manipulation." 



"What do you do along this line of ma- 

 nipulation?" 



"Do you wish any increase?" 



"I would rather have some increase, as I 

 have not yet all the bees I wish." 



"The shook plan which I gave in a late 

 number of Gleanings was one having as 



