July 15. 1911 



439 



To-day the bees are working hard in both 

 supers, there is some sealed brood and hon- 

 ey in the shallow frames, and some i>artial- 

 ly sealed sections of honey in the top super. 

 Hive No. 1 is quite strong again; but I shall 

 not make a second switch for a while yet, as 

 I am raising some fine young queens from 

 that colony. I think that, with proper un- 

 derstanding and management, the switch- 

 board will afTord many advantages. More 

 experience, however, will be required before 

 conclusive results can be given. 

 Selma, Ala., May 2. 



[The Danzenbaker hive is very popular 

 with many j^ersons keeping a few bees in 

 their back lots: but it does not seem to be in 

 much favor with extensive or professional 

 bee-keepers. While it seems to be conced- 

 ed that closed-end frames are warmer, and 

 make it possible for the brood to be reared 

 clear up to the end-bars, the difficulty and 

 time consumed in handling these frames 

 appears to be a serious bar to their general 

 introduction among the professional class. 



While there might be, j^erhaps, some ad- 

 vantage in making the change suggested, 

 manufacturers find, as a rule, that it is un- 

 wise to make any change in hives unless 

 there seems to be a general consensus of 

 opinion among bee-keepers favoring such 

 change. For instance, there has been a 

 strong tendency of late toward the ten-frame 

 hive of the Langstroth pattern, and at the 

 same time a general falling-away from the 

 eight-frame hive. It is possible to change 

 over to ten, but it would not be practicable 

 for a manufacturer to make slight changes 

 in the Danzenbaker hive. The reason for 

 this is, it would cause general confusion, in 

 the yard of a customer who has a lot of the 

 old hives, to buy new ones that would not 

 fit those already m use. — Ed.] 



TROUBLE BETWEEN BREEDER AND BUYER. 



BY JOHN E. TAYLOR. 



[The following article was written by one who. al- 

 though not prominent in the bee-keeping world, is 

 a poultry-breeder of some note, and a contributor 

 to the American I'oidinj Journal. As his business 

 is quite an extensive one he has had ample oppor- 

 tunity to judge or observe difficulties arising be- 

 tween customers and dealers. This opinion, com- 

 ing as it does from a disinterested party, should 

 have all the more weight. — Ed.] 



In your issue for April 1, page 205, under 

 the above heading, some pertinent questions 

 of responsibility arise. I feel in your com- 

 ment you have not touched the real issue. 

 While it may be and doubtless is true that 

 wired frames are best, it does not ajjpear 

 they were a part of the contract in question, 

 either by direct promise or implication. 



It does appear, however, that Mr. McMur- 

 ray did contract, by the terms of his adver- 

 tising, to sell "Superior all-over-yellow Ital- 

 ian bees," and then expresses surprise that 

 his customers expect to receive such, as, in 

 matter of fact, "we haven't got to that yet." 



Now, Mr. Editor, by every statute in exis- 

 tence it would ordinarily be considered that 



such evidence is evidence of fraud with 

 knowledge thereof, and punishable, with 

 jiower not only to recover original outlay, 

 but to recover incidental damages for any 

 loss of income arising therefrom. To 

 avoid this responsibility by claiming "Gol- 

 den All-over" is only the trademark of a 

 particular strain must be accompanied by 

 a clear and conspicuous statement that the 

 bees advertised and sold are not yellow all 

 over, but so only in part. 



This may have been, and probably was, 

 only an unintentional error of the advertis- 

 er; but it is a material matter, and of vast 

 importance when considered in relation to 

 the army of inexperienced beginners, and, 

 in my judgment, there is but one honorable 

 way out, and that is for the breeder to firr- 

 nish what he advertised, free of any further 

 expense for bees or delivery, or else refund 

 every cent thus far jiaid by the buyer. This 

 is law, and it is business. 



This whole atTair may be an unfortunate 

 mistake on the part of a very honorable and 

 well-meaning breeder; and had he assumed 

 the responsibility for the error, and refund- 

 ed the money at once, it wovild have been 

 the best advertising he ever did, and would 

 have put in your paper a letter from Mr. 

 McCubbin that would have advertised a 

 guarantee of fair treatment instead of a fear 

 of broken promises. 



No, Mr. Editor, I know I am inscribing 

 pretty plain sentiments; but I don't charge 

 a cent for them, and I am sure they are 

 worth all I charge. 



Belding, Mich. 



[See editorial comments elsewhere. — Eit.] 



Another Swarm that Returned to the Old Hive. 



I read the article on page 377. June 15. about a 

 swarm's queen that returned to the hive from 

 which the swarm issued. I have had a similar ex- 

 perience. Last Monday, the 19th, a colony of bees I 

 purchased this spring swarmed. I should estimate 

 the amount of bees to be about a peck. They lit on 

 a limb of a high apple-tree. I placed a new Dan- 

 zenbaker hive on the ground under the tree, and 

 was about to go up after the swarm when they all 

 dropped off, and rushed pellmell back to the old 

 hive whence they came. 



The next day, about 11 o'clock, they swarmed 

 again. This time 1 removed the old hive and put in 

 its place a new hive, placing another under the 

 tree where they were swarming. 1 sawed ofT the 

 limb and shook it in front of the hive. Most of the 

 bees went in. In a few moments they came out 

 and made for the old stand whence they came. 

 There they found the new hive which I have al- 

 ready mentioned, and immediatel.v took posses- 

 sion, and are now busy carrying in honey. Is this 

 their habit, to return to the old hive? 



Sherman, Pa., June 23. E. E. Lowe. 



Moving Bees a Short Distance. 



In moving bees a short distance you are behind 

 the age. I moved a yard of a(J colonies about 350 

 yards. 7 years ago, to rented ground, for protection 

 and handy water. I did not use smoke, but blocked 

 the entrances shut, and started. I used no board 

 in front. I let them out at once and got out of the 

 way. Not a dozen bees came back that I was aware 

 of. I have done all moving that way since, even 

 wheeling around the yard a couple of times and 

 placing them on a new stand, 



Portland. Pa. A. C. Hunsbekger. 



[Wheeling the hives around the yard several 

 times would have much the same effect as smoke. 

 When bees are moved a short distance they must 

 be stirred up with smoke or jarred on a wheelbar- 

 row or wagon.— Ed.] 



