98 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Feb. 15 



bottom-board, and that accounts for his un- 

 favorable experience. 



We are so used to thinking of the winter 

 cluster being on empty combs that some 

 will object to my idea that it is practically 

 the same as on full combs. }3ees, ihey 

 think, must have empty combs inside the 

 cluster. Well, let me say that many of my 

 bees, when left to their own choice, prefer 

 to have at least part of their cluster with 

 absolutely nothing inside. In other words, 

 the cluster hangs down below the bottom- 

 bars. Some of the clusters touch the bot- 

 tom-board two inches below the bottom- 

 bars. 



I've just been down cellar this 3d of Feb- 

 ruary at 6 A.M. Outside the thermometer 

 says 27 degrees; in the cellar, 50. In the 59 

 colonies that are in the upper two rows, I 

 counted 48 clusters that were down below 

 the bottom-bars. Some clusters were small, 

 some large. In the other 11 cases some 

 showed a few bees between the bottom-bars, 

 and in some I could see no bees. In some 

 colonies the cluster was at one side; in oth- 

 ers, in the center. Some clusters were near 

 the front; some nearer the back. In at 

 least one case the cluster was clear to the 

 outer surface of the front, closing the entire 

 entrance. I don't suppose the cluster reach- 

 ed back further than the center. 



The point I am making in this is that 

 bees do not object to clustering on nothing. 

 Perhaps I ought to add that no feeding was 

 done last fall. 



Bro. Root says bees undisturbed make an 

 empty space, and "we ought not to go con- 

 trary to nature." That's right. But Bro. 

 Byer may reply that bees will, if they get 

 the chance, fill clear down to the bottom- 

 bars, and "we ought not to go contrary to 

 nature." (I've had bees without any feed- 

 ing fill combs so full that no two-fist space 

 was left.) 



My bees plainly work toward the Root 

 idea, and at the same time — perhaps I ought 

 rather to say prior to that time — they have 

 such a strong liking for the Byer plan that 

 they fill honey clear down to the bottom-bar 

 if they can get it. And I like both plans. 



Marengo, 111. 



[Referring to your first paragraph, where 

 you say that you believe there is but little 

 difference in actual belief between Mr. By- 

 er and ourself, you will see, if you turn to 

 our footnote in reply to Mr. Byer, that we 

 gave utterance to the same thought. That 

 is to say, we agree with Mr. Byer if he 

 means having combs solid with stores in 

 September for outdoor wintering. By De- 

 cember the bees will make in those combs 

 just such a winter nest as we hold that they 

 need. Taking this view of it, our beliefs 

 and practices are almost identically the 

 same. We do not think Mr. Byer himself 

 w^ould insist on giving a colony nothing but 

 combs with solid capped stores in the mid- 

 dle of December. 



In all this discussion one must not lose 

 sight of the question whether bees are win- 



tered indoors or outdoors. In a good cellar 

 it is not so important how the stores in the 

 brood-nest are disposed in the combs, pro- 

 viding there are enough for the needs of the 

 colony. Nearly all normal inrfoor-wintered 

 colonies will cluster in the space between 

 the bottom board and the bottom of the 

 combs. Such colonies do not need a winter 

 nest like the bees outdoors. 



In reading through your article it appears 

 to us that you have in your mind's eye the 

 bees in your cellar. You have never prac- 

 ticed outdoor wintering to any extent, and 

 therefore it would be natural for you to think 

 of the condition of a colony in a winter re- 

 pository; for you say, "Let me say that 

 many of my bees, when left to their own 

 choice, prefer to have at least part of their 

 cluster with absolutely nothing inside. In 

 other words, the cluster hangs down below 

 the bottom-bars. Some of the clusters touch 

 the bottom-board two inches below the bot- 

 tom-bars." 



All through this discussion we tried to 

 make it clear* that the question of winter 

 nests had to do primarily with bees winter- 

 ed outdoors. True it is that the inside col- 

 onies may have a nest; but whether they do 

 or not, the success of indoor wintering does 

 not depend on that winter nest unless the 

 cellar is very cold much of the time. It is 

 only when the bees are wintered outdoors 

 that the question assumes importance. You, 

 Doctor, find your indoor clusters just where 

 we find ours; but unless we draw a clear dis- 

 tinction between outdoor and indoor win- 

 tering we shall get mixed up in our discus- 

 sions. Again, we should bear in mind that 

 if outdoor bees have solid combs early in 

 the fall they will probably have winter nests 

 by the time actual cold weather sets in if 

 they are not disturbed. 



NECTARLESS FLOWERS. 



BY JOHN H. LOVELL. 



I n a recen t number a correspondent writes: 

 "There has been some discussion of late as 

 to whether bees get any honey from roses. 

 I believe I have seen them at work very 

 freely on wild or single roses, and I see no 

 good reason why roses should not yield hon- 

 ey, as they belong to the same family as the 

 ajople, pear, plum, cherry, raspberry, etc. 

 If one species of a given family of plants 

 yields honey we may expect they will all do 

 so." 



It is a rule recognized by all students of 

 flowers that it is never safe, from an exami- 

 nation of one species of flower, to draw con- 

 clusions as to another species, even when 

 they belong to the same genus, much less 

 when they belong to different genera or 

 families. Each flower must be studied in- 

 dependently. It might seem probable, in- 

 deed, that, if one species of a family secret- 

 ed nectar, all the others would do so; but 



*See Gleanings, page 688, Nov. 15, page 724, Dec.l, 

 1909, and page 21, Jan. 1, 1911. 



