984 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Oct. 15 



to it in last issue. Mr. Golden added a good 

 many practical ideas to bee-lore, and we re- 

 gret his loss.— Ed.] 



SOME OF MY LITTLE WHIMS. 



The best brush to use among bees is a 

 wing from a hen or a hawk, or any bii'd not 

 too large or too small. A right-hand wing 

 is preferred. 



The best scraper for removing wax or pro- 

 polis is a shingling-hatchet, not too sharp, 

 and without a handle. Such a tool is just 

 right for weight and shape. 



The best smoker fuel that I can get is old 

 dry cow-chips. They burn steadily, and 

 make plenty of smoke. 



To start a smoke I have a box of primers. 

 To prepare the primers I take old calico, 

 and make patches about four inches by six, 

 and tie a loose single knot in each one, leav- 

 ing the ends projecting for quicker lighting; 

 then I soak them in saltpeter water, not too 

 strong, and lay them up to dry. When dry 

 they are easy to light with a match, even in 

 a wind. When lighted, drop it in your 

 smoker and pile in the fuel. 



I must relate a little of my experience 

 that to me, at least, was surprising. I was 

 holding in my hand a piece of brood comb. 

 I saw a young queen cut herself out of a 

 cell. She then walked a few steps and put 

 her head into a cell of honey and commenced 

 drinking, and almost at the same instant 

 she commenced piping. Both operations 

 continued without either one interfering 

 with the other. J. A. Barber. 



Chuluota, Fla. 



[The idea of having primers, or having the 

 fuel itself made ignitible by the use of salt- 

 peter, while not new is valuable. Dr. Mil- 

 ler uses rotten wood that has been soaked in 

 saltpeter water, and dried. W. L. Coggshall 

 uses old phosphate-sacks rolled up and tied. 

 These rolls are just large enough to go into 

 the smoker-barrel, one end being dipped in 

 saltpeter water to facilitate igniting. It is 

 my opinion, based on the experience of our 

 men, that this old ijhosphate-sacking is one 

 of the best fuels that has ever been suggest- 

 ed. It ignites instantly, and gives a lastirg 

 and pungent smoke. 



A queen or bee does not emit sounds by 

 means of the mouth for it is not a breathing 

 organ as with us but an orifice through which 

 food is received. It was at one time sup- 

 posed that the noise was produced by the 

 wings, because a very rapid vibration of 

 them can be noticed; but if the wings are 

 cut off close the queens can pipe just the 

 same. Just how the sound is produced is 

 not yet definitely settled. —Ed.] 



the hive to winter the bees, but there is 

 more than I want to waste on them. Can I 

 shake them in front of a hive where there is 

 a laying queen, and have them received if I 

 make the bees in both hives smell alike? 



Will the drone layer be apt to kill a valu- 

 able queen? Mrs. J. B. Blakely. 



Neenah, Wis., Sept. 27. 



[A colony with a drone-laying queen should 

 be removed immediately. The bees, what 

 there are of them, less the drones, should be 

 united with some other colony. It may be 

 advisable to use a little tobacco smoke to 

 prevent fighting; and if the queen is a valu- 

 able one she should be caged, although the 

 probabilities are she would not be molested. 

 -Ed.] 



bees and rheumatism; automobiles and 

 horses. 



I am now 77 years old, and have handled 

 bees almost all my life, as my father kept 

 bees ever since I remember. I was not 

 only stung by honey-bees, but wasps, hornets, 

 and yellow-jackets. About two years ago I 

 hived a swarm of bees, not having gloves on; 

 and in shaking down, the bees dropped on 

 my bare hands, and they stung me terribly. 

 Every few days through the summer I get 

 stung by bees, and yet I have the rheuma- 

 tism so badly that my fingers draw all out of 

 shape, and I have rheumatic pains almost all 

 the time. 



In regard to the "mobile," those people 

 who are so terribly afraid of them must not 

 come to Lansing, for there are about 40 in 

 use in the city; you meet them almost every- 

 where, and I have heard of no horse running 

 away yet on their account. Women and 

 even young girls run them in the city and 

 country. When the factory is completed 

 they will turn out about 35 finished machines 

 per day. 



In regard to using an auto to go to church 

 on Sunday, I think it is more humane and 

 Christlike to bring your auto in play than to 

 hitch up your horses and drive them four or 

 five miles and let them stand two to three 

 hours in the hot sun for the flies to torment. 

 Of course, I do not believe in taking business 

 or pleasure trips on Sunday with any vehicle. 



Lansing, Mich., Oct. 5. Isaac Parker. 



[There are different kinds of rheumatism, 

 and different individuals are differently con- 

 stituted. We have had favorable and unfa- 

 vorable reports regarding the value of bee- 

 stings for rheumatism, so that we must con- 

 clude they cure some and not others. See 

 editorials in this issue. — Ed.] 



A drone-laying queen. 

 I have one colony of bees that has a drone- 

 laying queen. She lays a few eggs in two 

 different brood-frames so that there is seal- 

 ed brood all the time; but I can not find the 

 queen. I dare not buy a queen lest this 

 drone-layer kill her. How am I going to get 

 rid of her? There is not honey enough in 



HOW to keep ants away from honey with 

 tanglefoot fly-paper. 



Ants will not put their feet on tanglefoot 

 fly-paper. Put pieces three or four inches 

 square under each table leg, or two or three 

 sheets under the lower super of honey when 

 you are stacking them up, and ants can't 

 get into the honey or reach any thing on the 

 table. j. L. Hyde. 



Pomfret Landing, Conn., Aug. 20. 



