GLEANINGS TN BEE CDLTURR 



.Kl-TEMHKH 15. 1016 



725 miils on stands convenient lur manip- 

 ulation ; 75 colonies are used for cell-build- 

 in?. 



Mr. Perkins uses practically the same 

 method as other breeders. The cells are 

 transferred to the upper story of strong 

 queenless or superseding colonies to make 

 sure of being well fed. The cell-building 

 colonies are fed while cell-building is in 

 progress. After ten days the cells are giv- 

 en to the nuclei for mating. It seems that, 

 the smaller the nuclei, the more sure the 

 mating. Each nucleus will average seven 



tjueeiis per season, and ofttimes two per 

 month. An allowance of 20 per cent is 

 made for loss in mating and poor queens. 

 The nuclei are fed once a week with a very 

 heavy syrup. 



The feeder used by Mr. Perkins is one nf 

 the best I ever saw; but it is not adapted to 

 cold climates, inasmuch as it is on the out- 

 side of the hive. It is of his own invention, 

 and it comprises several features. Each 

 feeder is double, serving one or two colonic^ 

 at the same time. Being on the outside nf 

 the hive, and so constructed that no robbiiii; 



fw take place, it is possible to feed at any 

 time of the day. 



This industry represents the investment 

 of several thousand dollars. The capacity 

 in the height of the season is above 800 

 queens per month. One of the interesting 

 features is- his system of signs indicating 

 the condition of a nucleus, whether queen- 

 right, virgin, or queenless. In filling the 

 cages for shipment he has a method of 

 getting the queen to run into bis lialf-closed 

 hand where slie is held prisoner while the 

 case is supplied with bees, and then the 



f|iieen is run in yf her own acctnd. never 

 being pinched or liandled in any way. 



One of the little '' big things " which time 

 and patience have perfected is the idea of 

 using pure wax for cells, using nothing but 

 the best new white comb. 



Mr. Perkins has finally exterminated all 

 black bees in his range, hunting them out of 

 trees, stumps, buildings, and, in one case, 

 from under a water-tank. In some cases 

 the queen and drones were sifted out and 

 the bees used for nuclei. 



Jjexington, Ky. 



