606 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 15 



MILK FOR SEVERE CASES OF STINGING. 



I note what you say, page 502, May 15, 

 in regard to the two-year- old son of Mr. 

 and Mrs. F. W. Metcalf being stung to 

 death. That reminds me of a serious case 

 of stinging at my apiary last year. One 

 of my neighbors came along when a swarm 

 was out. He was anxious to help hive them, 

 and in so doing he got stung badly. In a 

 short time I noticed he talked like one with 

 a bad cold. His mouth was drawn to one 

 side, and his tongue was so thick he could 

 hardly talk. We were near the milk- house. 

 My wife got a pan of milk, and he drank 

 all he could. In a short time he was beter. 

 He thinks death would have been the result 

 if he had not had relief very soon. I have 

 seen two other cases similar to the above, 

 and milk gave almost instant relief. 



Freer, Minn., May 24. F. B. Jones. 



[Milk might neutralize or dilute an active 

 poison in the stomach; but I don't see how 

 it could bring relief when the poison was 

 not in the stomach but in the blood.— Ed] 



SUCCESSFUL use OF FORMALDEHYDE FOR 

 THE CURE OF BLACK AND FOUL BROOD. 



As I have had several letters wishing to 

 know the result of my treatment with for- 

 maldehyde for black brood and foul brood, 

 I will say that I have just inspected the 

 apiar}^ of 136 colonies, which were all af- 

 fected with black breed, which I treated as 

 described in Gleanings, and claimed that 

 the treatment would cure both diseases if 

 used as directed. I found it free, and clean 

 of all signs of disease, and full of vim; and 

 I also find other colonies which I treated, 

 of less number, in other apiaries, free of 

 disease. I think the treatment will cure 

 in most localities if used as directed. 



Geo. E. Hinkley, 

 County Inspector of Apiaries. 



Lompcz. Cal., April 16. 



[There is not liable to be any visible evi- 

 dence of foul or black brood so early in the 

 spring, even if the taint of infection were 

 there. You can determine the matter better 

 in June, or, better, in July. Let us hear 

 from you after the last date mentioned. — 

 Ed.] 



Owing to a dispute between inexperienced 

 friends, I should like to ask whether the 

 old or new queen leaves with the swarm. 

 Mrs. Fred O. Jackson. 



Muncie, Ind., April 25. 



[It all depends on circumstances. As a 

 general thing, the old queen goes forth with 

 the first swarm; the second and third 

 swarms are led off by the young queens. 

 If some of the young queens should happen 

 to be hatched out at the time the first swarm 

 leaves, they might leave with the old queen. 

 The old queen always goes forth with the 

 first swarm if her wings are not clipped. — 

 Ed.] 



ruberoid for hive- covers; cost, etc. 



I noted in one of Dr. Miller's Straws, 

 May 1, where he alludes to ruberoid as a 

 material used in Germany as a hive-cover. 

 I think it makes a very good cover. I have 

 about twenty of such weather-covers, made 

 to telescope over the regular cover. The 

 one-ply ruberoid can be obtained at $2.45 

 per square. It is said to withstand all 

 kinds if climate or weather. It is guaran- 

 teed to outlast tin, iron, or shingles, or oth- 

 er felt roofing. With each square is given 

 enough ruberoid cement to cover all nails 

 and tin caps. The only objection I have to 

 it is that it is of a gray color, thus drawing 

 heat to a certain extent. Yet this is the 

 case with all roofing inaterial for hive-cov- 

 ers; and while the rubber part has the con- 

 sistency of rubber, 3'et it is no deteriora- 

 tion, as you say in your footnote. 



A. H. Weidenberger. 



Pleasant Hill, Mo , May 8. 



A Frame-hook. 



In Gleanings for April 15, page 395, you 

 describe clamps for lifting and holding 

 brood-frames. This reminds me that for 

 some time I have intended to describe my 

 frame- hook which, of all the appliances 

 used in the apiary, I consider the greatest 

 labor-saving and the most simple. It is 

 nothing more nor less than a rod of round 

 Is inch iron, bent as shown in Fig. 1, of 

 any desired length. The upper end is 

 made wide for a camfortable handhold, and 

 the lower is filed to a flat point, and bent to 

 catch securely under the top bar of a frame. 

 Inserted sidewise between the frames this 

 hook is strong enough to move any frame 

 enough to allow of its being pulled out by 

 catching the hook under the top- bar; and 

 when the frame is out, hanging on the hook. 



it can be turned from side to side for in- 

 spection or brushing. Of course, it makes 

 a hole in the comb near the center of the 

 top-bar; but I consider that a possible ad- 

 vantage as a passageway for the bees in 

 winter. The advantages of it are that one 

 can pull out or move any frame that will 

 stand the strain, without having his hand 

 nearer than the length of the rod to the 

 bees. 



A method of fastening foundation. 



Another improvement which I have not 

 seen described anywhere consists of a rap 



